Saudis Pray for Rain; Cleric Blames Sin

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/Intl/AP.V4628.AP-Saudi-Rain-Pray.html

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP)--Saudis on Thursday heeded their king's call and prayed for rainfall, and a leading cleric blamed its scarcity on the sins of the desert state's citizens.

Noting seasonal rains were late, Kind Fahd on Saturday urged fellow Saudis to perform a special prayer for rain this week.

Rain usually starts falling at the start of the winter season in October. When they fail to fall on time, the Saudi king normally calls for rain prayers to be performed.

In the first 10 months of 2003, rainfall in the Gulf state is said to be below the annual average of 6 inches. There have been recorded falls in western Saudi Arabia, most recently this week, but no figures were immediately available.

Saudi's top Muslim cleric, Grand Mufti Sheik Abdul-Aziz bin Abdullah al-Sheik, said God was holding back the rain this year because Saudi people had been ``immersing in sin and forbidden acts.''
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Hey! They've got their own Jerry Falwell!

to the Islamic fundies.

They both want a holy war to kill each other off. Each says the other is going to hell.

Good thing we have a secular king....er, pretzledent to keep it all in perspective and do the right thing.
/sarcasm

Saudi Arabia may not be the best place for you.

It's been a little dry here in occupied-PacNW also (but a little colder than usual), I personally blame Canada for hogging it all.

Trust me, we're not trying to. :D