Grand Mufti Asks Govt to Fix Price Problem

[bamalli]

    Grand Mufti Asks Govt to Fix Price Problem

    JEDDAH, 3 February 2008 — Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, the Kingdom's grand
    mufti and top religious authority, yesterday urged the government to fix
    prices of essential commodities in order to control rising prices.

    "Every effort should be made to contain rising prices of goods all over the
    Kingdom," the mufti said in comments published yesterday. "When we check
    prices of goods we can clearly see the greediness of traders who increase
    prices without any justification."

    He said increasing prices without any genuine reason was against the
    teachings of Islam. "There is nothing wrong in making profit but it should
    be within a reasonable limit and it should not harm others."

    He emphasized the need for price ceilings of every product in order to
    prevent traders from inflating prices by exploiting consumers' assumptions
    that those price increases are due to inflation.

    The mufti made this comment during Friday sermon at Imam Turki ibn Abdullah
    Mosque in Riyadh. He urged businessmen to fear God and warned them against
    making gains through prohibited activities and being greedy, without
    considering the interest of the country and people.