Hassan al-Maliki facts for kids

Hassan Farhan al-Maliki (Arabic: حسن بن فرحان المالكي) is a Saudi Arabian thinker who focuses on religious ideas. He was arrested in September 2017 and later went to court in October 2018. He was arrested because of his views on religious texts and his opinions about some historical Islamic figures. He also expressed ideas that were different from the official views in his country.

Who is Hassan al-Maliki?

Before his arrest, Hassan al-Maliki worked as a writer, researcher, and historian of Islamic history. His ideas are often described as wanting to update or reform religious thinking. He is known for being open-minded and tolerant. He has also spoken out against extreme religious ideas.

His Ideas and Beliefs

Hassan al-Maliki believes that the Quran is the most important source of religious guidance. He thinks that many common sayings attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad (called hadiths) might not be fully accurate. He believes that only a small part of these hadiths are truly reliable.

He also suggests that some rules about punishment in this world, according to the Quran, are only for serious crimes like murder or aggression. He uses terms like "followers of the Quran" to describe people who focus mainly on the Quran for their faith.

Why He Was Arrested

Hassan al-Maliki was arrested because his ideas were seen as challenging to some powerful religious groups in Saudi Arabia. He had been arrested and released several times before. In 2017, his arrest became more serious.

Organizations like Human Rights Watch have said that his arrest was unfair. They believe he was arrested simply for sharing his peaceful ideas.