Watan-A video showing Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais justifying artistic decadence, dancing, and nudity in Saudi Arabia sparked a storm of controversy. The video, which featured a voice that sounded authentic and an image that was equally deceptive, seemed to be a religious endorsement of the “entertainment vision” led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
It soon became clear that the video was fabricated using artificial intelligence, prompting the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques to issue an urgent clarification, stating that the video was fake and had no connection to Al-Sudais.
However, the greater irony was that the AI-generated fabrication didn’t shock people as much as the content itself, which reflected a reality already in place. Several activists pointed out that “what was said in the video was not far from the official rhetoric of Al-Sudais,” who is often accused of “whitewashing” the Crown Prince’s decisions and justifying them religiously.
Religion or Narrative? Al-Sudais and the New Saudi Discourse
Al-Sudais, who manages the affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, had previously sparked widespread controversy with his statements on obedience to rulers, even in their most repressive decisions. He has never recorded a single stance opposing mixed-gender concerts or events held in Mecca and Medina, nor has he spoken out against the religious institution’s silence on what’s happening in Palestine.
The discussion about the fabricated video went beyond technology, opening the file of “official religious discourse” in Saudi Arabia, which critics argue has become a tool for justifying anything issued by the government, even extreme openness that strips the sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques.
At a time when Gaza is being bombed and massacres are occurring, the voices of court preachers are silent in supporting the victims. Some even attack the resistance and forbid jihad, in stark contrast to what was previously preached in Saudi mosques.
The fabricated voice of Al-Sudais may have revealed a more dangerous truth than the recording itself: the official religious institution no longer defends religion, but rather the official narrative. And while artificial intelligence may fabricate an image, who fabricates the conscience?
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