A number of extreme Salafi religious leaders in Saudi Arabia issued a statement for standing by Sheikh Mohammad AlAraifi who criticized the most prominent Shiite religious leader; Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali AlSistani. They confirmed that AlAraifi "did not go beyond the truth", and called Shiites to "repent to Allah".

This statement that was published in Almoslim website, which is supervised by Sheikh Nasir AlOmar, includes forty-one names of Saudi Salafi religious leaders; among of them Sheikh AbdulRahman AlBarrak who is a former member in the faculty of Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University.

The statement declared that "enemies of Islam of infidels and hypocrites are still seeking to harm this religion and its followers"; especially after "the sermon of Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin AbdulRahman AlAraifi who referred to the reality of Ali AlSistani as Rafidhis; Shiites, and their secularist fellows cooperated to discredit Sheikh AlAraifi".

Signatories of this statement stated that "Ali AlSistani is one of the Rafidhis' prominent figures who pervert Qur'an and curse the companions; especially Abu Bakr and Omar". They, also, said that Shiites "consider all Sunnis as infidels, permit killing them as it happened in Iraq and Iran, and worship graves". They added that "what Sheikh Mohammad AlAraifi had said about AlSistani did not go beyond the truth".

Moreover, the statement attacked "the secularists" of Sunni Saudi writers and journalists who criticized Sheikh AlAraifi. It emphasized that "those secularists, who criticized Sheikh Mohammad AlAraifi because he criticized Alsistani, are, in fact, enemies to religious leaders and reformers".

Many readers of this statement supported what was mentioned in it whereas others expressed their refusal to such declarations which lead to sectarian disputes. Such statements are one of the factors that cause oppression against followers of other religions or sects, disunity of Muslims nations and incitement to hatred.