"The bloodshed in Iraq and Palestine must stop immediately ... The killing of civilians, destruction of property, looting and robberies must all be stopped," Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais said in the televised sermon.

He urged the international community to put an end to the "ongoing war in Iraq," and warned that "wars only breed wars and aggravate a clash of civilisations."

The cleric called on Muslims to "rationally study the causes of the defeat" in Iraq, and urged them "not to lose faith that Islam will be the ultimate winner."

Sheikh Sudais also appealed for unity in Saudi Arabia, insisting that only authorized people should issue fatwas, or religious edicts.

Public sentiment in conservative Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, has been strongly against the US-led war to end Saddam Hussein's regime.

SPACE.WIRE