A rural healthcare practitioner has been arrested in Faridpur’s Saltha upazila for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Allah and insulting religion, police said. Sheikh Akhtar Hossain, 55, was detained on Sunday morning around 10am from the Bauskhali area of Ballovdi Union.

According to police, Hossain posted a video on Facebook last Friday in which he referred to a statement by Baul singer Abul Sarkar and cited lyrics from Baul songs. In the video he reportedly described Allah as a “thief, fraudster and killer” and labelled the current government as a “Taliban government.” The video quickly spread online, triggering outrage among local Islamic scholars.

Following complaints from residents, police arrested him and took him into custody. Officer-in-Charge of Saltha Police Station Md Ataur Rahman confirmed that a case has been filed against Hossain on charges of religious defamation. He has been sent to the Faridpur court, and further legal procedures are ongoing.

Saudi Arabia’s King and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has called on citizens to perform Salat al-Istisqa (the prayer for rain) across the Kingdom.

According to a statement issued by the Royal Court on Monday (10 November), the prayer will be held on Thursday, 22 Jumada al-Awwal 1447 Hijri, as per the Umm al-Qura calendar, in accordance with the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The statement urged citizens to repent, seek forgiveness, and return to Allah. It also encouraged acts of charity, remembrance of God, regular prayers, and kindness toward others to attain divine mercy.

The Royal Court further emphasized that every able Muslim should join the prayer with humility and patience, seeking Allah’s mercy and blessings.

The statement concluded with a supplication asking Allah to show mercy to the people and the land, to accept their prayers, and to send rain as a source of goodness and compassion.

In Islamic teachings, a person’s deeds determine whether they will enter Paradise or Hell in the Hereafter. However, certain people have been granted a special status for whom Hell has been declared forbidden.

According to Hadith, three categories of people are promised protection from Hellfire: those who stay awake guarding in the path of Allah, those who shed tears out of fear of Allah, and those who restrain their eyes from looking at what is forbidden.

Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA) and Ibn Abbas (RA), the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Two eyes will never be touched by the fire of Hell — one that weeps out of fear of Allah and another that stays awake guarding in His path.” (Jami’ al-Tirmidhi: 1633)

Another narration (Sunan al-Darimi: 2445) adds that the eye which refrains from looking at forbidden things will also be protected from Hellfire.

Islamic scholars interpret these Hadiths as emphasizing spiritual purity, moral restraint, and devotion to Allah — qualities that ensure salvation in the Hereafter.