Claim: Al-Aqsa Mosque’s preacher Sheikh Ekrima Sa’id Sabri has called for the release of Pakistan’s incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Fact: Sheikh Sabri has not made any remarks in favour of Khan since the latter’s arrest in August 2023.
In the first week of May 2026, viral video reports surfaced on Facebook claiming that Sheikh Ekrima Sa‘id Sabri, the imam of one of Islam’s holiest sites, the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, has called for the release of Pakistan’s incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan (archived here, here, and here, respectively).
The videos feature emotionally charged voiceovers, stating that Sheikh Sabri has demanded the “immediate release” of Khan to “save Islam” and fight “nonbelievers” and has termed him as the “world’s most influential Muslim leader”.
The voiceovers also claim that Khan is “not a common prisoner but a hostage of the US and Israel who has been jailed for shielding Gaza’s oppressed people and fighting Islam’s case on global forums”.
The US and Israel would be “extremely scared” if the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder became the prime minister for a second time as the latter country would be “forced to recognise Gaza as an independent state”, the voiceovers assert, adding that “Muslims of Gaza have lost so much just because Khan is imprisoned”.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check searched for verified news reports by reputable media outlets about Sheikh Sabri calling for Khan’s release but did not find any from 2026 or even since the former premier was jailed in August 2023.
The preacher has been facing severe limitations imposed by Israeli authorities, including travel restrictions, a ban on entry to the Al-Aqsa compound, and other ongoing legal challenges.
However, in the past, Sheikh Sabri has spoken favourably about Khan when the latter was Pakistan’s prime minister.
According to a 9 April 2022 report by Radio Pakistan, the Al-Aqsa Mosque’s preacher spoke to the then-Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, saying Khan was a “leader of the Muslim Ummah” and praised his “unwavering stand on the issue of Palestine”. Multiple local news outlets reported on it as well.
Sheikh Sabri also penned a letter to Khan, the former premier’s party, the PTI, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on 23 July 2022. It was reported on by BOL News and Independent Urdu and the latter verified it from the preacher’s office.
Al Arabiya’s Bureau Chief for South and East Asia, Baker Atyani, also confirmed the authenticity of the letter, in which the preacher congratulated “Imran Khan on winning Punjab by-elections”.
The letter’s contents, translated from Arabic to English, read as follows:
“To Mr Imran Khan, may God protect and preserve him… From the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, I extend to you my warmest congratulations on your victory in the Punjab provincial elections. I pray to God Almighty to protect and grant you victory and to safeguard Pakistan from conspiracies. Forward, and may God guide your steps. We in Jerusalem are with you and with the brotherly people of Pakistan.”
Soch Fact Check, therefore, concludes that the claim that Sheikh Sabri called for Khan’s release from jail is false and the preacher has not spoken in his favour in 2026 or even since his arrest in August 2023.
Virality
Soch Fact Check found the claim circulating here, here, here, and here on Facebook. It was also shared as text-only posts here, here, and here.
The claim also appeared here and here on Threads as well as here on TikTok.
Conclusion: Sheikh Sabri has not made any remarks in favour of Khan since the latter’s arrest in August 2023.
Background image in cover photo: Moslem Daneshzadeh
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