Fifteen Sufi Sheikhs declined to travel to the United States to participate in the man of world peace conference, organized by the Sufi orders in the US this month. Sheikh Mohammed al-Shahawi, chairman of the quintet committee for managing the Supreme Council of Sufi Orders, said a big number of the Sufi Sheikhs declined to travel to the US due to swine flu. "Despite the Sufi orders' trust in the organizers of the conference of the Sufis in the US and the Islamic world, the program of the visit and how to organize and activate the participation of religious leaders during the conference are unclear."
He pointed out that some Sheiks were surprised that the cost of travel and accommodation will be at their own expenses, which is a considerable cost to them. In addition, they lost confidence in the activation of their role. Therefore, they declined.