Crossword Genius

Maybe Saudi theologian in distance, always keeping to the rear (6,9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

middle easterner

'maybe saudi' is the definition.
(Saudi Arabia is in the Middle East)

'theologian in distance always keeping to the rear' is the wordplay.
'theologian in distance' becomes 'middle' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'always' becomes 'eer' (poetic way of saying ever).
'keeping' indicates putting letters inside.
'to the rear' becomes 'astern' (astern means to the rear on a ship).
'eer' placed around 'astern' is 'easterner'.
'middle'+'easterner'='MIDDLE-EASTERNER'

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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