The other day I was sitting with some Saudis and somehow we got on to the topic of what would Saudi Arabia be like without the Oil and the Two Holy Mosques? Or simply envision a Saudi Arabia without the oil. The Saudis collectively agreed a Saudi Arabia without oil and the Two Holy Mosques would be worse than Darfur. It would be vastly underdeveloped and cloaked in a shroud of the Middle Ages. There would be little to no incentive for anyone to want to come and stay in the Kingdom. It was doubtful that the people would be educated and likely still living the traditional Bedu life that even now continues to exist in the heart of the desert.
But what about a Saudi Arabia without the oil but with the Two Holy Mosques? Even the educated Saudis who shared with me were not optimistic that Saudi Arabia could be a functioning nation without its oil. Muslims would continue to flock to the Kingdom to visit the two Holy Mosques but they believed even the two holiest sites would have continued to retain the size and appearance of older days without having had the oil dollars to enlarge and enhance them.
The oil put Saudi Arabia on the map and it has certainly flourished in its role as the world’s top oil producer. Oil has become another powerful weapon in which nations will fight wars over. Would a Saudi Arabia without oil but with the two Holy Mosques have become an even greater haven then for those who meet the profile of Islamic extremists? Would such extremists be warmly harbored and nurtured and viewed as bringing security to an oil-less country?
Filed under: Economy, Saudi Arabia
There is a great example right next door. Saudi Arabia, without the oil and the two mosques, would be just like Yemen.
It is dirt poor, very violent, a complete backwater and one of the poorest most under developed countries in the world.
What is the difference between Yemen and Saudi without oil and the two mosques? Nothing but size.
AbuSinan,
I think you have the right analogy with one exception, Yemen has more fertile land compared to size than Saudi and also a strategic port position in Adan. So most likely they would have fared better. All hypothetical of course.
Amazing Carol that my friend and I were discussing just this issue last night…spooky. I might add that all the oil money in the world hasnt seemed to help develop the minds of a large portion of the population…specifically the males…so yes…Yemen is just a hop skip and backward step away.
that would be a not good thing for Saudi. civil war and famine would be a usual thing. actually i think there was a time just a few years before the oil where we had famine I don’t think it would be like darfur though no it would be a lot worse.
oh..by the way did you check your visitor location map people read your stuff around the globe
A common “doomsday” scenario that crops up a lot is what would happen should the Saudi government fall. Most people agreed that Saudi Arabia would separate into at least three zones. The western region with its “religious tourism” assets (the holy sites), the eastern region with all the oil, and the central region which would basically bw up the creek with no paddle. Oh, and the south western region would “reunite” with Yemen
Very interesting comments. hmmm…never thought about the Doomsday scenario Saudi Jawa… it does give one extra food for thought (and discussion).
Without oil, Saudi Arabia would be virtually empty, as the land will not sustain large numbers. It would be broken up in different parts by now, there would be regular bouts of famine decimating the unlettered population. Nobody would visit.
The coastal regions would be more populated, there would be fishing, and small regional trade. The old trade routes will have moved completely. People of the coast would adhere to a less restrictive form of Islam. women would wear headcover but not abaya and niqab (as they did before it was imposed on them by theRiyadh government.)
The great mosques would be a disaster area, every year at hajj, thousands of people would get trampled robbed, etc. The infrastructure would be completely insufficient, it would be crawling with stayovers from all over the world living in abject poverty and squalor.
Probably another muslim country, who manage their natural resources better, or got well to do on tourism, would have felt the need to bring order and dignity to the holy mosques. there will be a maximum of visitors, and you will be put on a waitingist several years in advance. Muslims all over the world enroll their kids since birth. People from the region with wasta get preferential treatment.
Wahhabism and Salafism are restricted to the poverty- and famine-stricken and thinly populated regions around hail, Qassim, and Riad.
(No good Arab horses have been bred there since the 1930′s)
As a result, there has been no worldwide spreading, backed-up with lots of money, of this view on Islam, so wholly incompatible to the prophet’s admirable character and humanity.
There aren’t that many terrorists coming from S Arabia. mostly because everybody is too busy making a living, but mostly because most people outside the empty wahhabi centre, are quite happy, very busy, and don’t care or know about foreign politics. Most of them can’t read, and they haven’t even heard of the internet.
Meanwhile, Islam is now a popular religion all over the world, as it isn’t presented in the wahhabi/salafi form. Some few women wear hijab, but most are happy to just dress modesttely. In the west Islam has been looked at with interest, and many people who were looking for a religious meaning to life have embraced it.
In the future:
There will be a worldwide concern on the management of Mekkah, and Medina, and the two cities will be placed under Un care. Mekkah and Medina are declared world heritage sites. People from all over the world (lots of non-muslims too) send lots of money to preserve and develop these ancient holy sites. The ancient structures will be lovingly restored, with money flowing in from all over the world. Due to the many people wanting to do umrah from all over the world, huge administration centres and hotels will be build outside the restored cities, and the region will get a huge impetus in jobs, money, schools, healthcare. In years to come this region will become the most prosperous in SA.
The Eastern Province will be developing tourism, and making lots of money from producing the best dates in the world, now a sought after expensive delicay worldwide. As the EasternProvince has decided to develop Eco-tourism only, it attracts many very nice and decently behaved tourists, and has gained an exemplary role in the future in exploring sustained living.
As there is no oil, many arabs who have studied abroad come back to their homelands, and develop solar energy. SA becomes the world’s most important centre for the development of sustainable, renewable energie, and will become a very wealthy country. But as everybody has worked hard for succes, they will be able to deal with that.
Meanwhile, the centre, due to the extreme drought for many years, and the marrying off of immature girls who died in childbirth, or c ame to harm from being forced into motherhood before they were adult, and no healthcare, has become virtually unpopulated. the inhabitants never allowed UN-healthcare, and anyway women were not allowed out of the house, and weren’t allowed to see doctors. Wahhabism has made itself extinct. Nobody has noticed, nobody cares.
The rest of SA becomes prosperous and rich.
Sorry, bit long, had fun thinking it out.
Aafke,
I love your comment…sounds like it could be a plot for a movie!
Gee Aafke…how do u propose we end world hunger….lol. Try sorting out the whole UN is a sham thing too while ur at it….ha ha. (good thoughts though)
No oil in KSA? I guess they could start looking for diamonds in the mountains….or maybe open lots of cement companies and sell sand. : )
I’ve seen what the oil money helped do during the past 30 years here…I can’t imagine going back to that; much less 1930′s.
As to Mecca and Medina being here, thank God for that!
actually aren’t the (desert) diamonds usually lying right on top of the sand? That’s how it was in Maida’n Salah at least!
The British created the Wahabi kingdom in 1930 when there was no oil discovered.
The british will do something AS LONG AS THE TWO HOLY mOSQUES WERE THERE.
Have any of you actually visited this ‘backwater’ that you so actively disparage south of K.S.A?
Travel anywhere in the muslim world and mention you are a Saudi and what kind of response do you get? Probably negative? Mention that you are a Yemeni and then see the response…incredibly different.
Yes. Yemen is poor and does suffer from violence, but if you actually look at the statistics, K.S.A is a much more dangerous place, for foreigners, locals alike, not to mention anyone in an automobile.
In Yemen, the average person is extremely kind and engenders the true spirit of hospitality that the M.E used to be famous for. Can you say the same for the average Saudi? Stop by a bar or destitute whorehouse full of Somali migrants in Aden and surprise, surprise, who are the customers? Saudis.
The Yemenis cannot afford lobbyists and publicity agents and therefore constantly suffer from every article written about it, calling it, “Osama Bin Laden’s homeland.” This is absolute libel! Let’s remember that Osama was born and raised north of the border and while his roots may lie in Hadramout, the relationship stops there.
The best possible description of life in K.S.A without the oil would be to read Abdelrahman Munif’s Cities of Salt. It tells of a time when yes, people were poor, but they did not suffer from the hyper-consumerism that exists in K.S.A.
http://troyshouse.blogspot.com
Troy,
Two days ago there was a documentary on one of the Arab channels about Yemen. In spite of the recent incident there against the American Embassy, Yemen was portrayed as an incredibly fascinating historical place. The documentary had interviews with a number of expats…some who went there on job contracts and ended up staying on as well as others who went there to learn arabic. I really enjoyed it and it did indeed give me a different perspective of Yemen.
Yes – Cities of Salt is an excellent read and should be read by anyone having an interest in Saudi Arabia and its history.
@CaptainJohann
I must be a little slow this evening – why would the British have a vested interest in the two Holy Mosques?
Now this is a blog worth reading. I really enjoy your posts, always giving us some food for thought. Saudi Arabia maybe be known for oil, but it’s sole identity are the two holy mosques. Without the latter, I wouldn’t think it would be Saudi Arabia. Albeit, I think it might be a more convenient country to live without the responsibility of religion carried on this country’s back.
Riyadh Mom – I’m glad you asked…I was wondering the same thing but pondering on it before I commented. I’m still stumped.
Brokesaudi – Thank you and welcome to the blog.
Since I’m originally from not too far away from Titusville, Pennsylvania where oil was first discovered I take a natural interest in such topics. Little did I know coming from a small village in Pennsylvania I’d end up living in the world’s oil capital!
I have Cities of Salt sitting on my bookshelf from some months back…forgot it was there til it was mentioned here…will have to go give it a look now.
btw…people and the news never remember the good things about a place…only it worst latest bit of shock and drama. Yemen has been in the news of late for marrying off 8 year old girls without too much outcry unless one of those girls manages to take matters in her own hands and get to the court and press her case. Nobody was pressing the case for her…so it must be acceptable practice as long as nobody complains…eh?
I’ve seen Saudi in the news more recent for child brides than Yemen but given the closeness of the two countries (proximity and cultures) I’m not surprised to hear it is an issue in both places.
and do read Cities of Salt!
Nice post aafke. I like the bit about the holy sites becoming UN sponsored world heritage sites. It also came to me that the western region has plenty of gold mines, which only recently are getting much attention.
Saudi Arabia without oil- Yemen maybe would be Israel, with its population of Arab Jews…The Yemeni would not have traveled to Saudi for work; maybe their agricultural production might have increased or depleted by now…The South of Yemen might be more industrial, the British might not have left after all…
The Emirates might not have developed as it is now; too many mouths and not enough room to think…
And maybe 300 million Qur’ans would never make it to the bookshelves of any household across the world…and many across the world would continue to practice what they had practiced before 1930…
Jordan or Palestine would have a seaside probably and the Egyptians would have expanded even more to butt noses with the rest in the area…
Oh heck maybe even the Turks would still have an empire of sorts -whatever that scenario would look like is any body’s guess…
Malaysia would be or maybe not, the hub of Islamic world…
Afghanistan would be an isolated mountain world
Pakistan would still be India…and India maybe would still be British…
The US would be all into Central and Latin America redefining the map in search of energy…
Etc, etc, etc…
The UN, hmm…
Interesting musings, Inal.
There’s no doubt though that Saudi Arabia would be NOTHING like it is today without its oil wealth.
Straying a little further from the article’s topic, I’ll say it once and say it a thousand times, Yemen is a place to experience. It is all you say American Bedu, an incredibly fascinating historical place, but the thing is that it is more than that.
It is not a dead museum piece, like so many of the unfortunate museum pieces called “old towns” that the locals have moved out of here in Spain where I live. Sana’a is a vibrant UNESCO site that is alive and moving, creating, simply living.
Throw off comments about child marriage are just that, throw off comments. I am in no way glorifying the crimes that are committed there against children and women. But these shouldn’t be look at with simply knee-jerk reactions from the glass house of a western perspective. Communities develop, and against our will at times, stubbornly refuse to “develop” at the pace we would like to dictate.
I for one hope that the Yemenis are able to find a path that takes them towards things like universal health care and total enrollment in schools, but at the same time avoid the obvious pitfalls and negative aspects of western society that their neighbours to the north have embraced so freely.
thanks for the blog, love the header
http://troyshouse.blogspot.com
Troy,
What kind of exposure/experience have you had to Yemen? Did you live there? I know we are hijacking the thread but this is an interesting topic.
Bedu, Troy – I am also curious – sorry to add to the hijacking of the thread as well Bedu
no problem, Inal.
Really, once again I do apologize for hijacking the thread. It’s just that it really is a pet peeve of mine the negative press that Yemen constantly receives. Tell someone you are going to Egypt (remember the Luxor massacres and more) and people think it’s wonderful. Then even mention the word Yemen and automatically the words, terrorists, backward etc come spitting out.
I’m a teacher, as you can see from my blog, and I lived in Sana’a, Yemen for awhile. Curiously enough, at the same time my mother was living just a few hundred kilometres away in Khamis Mushayat, literally just across the border. The differences couldn’t have been more extreme. If my mother ever mentioned to her colleagues that she was coming down for a visit, the aforementioned words would automatically be spit out, all the while going through the security checks to get into their compound! For my mom, the differences between our lives were extreme. While we lived and mixed within the community, sharing with our neighbours in Yemen, she was completely isolated in Saudi. I can honestly say that I knew and was friends with my neighbours.
She visited several times and simply loved the warmth she felt on the streets and was even flattered when a group of young men once yelled out of a passing car, “I love you!”. Since then she loves the anecdote, “60 years old and still stopping traffic.”Then when I tried to visit her in Saudi, it was completely impossible as I am well over the age of dependency. The differences were glaring.
Since living in Yemen, I still keep in touch with my students and have even had the pleasure of experiencing their hospitality in student dorms in such far off places as Kuala Lumpur. In a moment my wife and I were enveloped in the true hospitality that these people are weaned on and I think that it is terrible that good people are lumped in with a few nutters. Once again, sorry for the hijack.
Bedu-I didn’t mention SA in my musings- because no oil would mean no SA just various regions and no cohesiveness- the musings then took me to what the region might look had no oil hit the front page and the decision making (politicaly) that would or not happen…
Troy thanks for sharing your thoughts on Yemen; I have lived on and off there for years- not as expat but as a native since my husband and inlaws are natives and the experience in my case is different in many respects- don’t get me wrong the one place I find peace of mind is seven hours Southeast of Sana’a on some of the highest mountains in the region- beautiful really…Sana’a however is years away when you are up in the sky- even customs change in those places where you really need to be the best driver to go up into- and my perspective as a Muslimah is informed not only by my gender but what is expected of women in Yemen and in particular the tribe your married to.
No offense, but as a foreigner and as a man the world in Yemen is a tad rosier all around than for a Mora married to a Yemeni male.
Yemen is at the bottom of the pile in comparison to other ME nations- its Maternal/Infant mortality is through the roof;healthcare is in dire crisis especially for women; the literacy rate for all and especially for women is atrocious;child marriages is more prevelant in the mountains than many can imagine and is picking up pace regardless of media coverage- a woman in Yemen by Law can’t enter a marriage without male consent- and of those called “old maids” their age range is 20 to 35 many of which are educated Yemeni women who in bucking one system have been trapped in another.
That is not to say that the cultural heritage of Yemen is non-existent; its there and in certain places like Tarim a rare gem when it is vibrant.
But to me Yemen is like the family you love but have to admit you don’t particularly like when they act out…
Thanks all for the comments.
Reuters chose to pick up this post:
http://www.reuters.com/article/blogBurst/health?bbPostId=B6kcqoGH9Pf8Bzn7nRZ5sNNoBEXvhPTwsNXgCz4qUQAwXLAEm