Sometimes readers will have vast differences of opinion or comments that are not in alignment with a post. So rather than have threads get hijacked or someone not have the opportunity for their say, I have created this special page for them.
Here is where readers can debate with one another. My only request is to please try and keep dialogs with one another civil. It is okay to disagree but profanity is not tolerated.
That’s all I ask…otherwise, have fun.
Dear Official Body,
First of all please accept my salaams for yourself, family members and colleagues.
May I please turn to you for your kind advise:- how do I search for my father’s side of the family root in seventh century’s Arabia.
I believe, our ancient ancester had left their home land to spread the call of “Monolthesim” to the populations of non- Arab lands.
Do you hold any official documents on family histories of Seventh Century’s Arab pioneers or I would need to accept that, my fore-fathers were expert inventers of fiction which helped their own importance and fiancial advantages in a fertile country.
Please to donot leave me in any further suspenses.
I look forward to your kind suggestions and help.
Thank you.
Ishrat.
(An ordinary searcher of family root).
Hi Ishrat,
I’m not sure what entity your query should be addressed; hopefully one of the Saudi readers will respond.
Regards,
Carol
I think almost every Muslim either has family that claims to be related to the Prophet, especially Gulf Arabs (my wife’s included), or claims to come from the land of the two holy shrines.
Whoever keeps dogs as as pets- without any valid reason to- is a real dingbat. There. I said it.
Bless you WM for bringing your topic to this page! I salute you.
Well, it may be debatable as far as what are valid reasons to have a pet (whether dog or cat)…but when thinking of a dog, I suppose you may believe as a seeing eye-dog or a guard dog to be a valid reason. I also view if a pet (even a dog) brings a person joy and comfort and companionship, then that too is a valid reason!
*cringe*
Please tell me if you’ve made your mind up and that nothing I say can change it.
WM,
With all due respect, I think the questions is not whether others made up their mind as that is their choice. The question is why do you think it is necessary to judge them as dingbats?
I think you need to make some observations about dogs and the joy they bring to people to understand the attraction some have to them. Have you ever watched a boy play with a dog? Have you met an elderly lady that does not have a companion other than a dog and how that companionship keeps her happy? Cats are cool, but they are not as interactive and obedient as dogs. Some people like those traits in their pets.
I like all animals dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and even lizards. It is a choice for people to own any pet they like. We had a small zoo when the kids were growing up
It is really helpful to have animals around kids, it does a lot for their sense of compassion and has educational benefits.
I used ‘dingbat’ light-heartedly. I was trying to imply that such people are being silly.
And I ask them if they have made up their mind so I can move on and stop wasting our time. If they aren’t open to convincing or to changing their line in the first place, there is no point in discussion, right?
I’ve never seen the ‘joy’ that drugs or alcohol bring to others either, alhamdulillah- and there is no doubt that they bring many joy. The point is that they are haram- as is keeping dogs purely for purposes of ‘companionship’. Whether or not things that are immoral to do bring joy or not is, ultimately, irrelevant. If we restricted ourselves to that which brought us ‘joy’ and refused to restrain ourselves, we would be little more than animals.
Are you Saudi in US or American in Saudi? I get confused
You’re a Muslim/ah, right?
I am a Saudi born and raised. However, I lived outside the country most of my adult life.
I really do not have issues about your decisions. I just find handing out judgments on people like candy as distasteful. Muslims in general need to do less of that. We are quick to judge everyone. Let Allah judge people and just respect their choices that is part of the teachings of Islam that we forget about.
I was judged myself, but you didn’t seem to notice that. The problem is that people ascribe something to Islam, and Islam is innocent of it. Your philosophy is right, but it has limits. One of them we have already discussed: the issue of apostasy.
WM,
I read my posts very carefully to see if i judged you in anyway, in which case i would have apologized. However, all I found is that I asked questions, made recommendations and shared opinions.
Regarding the apostasy discussion, I really do not want to get into a debate about that. I will just leave you with my opinion and you can choose to accept it or not. Many Muslim radicals use the charge of apostasy as a means to bully others that have different opinions. That is equivalent to threatening a person with death. If you wonder why there is no freedom of expression in some of the Islamic world, do not just look at government oppression, you should also look at the Takfiri attitude that some of the locals have.
I’m afraid your opinion is too ambiguously expressed for me to accept or reject it.
“Many Muslim radicals use the charge of apostasy as a means to bully others that have different opinions.”
True- but what do you mean by ‘different opinions’? And when I mention hadd ar-rid.da, most of the time I mean: a person who left Islam for another religion. Do you agree that such a person, if he refuses to repent, deserves the hadd? This is a simple question and insha Allah I’ll receive a simple answer.
Takfir is a part of Islam. Some people mis-apply it, either by going to excesses or by falling short. Look in any of the (longer) books of the four schools and you’ll find a section on rid-da, on takfir etc.
In fact, I will post the section on rid-dah from Nuh Keller’s translation of `Umdat as-Salik here. This book is a summary of rulings extracted from the Majmu’ of an-Nawawi. The other schools are similar. Let me know what you think:
“o8.0 APOSTASY FROM ISLAM (RIDDA)
(O: Leaving Islam is the ugliest form of unbelief (kufr) and the worst. It may come about through sarcasm, as when someone is told, “Trim your nails, it is sunna,” and he replies, “I would not do it even if it were,” as opposed to when some circumstance exists which exonerates him of having committed apostasy, such as when his tongue runs away with him, or when he is quoting someone, or says it out of fear.)
o8.1 When a person who has reached puberty and is sane voluntarily apostatizes from Islam, he deserves to he killed.
o8.2 In such a case, it is obligatory for the caliph (A: or his representative) to ask him to repent and return to Islam. If he does, it is accepted from him, but if he refuses, he is immediately killed.
o8.3 It he is a freeman, no one besides the caliph or his representative may kill him. If someone else kills him, the killer is disciplined (def: o17) (O: for arrogating the caliph’s prerogative and encroaching upon his rights, as this is one of his duties).
o8.4 There is no indemnity [diyyah] for killing an apostate (O: or any expiation, since it is killing someone who deserves to die).
o8.5 If he apostatizes from Islam and returns several times, it (O: i.e. his return to Islam, which occurs when he states the two Testifications of Faith (def: o8.7(12))) is accepted from him, though he is disciplined (o17).
o8.6 (A: If a spouse in a consummated marriage apostatizes from Islam, the couple are separated for a waiting period consisting of three intervals between menstruations. If the spouse returns to Islam before the waiting period ends, the marriage is not annulled but is considered to have continued the whole time (dis: m7.4).)
ACTS THAT ENTAIL LEAVING ISLAM
o8.7 (O: Among the things that entail apostasy from Islam (may Allah protect us from them) are:
(1) to prostrate to an idol, whether sarcastically, out of mere contrariness, or in actual conviction, like that of someone who believes the Creator to be something that has originated in time. Like idols in this respect are the sun or moon, and like prostration is bowing to other than Allah, if one intends reverence towards it like the reverence due to Allah;
(2) to intend to commit unbelief, even if in the future. And like this intention is hesitating whether to do so or not: one thereby immediately commits unbelief;
(3) to speak words that imply unbelief such as “Allah is the third of three,” or “I am Allah” — unless one’s tongue has run away with one, or one is quoting another [...] for these latter do not entail unbelief;
(4) to revile Allah or His messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace);
(5) to deny the existence of Allah, His beginningless eternality, His endless eternality, or to deny any of His attributes which the consensus of Muslims ascribes to Him (dis: v1);
(6) to be sarcastic about Allah’s name, His command, His interdiction, His promise, or His threat;
(7) to deny any verse of the Koran or anything which by scholarly consensus (def: b7) belongs to it, or to add a verse that does not belong to it;
[...]
to reply to someone who says, “There is no power or strength save through Allah”: “Your saying ‘There’s no power or strength, etc.’ won’t save you from hunger”;
(10) for a tyrant, after an oppressed person says, “This is through the decree of Allah,” to reply, “I act without the decree of Allah”;
(11) to say that a Muslim is an unbeliever (kafir) (dis: w47) in words that are uninterpretable as merely meaning he is an ingrate towards Allah for divinely given blessings (n: in Arabic, also “kafir”);
(12) when someone asks to be taught the Testification of Faith (Ar. Shahada, the words, “La ilaha ill Allahu Muhammadun rasulu Llah” (There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)), and a Muslim refuses to teach him it;
(13) to describe a Muslim or someone who wants to become a Muslim in terms of unbelief (kufr);
(14) to deny the obligatory character of something which by the consensus of Muslims (ijma’, def: b7) is part of Islam, when it is well known as such, like the prayer (salat) or even one rak’a from one of the five obligatory prayers, if there is no excuse (def: u2.4);
(15) to hold that any of Allah’s messengers or prophets are liars, or to deny their being sent;
(n: ‘Ala’ al-Din ‘Abidin adds the following:
(16) to revile the religion of Islam;
(17) to believe that things in themselves or by their own nature have any causal influence independent of the will of Allah;
(18) to deny the existence of angels or jinn (def: w22), or the heavens;
(19) to be sarcastic about any ruling of the Sacred Law;
(20) or to deny that Allah intended the Prophet’s message (Allah bless him and give him peace) to be the religion followed by the entire world (dis: w4.3-4) (al-Hadiyya al-’Ala’iyya (y4), 423-24).)
There are others, for the subject is nearly limitless. May Allah Most High save us and all Muslims from it.)”
End quote—
As for ‘threatening those who disagree with them with takfir’, if you are talking about so-called intellectuals like the following, all of them, according to one author, have filled their works with kufr, and they are famous for it:
[Egyptian author] Naguib Mahfouz, [Syrian author] Adonis, [Egyptian intellectual] Hassan Hanafi, [Egyptian author] Jaber Asfour, [Syrian poet] Nizar Qabbani, [Palestinian poet] Mahmoud Darwish, [Iraqi poet] Badr Shakir Al-Sayyab, [Egyptian poet] Amal Dankal, [Libyan poet] Muhammad Al-Fayturi, [Yemenite poet] ‘Abd Al-’Aziz Al-Maqalih, [Saudi intellectual] ‘Abdallah Al-Ghadhami, and [Moroccan author] Mohamed Choukri.
Algerian intellectual Mohammed Arkoun, Egyptian poet Salah ‘Abd Al-Sabur, Palestinian poet Ahmad Dahbour, Palestinian poet Samih Al-Qasim, Syrian author Ghadah Al-Saman, Egyptian author Nawal Al-Sa’dawi, Lebanese author Hanan Al-Shaykh, Egyptian author Taha Hussein, Egyptian author Qassem Amin, Palestinian poet Mu’in Bsisu, Palestinian poet Tawfiq Ziad, Egyptian intellectual Nasr Abu Zayd, Palestinian author Ghassan Kanafani, Palestinian author Emil Habibi, Egyptian intellectual Rifa’a Al-Tahtawi, Egyptian intellectual Sa’id ‘Ashmawi, Egyptian author Yusuf Idris, and Sudanese author Al-Tayyib Salih.
“different opinion” is not ambiguous, it means a) opinion, b) any opinion 3)every opinion, pick one. It means verbal or written expression not physical action. Does this clear it up. If you subscribe to the ideology that killing people for that is sanctioned, then that is an opinion you are entitled to. I just hope you do not put it to action.
Like I said earlier, I am not going to debate you on this topic. I find debates like this a waste of time. I am just clarifying what I meant since you did not get it the first time.
Well, Christianity is a different opinion. But do you say a Muslim who becomes a Christian and does not repent is ’someone with a different opinion’- does this fit into what you say?
Or do you mean, one who calls himself a Muslim(i.e. remains one, does not call to another religion), whatever opinion he holds- and that is what you meant?
If I understand correctly, your opinion is that:
- no-one who claims to be a Muslim can be made takfir of, regardless of any opinion that he holds
or is it that
- no-one guilty of such opinions can be executed for refusing to repent.
I have three questions.
Many people believe Islam is a religion of violence. I don’t honestly believe Islam preaches violence because no religion preaches violence and any sane human with any morals would not accept one that did. However, reading the punishments dished out for certain sins, especially apostasy, makes me believe Islam is violent towards its own followers. Am I wrong?
Second, having said I believe its non-violent, why did many people in various countries cause such destruction and death because of Mohammeds caricatures being printed in a newspaper? Is the religion so ultra-sensitive that any wrong remark or act can set people off at any moment?
Third, why dont high ranking muslims, those in positions of influence and public figures denounce publicly terrorist acts more often? Or am I getting a one sided picture? (IE they do denounce it, western media just doesnt report it).
Ok I’m sure I’ll get some passionate responses now
Ryan,
You ask good questions. Islam is preached as a tolerant and peaceful religion but all too often is alluded as the religion of violence these days. I mean how often does one now hear about the term “islamic terrorists?” And think about the images one sees in movies and the press…it will show muslims praying and then immediately after pray commit an act of violence which further perpetuates the notion that Islam = violence.
Also when you think about so many of the world conflicts, many were based on religion on the desire to invade and conquer and build empires.
I believe many many muslims (and non-muslims) denounce acts of terror but it is usually the act itself which continues to receive the media coverage for that is what draws viewers.
Just my two cents worth…
Ryan,
I will try to explain from my prospective. I am sure there are others that will take another line.
Your first question is regarding apostasy. To start you should know the word that is used in Islam which creates the controversy. The word is Irtidad which means “turning away from”. This is really a different meaning than apostasy in Christianity, which means switching religion. There is a historic prospective behind all this. After the prophets death there were many tribes that turned away from Islam and were fought (i.e. their death was justifiable for what you may look at as treason). There are many current researches that view that the death penalty does not apply to everyone that changes religion, but only in situations where it does harm to the Islamic nation as in the case for that historic period. They also site that the Quran did not define a punishment for someone that leaves Islam, but left it to Allah to hold such judgment in the afterlife. All of the death penalty references come from Ahadeeth and some countries like Saudi adopted these as Sharia laws. Since, ahadeeth are collections of many of the prophets acts and are in some cases situational, there is room for a scholarly debate on this specific topic.
The second question regarding the ultra sensitivity. Please note that those violent protest happen in the poorest and most uneducated places in the Muslim world. The people have been brain washed over the years by radicals that promote controversy theories about the West’s intent on destroying Islam. Whenever any issue comes up it proves that theory for them and the get set off. This is not an excuse, I really think educated Muslims have failed in combating the radical voices that spread such poison.
The third question regarding high ranking clerics actions. The Islamic world is in an intellectual crisis. We are at a place now where our religious leaders are either following the money (in a TV evangelist style), have to take aggressive positions to get noticed, or get marginalized. The ones that speak the loudest are often the ones that get heard in the age of satellite TV. However, I think there has been a positive change over the last 2 years at the urging of governments like Saudi Arabia which allowed some religious leaders to come out with more tolerant messages.
Ryan, My explanation of the apostate issue is very short and may have not captured the complexity. The link below offers a very good analysis of the issue. It starts just after the half way point of the page.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/abdulaziz_a_sachedina/2007/07/a_crisis_of_interpretation.html
Saudi in US, thanks your response is enlightening. I do agree the most uneducated and the poorest in the world are the worst perpetrators for starting stupid violent actions and reactions regardless of their religion. One reason why I believe education should be at least in the top three priorities for all countries to sort out – through all stages from pre-school to university.
I am not encouraging vigilante violence, nor am I uneducated in the sense you mean it. Executive power belongs, in the case of the apostate, to the state.
Saudi in US, I thought you weren’t interested in debate? Anyway, everything in your argument is false and derives from an ignorance of history.
First of all, it is an ijma’ of the sahaba that ridda, apostasy, is punished with death, and none of them mentioned treason or other subversive activity as a condition. It is also the ijma’ of the four schools- and you saw in the quote I put up, treason is not a precondition. You are also a hundred percent wrong in implying that the punishment for ridda somehow began with the wars of apostasy- it did NOT. It is an order from the sunnah; it is explicit in the sunna- ‘whoever changes his religion, kill him’. For that reason there has been a consensus on the issue for the last many, many hundreds of years. Some people tried to ascribe the opinion that ridda is punishable only when accompanied by ‘treason’ to scholars like ibn Taymiyya, some of the salaf etc- I guarantee you they received this lie from Kamali’s book, and as one author has shown, the quotes are extreme distortions of the words of those scholars. There is no doubt at all that ibn Taymiyya considered that ridda was punished by death; remember his book ‘asSarim alMaslul’? It said, killing the murtadd is MORE obligatory than killing the kafir who insults the Prophet, sal Allahu `alayhi wa sallam- the latter was the reason why the book was written (the title of it is: the unsheathed sword on the one who reviles the Prophet, sal Allahu `alayhi wa sallam- ‘as.Sayf al-Maslul `ala Shatim ar.Rasul’).
The only thing that has been differed over is: the ruling on female apostates (hanafis say gaol them until they repent, jumhoor says, kill them) and the issue of how they are asked to repent if they retract their repentance- are they killed or are they asked to repent again etc.
w’Allahi, the only ‘difference’ in opinion is a ‘modern’ one i.e. a few people were influenced by the mores of the non-Muslims and so they changed their religion accordingly.
Sorry, the title of the book is as.Sarim al.Maslul, not as.Sayf al.Maslul, but it’s just another word for sword.
And ‘Saudi in US’, the very least you can do is acknowledge that you are in a historical (tiny) minority, in fiqhi terms (and going against the ijma’ if we are talking about the first centuries), and not to describe your opponents (i.e. basically every scholar you can name, including modern ulema like Qaradhawi, the Najdi scholars etc etc) as ‘extremists’.
WM,
I was answering 3 questions from someone else. You have to show some maturity and accept that I can respond to others here without necessarily engaging you in a debate. You can refute whatever I write, but for you to think I was debating you is a delusion that your ego created. There are many people with hatefully ideology. I cannot fix them all. You just simply fall into that category in my way of thinking.
This is my last reply to you. If you think posting more about this topic makes you feel accomplished then do so.
Have a good life….
Saudi In US, excellent comment. Made a lot clear to me.
WM, Why don’t you like dogs? what is your problem with dogs?
I have a BIG dog. Absolutely nessecary for: My peace of mind, Mental support, Protecting the home, Protecting me in dark and lonely places, Comfort for my lonely heart.
She also makes sure I don’t sit idle by shedding hairs all over the house and occasionally distributing the contents of the wste-bin all over my house.
And you closed your blog after one post because you had too little time? Dude!
And I was só looking forward to your blog!
Saudi, I asked you a few questions above that you didn’t answer, it was the answer to those that I was looking for.
Aafke: I like dogs, they’re very useful, I just don’t keep them as pets.
It wasn’t the time factor as such, LOL, I just didn’t see the benefit anymore in keeping it up. There is plenty of material online already anyway.
delhi4cats, do you ever feel as though you want to express your opinions more intensely on your blog than what you do but fear the wrath of the Saudi Oberkommando der Wehrmacht?
I was wondering who may choose to ask that question, Ryan!
It’s not so much as I fear what I would like to express but I purposely avoid certain topics as they are viewed as sensitive and depending on who or how one may comment, could have repercussions
And I try to be non-biased and be informative rather than impose my views on others…most of the time.
However if speaking of the Royal Family, the law, Shariah and Islam one must be careful. That’s just a fact of life here.
I wonder if I can get any comments out of this article:
http://www.gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi_arabia/10220417.html
Or as I like to see it, “Giving mentally unstable people more power to control your life”.
Interesting article, Ryan and I’m glad you posted the link. Of course what we typically hear about when it comes to the muttawa is negative. I’ve yet to see a series of positive articles about the muttawa. If they were to use their influence in a positive manner towards changing the attitudes of youth, I’d have no objection (remember the recent post I wrote about youth and fueling Riyadh road rage). But all in all, I’m not surprised that the article states the negative view of the muttawa is increasing among the youth of the Kingdom. But will that equate to their role is over and finished? Probably not.
Ryan,
That article was posted by John Burgess of the Crossroad Arabia blog. There is an interesting discussion thread about the topic. You may want to read some of the comments.
At the minimum more arms for the group will be insanity at this point.
Yeah, that’s right, I’ve put up an increadible intelligent comment there myself…
This isn’t specific to Saudi, as I live in the UAE, but is specific to the region. My opinions of sex segregation, sexual apartheid, gender apartheid or whatever you want to call it.
Women in the UAE are constantly, CONSTANTLY, stopped, harassed, unwanted signs, comments, whistles, propositions and requests in public, in the streets, in the middle of the day. Don’t even ask how unsafe it is for them at night. My partner suffers from this constantly when I’m not with her, sometimes when I am. 100% of the time it is done by Arab nationals, locals or South Asian men. It makes me angry and I have now come to question the stupid purpose of this, apparently “islamic requirement” of segregation. I feel that it creates perversion far more than it prevents it. I know hardline islamists will feel there is no argument here as usual so I’ll ignore those responses. I see other annoying consequences of this religious order in the UAE when the Dubai Police Chief declares that transexualism and cross dressing is caused by mixed gender schools (yes, he really did say that and if you search Gulf News you may find the article). I cant remember any cross dressers in my 12 years of mixed schooling in Australia. Nor have I heard any stories of this occursing from my mother, a school teacher of 30 years mixed-sex schooling.
If mixing genders is such a bad thing, why do western countries have successful and happy citizens? Before coming here I didn’t have to worry about my partner everytime she was alone! The catholic church is just as sexist but you dont see a burgeoning population of catholic men in catholic countries leering and harassing women as their main source of entertainment!
For reference I dont believe in organised religion but I do believe sex segregation in islam is a bad bad thing and muslims have got it wrong.
I will admit that I also have a problem with the segregation issue and believe that one side effect (of many) is that it does indeed encourage inappropriate behavior and unusual fixation on women (and sometimes men) when opposite sex accustomed to segregation see one another. If you search my blog you will find I have done several posts over the few years about segregation and its impact. It’s not only segregation but the manner in which men and women will also look uniform and so much alike..the MIW nad WIB (Men in White and Women in Black). It is as if the society and culture try to de-personalize people as individuals….
you touched a raw chord with me Ryan and I’m sure others will share their views too. I’ll try to find some of my other posts on the topic and link them in.
here’s one…and I may find more:
http://delhi4cats.wordpress.com/2008/04/30/ksa-perceptions-sexual-repression/
found another: http://delhi4cats.wordpress.com/2008/03/15/impact-on-boy-who-reaches-puberty-and-faces-segregation/
http://delhi4cats.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/the-impact-of-segregation/
I’ll stop with this one…there are a few more and for anyone interested, just do a search on the key word segregation.
Thanks for those links. It seems most people share similar opinions. Fingers crossed things change for the better one day.
Yes indeed Ryan. Thanks for bringing up the topic and I hope we hear more views and thoughts as well.
Just wondering if anyone wants to comment on how they see the Syro Aramaic readings of the Koran and if they have any links to pass on with analysis along the lines of this topic?
Hi, interesting quiz, i had 2 wrong answers,ive been in the kingdom for about 10 years now, also married to a saudi, really love ur blog,may Allah reward you on ur efforts in making this.As for ur battle with cancer, as one of ur avid readers we will be with u.Youre included in my prayers.
Sorry, my previous comment should go to the quiz comment, had problem with the mouse.
Welcome Um Mohd! Are you in Riyadh?
Thank you for the lovely comments and I am feeling great!
Here is another take for the debate. Why do you put KSA flag under USA flag especially seeing that the KSA flag has the Kalimah written. Have you ever considered this at all?
Actually Muktar when hunting for an appropriate Icon to signify my US-Saudi ties I believe the one I have chosen was the most appropriate of those available. If you find other ones you’d like me to consider, I’d love to see them!
Ok,
What would be a good topic of debate is why would it matter
There is this constant issue of taking offense at seemingly benign symbols such an icon that is obviously intended as a sign of friendship.
I can see where some would take offense in saying “why should the US flag come first?” Is that to indicate dominance? Or as Muktar remarked, why does the US flag cover the Kalimah.
Now for me, because I am an American I believe when it comes to symbolism the US flag should be first as it is representative of who I am with the Saudi flag interjoined to indicate where I am now.
Thank you bedu and before I forget to say it: keep on with the good work. You are a real genius …
Offended? I was not. But lets not dwell on this issue as I am satisfied with your explanation. It is obvious you did not consider things from the Kaleemah perspective and at any rate it was not covered.
Perhaps having the Kaleemah on the flag is the real object of debate. I dread the day when someone somewhere will decide to desecrate it for political or whatever reasons. As they do with flags of other countries. For example by wiping their shoes with it or dragging it around in dirt or doing something nasty with it. But may be this is not the place to debate this….
Muktar,
You’re welcome. And I very much agree that the Saudi flag especially with the Kaleemah should be treated with the highest respect. I remember one of Bush’s earlier visits to the Kingdom (not the most recent) and I was surprised that the flag was draped over him and King Abdullah. Let’s hope he understood the honor he received.
Carol,
I stumbled across your blog a couple of months ago and have enjoyed very much your insights into Saudi culture from the perspective of one who seems to have acculturated very well – thanks!
It seems that Saudi Arabia represents itself as an entirely Muslim nation (culturally for sure, but religiously as well), but I have heard of other growing religious traditions inside the Kingdom. I’d love to see a post on this topic!
Keep up the good work!
Nicolette,
Thanks for your compliments and the suggestion. That is indeed an interesting subject but one which will take a lot of thought. Sadly that is the kind of post which could shut a blog down if the wrong person read it. Sad, but true.
Very interesting views, I must say! It’s fun reading everyones opinions and the debate that go on. I just joined 2 days ago, although I had read some of your articles here and there as I was trying to find information on Saudi. I have found your articles to be very UNbiased. Thank You! Keep up the good work!!
Thank you very much simplyme. Glad to have you hear and expressing your views too.
While in KSA for the next 2 years I will have to set aside my dearest wish (among many). I want a GIGANTIC Great Dane, and a teeny tiny Miniature Yorkie. I’m going to name them Pomp and Circumstance. Haven’t decided which combo of dog to name will be properly hysterical, for me, but I have 2 years to decide. And plenty of boyfriends and friends (past and future) to ditch abruptly if I find out they’re puppy haters… I personally believe there should be “pounds” and enthanasia more for people than pups. Cats? Blech.
Andrea,
If you really want a Great Dane and mini Yorkie while in KSA, it can be possible contingent on where you live. I like your choices of names – cute!
Well, I’ve had cats all my life and for me they’ve been much more than “blech.” I love how when I come in from work they are there at the door greeting me with their mews and they also know if I’m not feeling well or feeling down to curl beside me and occasionally lick my hand or arm!
I’m not allowed pets in the compound single apartment. oh well.. I think my cat issue is mutual animosity. With most I have to carry a spray bottle around because they’re generally trying to eat my achilled tendons… (hmmm, maybe I just have tasty tendons..), and I’m allergic. Truly, it’s unrequited love (like I’m the little boy and they’re the pig tails I pull on the playground) My friends blue point hymalayans draw me, viciously tempting little fluffy big eyed gorgeous monsters.. sigh
Enjoyed your comment, Andrea.
I enjoy reading about peoples’ passions re pets. I love all animals, so am a veggie, and am hoping I’ll find plenty to eat when I go to Riyadh in a couple of weeks’ time (I’ll only be there for two weeks working at Kind Saud Uni).
Does anyone know if I’ll be able to smoke tobacco while I’m there? (I’m a western woman, and I think I’ll be in a hotel).
By the way, if you see any truck loads of half starved, sick looking sheep in Saudi, they’ve probably come from where I come from Western Australia, where, to the country’s shame, millions of live animals are shipped every year to the Middle East.
dd
Welcome DD!
You will find plenty to eat in Saudi even as a veggie!
I’ve seen Western women smoke but usually in a controlled or confined environment; not open in the public. Unless you are in a non-smoking room, you probably would be able to smoke in your room.
Oh yes…I remember when my husband was posted to Australia and immersed at the time in a trade dispute over Australian sheep! (LOL)
Thank you for your message and your welcome. I’m happy to hear about the food, and tobacco, but I’ve just heard that I’ll be there in Ramadan, so I guess I’ll be waiting for night-time to sample Saudi goodies.
Yes, the live animal export trade is a big issue in Western Australia, as well as other states, but as usual no Prime Minister has had the guts to stop it …
On a brighter note, I’ve been looking at pictures of King Saud Uni where I’ll be teaching for two weeks, and it looks like an amazing construction … can’t wait to see it for real.
Cheers,
Dee-Dee
Ohhgh, I can’t help myself right now… (and it is called debate page)
There are some wierd Chrisians out there who believe that unless you believe in blah blah blah, you’re going to hell. And I always ask – so.. hut people in Irian Jaya, who’ve never seen a white man. You want me to believe God knows about them and, like, wants them to die? I highly doubt it.. at least, not my God.
So, my argument about anti-animal-eating runs along the same lines. Aaaaalll those populations around the planet which have thrived (mongolia) on yak and yak milk and yak skin and essentially no veggies, for thousands of years. They deserve to have their thousands of years of genetic adaptation thrown out the window, forced to eat salad only (which would probably make them intensely unhealthy), all because someone cringes at the idea of baby sheep being eaten? India and asia thrive on veggies, and have for millenia probably. but not eveyone in the world is india or asia. It’s called a “Food Chain”, for a reason.
Oy, I need a steak now. Rare. Believe it or not my genes say I will thrive on it.
DD,
Yes; daytime will be rather quiet in the Kingdom during Ramadan with the restaurants and many other places closed, but just wait until night! It goes through a transformation. FYI, most of the larger hotels will continue to serve non-muslim guests during daytime hours but in may need to be through room service.
Rationalone,
Welcome and thanks for your comment.
Thanks American Bedu (is that what I should call you??!).
I’ve been hanging out with some of the Saudi (males) students here in the UK where i’m working for a couple of weeks before coming over. Boy, do they like to party hard! I guess they let their hair down when they’re out of their country.
An English woman here said she worked for a few days in Saudi and got off the plane and went to her hotel uncovered and without an abaya, is that okay do you think?
Cheers for now, Dee-Dee
Hi Dee Dee,
In regards to your question I will provide you with my point of view which may differ from others. I believe that as a guest in the Kingdom where the tradition and expectation is to wear an abaya, then one makes a better first appearance if able to arrive with an abaya. Yes; there are some foreign women who have arrived without abayas and if you choose to do that, it would likely go okay for you. In regards to covering, there is no need for you to cover your head.
And you call me American Bedu or Carol!
Best Regards
Im curious ….if there is no need to cover my head…is that just for non Muslim women going into Saudi…or muslim women too? Ive been considering going to Saudi again for some medical treatment…but completely balk at the idea of putting the hijab back on my head again after removing it nearly two years ago….long personal story there….but the basic issue being…my need for treatment up against my deep seated angst about wearing hijab for whatever reason really has me hesitating…thats how deeply it affects me. But if I dont have to wear it …then no problem…Im there.
Coolred – while there will be those who disagree on this perhaps, I see covering of the head here as a choice for muslim and non-muslim, for Saudi and non-Saudi. I have Saudi friends here who choose not to wear a hijjab. I have many many non-Saudi friends here who choose not to wear a hijjab. I wear one 50/50 depending where I’m going and who I’m with.
The muttawa seem to focus more on Saudi women or arab looking women or a woman accompanied by an Arab man and not covering. Western women by themselves do not seem to be hassled as much by the muttawa wanting them to cover.
Hope this helps and if you are planning to coming to KSA, let me know in advance.
Hi Carol,
Unfortunately my visa was denied, probably because I’m an ‘unaccompanied woman’ trying to come during Ramadan. Hmmm. Next month apparently …
In the meantime, I was wondering if I’ll be able to ramble around Riyadh (the interesting streets, with stalls etc) by myself. Or is Riyadh not a rambling sort of place? (I do know it’ll be hot … but I thought the evenings would be nice.)
I’ve been given so much varying info by a) Saudi men in England (who seem to drink, smoke, and oggle women more than any other nationality I’ve ever met … even Aussies!!!) and b) by non-Saudis who have lived there. No two people give the same story, unless they are talking about ‘chop chop square’ that is …
By the way, I got my abaya … thick, heavy polyester (hideous) … I’m going to stink within 10 minutes of wearing it! Any idea why they aren’t made of cotton?
Cheers,
dd
Hi DD,
It would not be surprising that your visa was denied during Ramadan…and the University’s are closing down next week until 11 October as well for the Ramadan (Eid) holidays.
Yes; you can ramble around Riyadh on your own. Olaya Street is like the Via Venicci of Riyadh with exclusive shops and malls. Stop at a bookstore or a Tamimi grocery store and pick up a copy of Riyadh today which will give you some ideas. Alternatively also do searches on my blog about things to do in Riyadh, shopping, etc and it will give you suggestions and addresses too.
Actually the abayas are made of various fabrics. I recently bought one that “breaths” and it does make a world of difference.
Regards,
Carol
Carol, when I get my laptop online I will definitely send you a picture I took at Jarir. It’s priceless.
Thank you for posting the SW KSA tourist information. It’s a pleasure and a relief to come to this site and be reminded that there will be SOMETHING worthwhile to do here eventually.
I didn’t get out of bed this morning until 11:30 because I realized I was depressed that there was no place to go, nothing to see, nothing to experience that didn’t require an absurd amount of inconvenience (paying for a taxi EVERY time I need tampons?!) and restriction (yes, that’s interesting, but you’re not allowed to see or do it).
I realized something fundamental yesterday after being told to sit in the smoke filled womens section of my “work place” cafe which, by the way, I had to get to by walking THROUGH the mens only non-smoking and mens only smoking areas (being checked out the whole time)….okay I’m going to digress.. this in a work space that FUNDAMENTALLY shouldn’t allow smoking… in a workplace that’s entirely co-ed, and a cafe that is only for employees, I wasn’t allowed to sit to lunch with the male coworker from the next cubicle.. And I had to breathe that disgusting smoke the whole time.
anyway, I realized why I’m reacting the way I am to the women’s issues here. I prepared for months to come here and knew what to expect, but for the first time in my life I wasn’t able to control, and wasn’t prepared for, my reaction.. and now that I’m re-reading the Davinci Code again it’s finally come to me. I was raised Catholic. (I’m over it, though.) I have a wider and more sane view of the world. And, I don’t feel protected.
I feel and am controlled, restricted and oppressed. I don’t feel or believe that as a woman I’m being protected here or respected by the traditional place for women here. I have less options, less control over my own life, and less rights, especially as a single woman, than anyone else here. And I’m supposed to appreciate it. I was literally told to be thankful for it.
I’ll get over it, or rather accommodate to it, because I’m self aware and not stupid, and as long as I understand where I’m coming from and why I’m seeing things this way, I can adapt. But I left home because of stupidity being in charge and I just wish there was one place on this planet where I wasn’t subject to other people ignorant blind FAITH (in broken systems, and intolerance of everyone else).
UGH.
Anonymous – your feelings are understood. It really is one thing to hear and read about the distinctions in culture, tradition and practices but another ballgame entirely once thrown into it.
Now I’m assuming from your comments that you are working at a hospital. And I am surprised that you have no option but a womens only smoking area! Now granted, I can speak only from Riyadh and Jeddah experiences but normally the hospitals have the least enforced segregation. My husband actually enjoys meeting me for lunch at work since it is very much a “westernized” environment where we do not have to sit in an enclosed cubicle.
I can assure you that as you get settled you will find your “like minded” friends as well as learn more about options and activities in your area. I am convinced there are many “somethings” for everyone here but sometimes it just takes a while to find them.
It would be helpful if readers from the Eastern Province would comment on the variety of things to do and places to go. I can say that not too far from Al Hassa is an area with caves and ancient drawings on the walls that is certainly worth going to go and see.
I could list a few things to do, but for the most part if you don’t have family and friends here – they will get old really quick. Even so, most of the things to do are not availasble untyil after 4pm, so that will not help with her depression and resulting late sleeping.
Honestly, I would not ever recommend for a non-Muslim to live here. I know most come for the money but it is not worth the misery. The happiest peoiple I know, who move here, are the western converts who made the intentions to move here for the sake of Allah. Even some of them have issues.
I personally love it here and can not think of another place I’d rather be. That said, it’s because I am Muslim and enjoy living in a Muslim dominated land. I love how easy it is to practice Islam here. If you are here for any other reason, then honestly you can’t complain. The situation back home must not have been that great in the first place if you are willing to move here knowing that you will hate it. I just can’t imagine why a person would do that to themself. Well, I take that back. I know why a 3rd world national would, but why a westerner. i guess the same reason…MONEY! I sure hope it’s worth it.
Immersion in another language, immersion in another culture (and by this i mean art, architecture, literature, historical sites, and food), easier proximity to all the “overseas” places I’ve wanted to visit, and a job that is light years beyond my professional options in the states in my specific field, the opportunity to write my book without the constant stress of running my own business, and hopefully the side benefit of losing weight because of the loss of those stresses.
The only thing about the money that’s different for me here is the regularity of payment.. not the amount. And I never expected being forced to willingly shut down my brain for days at a time because I have 4 walls and a television as my (acceptable) universe.
I don’t even see, as a woman, how being here because of islam is so freeing. You’re not even allowed, as a woman, to go to the friggin mosque ! Even at the Vatican I’d be allowed to wander. I mean.. you could literally lock yourself up in a room in your home and NEVER leave, and noone would find that unusual.
I apologize for my tone. I respect your preference ummadam, and can understand why (from my previous experiences with people of solid faith). It’s not the religious aspect of life here that boggles my mind, it’s the traditional suppression of women, and women’s cheerful acceptance of it because ‘that’s how it’s always been’.
wake up chicks. get in your cars and drive. and refuse to stop.
(just venting.. really)
al ahsa is over an hour away. I’ll get there eventually. By camel if I must.
I have written earlier on this subject but think it’s prudent to mention it again here… I believe many expats come here and will suffer from “delayed culture shock.” When first arriving everything is new and exotic but after being here a while and if that like-minded friend support network is not in place depression can set in.
I regret not knowing more about the EP for I can say that in Riyadh and Jeddah I have a very active (almost too active at times) social life which includes all the activities that I enjoy doing such as horseback riding, sports, movies, reading groups, playing cards with friends, socializing, etc.
If there are certain activities you enjoy but haven’t found, ask yourself if you can create your own interest group such as book club or card club or something.
If you are not already, do be a member of the expatsinsaudiarabia@yahoogroups.com newsgroup. You’ll likely have a better chance of finding others who are already in your area.
Unlike Umm Adam, I have found activities which take place both during the day and evenings. It could be because of my Riyadh location.
People come to the Kingdom for various reasons and expat “guest workers” remain very much needed in the Kingdom. Therefore it is important to offer support and welcome rather than discouragement regardless of faith and circumstances.
i understand your position. Different strokes for different folks. Personally the driving is no biggie for me. If I did not have a husband it would be frustrating. I actually have a car. I can drive where I live. Since you are in the EP come on over to my house and drive when you get the urge! I took the kids to school everyday last week but I will be putting them on the bus for now on insha’Allah. Not being able to drive can be inconveniet at times, but for me once my dh bought me the car I knew that that would mean he was going to try to get me to run more errands.
As far as women going to the masjid, allow me to give you another perspective. i see this as a mercy. women are not banned from the masjid in islam or saudi. it is obligatory on men to pray all of their 5 prayers in the masjid. this duty has been lifted from weomen alhamduillah. i find it difficult enough trying to perform my 5 prayers on time in my home because of the distractions of the children. can you imagine the stress women would be under if we were obligated to drag all the kids out to the masjid 5x a day and pray?!
most of the big masajid have women’s sections. it is the smaller newighbor masajid that u may find with no women’s section or with the women’s section locked outside of ramadan. this is because the women in the neighborhood are praying at home and it is not in use. if the women were coming out i’m sure it would be made available, but trust me the women are not trying to pray all therir praywers in ther masjid outside of ramadan. these same smaller neighborhood masajid do not have the jumauh prayer (friday sermon and prayer). this is because it is encouraged to pray jumuah in a bigger congregation, so the go to a main masjid. these bigger main masji usually have a women’s section. again most women would rather pray at hoime and only pray at the masjid if they just so happened to be out of the house. if a woman wants to pray here then there are more than enough masajid that have women sections. sure they all don’t but they can be found.
have you been to rashid mall or mall of dharan yet? i’ll be going after the next prayer insha’allah. if u like u r invited to join me. i’ll show u the prayer rooms
call me
050-211-2608
carol, i know of a few day activities as well but most are for muslims, like quran school. if she can make some friends at aramco or the other western compounds she may find more. carol, u probably know of more day time activities because u don’t have small children. once mine are all in school then watch out…i’ll be in knitting and quilting clubs, book clubs, bloggers anonymous meetings, etc. insha’allah
I love the new banner! Saudi Cat!
When it was brought to my attention, I knew I had to have it displayed….
It is purrfect and also representive of my purrsonality!
Jim Crow Laws Family Law Law School Rankings…
I didn’t agree with you first, but last paragraph makes sense for me…
I’ve been curious about hobbies in the KSA ( and everywhere else ). Do Saudi women like to do craftwork? Do Saudi men have workshops where they like to design and build things? Are there places where people can take their stuff to show them off and sell them (like our flea markets and craft shows here in the U.S.)?
Hi Solo and welcome to the blog. In my own experience I can say that Saudi women do like to do craftwork and are very talented. Usually at special occasions and functions there may be displays of unique crafts on sale. Good question about the Saudi men… I do know some Saudi men who very much enjoy designing, building and “tinkering” but not sure if they are in the minority or not.
The concept of American flea markets and craft shows has not caught on as much here as in the USA….yet.
What is with women doing ”crafts” and men are supposed to have workshops and built stuff?
I was really deeply dissappointed when I found out that my increadibly stupid backward school forced me to do knitting, while the boys got carpentry and metalwork! I’m só much more into building stuff and metalwork than bloody knitting!
(refused to learn knitting) (my father felt for me and gave me the use of his tools and taught me carpentry, and helped me with some very ambitious projects I had thought up)
I agree Aafke. I remember pushing when I was in school way back to get to take shop!
Schools don’t keep shop class just for boys anymore. Shoot, there’s even girls on the football teams now.
See how times have changed in the US….so there’s hope for Saudi Arabia too!
had to laugh at the idea of a saudi man tinkering with wood work on the weekends.. it is just so much easier to hire someone to do it!
There are some crafty women, especially wedding things and new baby things and sewing. Painting and caligraphy is also a big thing. There is also a small saudi female crowd into quilting in various areas.
The traditional crafts are more like weaving, sewing, and basket making. which women still do and sell at open markets in smaller towns.
The comparisons in culture are amazing, but it also took a long time for those changes to take place here. Women are doing things today that 20 yrs ago would not have been possible or at the very least very difficult. I think competence is more important than gender. Always did like a woman that walked beside me, not behind me ; ) As for women driving in Saudi Arabia, isn’t the driving there notoriously bad?
Solo – notoriously bad is a mild understatement to describe driving in KSA!!
Hehehe, so I hear ;D
I would like to have a choice on whether or not I could drive but in all actuality, I doubt I would drive here in KSA (at least in Riyadh) unless it were an emergency. It’s not only the drivers are maniacs but then there are the logistical issues too such as lack of available parking which also makes it very convenient to have a driver or just be dropped off somewhere.
Well, I would venture to guess that driving would be an issue all over. I live in a small town here in KSA compared to Riyadh or Jeddah or just about anywhere else and they also drive like maniacs. When I asked my students about driving many of them said they’d like to drive, but not in Saudi Arabia.
My husband is bothered that he has to take me everywhere. When we go back to the states for the summer he says that I have to drive for the whole vacation, lol.
Amal, if it is any consolation whenever we are out of the Kingdom my Saudi husband always insists on me doing all the driving so he can take a well-deserved break!
Yes, it is a consolation. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.
Many Saudi wives I know tend to do the driving once out of the Kingdom!
I’m an American convert to Islam and I have heard both sides of the picture. I’ve heard that Saudi Arabia is a great place because its a theocracy in a sense and you’re safe from fashion industries, fitna, drugs and alcohol and what have you versus the West. On the other hand, i’ve heard that Saudi Arabian women are controlled by chauvinistic men and are harshly scruntinized and punished for one false move or look. I’m deeply interested in actually going because I know that Saudi Arabia has something great to offer.
Muslimah – welcome and thank you for your comment. Saudi Arabia has a little bit of everything I think! And success and happiness in KSA really comes down to the individual and their expectations, wishes and desires. Not everyone is cut out to settle and live here. I suggest anyone who is considering coming here for whatever reason to do as much advance research as possible.
You will find pockets in Saudi Arabia where Saudi Arabian women are more fashion conscious than women in Rome, Paris, Milan. You can find in Saudi Arabia pockets where fitna takes place along with drugs and alcohol. Yes, some women are controlled by chauvinistic men and others are happily married to men and have a balanced relationship. It’s all here!
Muslimah,
“I’m an American convert to Islam and I have heard both sides of the picture. I’ve heard that Saudi Arabia is a great place because its a theocracy in a sense and you’re safe from fashion industries, fitna, drugs and alcohol and what have you versus the West.”
I think these are misconceptions about Saudi. Yes drugs and Alcohol are not found as easy to get as in the west, but they are available. Saudi does have a drug problem, which is not discussed enough. Alcohol is available in many forms. The locally made and the smuggled.
Regarding Fitna, it all depends on your definition. Some Saudi youth have been recruited by radicals to fight in many wars (like Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan). By some definitions including mine, radicalizing the youth is the ultimate of FItna. I think this issue has improved over the past 2 years, but it is still an issue. Fashion exposure is actually more in Saudi than in the West. Saudi’s both women and men are more focused on wearing the latest designs than most Americans (as an example).
Regarding, women issues. I think this blog provides plenty of information for you to develop your own understanding.
Bedu- your cute episode with your SS wa a hoot in my opinion- the revrse happended when my son returned from Iraq- my husband was tickled pink over how his expressions were peppered with Enshallahs, mashallahs, qulshi zains…though when he is at his most excited my son will go into fluent Japanese because he spent most of his adult life there.
My mom when speaking with my husband will change the ojalas, si Dios quiere and Gracias a Dios for insha’allah and Alhamdulillahs because to her and us it is a sign of respect that my husband has always reciprocated by saying these phrases in spanish…those two have a special bond…like my father in law who learned to say yes, no, ok and maybe to pepper his conversations with me- he’s so cute when he does…
But I draw the line and get a bruised metaphorical nose when Muslims won’t salaam another muslim because the person doesn’t fit their ethnic group! To date haven’t met a Bangladeshi who will salaam me back; nor a Palestinian- even though we are in a Masjid…
My son jokingly says its is the perenial distrust of Moors- we have a phrase that means there are spies among us (though I am sure wasn’t the original meaning) – “Hay Moros en las costas”!
Cest la vie!
Inal – glad you enjoyed! And so did I. I’m glad that we have a relaxed relationship and can joke as such.
I agree with you – whether muslim or not or salaming or saying simple hellos, it is rude and discourteous to just ignore one like they are invisible!
Appreciate the background information and atmospherics!
Thanks Bedu- its the background noise that tells you who’s in the house. We are not simple creatures- we are God’s most complex creation and we for some reason or another belittle our complexity and instead aim for a perfection that is not part of our realm…
The phrase “simply perfect” does not apply to humans…
Huh. Wrong page?
Anonymous, on January 16th, 2009 at 12:45 am Said:
BRAVO! BRAVO! UmmAdam, thank you, thank you, thank you sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for showing everyone your true colors girl!! It has been a long time and finally you did it!!!!
You see, most of the stuff you said is a clear reflection upon yourself (especially the part about psychotic drugs)!! Sweet heart, you truly need to get a life………………
You can always take the girl out of the ghetto but you will never take the ghetto out of the girl………………….PEACE!!!!
You see, most of the stuff you said is a clear reflection upon yourself. You secretly, sat and waited for me to leave off the rememberance of Allah, good speech and the enjoinment of good and forbidden evil. You never once bothered to comment in the months that I have said nothing insulting, rather just called the people to the truth. Now that I stooped real low (to make a point), showed my weakness, and ignorance- you are pleased to see me FINALLY do it. So whose true colors that that show?
Saudi In US: I do not want to ask the obvious about the quality of character showed there. It was expected. I am just wondering how do you watch the movie Scarface without listening to the “Music” Sound track.
That ’s amazing that a one time post shows my obvious character. It just shows that I’m just as influenced by the vices of weakness and ignorance and capable of the rest to listen to the whispers of Shaytaan. it shows that i have been patient and not cussed you guys out a long time ago. It shows that others like to sit back and wait for the eminent downfall of others.
People are free to express themselves anyway they want here. They can say what they want about Allah, His Messenger, The religion of Islam, and the Muslims – and nobody shows the least bit of concern. Now all of a sudden what I post is a outrage. Nobody cared about offending Allah. Heck if those Tony Montana quotes were posted towards me by anyone else you guys would have thrown a party and nobody would have considered it inflamatory or offensive.
and by the way. How old is scarface? How long ago did I see that movie?
Do you people honestly think that I did not expect you to react this way? I know your type better than you think you know mine. Abu Sinan screamed boring boring after my last few post and as soon as I bring it on then you guys are like…I knew it! Did you not think I knew that would happen? You people are predictable. Just like those who Allah says are the mischief makers, “Truly they are the agents of corruption, but they perceive, this, not.”
You people remind me of the Zionist, who provoke the Palestianians and when they throw a mere rock at them out of frustration then they sit back smile, and say see now we have the perfect excuse to destroy them. Then they play the victim and villify the other.
How far removed are we from what Allah says we should be :God says”All of you believe, observe your duty to God with right observance and die not except in a state of submission to Him and hold fast all of you together the rope of God and do not get disunited and remember, God’s favor on you how you were enemies and He made friendship and love in your heart so that you became brothers by His grace and how you were on the brink of fire and He did save you from it. Thus God makes clear His revelation to you that you may be guided and let there be from you rise a nation which invited people to goodness and enjoins right conduct and forbids indecency. Such are those who are successful” (3:102-104).
All Praise is for Allah whom I do not plead to anyone but Him, for if I pleaded to others, they would not grant me. All Praise is for Allah who dignified me by becoming the Disposer of my affairs, instead of making me rely on others who then would humiliate me. All Praise is for Allah who treats me with clemency, just as if I have no sin. So my Lord is the most praised by me of all, and most worthy of my praise.
Anonymous, on January 16th, 2009 at 12:45 am Said:
BRAVO! BRAVO! UmmAdam, thank you, thank you, thank you sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for showing everyone your true colors girl!! It has been a long time and finally you did it!!!!
You see, most of the stuff you said is a clear reflection upon yourself (especially the part about psychotic drugs)!! Sweet heart, you truly need to get a life………………
You can always take the girl out of the ghetto but you will never take the ghetto out of the girl………………….PEACE!!!!
You see, most of the stuff you said is a clear reflection upon yourself. You secretly, sat and waited for me to leave off the rememberance of Allah, good speech and the enjoinment of good and forbidden evil. You never once bothered to comment in the months that I have said nothing insulting, rather just called the people to the truth. Now that I stooped real low (to make a point), showed my weakness, and ignorance- you are pleased to see me FINALLY do it. So whose true colors that that show?
Saudi In US: I do not want to ask the obvious about the quality of character showed there. It was expected. I am just wondering how do you watch the movie Scarface without listening to the “Music” Sound track.
That ’s amazing that a one time post shows my obvious character. It just shows that I’m just as influenced by the vices of weakness and ignorance and capable of the rest to listen to the whispers of Shaytaan. it shows that i have been patient and not cussed you guys out a long time ago. It shows that others like to sit back and wait for the eminent downfall of others.
People are free to express themselves anyway they want here. They can say what they want about Allah, His Messenger, The religion of Islam, and the Muslims – and nobody shows the least bit of concern. Now all of a sudden what I post is a outrage. Nobody cared about offending Allah. Heck if those Tony Montana quotes were posted towards me by anyone else you guys would have thrown a party and nobody would have considered it inflamatory or offensive.
and by the way. How old is scarface? How long ago did I see that movie?
Do you people honestly think that I did not expect you to react this way? I know your type better than you think you know mine. Abu Sinan screamed boring boring after my last few post and as soon as I bring it on then you guys are like…I knew it! Did you not think I knew that would happen? You people are predictable. Just like those who Allah says are the mischief makers, “Truly they are the agents of corruption, but they perceive, this, not.”
You people remind me of the Zionist, who provoke the Palestianians and when they throw a mere rock at them out of frustration then they sit back smile, and say see now we have the perfect excuse to destroy them. Then they play the victim and villify the other.
How far removed are we from what Allah says we should be :God says”All of you believe, observe your duty to God with right observance and die not except in a state of submission to Him and hold fast all of you together the rope of God and do not get disunited and remember, God’s favor on you how you were enemies and He made friendship and love in your heart so that you became brothers by His grace and how you were on the brink of fire and He did save you from it. Thus God makes clear His revelation to you that you may be guided and let there be from you rise a nation which invited people to goodness and enjoins right conduct and forbids indecency. Such are those who are successful” (3:102-104).
All Praise is for Allah whom I do not plead to anyone but Him, for if I pleaded to others, they would not grant me. All Praise is for Allah who dignified me by becoming the Disposer of my affairs, instead of making me rely on others who then would humiliate me. All Praise is for Allah who treats me with clemency, just as if I have no sin. So my Lord is the most praised by me of all, and most worthy of my praise.
My appreciation for moving this thread to the debate page.
AMERICAN BEDU
My apologies for getting carried away. I honestly found it amusing.
Plus, Carol when you said, “halas” and went Saudi on me (wink) I wouldn’t have dared to (be the first one) comment after that
Very true…when I “go Saudi” the diplomatic gloves are off!
I don’t think this technically a debate–but quoting lines from a movie is not the same as cussing someone out which is usually more “freestyle.” It was a very creative rhetorical strategy, masha Allah.
Quotes from Aummadam in reply to a one line sentence:
“Do you people honestly think that I did not expect you to react this way? I know your type better than you think you know mine.”
“…. mischief makers, “Truly they are the agents of corruption, but they perceive, this, not.”
“You people remind me of the Zionist….”
“How far removed are we from what Allah”
This is just a few of her rants. I am totally convinced now that I am not talking to a person that accepts criticism as she claims.
Regarding knowing my type, I really think you are clueless about me, because you are quick to judge. You have found away to always look for negatives. With that perception of the world, you will never find goodness in others.
Ummadam, you really should re-evaluate how you are perceived. There is a reason people take offense to what you write and you find yourself into these escalating arguments. You introduce religion in every argument and start calling others sinners based on your interpretation of Islam. Note I am not a Salfi, so if you use Salfi perceptions of Islam, you are missing the point.
You can cuss people out as much as you want, that is your prerogative and the freedom the internet provides you. However, do not expect it will reflect well on you.
You should try to stop this finger pointing in every post. Try to extend your view out without vilifying others. I really think you will have a different experience here if you follow that. I am all for debates of different ideas, but when you question people’s intent, religion, call them sinners, etc. right out of the gate, you will get a strong argument back. At the end of the day, if what is important is the message you are supposed to bring across, why weaken it by having people view it in a negative light.
Also, I think you should try to make your messages shorter. So people can get to your point easier. This is not a major issue, but of you want to be heard, short is better.
I hope you take this seriously as an advice.
Saudi in the USA,
There is a reason that the advance of the Islamic faith owes more to the Sufis than the holier than thou Salafi types. The holier than thou personality does not lend well to Dawah. No one likes it, it is repulsive. 99.99% of those approached with this attitude would be offended, the other .01 certainly wouldnt be the cream of the crop.
When you look at very large Muslim nations like Indonesia, it wasnt the Salafi that brought Islam, it was the Sufi. I venture to say that if the Salafi types had tried the country, as a whole, would have rejected Islam.
I firmly feel that most of the people involved in these backwards movements and sects have little or no intelligence, they want to have everything dictated to them. It is so easy to just point and condemn everyone who isnt like you. It doesnt take thought, it doesnt take contemplation. The people who fill these movements are the modern witchhunters.
You can see what happens when like minded people come to power. When they dont have power they proclaim music haram. When they have power they kill you if you listen to music. It will be like this on any number of issues, that is why we, as Muslims, must do everything we can to keep them from gaining power.
Hello Mr Anonymous. From what ur saying, it seems like you are hailing Sufi efforts in spreading Islam throughout the world. Though I agree with you, a large portion of the Muslim world owes much to efforts made by Sufis in the past, but I would caution you not to take this out of historical context. Salafi movements in the 17th and 18th century did not resemble what we have today, they were also active in reviving the Muslims nation from irreversable decadence.
It is also impossible to make sweeping comments about Salafis and Sufis. These groups exist in the western world and often have a more radical flavor over there than in Muslim countries. Muslims in the UK, US and Canada, unfortunately have deep division over these issues. Your tone and terminology used here reminds me of the endless discussions I used to have in Canada. Spending practically all of my life there with the exception of the last 4 months, I can tell you that both Sufis and Salafis marginalize regular decent muslims who seek only to practise their religion to the best of their ability without affiliating with these cultish groups.
Salafis have a tendency to activate a vigorous and overzealous attitude and people, but Sufis will simply passify the Muslims. Muslims are suffering all over the world, but you will find prominent Sufis leaders in North America advocating passive responses and shunning worldwide demonstrations – ie. the recent assault on Gaza.
Yes, today in Saudi Arabia there is a serious problem with the scholarly class and their rigid and suffocation interpretation of Islam. Let’s not simplify it into an ideological clash between Sufis and Salafis.
If only you had a dog….. in our country every household will have a dog up to 3! Dog is God spelled backwards. They love unconditionally, they teach children to care and be responsible. They wait for you to get home, always happy to see you. You don’t know love if you have never had a dog. You will have a friend for life xx
There’s a well-known saying here in our part of town, “If you want a friend in Washington DC, get a dog.”
And I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read “I strive to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.”
I am an animal lover but from a practical point of view, I’ll take a cat any day over a dog! I do like dogs but just find their required care more than I want to take on. And my 2 kitties are always waiting at the door for me when I come in and do give so much unconditional love.
Carol, there’s yet another saying:
When God created Adam, He put him in the garden, before He created Eve, but man was getting lonely. So the animals came to God and asked him to help keep man company.
So God created the dog, who followed man everywhere, played, obeyed all his commands, was so giving in unconditional love that man got a little haughty.
The animals came again to God, and said that while the creation of the dog was wonderful, it was a very good animal, that man was getting a little full of himself with all the unconditional attention.
Thereby God created the cat ….
We just had one of ours pass away, a cat — more like a dog-cat” very loving, sweet, she was a little welcome wagon every day, not only to us but anyone who came to visit, she was very social … fantastic cat, no doubt.
After a beautiful life, she passed away at age 17 … and we are grateful that she went “on her own terms” …
No doubt she and our German Shepherd are now playing together again as they once did here with us …
Both are greatly missed.
I do enjoy your story Susan!!
As you can see from my flikr photos, i have two kitties in Riyadh. I’ve had them both for 12 years and they are part of my family!
Does Saudi Arabia pay for individuals to promote propoganda?
“The following is a comment from Aafke directed to Susan:
Susan: *Aafke, you stated the Dutch “Have a history which taken on the whole stands out very positively in a humanistic view, from other countries on the planet.” You’re sure about that?*
Yes, I’m sure about that.
Susan I am really wondering at you strange comments, I cannot figure you out.
Obviously your knowlege of Saudi Arabia, or any foreign country for that matter, is sketchy at the extreme!
And yet, when you are corrected in your mistaken views by people with actual knowledge and personal experiences, you refuse to accept their superior knowlege.
We all have solutions for the problems in KSA, to be able to implement them is a different matter. The most important one would be: Write a system of law, and get trained judges. They had 80 years to do that for pete’s sake!
I am wondering what you are about, your comments on this thread are completely off topic. Your comments are always brainlessly pro Saudi Arabia, it is as if you equate Saudi Arabia with a ”Devine Utopia”!
And if anybody tells you different, you put up some mindless, brainless uninformed attack.
I am getting the very strong impression you are a paid writer, You have no passion about any of the subjects under discussion, you try to derail the discussions away from any negative comments on Saudi, You keep plugging King Abdullah.
We are talking about the Death penalty here and you haven’t even alluded to it once!
You are a fraud, that’s why you have no personal opinion, you only write in praise of Saudi Arabia, and it’s king, without true knowlege insight, or even interest.
It’s pure, mindless propaganda!
How much does your job as a propagandist pay???
And it’s a waste of money, you’re not doing a good job…”
with all due respect as I usually am on the same side as Aafke and some others, I’m not sure if I buy into the paid propagandist theory…For example, I know that the Saudi embassy in Washington as well as various ministries in Riyadh have indeed engaged very well known, prestigious and reputable international PR firms to get their messages and views across. I just find it unlikely that someone would be paid to surf blogs and always say something good about Saudi Arabia whether there is substance or not… But it is an interesting topic to discuss such as whether one believes there are paid proprogandists and if there is a need for such…. Of course the US government did it in Iraq and did it through very lucrative contracts to defense contractors as well as in Afghanistan and other places….they like to call this “winning the hearts and mind” or in military terms “psyops” (psychological operations) and they can be very effective.
yeah, I find it very unrealistic too. But then, it’s so strange: somebody who doesn’t seem to be a religious nutter, or a real fan of the country itself, yet is constantely promoting a certain country and it’s ideology without any apparent knowlege of the place, without experience living there, and yet constantely refuting those who do have personal knowledge, and are even nationals of that country????
Why???????
I’d love a job like that btw. If anybody’s reading this: I’d be really good at it! Hire me!!!!!
American Bedu
Regarding Paid Propagandists:
I have seen two accusations of “paid commentor” or “paid writer” on this blog, one referencing a tactic of using paid commentors to drive up numbers, and this one regarding a paid propagandist. In both instances I’ve interpreted the accusation as a particularly angry attack on another commentor with whom one disagrees.
I certainly trust American Bedu is not paying anyone, and even with all the respect I have for this blog, I doubt Saudis need to pay a propagandist here.
Psyops are very powerful when they work, and they are a commonplace of war (lots of interesting info now on British psyops during WWII for example) Certainly it is now common to engage high end PR firms and marketing companies to “sell” one’s country, war, political view etc. Funding prestigious university departments, chairs, scholarships, conferences, research institutes, publishing houses etc. also are highly effective means of getting credible proponents of one’s view.
As I discovered from the beautiful poetry Susan contributed as her comment to the Valentine’s Day post, she has her own very beautiful poetic/ artistic/ theological/ philosophical website at:
http://www.annakhal.org
I assume this is not a secret, since I discovered it easily when I wanted to compliment her on the poetry. As I wasn’t sure she herself was the poet (it wasn’t clear from her comment), and I wanted to be sure of the correct attribution, I googled the first lines.
Somehow I doubt Susan is a paid propagandist. I also doubt Aafke, for example, or anyone else here, is being paid by AIPAC to make negative comments about Saudi.
The personal attack comments are unfortunate and distracting in my opinion. One can almost always address the issue without attacking the person, and if the person is the issue one can address them in a constructive way– or defer to the highly capable blog mistress!
In terms of the tactics of being off topic or derailing a post to either distract from negative Saudi attributes or find a way to laud Saudi, I think most perceived derailings are something the person sees as legitimate, or else that strays inadvertently far because of the additional comments made. A few are short, pithy, sometimes inflammatory, attempts to get someone else one is not a fan of to “take the bait”.
These too seem to me lamentable.
Thanks for the opportunity to address these issues, and for pulling back on the comments that get too far off, or the exchanges that get too personal.
Disclaimer–my views are coloured by my sincere desire to believe there are no paid propagandists on this blog, and my aversion to psyops while believing they are sometimes “un mal necessaire”.
@Aafke,
“I’d love a job like that btw. If anybody’s reading this: I’d be really good at it! Hire me!!!!!”
You can be the Minister of Misinformation for the Republic of BedulLand. The job will come with better bonus program and in many ways more lucrative than the ceremonial VP position
Regarding, paid blog commentators and writers, I think it is quite possible that governments would insert writers to promote a country’s position. I actually think that would be even wise of a country like Saudi Arabia with so many negative stories coming out almost on a weekly basis. Now if Susan is indeed working that role, I would agree it is quite a waste of resources…..
Chiara – I may complain at times on your lengthy comments but wanted to let you know I am in complete agreement with you on this one!
Aafke, Saudi in US – I like the nomination for Aafke. It reminded me of Al Sahab (may not be spelled right). He was the Minister of (dis)Information for Iraq under Saddam. I remember him denying there were no US/coalition forces in Iraq when in fact US forces had already taken control of Baghdad airpot! (LOL)
Now if Saudi Arabia wants to hire someone to present stories on the Kingdom they should hire me! And I promise to try and be fair and biased….(smile)
I’m gonna let you all just keep going …
Carol, just a question. If you live in Saudi Arabia, have a Saudi husband, why do you mind if I say something good about Saudi Arabia or that I think King Abdullah should be nominated for the Nobel Prize?
Why do you care that I hope someday soon because of the initiatives the King and others including Prince Saud al Faisal are putting into place for the betterment of the country, charting their own destiny in accordance to mutual consensus and Islam?
I would think a blog focusing on life in Saudi Arabia would be welcoming and appreciative to others saying things they appreciate about the country and its people.
It’s a pity Carol.
And if you or anyone likes what I write on my website, take it, feel free. It’s yours … fisabilallah. So many have seen it, including the embassy … and some in Saudi … so help yourself..
Carol,
I guess I can offer a small bit on this. The Saudi Embassy here in DC certainly does monitor what is said on some blogs. Whether this is part of an organised campaign or just the work of some individuals I cannot say.
I know this is fact first hand. I was having an issue, as always, with the Saudi Embassy here in DC. I made a post about it on my blog and mentioned the individual by complete name that had lied to my SIL.
Within an hour or so of the post being published on my blog my same SIL got an angry e-mail from the person whose name I mentioned, who happens to be the brother of the Ambassador and married to a friend of hers.
Now my blog, when I posted regularly, had a thousand or so hits a day. I havent checked recently, but I know it is down to nothing now. But it is VERY clear that someone from the Embassy was keeping tabs on it. Within an hour a so they noted a post and a major figure at the Embassy was able to respond by sending an e-mail to my SIL.
My wife is friends with the wife of the man involved. This lady also is the daughter of the former long standing Cultural Attache there who ran the Saudi scholarship program. She made it clear that the Saudi Embassy does have spies that are paid to gather information about students in the USA. They gather information, both in person and via the internet.
I think it would be safe to say that if they monitor the internet usage of students on the scholarship, and they clearly monitor the blogs and websites of people critical of the government of Saudi, then they have a paid group of IT workers who do this. Now whether or not they’d extend monitoring into actual posting and the trying to change stories and blog posts is another thing.
However, if they did so, I doubt they’d do it as ham fisted as Susan attempts to do so here.
Anyway, I wish my FIL was still alive. He was a military attache/diplomat here in DC with the Saudi government for more than two decades. Given the fact that military attache jobs and position are nutorious as spots for spies and military intelligence, I think it is more than likely he might have had some first hand information about this…………..if he’d admit it.
I find it odd that Susan thinks Carol’s unreceptive to positive stories about Saudi. Her blog is full of them, I often think she is overly optomistic and positive about Saudi.
The fact that Susan thinks she is over negative means that she is clearly unbalanced in her thinking!
Abu Sinan: That’s my point exactely: Bedu is a goodwill ambassador for KSA, bringing to light so many good things about country and inhabitants…. That she sometimes has a more critical post makes the positive ones only the more acceptable to the discerning mind.
If you can denounce Bedu for being negative about KSA while she actually is giving such a positive view of the country, you must be pretty blind.
Saudi in US: I’d love to be minister of dis-information! Sounds far more interesting as VP: just the job for me! And I can take all sorts of bribes as well
So, anybody out there who needs a ”yes-man” on the net: I am available, and unscrupulous: As long as I get lots of dough I will spin whatever is required.
(Until somebody else pays me more)
Also: I would do it really well and intelligently
And meanwhile, while I am still free to speak my mind, I will denounce which my conscience tells me is evil, and I will praise what I like and admire. as I have always done while commenting on this blog.
You all would not be good at cards, you have too many “tells” – it’s too easy to pick up the direction and origin of your assertions.
Cards? Cards????? Like… Poker?????? GAMBLING?????? I don’t know what you are doing in your spare time, but don’t accuse us of entering into kaffir fitnah!!! I’m keeping well away from this invention shaytaan brought to the kaffirs to induce zina!!!!!
Aw Aafke, beloiut is one of the most popular games played in Saudi! (smile)
Susan – I’m puzzled by your comment and while I may not always agree with your opinion you certainly have every right to voice your views.
Abu Sinan – I enjoyed your example. Yes; I’m sure your late FIL could likely have shared many interesting experiences (if able).
Carol, I’m sorry you’re puzzled about it. But am too heartened that you don’t mind my expression of support and positive encouragement for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it continues to grow productively, while still being so very young as a country.
It’s something to which many Americans can actually relate, we are not as different as the Saudis.As an American, I recognize and appreciate that.
I am not inclined to the political, despite understanding its mechanisms, and despite living in Washington, DC.
I am however seemingly and perhaps at times obviously inherently inclined with a somewhat theological and ecumenical underpinning.
I completely and wholly understand the significance what Saudi Arabia is … even into Magan. And if it is as I think it is, they’ve every right to proceed as cautiously as they do.
Yes, some things need to be improved, come more in line with the kindness the Prophet effected, but I would not just extend that concept to Saudi Arabia.
And I wonder if at times, it would break his heart to see how it is now. But I can’t be about the rancor and political fist pounding of political Islam … I’m not cut from that cloth, I’m reminded by other things.
This is what I think:
In Islam, Muslims are called upon to accept the Books – the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, and of course – the Qur’an – as revelations from Allah to mankind. At times, it’s asserted that the previous Books – the Torah and the Gospel – have been "tampered" with, are no longer representative of the revelation(s) of Allah and should therefore be omitted – ignored.
I disagree. If this were the case, they would never have been placed in the directives to which Muslims adhere.
The Qur’an is a tool toward discerning and redirecting those who read it toward the message of Allah. It confirms the previously revealed texts. The first revelation to Muhammed was “Read!” Where we take what we read within – precisely as with the texts of the Torah and the Gospel (I tend to include some of the Gnostic texts) and how it affects our “world” becomes the measure of whether – I think – it’s heard well or not. Something akin to the water taking on the color of its vessel.
Is it possible that if we hear in a way that results in hatred and division amongst ourselves and creation, it be construed as a true message from Allah?
In my perception of Allah, hatred and division certainly don’t come from Him. I do think it’s time – and He would want us to enjoin in earnest conversation toward resolution of this murkiness. Didn’t He say that He wishes ease for us – but we make things so complicated – keep it clear. In the Qur’an, Allah tells us:
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)." (49:13)
Whether the Books have been tampered with or not? Does this argument really matter in continually perpetuating a sticking point where we neglect our responsibilities toward engaging in positive dialogue and effective resolution?
While all caution to the wind should not be thrown, there still remains the true guidance within – tampered with or not. Just like us – even though the breath of Allah exists within our sounding clay.
Or is it that we’re simply sounding clay until we go through certain stages and then the breath of Allah is breathed into us? I don’t know. Either way, even we get tampered with and we tamper with others ourselves. Then comes the weeding out period.
But sometimes, a few weeds are good and can help keep a healthy and very human perspective. Sometimes – as far as people are concerned – it’s our little weeds that can add our unique flavor, making us who we are. I like that.
Were the texts tampered with? – it’s certainly a plausibility – if so, then too the possibility of there being excerpts that mislead, amongst those that point out well the direction one should traverse, is quite likely. Doesn’t it then become even more important to get together and sort it all out.
Will we hear well enough the vibration of that inner thunder and welcome His Light that guides us to that perfect mind?
Is it there we glimpse the unknown name? The one-hundreth name?
“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you”(a saying of Jesus (Isa) from the Gospel of Thomas).
We bring it forth, and we reconcile it to right guidance. There’s a Hadith concerning a Muslim named Hanzalah who asked the Prophet: “When we are with you, you remind us of the Fire and of Paradise, and it is as if we are seeing it with our eyes. Then when we depart from you and attend to our wives, children and business, then much of this slips from our minds.”
“So Allah’s Messenger said: ‘By Him in whose Hand is my soul if you remained continually as you are when you are with me and in remembering (Allah), the angels would come and shake hands with you upon your beds and upon your roads. But O Hanzalah, (there is) a time for this and a time for that, (there is) a time for this and a time for that, (there is) a time for this and a time for that.” (Muslim)
This hadith is wonderful – life is so easy. It flows, and Islam flows with it, through it, and around it, expanding and contracting, breathing in and out. Islam is not at the expense of the previous messages, it is inclusive of them.
It comprises the inner work that may lead to a progression of faith – of belief. To me, when a person accepts Allah’s call to Islam, it is not a conversion, it’s certainly not a reversion, it is a natural step – a progression – forward.
There’s a reason why the Qur’an is the completion of the revelations to humanity. There’s a reason why Muhammad is the seal of the Prophets. There is an order to things.
Allah knows into which family a child will be born. He knows the tradition of the family the child will be raised through – if there is a tradition at all. Each child is born in the purest sense of “muslim” – in the verb – not the noun.
Who doesn’t notice when a baby will coo and smile looking upward as if at nothing at all. Some say it’s their ancestors, some say the baby smiles with the angels. Allah knows … and if and when the time is right, and if Allah has decreed, then that child grows, learns, and may come to accept the call of Allah and will step forward into being Muslim – in both the verb and the noun. And they will bring with them the lessons of their life.
This takes time – His time – not ours. We learn to believe in our hearts, what we profess with our lips. And it takes time, patience, and understanding. A child does not become an adult overnight. Neither does an adult become a human being overnight.
If we hold that Allah is All Knowing, is well acquainted with all things, is the best to guide, knows well the hearts of all humanity – then Allah knows. Guide with Allah knowing all things, defer to Him, for He is the best in whom to defer.
While we have our free will, when it comes to the matters of the heart, the soul, the Spirit – these belong to Allah. And when you recognize this in the heart, soul and Spirit of another – value it well. Love them well, give of yourself well, seek Allah’s pleasure in making light the heart of another you cherish and respect.
Which of the favors of our Lord, would we then deny?
There are many prophets and messengers. Within our own traditions, we’ve all schools of thought – and if we have, do we deny Allah the same? In the lessons of the natural world there is a great variety – all have the same Creator.
We’re made of the same components of the earth – but our Spirit is bestowed upon us by Allah – from Allah – and if He bestows this to us – how great a gift it is – who best to guide it? The Spirit belongs to Allah, so we have to be careful, not to harm it – either in ourselves or in another. Heal hearts with the best words.
Jibril (Gabriel) was pointing out the followers of Allah’s revelations to Muhammad – who first thought one group was his, but Jibril said, and I’m paraphrasing, “no, these belong to another prophet – look here – these are of your group.”
There are those who are muslim – in the verb, even though they may not be Muslim, in the noun. They hear and respond to the root of the word, Islam, they hear and respond to the root of the word, muslim.
We learn to recognize this heart, this soul, this Spirit of a Believer – not only a Muslim.
It is within this concept and through the efforts of positive dialogue and resolution, that the scattered pieces will be gathered, the recognition of Allah will be unified, and the time of pouring out can begin.
Yes, it’s a convenient assertion to rely on the Books being ‘tampered with” – so forget about them. While this assertion can be a catalyst toward seeking out knowledge, it can also be derived from the desire to control, to confound – to set divisions – to set alienation.
Allah is unity. And His unity pours forth goodness on the earth and within ourselves.
Are we supposed to arrive at our own conclusions? In some things, I think so. If we’re doing the best we can, in the most positive way seeking Allah’s pleasure, we do to some degree arrive at our own conclusions.
To some extent it becomes a mercy – the collective knowledge of the whole community being greater than the knowledge of one (human that is). And it’s difficult, because there’s a great and weighty responsibility in dispersing this knowledge.
The Prophet was *acutely* aware of this and would practice tacit approval in some matters. Doesn’t right guidance bring good things, not enmity? Doesn’t it bring patience, understanding, and sound direction – not hostility and division? Doesn’t it bring our recognition of Allah in the larger picture, rather than His being relegated to a tribal/socio-political entity?
Maybe it’s a bit of seeing the vastness, the expanding and contracting. We bring that vastness within, bring out from within toward its being reconciled to right guidance in Allah – ongoingly – like an inner weeding out period.
This process is demonstrated in the holy days of each faith comprising the “Big Three.” Ramadan is certainly this.
Don’t we feel that creational vibration during Taraweeh prayer, when the prayer’s motion becomes fluid – we clasp our arms over our center core during Al Fatiha – The Opening – and feel it?
It’s a beautiful thing.
The path is pointed out. There are bridges. Following is simply – or sometimes not simply – having the strength and courage, despite social/political pressure to the contrary, to finally stand up and follow.
But again, we have to also be careful who and what we follow. Remembering Allah brings good. – Allah brings good – even if He does at times clean out our cluttered closets, Allah brings good.
Submitting to Allah is in knowing His love and mercy are tremendously vast. It is about trust in Him. It’s about the simplicity of a positive belief, and releasing to Him. It’s in appreciation and gratefulness to Him, that I endeavor to bend not only my knee, but that I continually work to submit my whole self to Him and try to reflect that to others.
It’s a work in progress. It isn’t always easy because I am far from perfect and there are times I could certainly have done better.
Untying these knots will take time, and while Allah can and does lay a person flat out to help them see again, Allah is Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. He corrects, but He does no harm. There is absolutely no doubt of this whatsoever.
Islam – and “islam” – is not austere or cruel. It breathes – lives, grows and reveals itself to us most fully through the entirety of the messages, sent from a high place, as if from the highest mountain. See it like the precious thing it is, let it visit and walk freely.
While words place the framework, words do not – cannot possibly – ever hope – to contain its entirety.What other color can Islam be but the verdant? What other material could the first masjid in Madinah be built with but the palm tree?
How else could the location be found and situated, except through the manner in which Muhammed designated? Where else is this masjid more greatly found, but in the masjid of the heart?
When you find yourself – when you are gradually brought – through each of the gates – to a place where all symbols fall away, within that microcosm, where you finally begin to release as each one opens, and the eventuality of when you finally submit, in the verb, to Allah – all words fail you – because then, there are no words. Something can happen, and you will feel completely, so utterly and completely humbled and extremely unworthy to have been gathered, as seems by wings and brought before – a place – where all things become new – your heart is consoled.
How can I tell you, how can I put into words what words are so unable to express. There is the soul’s recognition. The “God’s Eye”of the mind opens. And when words do come, they aren’t the ones you’d expect them to be. But are those that reach into and emerge from the soul’s seat in antiquity. But I think you must know this is true.
To be sure – Allah exists,
Though the storms will come and your roof is open, though you will feel and it will be as if everywhere you turn you’re being hit and covered with mud – you walk through the city mud-stained, heart-broken, struggling your way back to Allah, seeking His Light that you have always known – is there.
Then know, that through it all, you will emerge. Allah will not forget you. He knows you, lost as you feel you are – you’re not. He will remind you – isma – He will gather you, He will redeem and restore you.
Allah is Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
Believe in Him – for there is nothing placing limits on the Most Incomprehensible, the Most Unfathomable.
Tend the heart well. Tend it with love. Forgive yourself for your own humanity and for the humanity of others. Know that we are all so very human, so very needing of love.
Want for and give to others the same good as you would want for and give to yourself. Take care to use the good things that yield positive and sustaining fruits.
For as you seek, so will you find.
Susan W.
Rabi l – 12, 1429
March 20, 2008
Chiara, to answer your question, yes, the topics on my website (the topic “Roots” is what is posted just before this one) Reflections, Intermezzo, Roots, Acceptance, Philanthropy, and poetry, I wrote it.
It’s just my way of how I feel about things.
The more I have been in KSA the less I choose to write about Islam as it is not practiced there by too many as one would associate with the true Islam as stated forth in the Quran. My observation…
American Bedu–thanks for your first comment after mine, and I agree with your choice to focus on culture, rather than uniquely Islam. In my experience Islam is far more diverse in practice, because of cultural and socio-historic influences, than many non-Muslims realize, and many Muslims wish to believe.
Abu Sinan–thanks for making the distinction between monitoring and paid propaganda clear–they are indeed different. Your father in laws death seems to have been a great loss in many ways, personal, and social (to his family including yourself), and professional (to Saudi).
Susan–after finding your site, An Nakhal, I was aware that you are the author of the poems and much else. I included the link here because I do think you have a beautiful site (style and content), and because I think it might help others here to understand your comments better if they realized you sometimes think and write like the poet you are, and like the well-rooted in Christianity Muslim that your biography, “Along a Winding Road of the Straight Path”, describes. Also, the seriousness with which you take charity, zakat, or philanthropy is commendable.
Susan–PS far be it from me
to comment on the length of anyone else’s comments, but assuming the link to your site is not blocked in Saudi or by Saudi, it might have been more effective or readable in your comment at 4:02pm to give a brief summary, and then link to your reflections on the “Roots” of Islam. 
OMG Susan, your comment is wayyyyy tooooooo looooonggggg!
And I don’t get it? Saudi-Arabia is only 80 years old, but Arabia has existed thousands of years before that, and used to be rich in culture, especially in the hijaz. The Wahhabis have succesfully destroyed that culture and have used those eighty years to devalue Saudi Arabia, as it is called now, to it’s current impoverished barbaric state.
No culture, no music, no art. All haraaam!
They have forced women all over the peninsula to wearing the abaya and hijab in it’s current,. modern, repressive form, and adding niqab to make it even worse.
And what’s with the long comment?
You suddenly start skipping from one subject to the other!
Ye Gods! what are you doing????
Paste copying from various sermons at random????
The comment is schizophrenic to the extreme!
Get Help!
You know, people who are new to blogging: There are certain rules of conduct.
It is only polite to the blogger whose blog you like, to keep to these rules. And if you really think your thoughts and knowlege are of such mindboggling importance to humanity at large that you can’t stop the urge to spawn it all over the internet, you should write your own blog!!!
* Thread hijacking: Don’t start writing very long comments, and put your own opinion across, act as if all posts are meant for you alone.
* Don’t write very long comments, keep it under 100 words, be short and concise. Longwinded comments tend to get skimmed over by other readers.
* Don’t swamp a thread with your own comments so that other peoples comments dissapear under your onslaught.
* Don’t go off topic!!! If you feel the constant need to put forward your own thoughts and ideas: Start you own blog!
* Repeating the same comment multiple times is spamming.
Chiara, thanks for your comments, yes it was long, and I appreciate the moderators indulgence in allowing it.
Aafke, I appreciate your and other comments of its same sort. As much as I would have been distracted by them before, happily for me, though perhaps unhappily for you, I’m glad to report, no effect whatsoever. I guess this is where a much further eastern approach has come in handy. Ultimately taking it in stride and disallowing to not be effected or deterred by hecklers.
Thank you for keeping it short.
Happy to oblige. But I do reserve the right to embellish ad nauseam at a latter date, though with reason for easy reading.
Aafke – thank you very much for posting some of the protocols of blog etiquette. I’d actually been meaning to do something similar and with traveling and meeting my Grandson had not gotten around to it.
Yes…the ongoing trend to thread-hijack has been irritating to me and I had decided to be more blunt in asking for it to stop…
and for those who do feel a need for long comments, many links and off thread, then that’s what this page is for!
@Aafke, Yes 80 years is a long time. There are some basics like creating a constitution and a system of law. The Saudi government has not got around to doing that until now. Civilization is as good as its system of law and that is behind many of the issues of Saudi.
Another consideration is that countries like Qatar, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, etc. all with similar tribal heritage to Saudi and only gained their independence in the 1960’s (i.e. far younger as nations than Saudi), but they managed to develop more advancements in all fronts than Saudi. So the excuse that Saudi is a young country does not pass the logic test.
I also agree that regions like Hijaz and Al Hassa, had rich heritage and culture that would have developed quite nicely if left on their own, without the influence of the ultra conservatives that took over the country’s education system, religious foundations, judicial system, policing of morals, etc.
saudi in US- yes Saudi should be more together, but than I have to consider that unlike say UAE, Oman Bahrain etc that Saudi has a larger population, a larger land mass, and a history of division that may not be as much as a problem in the other GCC countries. For many years saudi was still fighting get take control over parts of Saudi, if not outright surely by the sentiments of the people which may also contribute to Saudis delay in advancement.
I would also suggest the means in which they have established power and sought to keep it (i.e unquestioned education, limiting voice of the people to oppose those in rule, and the support of more hardline groups to control such a large area) all contribute with the countries inability to move forward on many issues.
Nzingha,,
I agree that size is a difference, but we are talking 80 years since the country was united and 100 years since most of the country was under control.
Don’t you think most of this was self inflected threw purposely refusing to create a constitution and codify laws, promotion of tribal divisions, too much royal control and divisions, demolishing all religious and cultural institutions in existence with exception of the most rigid Islamic scholars, investing in very radical Islamic teaching and even importing it from places like Egypt, the creation of the CPVP introducing a police like state, etc. The list of mismanagement and promoting the wrong ideology is long I am just listing a few.
By the way size was not even an issue since the country had only 8 million people until the 70’s. There isn’t enough management thinking that went on to even introduce population control education programs to halt the explosion in the population, which is making Saudis poorer and less educated.
It is no accident Saudi is the way it is today. It took a lot of work to get us in this mess.
Saudi- I think we are agreeing on many issues just saying it a bit different. Although I would say that size and amount of population, even the mass increase over the years, are an issue that other GCC countries don’t have for the most part.
I don’t know if most Saudis are even unified till this day which is an issue that will continue to hinder their growth. than there is issue of governance, education, lack of voice for the people, ect ect which I’m sure we will both agree on that causes issues in Saudi and will keep it from progressing at least beyond a snails pace.
And I’m not fan of population control at all so I think we will disagree there
Actually, I am not for population control either. I am for population control “Education”. There isn’t much of that that goes on in Saudi. Some people have kids by the dozen, without regards of how they will be cared for and educated.
Saudi-.. ya know Allah provides and all.. so says my BIL and his wife who just had their 7th
acording to some things I read the average number although still a bit high 6.5 is going down. And most families I know have a smaller number of children. Unlike us westerners married to saudi guys.. we tend to have 5 and more lol
Hmmm. “Population control” sounds so Darwinian LOL.
Maybe Saudi needs more education about family planning and birth spacing, given that many interpret the “Allah provides” as a reference to not committing female infanticide.
Most of the Saudi families I know have an average of 6-8 children.
It’s ridiculous! there are 6 billion people on this planet… It’s not as we are in danger of extinction or something…..
We are not in the process of ”re-populating the Earth” after a major Hollywood galactic disaster…..
There is no need to ‘’save Humanity”
Actually 6 billion people is too much! We are swamping this planet, we are using it’s resources and destroying its riches.
We don’t need to breed: we need to tone down!!!!
people should have one child, or two at most. And if those children happen to be inferior second grade ”girls” then incha’allah! Deal with it. But stop acting like demented sex craved rabbits.
Especially in Arabia you wold think people would be aware of stuff like sustainability, and population control.
There is a substantial history of famines in Arabia! At the rate Saudi is going there will be over 100 million people by the end of this century. And oil will run out!
And it’s not as if these children are currently educated to compete in an international market or be actually productive at all. I know some very serious professional saudis, but I also know they are quite rare.
I have the impression that most extended Saudi families live of one or two responsible kind hardworking members, and the rest are just freeloading. Saudis are getting poorer. High time to rethink the mindless breeding policy.
Aafke- ‘breeding’ we aren’t animals last I checked. And who gives the power and position to another to decide for a couple how many children is right for them? 1-2 children at the most?? I have 5 what does that make me? A mindless breeder?
Than there are the ideas of population control to the extreme, can we all say China? Talk about girls being killed off in uteru I won’t even talk about the children born with disabilities who are killed or dumped on the street like garbage.
The issue really isn’t about how many humans walk this planet but what they do to it. How much resources they choose to use. The birth of humans isn’t that much of an issue, it is how we live that is. Even a small family with 1-2 children at the most can make a much larger footprint on this planet than a family with 6-7 children.
Your post just reeks of anger and hatred. you’ve reduced saudis to sex feend mindless breaders who are uneducated freeloaders. What is with that? Why do Saudis bother you so much? Offend your senses so much? I mean what daily impact do they have on your life that you can belittle them like you’ve done above? I mean considering they are bunch of ignorant freeloading demented individuals who will ‘run out of oil’ and be left uneducated in their bakward ways at the end of the day anyway.
sorry bedu but I can only take so much of someone slapping my family in the face and not get tired of it.
…. with that.. do you notice the younger generations having smaller families? That is the case in the EP even many families my own age in the EP have smaller families. even in my family several around our age braket tend to have less children. Except for my BIL who just had #7 last night a boy. At that number no one is all that excited anymore.. its like yea.. ok.. mabrook
Carol,
You write:
“The more I have been in KSA the less I choose to write about Islam as it is not practiced there by too many as one would associate with the true Islam as stated forth in the Quran. My observation…”
This is the best statement I have read in some time. Thanks!
Nzingha,
Regardless of the terms used or specific individual choices. I do think population growth is a major issue for Saudi. My generation did have many advantages with higher incomes and better access to opportunities. That has changed quickly for the younger people of the country. Although, the country did well by expanding petrochemical industries (one of the bright spots by the way) instead of just selling crude, the unemployment rates keep growing (estimated at 20% currently). The major difference is the explosive population growth. If that does not get managed, future generations will have a very difficult time.
Regarding education, the public education system has been sliding in quality and is not handling the growth well. All the children in my family attend private schools now based on the quality issues. This was not the case before. Additionally Saudi universities are ranking among the worst in the world. See the link http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2006/November/middleeast_November283.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
The country’s economy and systems cannot keep up with doubling its population every 30 years or so. I would like to see a program that improves on the education in this area, These issues are very worrisome for anyone that cares about the future of the country.
Saudi- I don’t think population growth is that much of an issue if certain things are done.
take for example unemployment how many workers are imported into saudi? I’m not just talking street cleaners here I’m talking every day decent paying jobs. Are there enough jobs in the Kingdom for the unemployed population? The answer to that is a definite yes. So why is there an unemployment issue? It isn’t about population growth or opportunities because they import workers to fill jobs. The opportunities for employment with a decent pay not some low level pay that are insulting and don’t account for the cost of living in Saudi either.
Education is a farse in Saudi. I pulled all my children out of saudi, uprooted half of the family to Bahrain just for better education. And there is no reason why Saudi can’t have it. The private schools are a farse as well, my goodness mandated parroted education is not going to help the society succeed. there are no critical thinking skills taught, no true accountability, high marks are given to children that shouldn’t recieve it. I had one daughter pass 1st grade and she didn’t know a lick of arabic. And not much in grade school education has changed sine my husband went to school.. but the society has changed by leeps and bounds.
So yes, we can both agree that education is a major key in all of this. however I don’t think focusing on the population growth, which every other country is facing the same issue, and how to reduce it, limit it or stop it. I just think better education all aound is the key. When the unemployed citizens of Saudi become educated to take over the jobs that Saudi imports millions of people are year to fill and hence doesn’t rely on them it will put less of a strain on their economic system. And in fact it will strengthen the economy because the billions of riyals that are sent OUT of the country with a foriegn work force will be no more for Saudis will put it back into their own economy.
As you can see I have put some thought in this
And I do very much care for this country. I want it only to advance and the country and its citizens to have the best that it has to offer. But I don’t agree that over population fears are all that much founded for a society that continues to import people.
I agree that 6 billion people is way too much for this earth. I cannot however be the judge of how many children each family should have,, it’s their choice, but footprint or otherwise, having 8-10 kids is a large family any way you see it. Maybe 100 yrs ago in agrarian societies with a high mortality rate it was ok, but inthis century and advanced age having 8 kids !!!!
Again each to his own, alli can say is the pressure to have many children in saudi is tremendous, You are literaly hounded by family – it’s always poised in cultured polite tones but the underlying accusation is there of you choose to keep your family to 1 or 2 kids. why is that? why is it rude to say 8 kids is too many buy not rude to comment on the fact that someone chooses to have just 1 or 2 kids? If you are married to a saudi and decide to have just 2 kids heaven help you. I speak with some experience since i not only faced this extreme questioning but also as a urologist saw it in many facets of life, very few men would limit their ability to have kids even though they know it’s not safe for their wife to have more kids, and this is after #4. c’mon you don’t care even that much for your spouse, especailly even after she’s provided the requisite no of BOYS . Choice should be both ways you should have the freedom to have as many or as little kids as you choose and as for the environmental impact- educate the masses before you set them loose is my policy. They will then do fit as their conscience speaks to them. But in my experience quite a few saudi male and female to a certain extent feel it’s their purpose in life to procreate constantly and v large families seem to be the norm.
During Eid’s when famiilies get together all I can say that with my husband’s siblings and their children the number is close to 200….I am not used to such numbers when it comes to immediate family and frankly I feel overwhelmed. I’m trying to remain quasi neutral on this issue so choose to refrain from saying more!
radha- but why not a large family? Who is to judge what is supposed to be a couples choice? And yes I whole heartidly agree that it is a couples choice both ways. To have a few children, which many more are doing or many. Freedom of choice .. gotta love it
I placed pressure upon myself going through infertility but it was never an issue or pressure from inlaws. Sure they ask.. you done? You going to have more?? things like that but is that so wrong? Same things are asked in the US, same pressures of a ‘ticking clock’ ect. It is just all wrapped in a different way and the numbers are different. In the US large families OH MY. ..what an insult… but to who? Here small families and an insult .. but to who??
again choice one can’t dictate choice no matter how the door is swinging.
Bedu- I come from a family of four, parents and my brother so I know what you mean about being overwhelmed at times.
I agree and am thankful that we have the choice. lots of women don’t . Again maybe because i was foreign i was treated a lot differently in my extended saudi family, but i was distictinctly aware that the blame to have just 2 kids ( actually only 1 planned) was placed on me. Maybe different families react differently. Yes there’s pressure inthe US and elsewhere regd the “ticking clock” however it’s not consistent or limited to close family, every 2 and 3rd cousin we happened upon in saudi seemed to have an issue with us having 1 kid . I’d chalk it up to personal experience. however i also did see a large number of my spouse’s relatives who could have done much better by limiting their children. some could not provide the attention that 7 or even 8 kids required. A few managed fine somehow ( super man and woman) but quite a few of the kids could have certainely done with more attention from their parents. afterall they are kids only once and you get only 1 chance to instill good values in them. I was curious ( i hope in a non-judgemental way) as to why have so many when they couldn’t provide enough for them ( i mean pscyologocally and in some cases financially too) We get any a requests from his saudi family for support, why have so many? any specific reason ? i’m just curious not critical. we choose to have just 2 cause we both were in involved medical fields which neither of us wanted to leave. so we figured that’s all the kids we could handle. I for one am not big on the nanny culture there. If one is striggling to cope with 6 kids ( tine oness) @ home why go for #7 is my question, what drives the need to have more and more kids, not everyone i met loved kids
so what else, society pressure/ nochoice what. just curious, does not require and answer.
My theory is that there is the underlying emphasis which is also at times voiced in the mosques to procreate and have more muslims in the world. And too many women may not be aware or know how to use birth control. It is allowable (to my understanding) but culturally still frowned upon among those lesser educated.
Also many children is of course a symbol of both the man (and woman’s fertility). And I think for some women, the more children she bears the more secure she may feel in her marriage. If she has a lot of children, then how could the husband ever afford another wife…
Then it is also easy for many to have more children since domestic help is readily available and overall affordable. Let’s face it, so many of these children are basically raised by the housemaids.
Saudis do love their children but in my observations do not always spend the same kind of caring and bonding time with them as western parents. The children will be very cherished and pampered but lax on discipline.
Nzingha,
I also thought about my comments
When you are talking population growth issues, you should be thinking 20-30 years down the line at minimum. Second I am talking about sustaining a quality of life for a population. Yes people will survive even in over populated areas, example Bangladesh, Egypt, etc.
Regarding Saudi economy needing workers today, there are roughly 7-8Million expats in Saudi.
- Roughly half of that number can be eliminated as not necessary and those jobs are not likely to be held by Saudi’s or produce enough income to care for the large families. Those are domestic workers, drivers, street cleaners, etc.
- The government and owned entities (like Saudia Airlines) artificially increases the workforce it employs. This is almost like a welfare system. This is the primary reason why a city like Riyadh went from 1M to 5M population in a matter of 30 years. These jobs should not be there in a competitive environment of the future (i.e. when the government cannot afford to be so generous)
- Many jobs in Saudi are temporary to support projects. These are the massive construction projects whether it is building city infrastructure or manufacturing. Currently we do not have the skills for this work and by the time we develop them the jobs will likely not be there.
- There are many jobs that I think Saudi’s can take over with minimal training, like shop keepers, mechanics, technicians, etc. These can produce some relieve, but I think it is lower than the over capacity employed by government today. And definitely lower paying.
- Industrial growth can not be relied on to produce huge numbers of jobs. Saudi can only compete effectively in petro-chemical industries. These are usually process driven and produce very little demand for labor, relative to other industries.
If you add another 20M to the Saudi population by 2050, which is the low estimate, you will have a huge impact on the quality of life in Saudi. By the way the quality has already dropped down from the peak of the 80’s and major cities like Jeddah are experiencing expansion of slumps at an alarming rate.
It seems there are 2 different but connected issues: 1) social ie population growth; 2) individual ie a couple’s family planning and birth spacing.
Saudi seems to have had difficulty in social planning, eg. education, to keep up with its population explosion, and Saudis to move faster toward industrialized lower numbers of children per family.
There are good medical reasons for spacing births, and sometimes for no longer having (or not originally having any) more children, and couples should feel freer in all cultures to make these decisions. Based on my personal and vicarious experience, the pressures to have children are there in all cultures but the expected timing, total numbers, gender complement , and who feels it is a right/duty are different and harder to handle for not being practised in the ways of the other culture.
Saudi needs to understand that the oil will not last forever. They have failed to build up any sort of industry that will serve the country and the people when the oil is gone.
In 100 years when there is no oil and tens of millions of more Saudis, if things do not change, they will become like Yemen, only on steriods. A receipe for great suffering and social unrest.
If the Saudi royal family were forward thinking they’d realise that their rule probably cannot last through such an issue. I think some see it, but they arent putting nearly enough effort into finding a solution.
But Abu Sinan…go back to my post on tourism…. the Saudi government expects to replace its oil reserves with tourism! (so she says tongue in cheek)
saudi- I’m going to go point by point as i want to make this kind of short. I need to sleep
1.I’ll go ahead with the 7-8 mil expat population although I think that is low balling it a bit. But trying to get hard figures on saudi.. well ya know how that is going for me.
But I’ll disagree with negating half of that because domestic workers aren’t included in expariate working stats. For saudi doesn’t consider them under labor laws, statistics ect. Not even drivers unless they work for a company. And I won’t discount street cleaners or any other seemingly low paying workers. because of several reasnos
1. its jobs saudis can do
2. they are generally over staffed jobs.. street cleaners you can easily count 5-7 workers doing the job of one man.
3. the resources they use- housing, food, electricty, water ect which all account in the economy
4. even if a pay is on a lower level other monetary resources need to be accounted for
I did some math with my husband one day in the car we counted over 7 street cleaners who were doing the job of 1 man. Typical, so very typical.
7 guys @ 400 SR a month = 2800 SR
7 guys @ 3000 sr for bringing them is 21,000 SR
7 guys @ 200 sr a month for housing is 1400 sr
7 guys @ 200 sr a month for food allowance is 1400 sr
7 guys @ 2000 sr to send back home is 14000 sr
over a two year contract the salary for one saudi worker a month would be 7000 SR a month. Not so small when you get to it. Add in progressive ideas like modern machines to help with the street cleaning besides a broom and a cardboard box. Littering fines (don’t laugh) to help pay for the services and other things which can easily be implamented would all help saudi overall.
I think a real big mistake is to minimize the impact of the foriegn work force as just ‘minimal’ low scale jobs which don’t account for much. They send BILLIONS out of the country every single year. And they have an impact on the community services of saudi, water, food, electricty, health care, transportation, ect ect. that is even a bigger impact on the country.
2. government owned companies or government jobs are not to the end all we agree. I would have hoped that saudi overall learned this lesson but obviously not. One has to look towards the private sector as well which of course goes back to education.. can’t get away from that.
3. building, infrastructure ect I don’t think will go away any time soon. At least not quick enough for saudis to become educted and or trained in the various things needed to be employed. But once again we have to get real w/ the standards of ‘acceptability’ when it comes to working labor jobs. Skills are needed that don’t take long to train for.. building, carpentry, electrictian, mechanic, welding, and way to many for me to list. Things that would be hands on training or votech training. Than you have engineers, architecs, formens ect ect ect.. that may require more education but not to the point wher the job will be no longer once it happens.
4. retail markets, service industry, and the like.. lower paying as compared to what?? the 1500 SR a security guard makes? Every shop I see it is a non saudi. What one Bahraini woman does in the same retail outlet it takes at least 3 foriegn workers to do in saudi just across the border. Again they are costly, moreso than we realise. And these sectors can also lead to other jobs within franchises so it shouldn’t be so quickly discounted. Although I would prefer to see women fill many of these slots
I won’t even go there in this discussion.
5. Industrial- actually saudi has a lot of room for growth if they were a bit creative. But I think this goes back to education and learning critical thinking skills as the foundation. If one can’t think critically one can’t evnision the possiblities.
Honestly there is soooo much saudi can do within saudi for positive growth that will support their own population growth. Even if it continues in the numbers that it does. I do think overall saudi needs to get real about many issues and fast. When it does that I think the GCC can work together as they are as a whole highly dependent on a foriegn work force not realizing the overall impact it has on its societies. They think “low pay” but don’t really pay attention to the numbers nor how to generate income to support immediate job growth in some of the most simplist of ways. And with some planning and vision they can cointinue to support its population growth.
nope not everyone will live in a mansion… not every woman will have a coach bag.. but do they now?
I remain optomistic to possiblities.. doesn’t mean I’m not pessimistic to the reality.
radha- I want to respond to some of what you said but I fear taking over this section and being accused of bad blogging manners. Some of what you ask.. why have when they can’t provide.. is simply the belief of Allah Kareem. I have this discussion all the time with my Mother in law. Many families will say Allah provides, ok fine that is true. But we are also told, as muslims, to tie our camel. Mr. Man (the husband) thinks that many are living the fantasy life of the oil boom where money seemed endless. Which is also true.
Than there are issues with contraception.. the beliefs about the pill here drive me batty. Mr. Mans nephew told me how his wife was told by the other women n the family to not take the pill because it would do her great harm. So their suggestion in order to counter the affects of the pill was to take clomid (ya know meds to increase egg production) for several months. I nearly had heart failure right there.
I think there are many factors that play a part in the desire for more children. I think parents can be suck butt with 1 or 2 children and than others with 7 can be the most wonderful parents in the world who raise well balanced healthy (in every way) loving children.
and with that I’m done.. sorry bedu.. bad blogging manners but i”m done
Nzingha–
BCP + clomid = singleton, twins, triplets? Agh…Many Muslims don’t realize how permissible contraception (pill, barrier methods, some IUDs) is in Islam, but this bit of advice is particularly dangerous.
Regarding “Allah provides” it seems some misinterpret the injunction against infanticide (Surah 17: 31; Surah 6: 151) as a type of go forth and multiple as many as you can biologically (rather Catholic really LOL
), although there are other counterbalancing arguments.
Nzingha, well I’m Dutch, so pardon my french. Anyway In my opinion some people are breeding like rabbits without any thought about the future of the progeny they pop out. And what’s wrong with animals? I like animals on the whole a lot better as humans.
It is typical that everybody here is again only looking at themselves, and their wishes, and their family, and at the most their country. While my comment was meant more on a global level. It’s pity that most people are too self centered to have any forethought towards the future of their children , grandchildren, or any feeling of responsibillity towards the planet.
Who is to judge you should not have large families? That would be yourself. Your own responsibillity, your own recognition that the world cannot sustain this constant population increase. In the case of Saudi Arabia, you live in a place almost wholly unsuitable for sustaining human life, and certainly in the quantities your children will experience when they are grown up. You should think about the revenue of oil being finite, the money made by it will be taken out of the country by the Saud family when things start falling down, and the unavailabillity of jobs in the future, I hope you will be able to educate the whole brood to a university level accepted by the rest of the world, in jobs which will ensure them employment elsewhere. And i hope the girls will not be trained to view themselves as breedingvessels only sure to get married in the future and ready and willing to add yet more hungry mouths to the overcrowded planet.
Radha, the Earth really is estimated to be able to sustain 4 to 5 billion people. We are allready way above that.
Abu Sinan, Yeah I agree.
Bedu: I’m sure we could market Saudi Arabia, but unless people are actually let in there’s a small obstacle…..
and I’m going to step in it here but with the tendency to marry first cousins (whose parents and grandparents were also first cousins) coupled with the tendency to have large families, I’m wondering where KSA ranks on number of individuals with genetic problems, deformities, disabilities and other afflictions?
High–because of multiple generations of intratribal, intrafamilial marriages, otherwise marrying a first cousin does not carry any more risk than the slightly increased risk of have children at the gynecologically senescent (their term not mine) ages of 35 and up (senescent eggs is the exact term, and now senescent sperm ie produced fresh but by an older man).
Dr Ahmed S Teebi is the pioneer and leader in this field.
Genetic Disorders among Arab Populations
by Ahmad S. Teebi (Editor), T. I. Farag (Editor)
from the blurb:
High but variable rates of inbreeding prevail in all Arab countries … Genetic disorders that cause major health problems include hemoglobinopathies, neurogenetic disorders, inherited metabolic diseases, and inborn error of morphogenesis. Because of their characteristically high prevalence, some of these disorders are considered markers for Arab populations. …
Waw Chiara, serious and scary stuff! Actually considered genetic markers…. that should shake people up!
I wish I could read the entire article/book
Aafke–I left out the most gruesome bit, but genetics fans might like:
“Arab populations have high frequencies of autosomal recessive disorders, homozygosity of autosomal dominant and X-linked traits, and a wealth of new syndromes and variants, the majority of which are autosomal recessive.”
Or
“Disorders that have increased tribal occurrences or are limited to large kindreds, as well as small geographic or religious isolates, are highlighted to facilitate their recognition, study, and management.”
In other words: Zut alors!
sorry…but can that be repeated in English that I can understand!
American Bedu–probably available in a university library (or a hospital one!
) or :
http://www.amazon.ca/Genetic-Disorders-among-Arab-Populations/dp/0195093054
Has a complete Table of Contents.
The top researchers in their fields have written each chapter. I have read some of the chapters and they are excellent.
Some of it is available online:
http://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=6K_fj4Oicm8C&oi=fnd&pg=PA6&dq=dr+ahmed+s+teebi&ots=ugdEKQmc11&sig=xF-lngto1KkFuSbhyBk1_b0Z7-Q
And Google Scholar has many of his other articles. Warning: unhappy syndromes abound.
American Bedu–Sorry, the downside of this writing is that it is aimed at other geneticists, and the ilk (and psychiatrists who wish they didn’t have a niece die age 5 of a mystery disorder). Some chapters are easier to read than others.
Very Rough translations:
The different types of all combinations of genetic patterns of inheritence are present, though most are autosomal recessive:
ie if both parents have the genetic marker each child (whether boy or girl) has a 25% chance of getting the illness, and the normal ones have a 66% chance of being a carrier of the defect. New mutations are happening all the time ie new genetic diseases, and most are also inherited this way.
The book also has chapters on genetic disorders that occur in specific tribes only, or large family groups only, so that others can better learn about them and study and treat them.
Zut alors X2 !
thank you.
Chiara- BCP are available here they aren’t hidden. The problem is what people may think of them. I’m actually against IUDs and wouldn’t get one. It is a more common method of BC here as it is pushed by doctors, because there is less chance of a woman forgetting. But the device has failed many women here not to mention the beliefs of causing miscarriages.
aafke- that you like animals a whole lot better than humans tells me a lot. No wonder you speak of humans with such disdain. No worries about my family as they won’t affect your life in one single way.
Bedu- One doesn’t have to just factor in first cousins one also needs to factor in a lack of eugenics in the cultural thinking here. So the lack of abortions would also account for higher numbers of individuals with genetic problems, disabilities, ect.
actually what i have observed on an overall lack of discipline, to me that says birth control pills would not necessarily be the most reliable form of contraception.
Nzingha – you bring up a whole different subject which is islam and abortion. I realize that under certain circumstances islam allows terminating a pregnancy but this is a very controversial issue — not just in Saudi Arabia but globally.
AB – I agree BC pills willprobably not work 100% there. I see nothing wrong in IUD’s i’ve recomended that a time or 2 there when i’ve met resisting men
They are very safe and reliable.I’m not a gynae hence i’ll keep quite on the matter, however i feel strongly that if one’s family is set what’s wrong with permanent methods.. god try explaining that to saudi men and actually managing to convince them.
being a urologist in saudi is not a fun thing. believe me..
Bedu- No I’m not bringing up abortion and Islam I’m bringing up abortion and Saudi. You can’t get one, unless under extreme circumstances.
Nzingha– I think we are in agreement that the problem re BCP is knowledge and perception by women (and men). Current IUDs are much safer and more reliable than the original models and are “Islamically correct”. The biggest risks are pelvic inflammatory disease (promiscuity and untreated sexually transmitted diseases), and ectopic pregnancy (early pre-natal care and intervention deal with this).
American Bedu–Once a day dosing and gizmo packaging helps compliance/discipline with BCP, as well as storing them in the most important place you visit at least once daily (make-up case? LOL
)
Regarding genetics and disability, abortion is Islamically permissible (usually up to 120 days gestation), though many Muslims are also unaware of the details for their type of Islam (Sunni, Shia, which legal school) and of their country’s laws. Overall, infinitely better at protecting the life of women , and thus their future reproductive capacity and current mothering capacity, than the official Vatican position.
Abortion is often controversial, but much less so than contemporary American politics makes out.
Radha–as you know better than I, most men fear/misunderstand that vasectomy affects libido (sex drive), erectile function (potency), and virility or psychological manliness, whereas it affects fertility and some people’s psychology. If one is sure one never wants to reproduce again, and expects the surgery not to be reversible (even if it sometimes is), I agree that this method is very safe, and highly reliable. Culture dictates psychology here more than in some other situations.
In compliance with this Blog’s author suggestion/polite request, I am re-posting the following piece….
Loves n hugs n stuff,
PC
I am writing a report for my interdisciplinary studies course on Saudi Arabia and its economy and have been having some difficulty in gathering information on a variety of subjects. I am hoping that someone might point into the right direction.
The subjects I must cover are:
1. Social Security Laws. I am aware that such laws do not (no longer) exist for foreigners and have been abolished by royal decree (correct me if I am wrong). However, does a legal framework exist for Saudi citizens? Can a citizen expect to have a pension when he (she?) reaches a certain age? Or is this concept foreign to the Kingdom? Are tribal practices such as the Majalis considered an alternative to the social net of the industrialized countries?
2. Pension, but that is included in #1. However, if anyone wishes to elaborate or mention literature on that subject, please feel free to do so.
3. The all too painful subject of Foreign Labor; does the government-established Human Rights Commission have any influence on that matter? Is the situation worse/better/same as the neighboring Gulf States? What about the general mentality within society towards people doing menial or even complex work? I have heard that foreigners are referred to as “Ajnabi Chalb”, is this a sign of a wider disrespect towards foreigners? Any kind of legal protection under the Sharia?
4. WOMEN! Where can I find literature on Saudi females within the workforce? Most of the literature I find is either idealized, misogynistic or simply sensationalist in nature?
5.I have read several comments by Saudis claiming the state health system to be crumbling. Many consider it to be highly inefficient and were openly happy by the appointment of the new health minister. ANY info on that subject is more than welcome.
6. Politics and its discontents. What are the most reliable sources on the political system in Saudi Arabia? How are political activists faring? Again, feel free to mention any objective sources on any of the subjects mentioned here, either in English or Arabic.
Love and Salamaat,
PC
okay ya’ll…can any of you help PC out here and voice some views?
Okay, I’ll bite.
PC
Hope these are helpful and not already obvious to you. They are objective, or at least reliably, predictably, academically acceptably biased, and may provide insights or references.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html
http://www.transparency.org/regional_pages/africa_middle_east/middle_east_and_north_africa_mena
http://www.who.int/countries/sau/en/
http://www.who.int/countryfocus/cooperation_strategy/ccsbrief_sau_en.pdf
http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/publication.asp?country=44 not free online but might be available in a university (faculty of business library)
Good luck!
Chiara
Not Saudi, not living in Saudi, never visited Saudi (yet)
Married to a non-Saudi Arab/Muslim, cannot read Arabic (yet)
Academic Interdisciplinary research expertise in a variety of subjects, not Economics
PC–I’m awaiting moderation, hope the comment helps
while many times I may roll my eyes and think “oh gawd…all those links in one of her posts…again” this time I tip my hat and say “Thank you very much!”
Thank you American Bedu. I’m sure we all
over something, I know I do 
*All emoticons are courtesy of Aafke’s excellent tutelage.
Chiara, you really need to get your computer fixed as it happens to often and tends to flood my blog! And I don’t have time to delete like this, thank you.
Dear Chiara,
I am impressed and very grateful. To sooth any worries; no, not all of them were known to me. My search was too detail- oriented thus I misses many valuable pieces available in your links.
Thank you (Shukran Jazeelan)…
PS. anyone with more Info is more than welcome to elaborate/add/suggest etc.
PC
Afwan!!
American Bedu–changing computers, and thanks.
Hello American Bedu, not quite sure where to put this.
Did you notice that the Saudi News section today seems to be including San Diego news with the Saudi News?
Jerry,
Can you send me a link? I’m presently blogging from the States at the moment so not necessarily seeing the regular Saudi dailies.
Big news network seem to have lost any Saudi News. I am posting headlines for the stories on your blog and the links to the top 3
Saudi Arabia News
GM says 7,500 hourly workers decide to leave March 26, 2009
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/26/gm-buyouts-032609/
17 injured after tornado rips through Mississippi March 26, 2009
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/26/severe-weather-032609/
Stocks rise on fresh economic, corporate data March 26, 2009
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/26/wall-street-032609/
Ariz. firm buys Xpress Shuttle service March 26, 2009
Pakistan spies support Taliban March 26, 2009
Administration unveils financial system overhaul March 26, 2009
Stores in county checked in sweep March 26, 2009
Investigators say food tracing system full of gaps March 26, 2009
I also clicked on the top link and it showed the same stories:
http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/cat/84856ec8d48070cb/
Thank you Jerry! Not sure what is up with Big News in that the Saudi news is not there…can’t imagine a day without something newsworthy in KSA!
Hello Carol,
A few days ago, there was either a programming or database issue with Big News. At that time the headlines appeared but the links went to a generic page with an error message on top. So, I guess what was going wrong isn’t corrected.
Hello Coolred!
I’m posting a response to your response (lol) on the Saudi girl and too much time post here as I’m taking it off-topic!
I believe it’s about the search, the seeking, the doubting, the everlasting journey leading to the orchard of Truth. Humankind at times (or shall we say at most times!) is not kind at all! They twist and corrupt themselves, sometimes knowingly, most times unknowingly and I think it has nothing to do with God. For whatever purpose there was creation, and within that, the natural physical, chemical and biological laws govern and most people sway whichever way the wind blows. A lot of it makes no sense. Why create an earth that quakes from time to time and terrorizes those on it? Why can we hate? What’s up with the congenital diseases? The list really is endless.
We can’t think like God. God does not even think. I don’t know what or who or how or why He is. I’ve been blessed with the ability to question (or maybe cursed) and that is how I know answers exist, but maybe not in the form I wish to perceive.
I’d always joke about how Islam came to guide baby girl burying savages from the depths of their darkness and after all these centuries it’s done but a little. But then there’s enough Light for those who wish to see. I think religion is a journey of knowledge we undertake as soon as we can read and write until the day we breathe our last. It’s a continual battle between unadulterated knowledge and biased information and Islam is not for Arabs but for the world, although the state of most of the worlds people is quite depressing, those that live their lives in Truth do exist. There will always be people who will misinterpret, twist and corrupt Divine law but then there will always be those who don’t. I know what you’re saying cuz I’m just as sick at the state of the Muslim world. But God-willing things change for the better, hopefully people read more, research, investigate, question, and continue doing so for life!
Sorry, I just went on!
It’s just a touchy topic, why we continue to live in ignorance. But again, I’m hopeful
Re: Fastest Growing Religion in the US
There are so many disputes as to what religion is fasted growing that I decided to add my 2 cents here. In the US many people move from traditional Christianity to various Evangelical type churches. Most Muslims disregard Christian to Christian conversions in their discussions, but if you include that as a conversion (as I do), Evangelical Christianity and the modern megachurch movement are both very fast growing religions in the US and unlike Islam, they are something affecting native born white Americans (the bulk of the population even today).
http://www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org/
“Most of the growth in the Christian population occurred among those who would identify only as “Christian,” “Evangelical/Born Again,” or “non-denominational Christian.” The last of these, associated with the growth of megachurches, has increased from less than 200,000 in 1990 to 2.5 million in 2001 to over 8 million today. These groups grew from 5 percent of the population in 1990 to 8.5 percent in 2001 to 11.8 percent in 2008. Significantly, 38.6 percent of mainline Protestants now also identify themselves as evangelical or born again. ”
Other non-traditional religions such as Wicca and even Buddhism are growing in the US. The numbers are small but growing. The fastest real religious change in the US is the move from Christianity to the non-religious category. That is by far the fastest growing ‘religion’ in the US today.
“In broad terms, ARIS 2008 found a consolidation and strengthening of shifts signaled in the 2001 survey. The percentage of Americans claiming no religion, which jumped from 8.2 in 1990 to 14.2 in 2001, has now increased to 15 percent. Given the estimated growth of the American adult population since the last census from 207 million to 228 million, that reflects an additional 4.7 million “Nones.” Northern New England has now taken over from the Pacific Northwest as the least religious section of the country, with Vermont, at 34 percent “Nones,” leading all other states by a full 9 points.
“
Jerry M–Thanks for the nuance and “Up with secular humanism!!!” LOL
(nb this is a joke, no offense is intended to any believers including secular humanists)
Historically estimates of Muslims in the US were taken from estimates for immigrant populations. Those estimates were often innaccuate because the immigrant population in the US from Muslim countries did not mirror the population in the home country. Most ‘Syrians’ or ‘Lebanese’ in the US were Christians (just think of the late commedian Danny Thomas). In my home town the Arab food stores were run by Christians who have been here for a generation or more. Today that is less and less true because education has encouraged Muslim Arabs to take jobs in the US.
As a rough guess I would say that in my area there would have been no Muslim Arabs in the 1950s but by the 1970s there was a real Arab Muslim population (and a Turkish Muslim population).
Jerry – thanks for bringing the topic here and I think it is a good one to discuss. Ironically I remember several of GW’s speeches also citing the fast growth of Islam…but I’m not enamoured of Bush so I will take that simply at face value!
I did not realize my little short post would generate such lively discussion! It’s funny as it started by traveling with two Saudi family members and on checking in at our room, the first comments they made were “There’s no Quran and what direction is Makkah.”
I’m not an expert on this topic so I am going to look forward to reading the comments generated here.
It did occur to me that “Islam is the fastest growing” religion could have been part of the war propaganda, but since my Muslim friends tell me the same thing with pride (and a reminder they are about to overtake Roman Catholics) I tend to believe it (they are all scientists and rigorous about numbers). There is a good summary of numbers and rates at:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm
Hello Chiara,
I don’t know if your friends were talking about Islam worldwide or Islam in the US. In the US, Islam is growing but hardly was fast as religions like Wicca (and other forms of neo paganism).
One thing that I will say is that Islam is not something that is having any religious impact on the American religious consciousness, certainly not in the way Buddhism or Hinduism have impressed themselves on the American consciousness. You don’t read references to Islamic thought in religious discourse. I was raised Catholic and in the 1960’s our religious studies included references to other religious thought (in particular Buddhism). Islam’s impact on America is entirely secular.
There are very few Muslim converts once you remove spouses. (That is not a criticism just a fact. I was raised Catholic and Cathollcism is still despised by many Americans. Very few people converted into Catholicism except for marriage.)
Wicca is certainly very fast growing, and has the advantage ofcourse of being very female-friendly, something you can’t really claim for the Abrahamic religions. But I also wonder if it isn’t a bit of a fad, and will peter off again when it gets out of fashion.
And the number of Agnostics and Atheists in America is far larger than most people realise. And most people wouldn’t bandy that about anyway.
I think both sides want to talk up or talk down numbers. I think those numbers spouted by Jerry M are as deflated as the numbers by many Muslim organisations are inflated.
Everyone seems to have their own agenda in wanting to play with the numbers.
As for hindus growing in numbers , for the past decade a few educated souls in india seem to be seeing light and limiting their reproductive capabilities. The only way i see hinduism growing is if the population of india increases rapidly and we all don’t want that do we
i think we have populated earth quite enough .
Hello Abu Sinan,
In the case of Wicca there are no official organizations pumping up the numbers (in the US the theme of Muslim organizations is to say that they outnumber the Jews).
Jerry M–they were talking about North American statistics, as well as world wide ones. Whatever the rates of growth, the numbers are still very small as a percentage of the total US or Canadian population and the ability to impact the broader culture is limited by a number of factors (demographic, political, economic, cultural, recent immigration). In Canada for sure growth is by immigration/refugee status (Pakistani, Somali, other African, MENA, Bosnian).
The site I referenced is reliably ecumenical and provides a good accounting of the numbers worldwide, which are reported consistently from a variety of trustworthy sources (the problem is with self-reporting within this).
Grosso modo numbers % of world population: Christianity 32% (dropping); Islam 19% (growing) Hinduism 13% (stable) no religion 12% (dropping); Buddhism 6% (stable); atheists 2%; Judaism 1%, others (including Wiccan, and tribal etc) < 1% each
Ironically, after publishing this online they received a number of emails from Christians, Muslims, and Hindus all thinking their numbers were highest and their rates fastest.
Specifically on worldwide growth rates Christianity (2.3%) and Islam (2.9%):
http://www.religioustolerance.org/growth_isl_chr.htm
All sources agree Islam is growing faster, but disgree on if and when it will overtake Christianity later in the century.
Growth rate within Christianity worldwide: Roman Catholics, at a rate of 1.3% are barely replacing themselves, and doing poorly in the world “market share” since humanity grows at a rate of 1.4%.
Pentecostals: 8.1%
Evangelicals: 5.4%;
All Protestants: 3.3%
Total % per religion within the USA:
Prot 61; RC 23; Orthodox 1; Jewish 1; Muslim 1
Total % per religion within Canada:
RC 43 (growing); Protestant 29 (dropping) Jewish 1 (growing), Muslim 2 (really growing–by immigration mostly, and baby making)
Enough stats for/from me!
The very nature of “Wiccans” would make them a hard lot to count anyways as they arent so big on rules, or making guidlines as to define just who is, and who isnt, a “Wiccan”.
Besides would you group Odinists ( or the wider Asatru community) as “Wiccans”? How about various adherants to American Indian religions?
As to organisations for Wiccans, there are more than one might think, and I am sure they inflate their numbers just like all organisations do.
PS my economist friend tells me Jews are 2% of the US population and own 12% of the wealth–part of the difference in political impact.
Just a quick message to PC:
Ummm…no we don’t refer to foreigners as “Ajnabi Chalb” 0_o
Radha, interesting, I never see Hindu ”evangelists” going door to door, trying to convince people to become hindu… Non of the Hindus I know has ever said: ”Have you ever considered becoming a hindu?”’
Abu Sinan, you are right, You can’t really count ”Wicca’s” except those who are very clear on calling themselves Wicca. Besides, A lot of Wiccas are not out of the broom-cupboard, nor ever will be… While some organisations might make public their number, or even enghance it, there will be some gruips who will not make themselves public at all.
One problem is, one of the characteristics of modern Wicca, or in a broader sense Paganism, is that they don’t like boundaries or labels.
And ofcourse there is the rather vague New-Age movement as well, and there are people who are into crystals, or angels, or fairies, all these seem to overlap anyway.
Odinists would count as pagan I suppose. Like druids. And native American religions should be called ”Native American religions”.
I know a Jewish Wiccan. I wonder what she answers on census questionnaires? Maybe it depends on whether she is asked at Passover or Rosh Hashanah, or Hallowe’en (yes she does celebrate but not in the cliche way) or the solstices!? I’ll ask next time I see her
Even if the pagans/wiccans/tribals etc are hiding there numbers must still be low given all the others declaring a religion.
Aafke – From what i know , Hinduism is an identity that can only be had from birth, some quite the vedas that say that anyone who follows Hindu beliefs and practices is a Hindu.
Most hindus do not seek converts because Smriti’s say that the goals of spiritual life can be attained through any religion, as long as it is practiced sincerely. A few sects accept those who have a desire to follow Hinduism.
It’s either this or they are too lazy to go door to door.:-)
again – i’m no authority on the vedas.
Hello Chiara, as far a Jewish Wiccans go, in the US there are no religion questions on the census.
Radha,
There is a long history of Western converts to Hinduism, so like Judaism, there can be converts to Hinduism without being born to it.
I suggest you read a book called “White Mughals”. It is an excellent book I read some time back about the early British presence in India and how some of these early Brits became “more Indian than the Indians” and converted to Hinduism and Islam, married local wives, and even took to wearing local dress.
This practice is much different than the later British presence in India where the Brits remain aloof and had a great disdain for the Indian masses.
http://www.amazon.com/White-Mughals-Betrayal-Eighteenth-Century-India/dp/014200412X
Chiara, lots of interesting stats. Thank you for sharing.
You wrote: “Ironically, after publishing this online they received a number of emails from Christians, Muslims, and Hindus all thinking their numbers were highest and their rates fastest.”
and
“All sources agree Islam is growing faster, but disagree on if and when it will overtake Christianity later in the century.”
I wonder why this is such a huge deal. Are we all in a numbers race to see who will have the most followers? Are the religions planning to take over the world?
These are how people self-identify themselves, correct? Well, babies cannot say, “I’m a Muslim,” yet those born in Muslim households are considered Muslim. And I’m sure even among self-identified Christians and Muslims, others within those categories would say, “Those are definitely NOT Christians or Muslims because they do not follow the teachings of Jesus (Christians) or Muhammad (Muslims.)”
Like some would say nominal Muslims are truly not Muslims at all. Yet, they are counted in these stats. Osama bin Laden probably made the Muslim list as did whatever liberal Muslim you all can think of and don’t truly consider a “real” Muslim.
And some who say they are Christians, simply are cultural or nominal Christians and truly do not follow what “being Christian” meant in the early church. We all know many (most???) who say they are “Christian” do NOT follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
So, while the world stats on religions are interesting, they don’t truly reflect people’s spiritual beliefs.
Just my two cents. Interesting discussion.
Jerry M–Good thing she is Canadian then
. Apparently the US official census only can ask for voluntary information about the membership of any religious body with more than 60, 000 members. Other voluntary individual surveys are also taken.
In Canada it is part of the official individual (by household) Census although you could decline to answer that particular question. In the US you just have to identify your race on university employment forms (for affirmative action purposes) or not get paid. LOL
It happened to a biracial Canadian friend who didn’t want to take a position from an African American and didn’t want to say she was white only (she passes) so finally volunteered to put down Asian and they accepted.
Susanne–glad you enjoyed the stats. ‘
The problem is indeed with self-identification as a methodology (although there would be other problems with deciding for someone else what their religious identification is/should be based on family, race, name, language, geography, whatever). The stats are compiled by groups considered reliable (enough) like the UN but still on this basis, although in some countries there is census data that records information for a household.
It does seem like some feel they are in a race (especially the proselytizers of any group), or that it gives them psychological comfort to think they may be in a minority, in the US for example, but come from a numerous group growing in power worldwide as well as “doubling” in the US.
I agree 100% with susanne, the numbers serve no useful purpose. As for Hindu converts, i only speak of what the samaveda says – which our family follows. We went to lengths to find if my husband could convert
hence the little bit of research and were told he could follow hinduism and be considered hindu but there was no formal process..
)rather than hindu/muslim.
Anyway i’d say my identity is more indian than Hindu. just like my kids would identify themselves as asian american ( with an emphasis on american
Radha–the usefulness probably depends on the purpose, and the reporters of the numbers are well aware of the limits of their methodology.
I like your phrase “which our family follows” since for marriage, and family purposes, as well as medical ethics, that is the most important aspect of the particular way of following a religion (although sometimes it helps to know there are other ways within the religion to follow it).
Glad to hear your children are jacking up the positive stats on “Asian Americans” (an eclectic group indeed!)
Also, the real question behind the stats and the bragging rights is: which religions are growing through reproduction and which through conversion?
Well addressing the top 3 and the 3 Abrahamic ones:
Christianity–Prostestant conversion (with kudos to evangelicals for baby making as well), RC falling down badly in the baby making and the conversion departments
Islam–conversion and baby making
Hinduism–baby making
Judaism– baby making for Hassidic, conversion for Reform, and increased recognition of non-Halakal Jews (eg. children with a Jewish father but non-Jewish mother)
I really haven’t experienced anyone claiming bragging rights except in what seems to me as psychological self-defense, but then I tend to avoid proselytizers.
The numbers seem to be important to lobbying organizations. CAIR, for example, views successful Jewish groups as a model, without seeming to understand the basis of their success. Politics is all about mutual action. You support me, I support you. Jewish people vote. I also think Jewish people are far more unified than Muslims are in the US. It took a long time for Jewish groups to achieve that success.
There is no perception that there is anything like a Muslim vote yet.
Muslims do not yet, and may never have, the long- established, monied, united front, Lobby savvy, Biblical narrative support that the Jews do. The latters’ clout surpasses their numbers which will be, or have been, surpassed by the number of Muslims.
Canada doesn’t have the same type or degree of lobby system that the US does (just a former Prime Minister who goes to hotel rooms without Qurans to take payoffs–haraam activities, indeed!); and the Canadian Arab Federation has done and published research on electoral ridings where Arabs/Muslims can determine the election (given our recent spate of minority governments).
While I agree that the Muslims do not yet have the same sense of political unity like the Jews in the US but I think it is in the works.
Demographics in the USA is working in one direction. The traditional support base of Israeli lobbies is always the white American Protestant.
As this country becomes less white, so the traditional base of Israeli support dwindles. If they want to hold onto this they will have to find a way to court African American and Hispanic voters, who traditionally, do not rally around Israeli causes.
In the next hundred years or so this nation will no longer be a majority white country. When this happens it will shift the power structure in DC in a lot of ways, including the monopoly of the Israeli lobby on Middle Eastern issues.
American Bedu–I hope so, but without some of the rigidity that makes official Jewish organizations in the US more univocal and less tolerant than those in Israel. The unifying force of Holocaust survival guilt is absent for Muslims, but may be substituted for by a healthier sense of union. The Biblical narrative support from Christians will be harder to come by.
Abu Sinan–it is hard to predict what way future African American voters will go (I guess the debate about who is winning the numbers race, evangelical Blacks or the NOI, would be relevent here), and they are now in a minority in relation to Hispanics (more likely still to be RC and tend to stick to the New Testament), and will likely continue to be in the immediate future. On the other hand, if the southern border war in the US escalates, and the economic crisis deepens, the Hispanics may start losing their vote share.
Abu Sinan
“The traditional support base of Israeli lobbies is always the white American Protestant.”
That has only been true in the years after the 1967 war.
Other than that, what you are saying makes sense.
Jerry,
I dont get where you are going. Are you saying that before 1967 the Israeli support base in the US included signifcant numbers of non whites?
That is what is at issue here. As the numbers in this demographic fall, so will support for Israel.
Support for Israel in these communities is nowhere near where it is in the white, especially church going community.
Ask your average Afrian American if they think Israel should get billions of dollars in cash every year, billions in loans and billions in arms and you get a much different answer than you will if you ask their white American counterpart.
It reminds me of the story of the two mothers coming before Solomon, each claiming the child to be theirs. The real mother said just give it to her …
This Debate Page need to be organised , like to be structure in a time hybrid or to be pertain to that topic that the debate was initiated from……..I start to read some opinions and I just wonder If those opinions represent their Holder now or they changed their mind ……….who knows
through time………Opinions dissolved
through time………Issues can be solved
through time………wounds heal
through time………doubts become real
through time………my life grew less
through time………I got hopeless
through time………I became weak
through time………others help, I tend to seek
through time………I’m going to be stubborn
through time………I’m going to be lonely and worn
through time………”like whom before me” I’ll be forgotten
through time……… that what will happen
through time……… regrets begotten
throught time…….. ye the one who decide: hell or heaven
Hello Abu Sinan:
“I dont get where you are going. Are you saying that before 1967 the Israeli support base in the US included signifcant numbers of non whites?”
No I am saying that there was not much support of Israel among Christian communities (at least based on theology as it is today). It wasn’t about black and white. In the first 20 years of Israel’s existence, many Jews were suspicious of all Christians, for good reasons. Conservative Christians were more interested in converting Jews to Christianity than anything else.
Jerry,
Conservative Christians STILL are interested in converting Jews, the difference is that not they think that it might just have to wait until Jesus comes. At that point if they dont convert to Christianity Jesus will just cast them all into Hell anyways.
The Zionists use conservative Christian support, they are playing with fire. Conservative Christians dont support Israel because they love Israel or respect Judaism, rather because they think the destruction of Israel is a part of their end times.
Conservative Christian support for Israel is ultimately about Israel’s destruction.
Hello Abu,
I agree with you that Zionists who seek support of conservative Christians are being foolish.
@american bedu
Do Saudi citizens get a stipend/salary from the government whether they work or not?
@Jerry,
That is a good question!
If a Saudi citizen is a gov’t employee then there can be circumstances
when he or she may not work per se but continue to receive stipends.
I also know individuals who are on government contracts and will
receive a stipend whether they work a particular month(s) or not but
if on the contract they receive payment.
University students also receive stipends as long as maintaining
acceptable grade averages and completing their studies in the
acceptable time period.
I hope that answers your question.
@american bedu,
Thanks, I was under the impression that the KSA distributed some money to all citizens, but I guess I am wrong.
@Jerry,
If that is the case, I am not aware of it. I believe we have enough
Saudis following this blog so I am optimistic we’ll receive further
input on this topic.
Regards,
Carol
@Jerry,
I think you might have a misunderstanding here. All members of the royal family receive a stipend from the state. How much depends on where they are on the pecking order.
It is my understanding that there is basically three strata within the royal family.
What I read sometime ago said that the lowest member of the family gets around $20,000 a month. So that would be around 75,000-80,000 Saudi riyals a month.
Of course that is the lowest member, so imagine what the top members get? Anyway, this article was also from about 10 years ago.
However, I think in many cases the month stipend is dwarfed by profits from bribes and the usual 5% plus members of the royal family get for facilitating contracts in the Kingdom.
Do the math quick. There are about 10,000 members of the royal family. The lowest gets $20,000 a month. Lets be nice and just use that number instead of the higher numbers.
That works out to $200,000,000 a month and $2.4 billion a year. Of course we were being very conservative.
So that is more than $2.4 million dollars a year paid out to people for doing nothing more than being lucky enough to have a fortune accident of birth!
Of course even those numbers dont explain how a former high ranking Saudi diplomat can afford TWO houses here in the USA, together worth somewhere around $200,000,000.
But I’ll let you think about how someone could come up with $200 million for two houses not even located in their own country.
PS Jerry,
No, not all Saudis get montly stipends. Even with the $2.4 billion plus shelled out to “accidents of birth” every year there are still Saudis that are dirt poor.
@Abu Sinan,
You’re right, I did have a misunderstanding. I am sure I have also conflated the lack of income tax with everyone getting a stipend.
I have read articles about the size of the royal family and those have pointed out how much money they suck out of the economy (to spend in London, Paris or somewhere else).
@Jerry,
What you were talking about reminds me more of Alaska. I lived there for a couple of years.
Every Alaskan citizen gets a check once a year. It can range from $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the oil profits. And, of course, there is no income tax.
I had never heard before of the Royal Family members getting such stipends.
Carol,
Of course there isnt much out there about this. Considering how insane the practice is it is no surpise it isnt advertise.
I forget where I read about it first, but there is some stuff on the net about it. The excerpt below lists some 7,000 princes, but I have heard that the real number is closer to 10,000. Interesting link as it is an Israeli site. I first read about it in a Western publication.
“Challenges for Prince Abdallah
The royal family was lucky to have Prince Abdallah at the kingdom’s helm at a time when Saudi Arabia’s economy was in decline and criticism of the corrupt and privileged Saudi princes was widespread. Only the conservative and highly respected crown prince could attempt to reform the Saudi economy and reduce the kingdom’s expenditures on subsidies and other perks, among other things, aimed at buying the support of lower class Saudis, whose standard of living had sharply declined. Abdallah also had the moral stance that enabled him to meaningfully reduce the costly stipends paid to 7,000 royal princes and attempt to minimize this corruption. ”
http://www.jcpa.org/JCPA/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DBID=1&LNGID=1&TMID=111&FID=380&PID=1866&IID=799
The one below has different numbers than what I have read elsewhere, but it is all guessing as the Saudi government wont release the numbers.
“Today there are over 10,000 Saudi princes who receive monthly stipends ranging from $800-$270,000 per month. At the same time, these princes are involved in numerous shady business deals to support the lifestyles to which they have grown accustomed. ”
http://www.globalengage.org/issues/articles/security/593-a-saudi-house-of-cards.html
Whoo Hoo! I just discovered this page so I will let it out a little.
-Polygamy is used by men to control women & have their mini-paradise on earth;-)
-Misyar “marriage” is a form of legal/organized prostitution
-I think men in Thobes are a turn on! I am glad thats out
I will be back if I have more.
@Gloria — LOL!
Looks like you are going to have a grand time with this page!
Carol, I wasn’t sure where else to post this question. Where did you get that picture on your banner from? Anything you can tell me about it would be appreciated. Very interesting piece of art.
lol@Carol: Yes, I have a feeling this is a good outlet for my “Fitna” sessions.
But now that we are at it, I really hate it when men wear their thobes with socks & white shorts. Long trousers are fine & I like’em in sandals.
@sabiwabi – there is a wonderful website called “Deviant Art”
http://www.deviantart.com/ where one can find magnificent images and
art.
This banner is an image of a painting of Saudis performing the
traditional sword dance.
@Gloria – If you have not done so, I think you need to read my posts
on “What do Saudi Men Wear Under a Thobe” and What are Sunna
Underpants…. (smile)
@Carol: What? Sunna underpants? Are you kidding?!!! I will read them right NOW. Thanks for the info.
@Gloria – I look forward to your comments!!
oooh, like the sound of that, “deviant art”…thanks!
@sabiwabi – the name is definitely contradictory to the beautiful art
you will discover there! I look forward to hearing what you think of
the site.
@American Bedu
I noticed your new banner. What does it depict?
@Jerry,
This banner is an image (made to fit) of a painting depicting Saudis
in very traditional dress doing the national sword dance.
Regards,
Carol
Thanks I thought it might be the sword dance
Wondering what folks on this site think of the recent NYTimes article: “Christians in Mideast Losing Numbers and Influence.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/world/middleeast/13christians.html?_r=1&hp
Naturally, I think its a shame that any native culture would die out of its native home, but others who have lived in the region may feel differently.
Thanks
Tanya
Tanya–interesting article. Thanks.
Christian Arabs have been emigrating for decades but there is a recent increase it seems. One local coffee with an outdoor patio shop was dominated by Iraqi Christians last summer, all recent arrivals. I know many Egyptian and Lebanese Christians who came to make their lives here over the last few decades. As they are all professionals they represent a real brain drain on the Middle East.
PS Or, in readable English: “One local coffee shop with an outdoor patio was dominated last summer by Iraqi Christians, all recent arrivals.”
[...] Debate Page [...]
There are so many things one can blame for the end of Christianity in the Middle East . The Israelis have tried to manipulate the different elements that already existed. (The Israelis helped encourage Hamas as a balance to the PLO.) One can blame the Israelis, but one also has to blame the Arabs who kept the refugee situation simmering, rather than resettle the original refugees into the countries they were living in. There might be justice in keeping the Palestinian cause alive but the existence of unsettled Palestinian groups in various countries has been a source of strife for many years now. Let us not forget the US invasion of Iraq didn’t do the Christian Iraqis any favors.
I don’t see any real sign that the Muslim Arabs miss the Christians. Let them leave and come to a society in which they can thrive and live normal lives.
@Jerry – thank you for bringing up such an interesting topic for discussion. I look forward to following the comments!
Regards, Carol
Is there any reason why the debate page is no longer linked on the site in an easy to find place?
@Jerry – I need to investigate this…thanks.
@AB
I just noticed that the debate page was moved to the ‘Important Blog Links’. It had been on the top where it was easy to see, I never noticed it until now.
So, I apologize for being a crank!
Jerry
@Dxb regarding discussion under article “Islam and owning a dog”
“Yup when it comes to Islam i don’t have ‘personal views’”
Yes because when you start having personal views you do not submit to every thing your Ulema tell you. You will start understanding that statements like
“Please stop picking at hadith. Its a sin….”
Are illogical. Here is a simple reason, what that statement says is Bukhari was living a life of sin, since he dedicated a large portion of it to researching Hadith (i.e. picking at it). However, if you’re not thinking you just take that statement as is and continue repeating it. Can you say BAAAAAAA again.
re, “‘Benefit their class” – would you care to elaborate ?”
Let’s see, we have a set of scholars that explain to you that the only way to be a good Muslim is to conduct your life in a manner they have defined as following the Sunna and Salaf. Then they tell you how the prophet and Salaf behaved in full details. All of this is based on a collection of hadiths, which they tell you are sacred and unquestionable (show me where in Islam Hadith was deemed sacred and that the writing of Bukhari and others were protected from debate). Once you stop questioning everything they tell you, you end up with this group controlling your actions, laws, judicial system, education system, etc. Now how they benefit from this is your assignment. Try something novel for once and go figure it out for yourself.
Peace
Lol- Im not up for debates on the deen will leave that to people that have alot of time on their hands. Reminds of me of people with no knowledge and wisdom banging their heads together lol
You can insult my manhaj and the way I follow Islam…Its ok if you dont wish to respect youre fellow muslims…it happens when youve been brainwashed in the states
I doubt you know the hadith about 73 sects in Islam..youll probably start debating that aswell!
Anyway youre posts were most amusing especially the baaaa bit and you kept me entertained eventhough I’ve learnt absoloutely zilch from mr think for youself .
(im assuming youre a male coz you sound very aggressive- then again women also want to be men in the west!)
I was hoping I could actually learn something here but clearly thats not the case Lol but you were funny
Jokers in Islam are not to be taken seriously but please please say Baaaa…..hahaha would sound so much more appropriate coming from you 
Its Waasalamualaikum not Peace (ooops forgot youre in the states now
@Dxb,
You still have not answered “How the writtings of scholars have became sacred and unquestionable under Islam?”
All you did in your last post is reference a Hadith that puts 72 out of 73 sects of Islam in hell. The Exception is your sect of course. Then you talk about aggression, like there is any thing more aggressive than telling your fellow Muslims that they will go to hell, for not believing exactly in what you believe in.
Also you want respect for yourself when you have not shown any ability to think reasonably. Respect has to be earned and you are not even close to earning it.
Go back and join the herd. This type of discussion makes your head hurt because it requires you to think for once.
@Saudi in the USA,
The reason that the Islamic world today is so backwards and dominated by tyrants is directly because of this lack of critical thinking.
The Islamic world, hundreds of years ago, was the central for the entire world when it came to the sciences, astronomy, medicine and technology.
The religious movement that Dxb is a great product and example of removed from Islamic and Arabic culture this respect of critical thinking.
This movement is the same movement that saw the Middle East and Islamic world fall behind the West and other cultures around the world.
That is why the Islamic world is so far behind the west today and it is only getting worse as the best and brightest leave these countries and go somewhere where intelligence and critical thinking is valued.
Their loss is our gain I guess. I work with many Muslim born engineers and scientists who were forced to move to the West to be able to have anhy hope of really contributing to the modern world.
Let DXB and his type regress further and further as they close down their minds. When the oil and gas runs out the Middle East will be as poor and forgotten as sub Saharan Africa, but at least the currupt leaders of these “Islamic” nations will have their riches whilst their people starve.
The entire Middle East will look like Yemen in 100 or so years.
Saudi US and Abu sinan- Like i said in the above post ‘reminds me of people with a lack of knowledge and wisdom banging their heads together’..
Lol Saudi US you proved my point you did exactly what I thought you would do! You started talking about the hadeeth regarding the 73 sects and saying I believe I am from the saved sect. Did I say I am from the saved sect??? And why did i refer to the 73 sects!?!? Lol and here you are telling me I need to use my brain..oh dear
When did i say the writings of scholars are sacred and unquestionable! Even they say themselves that they make mistakes!!!! They are human just like us lol And who said what they say is unquestionable..Lol are you having a debate with yourself? SubhanaAllah may Allah guide you and inshaAllah open up your heart and brain
to knowledge.
Respect..hmmmm I believe everyone has the right to be respected, regardless of colour, creed and religion. We may not agree with one another but that doesnt mean we cant respect one another?
Tut tut double standards im afraid, here you are telling me to baaaa away and go back to my herd..talk about being intolerant and not to mention full of contradictions…hmmm
Abu Sinan-you need to read up on Islamic history before you send in your long posts. Do you know what a caliphate is lol (and dont get offended i didnt ask that in an intimidating manner, man you westerners get easily offended) Read up on the last caliphate
The aggression here is amusing..Lol…keep banging your heads together
You know “DXB”, I have been reading the back and forth here and it’s funny you have been saying like several posts ago that you are DONE. So why do you keep on coming back if you believe you are the righteous one???
Honestly, you sound pretty pathetic! Not just as a Muslim unfortunately, but as a human being in general! I don’t know you and I don’t want to know, ALHADMULILLAH!! But seriously, GET A LIFE with you and your “LOl’s and smiley faces”………..what the heck is that all about??? I sense some inferiority complex, perhaps???
@Saudi in USA……..hada mush kharoof. hada homaroon kabeeron. wala agool, taaison kabeeron!!! LOOOOOOOOOL
Manal- Whats wrong with Lol’s and smiley faces..is it a crime to be happy now??
Exactly what happens when personal opinions are given on the deen..gets messy messsy and messier
and its bad bad manners to send messages to your friend in arabic when there are hundreds here that dont have a clue what you just said 
LOL inferiority complex? Why on earth would i have an inferiority complex around people here like yourself ?
But im loving your psyhcho analysing, an aspsiring psychiatrist perhaps??
When did i say i was ‘the righteous one”???????
But yeah I have to agree i do keep coming back here, more from the amusement aspect of it actually. Its hilarious watching people getting fired up here
Manal, youre not the one to judge a muslim just like I shouldnt be judging you as a muslim. Only Allah does that im afraid
Oh and you look very pretty in your photo. Loving the hijaab
Have fun
Manal- Whats wrong with Lol’s and smiley faces..is it a crime to be happy now??
Exactly what happens when personal opinions are given on the deen..gets messy messsy and messier
and its bad bad manners to send messages to your friend in arabic when there are hundreds here that dont have a clue what you just said 
LOL inferiority complex? Why on earth would i have an inferiority complex around people here like yourself ?
But im loving your psyhcho analysing, an aspsiring psychiatrist perhaps??
When did i say i was ‘the righteous one”???????
But yeah I have to agree i do keep coming back here, more from the amusement aspect of it actually. Its hilarious watching people getting fired up here
Manal, youre not the one to judge a muslim just like I shouldnt be judging you as a muslim. Only Allah does that im afraid
Oh and you look very pretty in your photo.
Have fun
Ooops lol
Just noticed this article in the Arab News today! LOL Was he reading this blog?
Grand mufti calls for acceptance of other viewpoints
Walaa Hawari | Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh said Saturday that cooperation and acceptance of other viewpoints and not forcing a singular point of view are necessary if society is to benefit.
@Lynn – what great timing!
@Dxb, You cannot have it both ways. When you are asked for opinion you defer to scholars. Then you comeback and claim intelligence.
Manal is also right about the smiley faces, over using them makes you sound like a child.
By the way you say you cannot argue against a hadith even.if it contradicts quraan. Last I checked Bukhari was a scholar not a prophet, which means you have made the scholars sacred. Oh I just realized this takes 2 steps to reach that logical conclusion. Something you’re not capable of, so we have to draw the conclusion for you to get it.
Obviously, debating with you is a waste of time, because you have no ability to analyze. You have to be spoon fed every little detail.
@Manal, good points. He/she is just not smart enough to even talk to. There is no debate here, just circular arguments with a mad person.
Lynn–thanks for the reference. The whole article merits reading: on the importance of dialogue, the value of dialogue in Islam and in an Islamic society, the roles of dialogue amongst scholars, and between scholars and non-sholars, as well as modalities of dialogue. So much more elegant an expression than psychobabble, bullying, tag teaming, and fatuous “inside jokes”. It seems like good news for Saudi, assuming/hoping the intent is genuine. Thanks again.
Dxb–I assumed you were a woman. I’m not sure why. If I was wrong, I apologize. Consider it a tribute to your “feminine side”. If I was right, well then, consider it a tribute to your feminine side. LOL
Dxb sounds like a teenager newly into the whole “scholars are mini gods” belief system. His/her writing is very juvenile and scattered…very teenage-ish.
About the history of the planet Earth and women and men and religions:
Chiara: I have a problem with ”feminist” archeology as well, I would just like to have an unbiased view, now the whole world and history and archeology as well, are very much man-centered. To a degree that even in recent history women’s achievements are almost routinely filtered out. For example in art you can notice how the few women who have made it against all odds to become very fine and well-known artists are largely forgotten 100 years later, and their art-works are ascribed to their male associates, teachers, family or their students.
So while I do think that any unbiased look at history will inevitably unearth a much more female version, I don’t like to call that a feminist version, It isn’t: it would be a true version. Not a ”femisist” one.
And i certainly don’t like to go the other way and make the same bad mistake and forcefully change history into a female history only.
Aafke–agreed the “feminist view” provides a necessary corrective, but it is self-labelled that way in academia. All scholarship has a built in openness to further illumination as other approaches or evidence come into existence.
The women who do make it against all odds in their fields, have been subject to male critics keeping their work alive or not, by creating the canons of study and curating the exhibitions. As well as being ignored or misattributed they are often the subject of more attention to their personal lives than their work. Fortunately some men gave/give them their due, as do some women. Camille Claudel comes to mind, as do Berthe Morrissot, and in literature Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Mary Shelley.
So you didn’t send the lightening bolt, or you’re not telling? LOL