Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Saudi Arabia
Fahad Nazer suggests : "Officials must reevaluate their ban on clergy entering the kingdom of Saudie Arabia. The notion that lifting such restrictions would somehow lead Muslims to leave their faith in droves is preposterous and patently offensive to Muslims everywhere. After all, Saudis and other Muslims are allowed to worship freely and publicly in Western countries, and many fill local mosques on a daily basis.
The argument that the kingdom is the equivalent of the Muslim Vatican is not convincing. The Vatican isn’t home to millions of Muslims, while millions of non-Muslims do live in Saudi Arabia.
Secondly, although the kingdom has made progress in recognizing some religious minorities – such as the Shia of the eastern province, the Ismailis of the south and the Sufis of western Hijaz – it should take more concrete steps toward including them in the political system by increasing their representation in governmental bodies and opening professions largely closed to them, such as education.
Thirdly, Saudi officials should continue their efforts to perpetuate the idea that no single school of interpretation or sect has a monopoly on "true" Islam. By embracing this sectarian pluralism, Saudi youth will become less likely to adhere to radical clerics, who consider all who disagree with them heretics. If religious minorities in the kingdom are to feel like full citizens, the government must treat them as such, allowing them to worship freely and observe religious rituals without threat of harassment and intimidation. "
IMO: Briefly, Islam is more likely to survive in a recognisable form if such measures were to be adopted. Otherwise, with the continued spread of secularism, Islam is unlikely to survive. Sending a message that Islam is indeed a religion of peace, moderation and tolerance may help, but actions speak louder than words. The Christians say "By their works shall we know them" and "Faith without works is dead" (Jas 2:26). One difficulty is that the Christians do not take these words seriously enough either, so a lot of improvements are needed all round, but why should Saudi Arabia fear to be in the van of improvement ?
The argument that the kingdom is the equivalent of the Muslim Vatican is not convincing. The Vatican isn’t home to millions of Muslims, while millions of non-Muslims do live in Saudi Arabia.
Secondly, although the kingdom has made progress in recognizing some religious minorities – such as the Shia of the eastern province, the Ismailis of the south and the Sufis of western Hijaz – it should take more concrete steps toward including them in the political system by increasing their representation in governmental bodies and opening professions largely closed to them, such as education.
Thirdly, Saudi officials should continue their efforts to perpetuate the idea that no single school of interpretation or sect has a monopoly on "true" Islam. By embracing this sectarian pluralism, Saudi youth will become less likely to adhere to radical clerics, who consider all who disagree with them heretics. If religious minorities in the kingdom are to feel like full citizens, the government must treat them as such, allowing them to worship freely and observe religious rituals without threat of harassment and intimidation. "
IMO: Briefly, Islam is more likely to survive in a recognisable form if such measures were to be adopted. Otherwise, with the continued spread of secularism, Islam is unlikely to survive. Sending a message that Islam is indeed a religion of peace, moderation and tolerance may help, but actions speak louder than words. The Christians say "By their works shall we know them" and "Faith without works is dead" (Jas 2:26). One difficulty is that the Christians do not take these words seriously enough either, so a lot of improvements are needed all round, but why should Saudi Arabia fear to be in the van of improvement ?
# posted by uv : 6:23 AM
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