Saudi Arabia's Blind Following of the Western Ways Is Courting Trouble for Its Tradition and Religion

By Rashid Samnakay, New Age Islam 29 August 2022 There Are Many Things That The Muslims Should Adopt For Themselves From The West But To Say That The West Is Squeaky Clean Is Being Blind To It Many Faults Main Points: 1. Societal universal moral code for life does not necessarily need the props of Religions. 2. Balance has to be struck with educating its society and enlightenment and striking the mean path. 3. Aping the West in every which way is not necessarily the right path. 4. Religious tourism to Vatican Makkah is assured for many generations of princes of Saudi Arabia. ----- Recently a clip was making its way round the cyber world in which the Priest (Imam) of the Haram's sermon (Khutba) was recorded. For what he said and for his troubles the Imam was apparently sentenced to ten years in prison! The clip starts:" Saudi Arabia rejects the acquittal of the Imam of the Haram and sentences him to ten years in prison". The Sermon says “Be aware of these cinematic comedy concerts. If they claim that it is entertainment, then they are nothing but Western Projects..." It goes on to criticise the Government, in effect, of blindly following Western ways and its moral degradation; spending money on it and abandoning Arabian moral values, mixing of Male Females freely and thus heading for disaster. This wrong direction of the Authorities (read Kingdom) will be resisted and eventually the "project" will fail, with the guidance of Quran. The above as implied, when taken on its face values contains nothing earth shattering on the part of the authority's direction and thus the Imam would seem to many as 'out of step' of the general progressive society. But those aware of the Kingdom's recent past know very well that pre Muhammad bin Salman-MBS's reform era, that society under the regime was grossly violating Human Rights Values and cultivating gender differentiation at an unacceptable level when compared to international norms and even Quranic code- ad-Deen! The Imam therefore cannot be taken at face value. Therefore, now to turn to the Regime's following an open ended or blind following of the Western ways, and that too for people and their tradition and Religion of centuries is no doubt courting trouble for the future. There are many things that the Muslims should adopt for themselves from the West but to say that the West is squeaky clean is being blind to it many faults. As it is to say that everything of the Muslims practicing in the name of the so called various Islam, from their Churches various adaptation is Holy and pristine! The societal universal moral code for life does not necessarily need the props of Religions; as is shown by often being poles apart. The Saudi Kingdom taking the reins of societal reforms in its hands must learn to differentiate between Religion, which it is in a hurry to discard, but getting its society out of the pan into the fire. A balance has to be struck with educating its society and enlightenment and striking the mean path. Aping the West in every which way is not necessarily the right path, even if it is driven by economics and tourist influx from the West. The Religious tourism to Vatican Makkah is assured for many generations of princes of the kingdom yet to come. At this juncture one cannot go past poet Iqbal's advice: Jalaale Paadshahi Ho Yaa Jamhuri Tamaasha Ho. Judaa Ho *Deen* Siyaasat Say Toe Rehjaati Hai Changezi. ---- A regular contributor to New Age Islam, Rashid Samnakay is an Indian-origin Engineer (Retd.) based in Australia for over forty years. URL: https://newageislam.com/the-war-within-islam/saudi-arabia-western-tradition-religion/d/127828 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism