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Saudi
life after 9/11
By: Faiz Al-Najdi
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Riyadh: Last week I visited a vegetable shop in Riyadh and was a bit surprised to see
a young Saudi dressed in western jeans and T-shirt,
sitting & managing it. To any body else it might appear as an ordinary matter; and one may ask as to what was so
special about it?
Right, but remember as per a recent Royal Decree, every
Vegetable Shop in Saudi Arabia has to be now owned and managed by a “Saudi” alone
and any expatriate breaking this law may be liable for arrest and prosecution.
Actually, this is a part of the “Saudization Process” whereby
the Government is trying to provide gainful employment and
business opportunities to the young unemployed Saudis. This
is considered by most to be a right step in the right direction. But why vegetable shops? Simple, this is one
business that requires nominal investment but somewhat guarantees high returns. Also, it is comparatively easier to manage.
The young Saudis have found this veggie shop business very promising and, to
be honest, are managing it exceptionally well.
So, I hope now you understand why I was a bit surprised to
see a young Saudi in western dress instead of an usual sight of
a Saudi in his typical Thob
(a long one-piece shirt worn over a pyjama, some wear shorts
underneath during summers) and Shumagh
(a red-white checkered scarf or simply a white scarf worn over
a cap) and a Ghuthra
which is a black woven double-ring worn over head to keep
Shumagh-Ghuthra in position.
Saudi Arabia is distinguished to be the only country in the world where the entire nation, from the Royalties to a common man, wear the same type of dress. By
the way, the religious clergies or the
Mutawwas as they are called, do not normally wear the
Ghutra over the Shumagh.
But please do not
ask me for its rationale. I don’t know the answer.
When I go shopping to small places here in Riyadh, I
usually assume a gregarious and friendly posture, for obvious selfish reasons: I want to ensure receiving “good stuff” at “cheap bargain price”. This saves me from
haggling, which I prefer to avoid otherwise. So, with
this affable posture, I asked this young man in Arabic,
“anta Saudi wa Yamani” meaning, are
you a Saudi or an Yemeni? To this he replied,
“la, ana Saudi, Alhamdolillah”,
no I am a Saudi, thanks to Allah. The readers should know that the Saudis in particular, and the Arabs in general,
always first say “thanks to Allah”
for whatever questions that you may put to them. This is
embedded in their creed, culturally more to do, perhaps, with firm faith
in Allah. Even if there is a death in the family they would
first say Alhamdolillha. It might appear strange and inexplicable to many, but this is one of the many good
qualities one will find thickly ingrained in the Saudi society.
Needless to say I was definitely a bit surprised to see a
young Saudi in western dress. It is rare that you see a native
Saudi in western dresses inside Saudi Arabia though you may see
them in the same overseas. It is like seeing a Saudi women sans Abaya - a loose black
colored veil (Hijab) that covers the body
except the face, hands & feet.
It is a good sight to see women folk here in
Abayas; even young school girls
under the age of 10 years wear them with delight in sheer emulation of their elders. This
Hijab certainly adds grace and elegance to their personalities and one is obliged to shun any ill feelings
that normally may develop inside a man upon seeing a fashionable
revealing young women. This is the beauty of Abaya which is slowly and
gradually creeping into the lives of young Muslim women across the globe. Many ill-informed westerners think Abaya (veil) is
thrust upon the Muslim women against their will. This is just not true. In many parts of the Muslim world, where wearing Abaya (veil) is not
mandatory, women in general and the young women in
particular are willfully opting to the same.
Coming back to the issue of this Saudi young man. I tried to maintain my friendly posture
and shook hands with him. I then gestured to appreciate his
appearance by saying, “you look very smart in this dress, just like
an American”. To my utter surprise he responded with a very cold expression and said, “Amrikee?
kullow Amrikee haiwaan”; exact translation is,
“all Americans are beasts”. Noticing his bad mood I
preferred not to indulge further in this discourse and left his veggie shop
after picking my collection of vegetables. There was no time
for it any way because I could hear the
Azaan (the call for
prayer) in the background already, implying the shop got to close any moment for
a prayer break. This is yet another
feature of Saudi life. Every activity
comes to a halt once the Azaan is recited, no matter how important
the activity may be. Even hospitals observe a recess for prayers, except in ER & OR. It's simply amazing.
One cannot find such a ritual any where else in the world, where
people so promptly answer to the call of prayer and bow down before Allah, leaving aside all businesses of life.
This aspect of Saudi
life alone became a triggering cause for conversion to
Islam by an American Christian doctor, working in the Kingdom
recently. I remember watching this on a TV program, dedicated
exclusively to stories of Westerners embracing Islam in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In retrospect, the remark by the young Saudi
veggie vendor, helped me ponder how things have shaped globally
after the events of 9/11.
The Saudis historically, for years, have had a sort of
special relationship with the Americans and for that matter
they still continue to have one, at least, on the Governmental level. Saudis love to drive and ride American made
automobiles, love to wear and use American products and enjoy
holidaying in the States. But the events after 9/11 have
brought a bad taste and gradual souring of a very cordial
relationship. Specially, the continued Saudi
bashing in the US media, harassment of Saudis in the States and the sinister propaganda, by certain
vested interests, against the Saudi people and the Government
has not done any good to improve the worsening relationship between the two peoples and their Governments.
The remark by the young Saudi veggie vendor in his vegetable shop may
perhaps be taken in this backdrop.
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