Current Happenings in Saudi Arabia

By: Munir Ahmed Khalili

There is nothing new in what crown prince Muhammad bin Salman has done and goes on doing with many of his cousins in Saudi Arabia. History of the empires and kingdoms is full of such baleful examples. Lust for power always caused internal rivalries and palace intrigues. Not the cousins but real brothers were brutally targeted. Some breathed their last in jails, some others were hanged, their throats were cut and some were poisoned to death or made disappeared for ever. But the current happenings in Saudi Arabia have become a matter of worry for whole of Muslim Ummah because this country is not only the home of Saud Family but is the most sacred land of الحرمين الشريفين--كعبة الله و مسجد النبوى و روضة الرسول صلى الله علي و سلم. Millions of Muslims from all around the world visiting this land for their Hajj and Umrah rituals, put their steps on this land full of devotion. This land's peace and stability is need of entire Ummah.

Dire situation created by an over ambitious prince, Muhammad bin Salman is causing anxiety not only because he has 'waged a war' with almost whole of Saud clan but due to his so-called 'moderation and enlightenment' policies. He has started face-lifting of kingdom, charmed by Disney land type 'wonders, and wants all that in the Holy Land, following two other Muhammads of the Arab Peninsula, Muhammad, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and Muhammad, the ruler of Dubai, who side-lined their elder brothers and coercively silenced other brothers. Intelligentsia and religious scholars are forced to follow what the powerful crown princes and rulers decide, if not, they are put behind dark walls.

All could have been taken as to be good if Muhammad bin Salman's drastic measures were in a natural way but unfortunately all that is rapidly underway is just after American president Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia. He may convince or force his father King Salman bin Abdul Aziz to step down and become a full power king with US backing and go ahead with more strange policies appeasing US but every thing is unlikely to remain normal. 'Masters' have their own interests and if they find someone else toeing their lines much better they bring him up pushing the earlier back. After all there are near a dozen princes under arrest, some of them with extremely huge fortunes and costly properties, heavy investments and have very influential 'friendships' abroad. Ephemerally they may be kept in jail but putting them all at once is near to impossible in this age when the organizations with sense of human rights remain not deaf and dumb on such cruelties.

Muhammad bin Salman must keep some facts in his mind that his case is very much different from two other Muhammads of Arab Peninsula. Three folds of dangers seem already overcasting the kingdom. ISIS and Al Qaeda are not too away from his doors. In his South حوثى are making heavy strikes and joint forces seem unable to defeat them. His 'moderation' and 'enlightenment' concept is a par to stirring up a hornest's nest. Apart from irateness and fury of religious community at home, religious element from all around the Muslim world will not remain silent. Many more terror monger groups will find a reason to cash from growing Saudi public restlessness. His irrational moves can kindle the flames of tribal hostilities and sectarian contentions. This situation is most likely to be not a danger not only for very survival of the Kingdom but serve the evil wishes and designs of enemies of Muslims and create restlessness in entire Muslim Ummah. Saudi Arabia has been, for last around a century, a model of peace and safe performance of HAJJ and Umra rituals. Muslims coming from whole the world have been observing a calm and sound atmosphere there in light of their FAITH. Now 'liberalism and moderation' ideas of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman will surely change this environment for bad and create immensely negative impression. Foreign satanic forces and their internal tools will do their utmost to incite bungling condition in the region which is already at the blink of uncertain point.