In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Today I received the following question from a brother from Saudi Arabia:
If you could be the president of all Arab countries for a year what things would you do to make a change for the better?! List them
Assalaamu alaikoem brother. Thank you for asking me this very interesting question. I have been following the presidential elections in America. And one figure that has gotten my interest is: Donald Trump. He created this powerful line: LET'S MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. I have fallen in love with this line and if I would ever run for presidency over the Arab world I would definitely use this line for our Arab world. This line belongs to the Arab World. We were once GREAT and we are now at our deepest low point in the history of our existence. Up until today zero Muslims from the Arab world have won a noble prize for science. And on a world population of 1.9 billion Muslims only two Muslim have gotten a Nobel Prize for science. In comparison Jews have 171 Nobel Prize winners in the field of science. There are only 15 million Jews in the world. This is really embarrassing for the Muslim world, which once was the center of science on this globe. We are very far behind in science. We don’t even have a single Nobel Prize winner from our region that has won a prize on science !
We are also behind on human rights, women’s rights specifically. Our women are second-class citizen who're physically abused through FGM (millions of women all over the middle east) etc. We are behind on environmental solutions. We are behind on almost every field, except one: the oil field. Our region is devastated by wars and tribal conflicts. We are at our historic low point. Something has to change. And very fast. We are heading into unheard of dark ages.
So now my answer to you my brother. The metaphoric catastrophe that is now happening in our Arab world can be changed for the better if all Arab Muslims decide to work together to MAKE OUR ARAB WORLD GREAT AGAIN. If I could be president of all Arab countries I would first of all start with a renovation of Islam. I would make Islam humane again. I would make Islam friendly to women again. I would stop the FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) of women; I would stop stoning and flogging people who think differently. I would stop all the religious violence against freethinkers. I would stop the religious violence against women. I would give women the same human rights as men; I would give women the same opportunities as men. I would fire all ignorant hate-imams from preaching and would send them to work in something more fit for their intellect, like picking trash or cleaning houses. I would promote peaceful and intelligent imams to enlighten the Muslim public. I would free them from the arab prisons they are in now and support their religious research. I would promote philosophy, and make the love of wisdom part of Islam again. Islam loves wisdom, loves intelligence. And there is no compulsion in Islam. So I would separate religion from state, because Islam is not compulsion, so an Islamic state is a state that seperates Islam from the state. This seems like a paradox, but it is the only way to have an islamic state.
Surely the worst of beasts in God's sight are those that are deaf and dumb and do not reason. (Quran 8:22)
And it is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah, and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason. ( Quran 10:100)
Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful. (Quran 2:111)
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge... ( Quran 17:36)
Secondly I would create an NGO –friendly atmosphere in the Middle East. I would create a strong civil-society in the Middle East. This term is used to describe a wide range of organizations, networks, associations, groups and movements that are independent from government and that sometimes come together to advance their common interests through collective action. We don’t have a strong civil society in the Arab world. This makes our region very weak, because our soil (society) is not protected with grassroots (civil society). So I would give incentives to people to create little grassroots everywhere. This can be biker clubs, hiker clubs, tennis clubs, womens-organisations, trade unions, student unions etc. Each and every Arab would be promoted to either create or participate in an NGO. At least in one, but preferably more then one. People would need to find or create an NGO on every interest they have. I would make our Arab soil green with grassroots. Let’s start greening our own lawns !
To catch our gap with our Jewish cousins in the field of science I would make science our top priority. I would create science clubs in our schools. I would create TV-shows about science. I would set up a big NASA-project to send a rocket into space. I would create competitions in science fields. I would create BIG ASS science fairs as big and as grand as the ones in Paris and New York. I would create a positive energy for our Arab world. I would do everything in my power to embrace science and the intellect.
The last and most important point: I would stop our arab youth from being passive:
Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition... (Quran 13:11)
I would promote a peaceful Jihad. Jihad means activism. Jihad means doing something and not being passive. Most people in the Arab world are passive. We stopped believing in our capacities and ourselves. Our women are passive. They sit inside the house all day and when they get out they put on a burka and hand gloves. They don’t exercise, eat unhealthy and are in a depressed state. Our men have dysfunctional relationships with their wives that aren’t based on equality, but on superior-inferior statuses. Our men hang around in teahouses and are looking passively at the world around them. The only action is a crazy terrorist who blows himself every now and then. This is really embarrassing. We need to stop being passive. Jihad is doing something, anything, anything from being passive. If you have nothing to do then at least help your wife (like the prophet) when she is cleaning the dishes. Do a Jihad in the kitchen!
Aisha – May Allah be pleased with her – was asked about the manners of the Prophet in his home? She replied: He was helping in doing the family duties and when he hears the call of prayer he goes out.
Hopefully I have responded to your question satisfactory. I believe it is possible to MAKE OUR ARAB WORLD GREAT AGAIN. And Allah knows best.
Healthy greetings,
May we work together to regain or golden age
& bring Salaam (peace and health) to our Arab and the rest of the world,
The Healthy Muslimah