In a letter to the editor published in Arab News on Dec. 18, Farah Al-Sweel commented on what someone had written regarding my criticism of some aspects of Saudi society. Then she added: “To Raid’s dismay, among them apparently, were his grandparents, who came here in hope of a better, more Islamic way of living. So Arab Culture isn’t exactly his own culture.”

To put it mildly, I was surprised by that remark. Does she really believe that Saudis who are unlike her do not deserve to criticize what they see as a flaw in Saudi culture?

Let me point out to the readers that my grandparents were Saudis. They were Makkans born in Makkah. My ancestors — great-grandfather and beyond — immigrated to the Hejaz in the early 1800s. At that time, the Saudi state did not exist and the country consisted of several parts, mainly Najd (the Central region), the Hejaz (the Western region), and Alhasa (the Eastern region). It was united by the endeavors of the father of the nation, King Abdul Aziz.

I am sure that the writer knows that Hejaz has been the gateway to the holy cities over the past 1,400 years. Its residents come from different backgrounds from all over the Arab and Islamic world — Egypt, India, Indonesia, Turkey, Eastern Europe, Africa, Syria, and other places. Many well-known Saudi families in the Hejaz originally come from other parts of the world. For example, the Yamani family is originally from Yemen, the Mirza family is originally from India, as is the Al-Hindi family, the Turkistani family is originally from Turkestan, the Kurdi family are originally Kurds, and so forth. All these families are proud Saudi citizens who are loyal to their king and country. Their diverse backgrounds are part of the culture.

If any member of those families were to criticize an aspect of Saudi society, would the writer also presume they were unpatriotic or less “Saudi” because their ancestors came from somewhere else at some point? To do that would be not only racist but unpatriotic.

At a time when Crown Prince Abdullah has called all different sections of our country — including summoning for the first time different religious leaders of other Islamic schools of thought — to discuss nationalism and unity, the writer’s remarks reflect a serious defect in our country which the government itself has recognized and is trying to solve: Disunity based on tribalism and regionalism.

Let me remind the reader of the words of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd, in his historic speech to the Shoura last May: “I say to every citizen that one of the most necessary obligations is to face narrowmindedness, regionalism and social division. Facing these ills is required by our religion and national unity.”

Another matter I would like to discuss is Islam. How could the writer accuse me of being un-Islamic when she seems to have forgotten one of the most important aspects of our religion? As a Muslim, she should know that we are equal in the eyes of Allah, and no person is better than another except in righteousness.

“O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah are the most righteous of you. Verily, Allah is all-knowing, all-aware.” Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 12.

In the words of my tutor, “Let’s call a spade a spade.” Let us call customs and traditions what they are, and not link them to Islam.

Is banning women from driving, banning girls from sports in schools, or banning women from taking the role they deserve in social development by not allowing them to work in fields other than healthcare and teaching, Islamic?

Let’s be honest with ourselves even before we are honest with others. A person who truly loves his country does not pretend that it is a society of angels and free of all problems. We are no different than other societies in the world.

We have problems and flaws like everyone else. But denial, pretending they do not exist, or turning a blind eye and a deaf ear toward them will not do us any good. Discussing them candidly and with an open heart and mind definitely will.