“We will lose our war against terrorism, unless…” That was the headline of an article by Prince Bander ibn Sultan that appeared in more than one newspaper.

Our nation and people, he wrote, must prepare themselves, physically and morally for the war in order to win it through the media and cultural and other outlets. Our scholars must push our leadership and our country’s rulers to wage war against these extremists who have fought their own people. This is an easy war if we try but if we are to pray for these people and call them misguided youth then we will surely lose.

All of the developments that this country has made in the past six decades will surely be lost, taking us into an unknown dark age.

As an experienced army officer and someone who has been active in service, the prince feels that the more conviction is used in a war and the more we fight and prevail, then the costs of the war will be less. Our prince who served admirably in the defense of our country and whose position puts him in the firing line between the Kingdom and her enemies, is unfortunately, due to his position, only able to write and express his opinions.

Yet, this is not enough. Nor are the prayers and thoughts of people. Unfortunately, extremism has spread since 1979 (1400 Hijra) when the Holy Mosque crises took place, and it continues to pose a major challenge to this very day, and whilst the respected and eminent Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz was a symbol of moderation, extremism has spread within many of our organizations and has now become the norm rather than the exception.

This has resulted in a group of hypocrites who show a moderate outward appearance and yet from within are simply corrupt and evil, lacking in pure belief.

The absence of moderates has simply allowed these people to continue what they are doing and attack any of their critics by using the excuse that no one is allowed to vilify scholars or criticize them. Simultaneously the segregation that these people promote is wrong and must be treated as such for there is no segregation in Islam. It does my heart good to see a number of open-minded scholars these days who are willing to challenge these wrong ideas as well as distinguish between social traditions and Islamic laws. They debated these in the recent National Dialogue conferences.

The prince gave a pertinent example when he told the story of King Abdul Aziz and the Khawarij, citing the opposition at the time toward radios, walkie-talkies and film projectors. In sittings and gatherings, anyone who owned any of these would be immediately chastised and criticized.

I remember during the time of King Faisal when he wished to open television channels and girls’ schools how people opposed him.

In order to make his idea succeed, he brought together a group of local and international scholars and presented them with his idea and they approved it, letting the news spread and consequently accepted.

It is also rather saddening to see people stereotype scholars and say that these are government scholars and that these are better scholars that we must follow. Our scholars are above this classification and they are currently being attacked by people who wish to undermine them and their credibility so that our scholars have no place in this country by taking their independence away.

Yet, just as the legal system is independent, so too should be the religious institution.

In edicts that concern the general welfare and the direction of the country and its people, all forms must be limited and stopped. It is the king and the crown prince who fight terrorism now and who are backed and supported by the senior scholars.

It is an ideological war before it is a physical one. This must also be fought and with the same vigor as these ideas are as dangerous as physical actions. Yet, what of those who sympathize and support such ideas?

The government must support moderate scholars in schools, colleges, universities, satellite and television channels as well as all other avenues. I wish the crown prince would insist on this and make sure such moderate and balanced scholars are supported everywhere. I feel that this is very important in order to return to balanced and moderate ways.

Fighting extremist thought is to be done through discussion, debate and using scholars in pushing away these extremist elements. We are in a situation whereby sandbags are being placed around schools, colleges, supermarkets, and centers because of our fear of the militants. Foreigners are afraid of taking taxis or traveling with us because they may be kidnapped and executed.

We need to address the issue of poverty and how the middle class has suddenly dropped into the lower classes. This is not simply the responsibility of the government but of every single individual in society. We need to look at how charity is being paid by the incredibly rich of this country and how charity that should be paid outside this country.

It is only when we realize it is not one war but many that must be fought and won will we succeed. May our country and its rulers and people be protected.

- (Hussain Hassan Abu Dawood is a Saudi businessman. He is based in Jeddah.) [email protected]