IT was recently reported that a Saudi businessman proposed to build a mosque in Alkhobar for SR4 million and that he applied for permission from the Ministry of Endowments. At the same time, another businessman thought that he could pay more so he proposed donating SR10 million to build a mosque and adjacent houses for the moazzin and the imam. But the story did not end there. The first businessman, sensing the danger of competition, raised his bid to SR20 million to build the mosque.

Readers on the Al-Arabiya website and Asharq Al-Awsat website posted various comments on this item. If we go through them this is what we get:

The first reaction came from a “proud Saudi citizen” (this is the name he gave himself) who wished for more citizens like these two businessmen and expressed his pride that they were Saudi. Several other postings echoed the same pride, praising the bid and wishing for more people with the same drive.

On another note, a Saudi who lives in Alkhobar wrote that although it was gratifying to see bigger mosques, built in a beautiful way, he noted that in his own district there are already five mosques all within walking distance of his house, and that he likes to pray in them all. But he suggested that people who are interested in giving money for charity to give their money to other needy causes, such as orphanages, shelters, hospitals, poor people, or schools.

Another reader suggested to donate the SR20 million to starving people around the world, especially that there are several Arab and Muslim countries that have an acute poverty problem.

The debate is still raging on these two websites, and perhaps on many others, on whether or not Saudi cities that are already oversaturated with mosques really need another mosque, especially one with a SR20 million price tag.

Charity ranks high in most people’s agendas, which is in most situations a good thing. But, and this has to be stressed, we do need to understand why we give away money to charities and who benefits from this money. From the debate over the mosque in Alkhobar, it seems that those businessmen were competing with each other to see who could pay more to build a bigger and supposedly better mosque. If we put showiness aside, it might seem that some people like to donate money for good causes.

However, it also shows that sometimes people like to go the easy route. It is easy to build a mosque, but how many mosques can you build in a neighborhood? And do you need to put SR20 million in one mosque? How about dividing that money between a mosque and other charitable causes in same community? How about renovating old mosques? Providing for poor families in the neighborhood, buying medicines for the public hospital there, fixing the roads, cleaning up the streets, building housing projects for the needy and sponsoring scholarships?

If people with extra money in their pockets take a tour outside our big cities, I am sure they will come up with different plans and wider choices for their money, and I am sure they can also build mosques in areas that do not have proper public facilities.

So why don’t we look outside our big cities? Is it because people in those areas are out of reach? In that case should not we ask ourselves if this will not be a kind of endeavor that makes the donors feel good about themselves, just as building a SR20 million mosque will?

If people look outside the readymade choices for them, and tire themselves a little more, they will find areas where they can help and where their help will be very much appreciated. We just need to think a little bit more outside the box.

Free the Girl Campaign

For few months now, local newspapers and chatrooms have been talking about the case of a girl in Khamis Mushayt who is waiting to be executed. The girl was condemned because she killed a man and chopped up his body. Her reason was that he was blackmailing her with old pictures and letters; he was threatening to show those to her husband, so she plotted his death with the help of a friend and threw his body into the garbage.

Reactions to this story have been vigorous, to the extent of a supporter devoting a whole website in Arabic for this girl (www.freethegirl.com). People have been logging in to find out more about her story and have been signing petitions pleading for the victim’s family to pardon her.

Many high-ranking personalities have tried to persuade the victim’s family to accept blood money in lieu of the girl’s execution, but the family is insisting on justice being done.

The public’s sympathy with this girl has come from the fact that she has repented her crime after spending years in prison learning the Qur’an and teaching other women what she has learned.

The outpouring of sympathy is overwhelming, and the discussion taking place on the net is equally interesting. How did this case become a public campaign? Did people sympathize with the girl because she was defending herself? Or because she repented? Does that say something about Saudis? Do they need a cause to get this organized and involved?

Just a thought!