I was watching bits and pieces of the televised National Dialogue Forum that concluded last week. The intent of the forum when it started was clear: Through a collective input of regional voices, we were to minimize our ideological differences with others. In this case, non-Saudis.
There’s no question that such dialogues are opening up people in parts of this country to different views from their own. And from what I observed, the range of comments brought up went from one extreme to the other.
This quickly led to the realization that before we adopt a uniform approach in our dealings with others, we may have to do some homework ourselves. We have Saudis with a high degree of tolerance of others, including those of different faiths. And among our midst we also have those who are rigid and un-accepting of any other than their own.
But who are we, if we are so different within ourselves? And how can a national approach to tolerance of others be concluded if among ourselves we are so diverse? That in of itself is not such a bad thing, as people are different and we must safeguard that difference. However, when those with differences are given the power to impose their own values on others living in the same country, it is not a very pleasant situation.
Islam is a great moderator. It teaches us tolerance of people of all faiths, of religious beliefs, and of different customs. We are not God’s judges on this earth, nor His jury or executioner. Leave it to Him to determine our fate, and judge us on our misconduct. If we truly follow the Prophet’s (pbuh) way of living and dealing with others, we may be surprised at the degree of tolerance that flourished in his times.
If we begin to believe that one group of Saudis, or Muslims for that matter, is closer to God than the others, or has a truer understanding of our faith and uses that as a tool to develop his own hierarchy, then we understandably have a problem.
To some of us, this intolerance and rigidity that had gradually crept within our culture in the past twenty-five years remains alien and unwanted. It had given rise to power an elite group of religious thinkers who interpreted faith as “my way or the highway”. And when the country as a whole had to assume this rigid school of thought, be it through schools or mosques or whatever, tolerance flew straight out of the window. Tolerance within, or tolerance to others was indeed a casualty.
But through dialogue forums such as those that were recently concluded, extreme views are being gradually tempered, and acceptance of a middle ground is grudgingly but gradually being afforded. That such forums are even happening is enough of a positive boost to better understanding between our own.
It is only when we are tolerant among ourselves and respect our mutual differences that we can successfully expect to be tolerant of others. We are no better or worse than the other citizens of this planet, no more sacred nor blessed. We must live within our faith and adopt its acceptance of all people.
And more importantly, we must respect and afford that right to others who may be different than us.
