The death of Crown Prince Naif has deprived the Muslim world of a very tall, resolute and firm leader. He was always one step ahead of the enemies of Islam. His death has, therefore, come as a shock to almost everyone, including us expatriates. We were hoping to see him arrive to a grand welcome. But that was not to be. As Muslims, we have complete faith in Allah, and it is an article of our faith that “we surely belong to Him and to Him shall we return”.
We will miss Prince Naif for very many reasons. I have been in the Kingdom for nearly 30 years now and I have seen for myself and heard from everyone around, including my non-Muslim fellow expatriates, that how secure life is inside Saudi Arabia. The crime rate is comparatively far below other countries. You can venture out any time of the night and feel confident and secure. This is a blessed country. And Prince Naif played a key part in maintaining the internal security.
I remember the elaborate arrangements that he and his men did during the annual pilgrimage of Haj. We all know there are many enemies of Muslims around the world and it just needs a little nuisance to create havoc. Prince Naif was able to neutralize the evil designs of our enemies. He was a great man whose services to the nation and the Muslim Ummah will always be remembered. May Allah bless his soul and may Allah protect the Land of the Two Holy Mosques from all evil. Amen.
Mustafa M. Ibrahim
Dhahran
Prince Naif, a visionary leader
The passing away of Crown Prince Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, is being mourned around the world especially in the Arab world. With his death, Saudi Arabia, the GCC and the entire Arab world have lost a visionary leader and a towering personality who had focused during his tenure as the interior minister on a strong internal security mechanism in the Kingdom.
Crown Prince Naif, who had been the interior minister since 1975, built a strong and formidable security infrastructure in the Kingdom, which was the source of stability not only to Saudi Arabia but also to GCC countries. He has been credited for the successful crackdown against Al-Qaeda’s branch in the country following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. His efforts led to the elimination of terror groups and helped in foiling terror plots. He always believed in stability as a strong Saudi Arabia means stability not only for Gulf countries, but for the entire Middle East.
As a regular reader of Arab News, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the people of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
May Allah rest his soul in peace and give strength to the people of Saudi Arabia to bear this tragic loss. (Ramesh G. Jethwani, Bangalore)
IISD facilities
This is in reference to the report “Parents concerned over poor facilities at Dammam school.” The report is indeed an eye-opener. When the school is charging a good fee, why is it not able to provide a healthy water facility? Contaminated water is a big hazard for human life. When students consume this kind of water, they may fall ill, their precious time will be lost and they will not be able to attend the school. Such carelessness on the part of the school management is not welcome. They must maintain a reasonably good atmosphere in the school. Apart from this, a proper source of light plays a pivotal role, as it is necessary in effectively carrying out daily duties.
If the school is devoid of electricity in most of its classrooms, it might be stressful to the eyes of the students, who will find it hard to concentrate on their studies. Also, the authorities must ensure that all broken wires are taped or replaced at once so that the students do not come in contact with such dangerous elements. Also, for being an exemplary school, its teaching staff should be cordial with the students. It is unfortunate that most expatriate schools in Saudi Arabia do not have qualified teachers and instead rely on housewives to teach the students. (Anees Lokhande, Alkhobar)
Letters — We will miss the crown prince
