The smooth transition of power in the Kingdom has once again proved that there is a close bond between the rulers and the ruled. This is a testimony to the public confidence the royal family of Saudi Arabia enjoys. Beyond any shadow of doubt, the common Saudis love their rulers. The Saudi leadership makes all-out efforts to uplift the standard of living of the masses. Saudis are a fortunate people for having such able, wise and caring leaders.

It is surprising to read about Saudi Arabia in the western press. Most western analysts usually paint a very different picture. If one goes by their account, Saudi Arabia would emerge as downtrodden, ancient country in the minds of the readers. Truth, however, is otherwise. I urge the western analysts and journalists not to speculate while writing and not to rely on word of mouth; they should try to do a little research before misleading people living outside Saudi Arabia. Undoubtedly, laws of this country are different from the West and even many Muslim countries. Every nation should respect the values and culture of each other.

It is very much possible that something may seem odd from a western perspective but it may work perfectly well in a different social setting. Similarly, everything western is also not wrong or bad. We need to learn from each other. The best way to do that is to respect our respective cultures and instead of using our own values as yardstick, we should try to understand the other side emphatically. Such an approach is very much needed keeping in view the prevailing turmoil in the world. It would be useless to think about peace and harmony without promoting a culture of respect toward others. We should remember that diversity is a blessing, which helps the human spirit grow strong and rich.

Khalid Ahmed

Jeddah