Saudi Arabia and the importance of hope

I belong to a generation for whom things were once simpler, clearer, and less complicated. We used to study and learn about the cultures of the world at our leisure, and at school we enrolled in the boy scouts, played various sports and practiced art. In general, the atmosphere was uncomplicated. On television we could watch religious programs with scholars who would enter into our hearts with sincerity and without agendas. They endeared people towards religion without any sense of overbearing or contempt, without raised eyebrows or harsh words, and thus figures such as Abdul Aziz Al-Missned, Ali al-Tantawi and Metwali Sharawi soon became popular. As a treat I would sometimes watch freestyle wrestling, with the great commentator Ibrahim Rashed who I was often convinced was part of a dubbing loop. Television also provided other excellent programs such as “From every ocean there is a drop”, presented by Sami Ouda, an employee who was working for a private sector company at the time. There is no doubt that these were the simplest and most beautiful days. People seemed to display better manners towards each other, without any sense of concern or suspicion. There was no attempt to classify people or judge them by the way they dressed, the length of their beards, or the accents and vocabulary they spoke with. These were the simplest and most beautiful of times. There were ample opportunities for “fair” success, with merit and efficiency being the decisive criterions, and no need to resort to cronies or paid supporters for help. And with that, an entire generation was filled with hope and ambition. As circumstances became more difficult, hope faded. Education spread and illiteracy gradually declined but ignorance increased at large, and there is a big difference here. One must always find space for hope and reflection; the rarest of commodities these days. Now various generations across the Middle East are experiencing a new mental state. In terms of psychology we could describe it as increasing anxiety, fear and unrest; not knowing the future direction of the compass. This has come as a result of the unrelenting talk about the Arab Spring, which was kidnapped at the hands of extremists who want to pull the rug out from the true champions of its cause. However, in Saudi Arabia, promising signs have begun to appear. Saudis today speak with renewed hope and optimism about recent royal decrees, whether the deserved nomination of women to the Shura Council, the continual judicial reform process, or the appointment of two young princes, known for their administrative merit and excellent communication links with the people, as provincial governors. The people are still yearning for more in the same direction, and news is ongoing about developments and improvements in the fields of higher education, the economy, planning, water, services and housing, as well as improvements in other sectors, laws and regulations that are in the public interest. There is a sizeable sense of goodwill between the Saudi people and their rulers, as has been demonstrated by numerous opinion polls. The people understand the sincerity of their leaders; they realize their good intentions and earnest desires to improve Saudi living conditions and overcome difficulties. With the king’s recent important decrees, there is now a renewed state of expectation and hope for what is to come. The Saudis, especially in the era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, are used to major decisions being taken. This is so that the country can stride forwards and confront its challenges in whatever form they take. Producing hope and maintaining it is a great and difficult challenge, but it is all the more necessary in these current conditions filled with turmoil and uncertainty. The Saudis need to be able to hope and dream in the coming days in order to follow the path they deserve. --- The views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent or reflect the editorial policy of Arabstoday.