The 2024 Riyadh concert and fashion shows are another gate opening and welcoming to the liberalism in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Royals are gradually paving the path for the Western culture to enter Saudi Arabia, the country that embraces the Muslims’ holy city of Macca.
However, the concert sparked criticism by Many Muslims during the American singer Jennifer Lopez’s performance on the stage that resembled Kaaba which is a cube shaped building considers as the holiest site by Muslims and located in the city of Macca, Saudi Arabis.
The Saudi royals are allowing Western culture to enter the country and blend with the Islamic culture. It is a new reform that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman is bringing to the country. Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is gradually breaking the boundaries that exist between the Islamic culture and the liberalism of the West and is stepping away from some Islamic principles. His new vision for the country is to reduce the role of Islamic law, boost the economy, and build a bridge between the Saudi’s and Western society.
It is noteworthy that after 72 years, Saudi Arabia has recently opened its first alcohol store in the City of Riyadh. However, as of now, alcohol sales are only allowed to non-Muslim diplomats. Apparently, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s intention is to slowly align with the West and join the International community culturally as a way to attract people across the world and generate tourists.
Perhaps, the Saudi rulers have realized that serving Islam and circling around Kaaba does not generate enough revenue for their lives of indulgence, thus, they are changing their direction. Prince Muhammad Bin Salman’s “Vision 2030” is according to the Saudi’s will lead to “a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation.”
As most rulers in the region, the rulers of Saudi Arabia are filling people’s buckets with hopes and empty promises, while their lifestyle is full of fantasy and wealth. Apparently, Islam has been used as a tool to serve the expensive lifestyle of the King’s family. Bradley Hope and Justin Scheck, The authors of “Blood and Oil: Mohammed bin Salman’s Ruthless Quest for Global Power,” have long investigated the ambition and lifestyle of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, and their conclusion was that he has lived nothing short of a life of luxury with nearly unlimited spending on his own personal desires.
The Saudi royals’ profit and gain between Islam and the West’s liberalism.
According to statista, the religious events, hajj and Umrah – which are the two religious events involving visit to the City of Macca – are estimated to generate $12 billion income for Saudi Arabia every year. And this number will definitely increase every year. The Saudi’s royals have perceived pilgrimages as sources of income and the way of bringing revenue to the country. Moreover, the Saudi’s government offers VIP tickets, including better accommodations, hotels, and more experiences during hajj. These VIP tickets comes at a much higher cost, which means more accommodations for the wealthy people.
However, the link between hajj and business is traced back to pre-Islamic era , as the Arab tribes were visiting Macca from other parts of the peninsula for worship and trade. Saudi Arabia has obviously been exploiting the spiritual practices of Muslims and converting the religious places to a business. Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030” and Prince Bin Salman’s plan for further profit and gain will impact the country’s economy – and at the same time it will become a social shift of the new generation toward the West.
Saudi Arabia’s intention in embracing the liberal social lifestyle through concerts and fashion shows is to fit in with the Western society and bridge the gap between the Islamic and the Western culture. Also, such a move is an effort to generate a massive income for the Kingdom, and draw an acceptable picture in front of the human rights groups.
Seemingly, this is a step that Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is steadily taking to toss the Islamic Sharia and move to a secularism.
Saudi Arabia’s attempt to prevent public clamor for regime change.
However, isolating people in one closed society and indoctrinating them with the regime’s ideology can only survive for a specific period of time. Speaking of Islam as a faith is completely different from being a system imposed by the government. Obviously, extremism, regardless of the beliefs and ideologies, solely represents oppression and unfairness.
Therefore, Islam is not immune from such a category when it becomes a system. The Saudis’ have perhaps realized that in order to continue the power of Al Saud, the ruling family of Saudi Arabia, it must implement reformation and, to a certain extent, shift from some Islamic rules. It is a wise move to ease the pressure of Islam on people inside the country and prevent uprising and public clamor for change of the regime.
Islam as a political system is unable to represent the diversity
The majority of people have not been represented fairly by the Islamic political systems. Such systems have alienated people from their countries, and in fact, resulted in rejecting Islam as a faith. This could be observed in Iran in 2022, when the protesters have defied Islamic rules, and females removed their Islamic head covers, hijab, to protest the Islamic Republic of Iran for killing a girl not wearing the head cover in accordance to the Islamic law.
Also, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are ruled by political Islam with a majority of people being Muslims and minorities comprised of non-Muslims. As majority rule does not leave enough space for the minorities to speak, practice their faith, and exercise their rights freely, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, and some other religious groups live in a narrow space of freedom in those countries.
It is clear that politicizing and weaponizing Islam is resulting in rejection from society and raises public indignation. To implement Islamic law through a political system, enforce a strict law, and neglect the freedom of other faiths and beliefs can and likely will generate a major conflict between the system and people. It is important to realize that Islam as a political system is unable to represent diversity.
– Serwan Zangana supported Operation Iraqi Freedom as a U.S Army translator before coming to the U.S from Kurdistan, Iraq in 1997 to seek political asylum. He was granted asylum status and years later proudly became a U.S citizen. He currently serves as a correction officer in Roanoke.