by Umar Shariff
Hamas doesn’t listen to Saudi advice or seek guidance from them. So, why would Saudi Arabia START A WAR FOR something that was started by Iran?
We have come across many social media forwards depicting the Arab nations as silent spectators during the current war between Hamas and Israel. Many cartoons show these Arab nations as cowards and selfish to keep their nations safe, while Gaza is being bombarded with airstrikes by the Israeli army.
Here are some points to understand the reality of the matter.
Hamas was the initiator of this conflict with Israel, following communication with Iranian officials and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. So, the onus lies upon Iran to attack Israel first, if they care for the welfare of the Palestinians. But sadly, Iran has never fought any war against Israel directly.
Interestingly, Iran was the second country to acknowledge the two nation theory to recognize Israel as a sovereign state. Many who glorify Iran as a Muslim World Leader, fail to understand that the undercurrent hatred of Iran for the Sunni Muslim states is real.
Iran and Hezbollah, both adhering to Shia ideology, have a historical interest in destabilizing the Sunni nations’ harmonious systems. Their actions in the past have demonstrated a willingness to counter Sunni influence as a means to secure themselves against potential Sunni aggression.
In numerous countries, the Shia-Sunni conflict often takes a violent and destructive turn, leading to bomb blasts in mosques fueled by mutual hatred. This grim reality makes the notion of Muslims uniting against Israel seem irrational, given the deep-seated hatred between the two groups.
Furthermore, Hamas doesn’t listen to Saudi advice or seek guidance from them. So, why would Saudi Arabia start a war for something that was started by Iran?
Saudi Arabia currently seeks to avoid any war and prioritize the protection of its borders against potential attacks. The country knows a misstep could result in a situation similar to the rise of leaders like Saddam Hussein or Gaddafi. If Saudi Arabia were to take action against Israel, it could prompt Israel’s allies to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia.
The United States of America, Great Britain, France, Germany, and other European countries will support Israel, while Saudi Arabia may not find significant international backing. Even if Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Jordan align with Saudi Arabia, their chances of prevailing against the U.S. and its allies appear quite slim.
And the fact is that, in the past, in 1948, 1967, and 1973, three wars were fought between Israel and Muslim countries such as Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq. And the fact is that Israel came out victorious, and occupied more lands after every war, except the 1973 war that led to initial success to the Muslim allies, while it almost ended as an equalizer.
So, Israel alone is strong enough to handle the Muslim countries that are not sophisticated enough to face the intelligent enemy. That’s the impact of the nation of PHDs.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations would face significant hardships in a conflict because they lack the same level of weapons production capabilities as Israel, the USA, and other European countries. These countries worldwide source their ammunition from Israel, the USA, and Europe. While Russia and China are capable of manufacturing weapons, their involvement could escalate the situation into a potential Third World War.
The earlier world wars caused significant devastation to many countries. Germany, Japan, and Vietnam all suffered greatly in the aftermath of those conflicts. In the First World War, the Ottoman Caliphate lost most of its territories, leaving only modern-day Turkey. This highlights the immense toll of such large-scale wars. Such conflicts often don’t yield clear-cut results due to the complex geographical alliances and positions of the parties involved.
Interestingly, modern nation-states have unique dynamics. For instance, there are American Palestinians who are U.S. citizens and have their political loyalty to the United States. Likewise, Muslims in countries like Britain and France will follow the decisions made by their respective national authorities. This complexity makes the resolution of such matters quite challenging.
Egypt and other nearby nations have engaged in conflicts with Israel in the past, but they were unable to secure victory. As a result, they chose to enter into treaties. Making treaties under such circumstances is not an act of cowardice; rather, it is a pragmatic approach to ensure the safety and well-being of their populations when continued conflict threatens both sides.
Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations made efforts to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. However, groups like the Ikhwanul Muslimeen, Shia factions, and other Muslim factions strongly opposed this idea, as their priority was the liberation of Palestine before considering normalization with Israel. Consequently, they used social media to share anti-Saudi content.
Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries are home to millions of expatriates. Just consider the impact on Saudi Arabia if these expats were to leave due to fear. The economy would suffer a significant downturn.
The fact is that the expatriates from India and Pakistan, who constitute a significant population in Saudi Arabia, are not serving in the Saudi military. Instead, they work as technical professionals and businessmen, primarily motivated by the desire to earn money and support their families back home. Even a delay in receiving their monthly salary would be a source of discontent among their families in their home countries.
This underscores the reality that none of these expatriates would stay and fight for Saudi Arabia if a war were to break out; they would promptly return to their home countries. It’s important to note that the Indian Muslim minority alone exceeds the entire population of Saudi Arabia, revealing that their strength may not be as substantial to go for a fight.
Therefore, the practical choice for Palestine is to pursue a ceasefire, followed by diplomatic treaties. If Israel were to act deceitfully, then migration might become the only viable option if fighting them leads to further losses.
In the context of war, there are moments to engage in combat, moments to step back, and moments to seek peace. Making treaties when wars don’t yield positive results is not a sign of weakness but rather a display of wisdom.
Prioritizing the preservation of lives is a wise decision, and it is often the path to success. Setting aside ego can lead to more favorable outcomes.
Islam does not advocate engaging in irrational conflicts. War should not be driven by emotions but rather by careful planning and strategic considerations. A meaningful war aims to establish political control over a territory, enabling the implementation of law and order and the administration of justice for all. In contrast, a futile war only results in loss of life and little else.
For all those who call Saudi as traitors and so on, here is what you must do if you are not like Saudi. Cancel your citizenship with your respective countries, through Citizenship renunciation process, and migrate to Gaza and join the army of Hamas if you want to be true to your claims.
I’m sure not even one percent of you would do such a thing. How is it that you want the Saudis to fight the losing war, while you want to watch cricket and basketball tournaments on your televisions in India, Pakistan, America, and Britain?
I mean, why don’t you do what you want others to do? I know you cannot, due to your circumstances. And the same applies to Saudi and other countries. ‘Hubbul-Duniya’ is not limited only to the Saudis, it applies to you as well.
Egypt is not even opening the Rafa Border to allow the Gazans migrate in, out of fear of Hamas forming militant groups in their soil. That’s the level of trust between nations at the moment.
Historically, the Arab Spring and other revolutionary and rebellious movements have often resulted in increased turmoil and significant losses. Countries like Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria experienced tumultuous periods. Syria is currently in a dire state, akin to an intensive care unit, while Iraq is grappling with significant instability.
The current efforts to propagate hatred towards Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations are being driven by the Ikhwanul Muslimeen, who draw inspiration from figures like Syed Qutb, Maududi, Dr. Israr Ahmed, and similar individuals. Their rigid interpretation of politics has had far-reaching and negative consequences.
The factions stemming from Ikhwanul Muslimeen are cropping up in various parts of the world today. It is essential to scrutinize their strategies before aligning with their initiatives to ensure they have a judicious approach to discerning the truth of the issues at hand.
It is about time that the Muslim world has pragmatic and purposeful debates over these topics of Geo-politics, before causing more losses than gains.
We place our trust in God. Secure the camel, and have faith in God. It’s not sufficient to simply release the camel and claim trust in God afterward. God doesn’t alter a people’s circumstances unless they change themselves from within.
I understand that this article may not be well-received by everyone. I encourage those who disagree to offer counterarguments with knowledge and evidence, if they are capable of doing so. While Saudi Arabia and Turkey may have their imperfections, promoting hatred against them is unlikely to yield positive results, as it is not a righteous course of action.
The Ottoman Caliphate’s downfall was partly due to criticisms of their weaknesses. No nation is without faults, and Saudi Arabia and Turkey, like any other, are not governed by perfect leaders. Perfection is unattainable. Focus on what is within your control, and avoid going to extremes with your words and actions.
Advocate for a ceasefire, not for war, as you are not adequately prepared. Encourage sending your children to school, engage in productive work at the market, look after your elderly parents, and show loyalty to the land where you reside. Avoid confusion by seeking clear guidance.
Umar Shariff is the President of Discover Islam Education Trust (DIET) Bangalore, India. He is a Media Panelist and Entrepreneur. He is CEO of Al-Basheer International School, Bangalore.
Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not reflect Milli Chronicle’s point-of-view.
