Re-establishment of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Riyadh create a realistic opportunity to rebuild Al-Baqee, offering a chance to restore and revitalize the historically significant Islamic cemetery, while also reducing sectarian tensions fuelled by geopolitical rivalry.
For eight years, the Saudis continued with a vicious war against the Yemeni people but made little headway. Recent developments show the Saudis have had a change of mind. What has forced them to change course and sue for peace?
China surprised the world when it brokered an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The negotiations, held in extreme secrecy, lasted five days. The Iranian-Saudi détente has also exposed the irrelevance of the US in global politics.
For three days last month, there was much pomp and ceremony in Riyadh, during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping. While a series of agreements were signed, there were two over-arching themes: eclipse of US influence and discovery by MbS of another ruler to provide him protection.
Does US President Joe Biden love or hate Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman (MbS)? The US has been sending mixed signals but MbS seems to be going his own way. We discuss what the future holds for relations between the two countries.
Arabian regimes, most notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have embarked on what is referred to as “reforms”. These have centred around promoting vulgarity. The regimes thought their young populations will buy into it. Recent opinion polls show the youth reject such policies.
Both the noble Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah emphasize speaking out and stopping evil deeds because they cause the destruction of society. The Bani Saud say, do not speak out against evil. Those that want to follow the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah are punished by the Bani Saud. Is there another definition of evil?
While only a million pilgrims will be allowed to perform Hajj this year—an improvement on the last two years—the Saudis have sourced out the system to a Hindu fascist outfit. It will be a “lottery” system, akin to gambling. This is forbidden in Islam. Saudi policies clearly show they are unfit to administer the affairs of Hajj.
While a fragile ceasefire, brokered by the UN has gone into effect in Yemen, will it last is the big question on everyone’s mind.
Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Mohammad bin Salman (MbS) refused to take a phone call from US President Joe Biden because he has called him a “pariah”. Biden wants the Saudis and Emiratis to increase oil production because of sanctions on Russian oil and gas. How long can MbS hold out against Biden?
While Saudi crown prince Muhammad bin Salman (MbS) has used brutal methods including killings, imprisonment and torture to eliminate all rivals (real and imagined), to grab power, his ascension to the Saudi throne is not guaranteed. There are other contenders that are likely to challenge him.
Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Mohammad bin Salman (MbS) is anxious to present an image of being a ‘moderate’. His crimes, however, are so egregious that they continue to hang around him like a bad odor. His moderation is a fraud as thousands of people continue to languish in Saudi jails and executions continue at an alarming rate.
Every Saudi policy relating to Hajj or Umrah is not only against the tenets of Islam but also a disaster for the Muslim Ummah. The Saudis’ latest restrictions allowing pilgrims of only 18-60 years age to perform Umrah is completely idiotic.
The Saudi regime is trying to engage its people in hedonistic culture by organizing concerts and dance programs while it continues to kill ulama, human rights defenders and those who dare ask for basic human rights.
There are unmistakable signs that the US is turning away from the Middle East to focus of the Asia-Pacific region in its new policy to contain China. Uncle Sam’s withdrawal from the Middle East has caused panic among its client regimes, not least the one in Saudi Arabia.
Saudization has long been touted as a policy to replace expatriate workers with the Saudis. Given the Saudis’ laziness and incompetence, the policy is not making much headway. The only thing the regime has achieved is the expulsion of expatriates without any Saudis replacing them.
In recent months, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Muhammad bin Salman has been retreating on various fronts. His pronouncements about Islamic Iran, claiming it wants good neighbourly relations with it have raised many eyebrows. What has led to his retreat?
The Saudi war on Yemen is getting nowhere. The poorly-trained Saudi soldiers have been surrendering to Yemen’s Ansarallah fighters to save themselves. The Saudi regime has started executing its own soldiers accusing them of treason. This is a sure sign of defeat.
The month of March will mark six years of the brutal Saudi-led war on Yemen. Far from achieving any of its objectives, the Saudis and their allies have been given a bloody nose. The US as principal backer of Saudi Arabia has realized the futility of the war and wants to end it.
The Saudi economy is tanking, unemployment is high and the pandemic has made matters worse. Coupled with crown prince Mohammad bin Salman’s arrogance and incompetence, the kingdom is heading for disaster.
