Saudi Arabia's Promise to Revive 'Moderate Islam'

An analysis from Associated Press discusses the new path being taken by the soon-to-be King of Saudi Arabia, a country that has been so conservative for decades that no films were shown, concerts were held, and women were arrested for driving. Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has gained significant power and authority with the support of his father, King Salman, and is pursuing transformations that will usher the U.S.'s most important ally in the region into a new era, moving Saudi Arabia away from decades of extreme conservatism and traditional religious strictures. He has announced the lifting of bans on film screenings, music concerts, and women driving starting next year. So far, opposition to these changes has been weak, although some critics of the Crown Prince have been arrested. Four decades ago, when some social freedoms were allowed in the country, radical Sunnis seized the holiest site for Muslims in Mecca. The Crown Prince's main agenda is to end the old alliance between the royal family and the country's clerical establishment, aligning it instead with a more open cultural environment and global capitalism that could attract international investors and even non-Muslim tourists. His recent speech, where he stated he is seeking to revive 'moderate Islam,' has garnered significant attention. He also mentioned that his father's generation has placed the country on a difficult path, and it is now time to 'get rid of it.' In his comprehensive plan titled 'Vision 2030,' he aims to end the country's absolute dependence on oil revenue and transform Saudi Arabia into a 'balanced country where Islam is the constitution, but its practice is moderate and tolerant.' In an unprecedented speech at an investment conference in Riyadh held a few days ago, he explained his views to the domestic public and the global community. In part of this speech, he said, 'We just want to return to what we were: a moderate Islam that is open to the world and all religions. We will not waste 30 years of our lives fighting extremist ideas. We will destroy them today.' The 32-year-old Crown Prince also emphasized in a lengthy interview with the British newspaper 'The Guardian' that 'Saudi kings did not know how to deal with the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.' That year, the Saudi royal family faced a significant challenge when radical Sunnis occupied the Kaaba in Mecca for 15 days. This attack was carried out by extremists who opposed the political openness that existed at the time, deeming it Western and un-Islamic. These radical Sunnis justify their violent actions based on extremist views promoted by Wahhabism, which has dominated the life of Saudi Arabia since the country was formed 85 years ago. The Saudi royal family's reaction to the events of 1979 was to strengthen the factions and elements that were extremely conservative. To counter the regional appeal of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, Saudi rulers began exporting Wahhabi ideology abroad, and to keep the largely conservative Sunni populace satisfied, cinemas were closed, women were banned from appearing on television, and the religious police were strengthened. Now, with the actions and policies of the Crown Prince, who is gaining more power every day, significant changes are taking place in the country. Large amusement parks are set to be built in the relatively autonomous tourist region along the Red Sea, and it is likely that current restrictions regarding women's hijab will not be enforced there. Women's access and participation in sports have increased, the powers of the religious police have been limited, and some restrictions on gender segregation in public spaces have been lifted. Unlike many former rulers of the country, including King Abdullah, who favored gradual and calm changes, the current Crown Prince is rapidly implementing these changes. More than half of Saudi Arabia's 20 million population is under the age of 25, meaning millions will enter the job market in the next decade. The government is striving hard to create more job opportunities and prevent incidents like the 2011 uprisings in other Arab countries, which were primarily driven by public dissatisfaction, especially among the youth, regarding economic conditions and unemployment. The Crown Prince must now find solutions to the problems that will arise during his reign. Experts say the goal of the Crown Prince's reforms is to align the social atmosphere of society with the requirements of the plans he has for changing the economic structure, one of which is a different interpretation of Islam. This new interpretation of 'moderate Islam' can be seen as one that aligns with economic reforms. For example, shops will not close during prayer times, and women will not be excluded from social spheres. In other words, Saudi Arabia needs deep social reforms for the success of its economic reforms. In outlining his views for reforms in the country, the Crown Prince used flashy terms like 'reforms,' 'transparency,' and 'accountability,' but this does not necessarily mean that Saudi Arabia is moving towards liberalism, democracy, pluralism, or greater freedom of expression. The Saudi government does not allow any places of worship other than mosques to be established in the country and restricts religious freedoms and the rights of the Shiite minority residing in the country. The Crown Prince has yet to address human rights issues and has arrested several individuals in recent months who are perceived as critics of his policies in an effort to silence all opponents. Some of those recently arrested are considered critics of his foreign policy, which includes key elements such as severing relations with Qatar, increasing tensions with Iran, and continuing the military campaign in Yemen, which has resulted in the deaths of many civilians and has been heavily criticized by human rights groups and even some politicians in Washington. At the same time, Mohammed bin Salman faces a Saudi public that is deeply religious and conservative. Therefore, he still needs the support of the upper echelons of the clergy to defend the religious and Islamic legitimacy of his reform plans. These clerics, many of whom have previously opposed women's work and even their driving, currently either cannot or prefer not to publicly oppose the Crown Prince's reform plans. In this absolute monarchy, the king often has the final say, and it seems that public opinion is welcoming these changes.