What makes Saudi Arabia a sad place?
As you may know Saudi Arabia is pretty vast. Outside of the big towns and cities some areas are most beautiful like Madain Saleh with its breath taking nature & rich history and the mountain city of Taif famous for its roses and rosewater or the Farasan Islands a bird watchers paradise - and many many other lovely places hidden away that will make any traveller very happy.What makes Saudi perhaps a not very happy place are the big metropolitan cities. People here dont look happy - maybe its because of strict rules, or a large foreign workforce that finds it difficult to ‘integrate’.The first time I went to Saudi must have been about 10 years ago. I did not take to the place from the minute I landed at Jeddah airport. Didn't find anyone smiling, the airport itself is inefficient and doesn't have the feel of an an oil rich kingdom. Found it very SOULLESS!Once you go Downtown it doesn't get any better - Badly planned roads with crazy driving skills. Going out eating at night was also a strange experience. Nobody looked happy to me. A walk by the sea was also uninspiring.You cant help noticing are Saudi flags flying everywhere and gigantic pictures of the rulers around every corner. Not to mention a lot of police presence on the roads.Speaking to many of the non-Saudi people that live in Saudi - They all seem to say they like it. So maybe my perceptions are not accurate. I have been many times and each time I come back with the same conclusions.However going out to the country-side - Saudi is beautiful and relatively tourists free.
What are some stereotypes that Arab nationalities have about one another?
Mauritania: there is always a coup happening over there. Morocco: Don't speak Arabic, great holiday destination.Algeria: Don't speak Arabic, Great Rai Music.Tunisia: Don't speak Arabic, chilled out place.Libya: Rich, undeveloped, desert. Egypt: well, I am Egyptian,I think this would be the stereotypes about us; funny (sarcastic), good movies and drama till recently, Moderate in terms of religion, always asking for tips (ba2shesh), chaotic. Sudan; kind, lazy, food basket of the Arab world.Somalia; Famine :(Djibouti and Comoros islands; we always think it is one country even though they are quite far from each other. Jordan: Petra, queen Rania. Palestine: clever, fighting for their landLebanon: living their life to the fullest, pretty women, plastic surgeries. Syria: pretty natural women, good dramas, best spoken ArabicIraq: Oil rich, stubborn. Saudi: influential in the Arab world, oil, rich, obese. Yemen; poor, khat, kind, Dagger Oman: Khanjar, Hot weather. UAE: the most loved among the gulf countries, Dubai, modernized. Bahrain: 200K the total population and they suffer from unemployment, Almanamah (sin city).Qatar: Alzajerah, Qatar gas, richest people in the world. Kuwait: Their currency is very valuable, oil rich, lazy, great cars, terrible weather.
Why don't Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia together attack India to save Indian Muslims?
I recall a particular incident when I was a kid of maybe 6–7 years old. My dad was in the BSF(still is) and was stationed in Punch, J&K. In those days it was a high tension area and firings were common. My dad unfortunately was stuck in one such firing and took shelter under a pine tree. He remained the night under that pine tree and in the morning when he thought things cooled down, he got out of his cover. But to his dismay he quickly spotted an armed man(not Indian). My dad snooped around and luckily escaped. So when he returned I asked him to retire (I was naive), he just smiled and said, “I can lay my life happily for the service of my nation”.So you might get the picture. We Muslims love our country and can happily sacrifice our life for our country. We are not at risk in our country. We live freely here with our brothers. There is no discrimination on the basis of religion here. There is no Sharia law here that bounds us. I say it here, India is one of the most safest countries for Muslims. I know many Muslims are killed in the past few years but so are people of other religion too. With Muslims, media inflates the numbers and politicians use it for creating tensions in the country. But in no way India is unsafe for Muslims. I take pride being born in this beautiful country. And no Indian Muslim needs a saving.Thank you.
Why does Islam seem strange and threatening to some people in predominantly Christian countries?
to what extent is this attitude is this attitude shaped by knowledge of the teachings of Muhammed and the quran, and to what extent is it based on lack of knowledge of the religion? i would appreciate an educational answer THANKYOU!!
Why do women in some cultures have to cover their faces/hair/body?
It's interesting to hear so many diverse opinions. Argue this: Do Muslims view women as purely sexual objects? Do they believe that women don't have the right to education because of this? And if they are only sexual objects, how is this at all fair to the women, who are born into a society where men say, "Cover yourself up, be nothing until you are married, when you will then be just a mother." I do want to hear some arguements to that. Here's another thing to think on: Muslim men are tempted by women, so their solution is to persuade/ encourage/ force the women to cover up. Christian men are also tempted by women. Their solution is to pray for help or politely avoid that woman. Shouldn't Muslims do that, too? I mean, isn't that the fairest, most reasonable thing to do? Lastly, please don't get offended by this. We are giving opinions and facts here, that's all. Don't thrash out your emotions because you read something you didn't like.