Al Jazeera definitely has propaganda, as with Al-Arabiya, CNN, Egyptian state media, AFP, etc... Al Jazeera has upped the ante lately with the Qatari-GCC feud publishing things about KSA that they normally wouldn't. Like severe disagreement within Saudi Royal Family or MBS visiting Israel , etc.... Believe me, I recognize everything just as you are. And I recognize everything right and wrong in other conflicts or feuds in the region, or with parties in my country, or anywhere else. I'm just not talking about it, because I have no more energy for these matters and the stubborn people who insist their biased position is right and what not. So just to assure you, I'm not ignorant to matters that are of concern to you that you believe other Arabs are not taking seriously or knowledgeable of. And that feeds to your nation's and peoples paranoia.
What would help is if most people made an effort to not let their biases take over and pretend like one side is right. There is no right side in what is going on. And that doesn't necessarily pertain to Islamic perspective of what is right or wrong. We can all recognize propaganda or peoples agendas and there is a sense of right and wrong that we are capable of recognizing. Unfortunately, if these wrongs are identified, opponents play the 'according to your religion' card or something implying that coming to an conclusion of what is right or wrong is biased on religious bias. Which is done on purpose so those people can be shutdown. An example, Al-Arabiya also does propaganda on an equal level let's say. Now if I go say this on an Arab forum(that you are aware of), they will bring up the usual rhetoric about security, extremism, development , etc... as some kind of smokescreen and they are enabling wrongdoing if they don't allow us to address it. And that is on the internet, now imagine in person if you're living in one of these country's and trying to convince people, good luck to you, you are going to run into some legal trouble and if not, become a social outcast.
And back to that smokescreen thing, someone is employing with that you in this thread. And you aren't sure how to go about it besides divert attention unto Qatar. And I don't blame you, that technique(smokescreen tactic) is powerful and it is employed by the masses, and you wonder why we are in a situation like we are today. I don't mean only the ME, I mean the whole world too. People have normalized wrongdoing and ill intention and banished justice, etc.... So for most people they will read my post and think what the heck is this guy is rambling about, he's overthinking things or yada yada.... Because they refuse to take a step back and rethink things, and let go of their severe biases which are forming their reality for them and makes them feel as if they are in the right when they aren't.
My advice to you and to everyone reading, I'm not requesting you go out publicly and express good opinions or call out peoples biases, or get in legal trouble. Or have your family/friends shame you for condemning certain aspects/behaviors of your or another government you look up to. But, on your own and to yourself, at least reflect about this when you can, and understand that you have to look at things fairly and be able to get yourself to support what is right, instead of people over and over again praising wrongdoings of many governments or people in general. And trying to present a case that so and so is on the right path or so and so nation bloc's are those who support Islam and the truth and what not.
Just think about that, if you guys want change, a lot of this distress we are causing for ourselves is unnecessary but because we are stubborn and biased, we enable it further. Nothing will change it unless we change ourselves. And yes that means beginning to adopt fair and right positions or opinions on matters and stating them publicly. That is the least we can do. And I suspect you will respond with a post reminding me that things aren't so bleak and that yeah reform will take time and what not, no need for that my friend. I just believe you are able to recognize wrongdoing just by reading or observing something. You just have some insecurities(which all of us have, not personal life ones, I mean political ones) of opening up and admitting some things are wrong from both sides as the predators will take advantage of this and use it against you. That being one of the reasons. But, I believe you can reach a point where personally and to yourself you can recognize what is right or wrong and there is no need to go out of your way to mention that if it causes you more trouble than you can handle. Some others I have no faith in as they are stubborn and insist they are rightly guided even when they're clearly wrong. Being right is not a matter of perspective, it's a clear truth. We have turned it into a perspective and this allows people to not turn back on what they insist.
Now you can imagine if people on this forum at least would try to speak out on what is right and wrong, there would be majority consensus that would inspire others to change, that would eventually force wrongdoers into the corner and at that point they would need to reform. But, I honestly don't believe all the current administrations can clean their record/image. I don't trust them 110% for anything, we need to work from a new start, literally. All of you are naive if you believe change can come from within those governments...and then those who believe Iranian gov't or other gov't(every single one) in region are rightly guided or suitable to lead lives of millions of peoples, I don't even know what to call them ....
Of course every media in this region is not fully independent and each has their own bias and at times agenda.
However I do believe that Al-Jazeera has taken it to another level of late. It is simply unacceptable for one of the most watched channels in the Arab world to air supposed clerics that are in support of what I wrote previously. Not every person is a rational person. Media has a big responsibility in shaping the views of the average person.
Look I admit openly (I have done so before) that the system of KSA gave time/allowed/did not enough to counter radical elements (again this is personal opinion what is considered a radical, there is no consensus about, this is not only about Daesh here) but steps have been taking to correct this even since King Salman became king and even before that. Qatar (as I see it) is still in denial.
What annoys me is that KSA has never claimed to be some sort of utopian Islamic republic or even a democracy. Or a country/entity that supports every movement against status quo in the region. What annoyed me once (not to such a extent because I fought that Qatar would grow out of it and side with their blood at all times in issues of mutual concern) and annoys me even more today is Qatar pretending (using Al-Jazeera) to be some kind of Islamic Republican utopia when it is arguably even more repressing than KSA. I know that money is king but it annoys me that supposed "progressive" or at least groups claiming to want change, are never singling out Qatar for the same vices that they label at KSA, Egypt and many if not most Arab countries.
When the same media Al-Jazeera uses religion as a propaganda tool (I will never forget that lies that they wrote about KSA not allowing Qatari pilgrims entrance, harassing Qatari pilgrims, everything proved to be a lie and a few Qatari pilgrims even spoke against such lies publicly but their opinion was not aired) a limit is reached. Or when Qatar welcomes every wanted/opponent from the Arab world and gives them citizenship and hosts them while removing citizenship from local tribes/clans who are not in favor of Qatari policies.
What is Qatar's policy and goals? Why do they need regional countries to protect them or built military bases when we all know what those countries agenda is? Nothing less than trying to gain influence in the Arab heartlands. If any Arab country did similarly (if there were 22 Iranian countries or 22 Turkic countries) most people in those countries would be calling them traitors and wondering what they are up to. Even more so when they host the largest US base in the region.
I never thought that I would experience such strange behavior by Qatar regardless of the regimes in power having different views on Egypt and the MB by large.
This forum is not for serious in-depth discussions, sadly. Most people do not read your or my posts if they contain more than 20 sentences. People don't bother. You can read my discussion with 1-2 users in this thread. Half of what I am replying to, I never wrote.
However when you have so many people writing outright nonsense about KSA and Arabs, obviously you are forced to take a stance in favor and sometimes this includes "being blind to the ills" but that is only publicly but even that I would claim is wrong in my guess as I have criticized KSA' politics many times sometimes that I have not seen often among Iranian users here for instance. This might have something to do with them living in Iran and such behavior risking being punished by the regime in power.
We can agree or disagree with certain political questions/topic/conflicts but what we should never do is stand with foreigners over our own and sadly due to the many Arab countries, various political views and ideologies at play, I have noticed that too many Arabs (for my liking) are willing to side with country x or y or government x or y just because they agree with their politics on topic x or y rather than their own flesh and blood despite disagreeing with them on a few topics but overall having much closer views than with others.
Makruh still means it's permissible.
Yes, I agree, we shouldn't feel the need to please others who won't be pleased no matter what and quite frankly, couldn't care less.
This has nothing to do with pleasing. This cleric in question has likely no need for that nor is this his agenda. I doubt that he expects his comment to reach any Western media nor do I think (personally) that he has ever met with scholars of other religions.
I don't know how you can interpret this statement like that.
You do know that he is just quoting an Islamic tradition and viewpoint that he did not invent but which was followed/known already almost 1400 years ago?
I don't buy this logic and we are back to what I stated in this thread. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. I honestly don't know any country in this region that is this scrutinized as KSA. The double standards are annoying, quite frankly. I am sure that I could find similar comments by clerics from other countries and no big deal would be made out of this.
EDIT; I wrote this comment very quickly and I don't bother correcting the grammatical mistakes or insufficient sentences. I don't bother right now, I have a slight fewer and it is late here.
