Mohammad Ibn e Salman the New Faysal?
Ibn-e-Sauds – Masters of the “Black Gold”, a dynasty that emerged out of the veils of the Arabian Peninsula, at the time when Arabia was engulfed with relentless wars between bediun tribes. In the era of poverty and dearth, arose a warrior namely Abdul Aziz Bin Rahman Al- Saud, who at the age of only twenty six , in the pre dawn hours of January 16th 1926, conquered an empire the size of Western Europe along with its’ capital Riyadh.
“True Arabian Knight” as he was referred to Abdul Aziz was nonetheless a visionary; whose fore-sightedness’ and enthusiasm within a span of just one decade led him to takeover an area ranging from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf, which he named after his family: Saudi Arabia.
The back-to-back world wars had already caused deep indentation to oil reserves of all the super powers including the United States of America. The US oil reserves dropped to an all time low of ten year(s), and the presence hundred and fifty million barrels of oil beneath the Saudi acreage was an opportunity that perhaps couldn’t be ignored.
The US therefore commenced granting loans to Abdul Aziz to run his financially depressed state; knowing that the return of the same wouldn’t be logically possible on the touchstone of the economic turmoil. However, to their surprise, the landmark meeting between Abdul Aziz and President Franklin D. Roosevelt onboard the U.S. Navy cruiser Quincy in the Great Bitter Lake segment of the Suez Canal on the February 14, 1945 changed the Washington and Riyadh rapport forever.
The formation of the Aramco (Arab American Oil Company), whereby US was allowed to drill on the Saudi land, and in return Saudis retained 60% share holdings was no doubt a decision, which by all means pronounced astounding wisdom and acumen from a bediun having no formal education whatsoever.
On November 9th 1953, Abdul Aziz breathed his last in his son Faysal’s arms. Saud being the eldest was crowned the King and resultantly Faysal became the crown prince. Only a decade after Sauds assuming the office, he nearly destroyed his father’s legacy. Historians refer to Saud as “Saud the miss-manager”.
Where on one hand the country faced huge economic deficits, at the same time within a short span the King ended up building ten palaces. Simultaneously, his pro communist and pro Soviet Union foreign policies with regards to his alliances with the Egyptian President Kamal Nasr were the last nail in the coffin.
Soon thereafter the unhappy religious clerics along with the Ulema and the family council keeping in mind the sensitivities and the sophistication that overwhelmed Arabia decided to depose the King, who was later exiled to Greece, where he died five years later.
After almost ten years of Saud’s rein, which took the Arabian populous into deep melancholy, Faysal was welcomed and hailed as an idealized King. Faysal was a much learned, educated and intellectual version of his father who actually with his rigorous transformations brought Arabia to the 20th Century.
He was known for his tough incentives and reforms, soon after him taking over the office from his brother, he initiated a five year economic and development plan, by virtue of which he introduced and implemented ideas and made such advances which though at the time were not really taken in good taste, but ultimately helped in crafting the contemporary mindset modern Arabia.
Nevertheless the Saudi Monarchy is ruled by a democracy within the Royal family. Since inception, the said form of governance known as“the consensus rule” has prevailed in the Saudi hierarchy. All the Saudi monarchs in the past irrespective of their individual levels of popularity had one thing in common and that was the adherence of the said consensus rule – the family code.
The slogan of modernism and liberalism has always appealed the oppressed Saudi nation, and the same has been rightfully realized and targeted by the current Crown Prince Mohammad Ibn Salman.
The daring crown prince who is perceived as the modern day Faysal with his liberal policies such as allowing women to drive attend football matches etc has managed to win the hearts of many.
Since replacing his cousin Mohammed Bin Nayef in June as first in line to succeed King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the 32 year old is gaining popularity as a war hero (War of Yemen) and with his revised foreign policies he has also set his eyes on the dangerous task of consolidation of power under the camouflage of populous reforms.
His aggressive policies are not only exposing him to dangerous grounds but also the country, which is already at war with Yemen and a proxy war with Iran. Saudi Arabia since decades regardless of its differences with Iran never ignited the aggression to the point of no return, on the score of maintaining harmony between Muslim countries, however the unfortunate policies being adopted by the Crown Prince are acting as a catalyst to enhance the shia-sunni divide.
It is unfortunate that the Saudis are celebrating his majesty’s most ambitious moves as he fired senior ministers and got dozens of richest and influential including Prince Talal bin Walid on grounds of combatting corruption. Not only that but in late September dozens of prominent religious figures including Salman al Awdah and Awad al- Qarni were also detained who are till date behind bars.
Another side of the picture is that on score of leveling allegations of corruption or otherwise he is silencing all the relevant voices be it from the Royal Family or the religions clerics who could voice concerns through his strategies. Such ventures may serve the purpose for the time being but the larger picture still cannot be ignored.
The 32 year old monarch, ought to be reminded about the fact that Washington is applauding and glorifying his anti Iran policies for a reason, and by no means should he be the scapegoat that fulfills the United States Anti Iran agenda.
Stability in Saudi Arabia is not only important for the Saudi nation but for the Muslim Umma as well, and the Saudi Monarch cannot be oblivious to the same. Policies which escalate and intensify sunni-shia divide be it on the score of the Islamic Military Alliance or the sunni coalition army as it is referred to, shall only lead to morbid conclusions.
Unity regardless of race, creed or sects is the magnificence and brilliance of Islam, and any immature and adolescent attempt to disintegrate the same shall lead to collapse, and this attempt of denunciating the same will take his majesty Muhammad bin Salman, poles apart from the revolutionary icons of his family King Faysal and King Abdul ul Aziz; who always believed in unifying the Muslim world instead of creating divides.
