Of Nitaqat, expats and labor woes
A news item that appeared in Al-Hayat daily caught my attention. It stated that the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has signed an agreement with several recruitment committees in the Kingdom to follow…
Articles
Columns and opinion pieces, in English and Arabic.
Showing 101–114 of 114
Why don’t Saudis project a better image of their country?
On a recent trip from Jeddah to Dubai, I was sitting next to a German gentleman on the airplane. After initial pleasantries, he said it had been his first trip to the Kingdom and…
I was determined to have it our way
Today I take a step forward from the day-to-day running of a newspaper. I have always been a media person, and journalism has always been my passion. Although I’ve had the privilege to be…
Let’s Make Reading a Keystone of Our Society
A few days ago I delivered a lecture at Jeddah’s Dar Al-Hekma College for its Library Week. I was pleasantly surprised by the students’ level of social consciousness. During the question-and-answer session, one student…
Month for Spiritual and Moral Reawakening
Today is the first of Ramadan, the month for spiritual reawakening and reaffirmation of faith. It is the month in which Allah “sent down the Criterion to His servant, that it may be an…
Are We a Nation of Clerks?
According to a report, 35 percent of Saudis don’t want their sons to join the private sector. The survey also revealed that among other professions that don’t appeal to the Saudis are technical ones…
Are You the Right Man?
I read an article in a local newspaper that Nancy Ajram and Haifa Wahbi “destroy” eight households in Makkah and 12 in Madinah every day. The word “destroy” in this case is one I…
People of Pakistan at a Critical Crossroads
The brutal assassination of Benazir Bhutto has dealt a serious blow to Pakistan’s very fabric of existence, which is now imperiled. Since its founding in 1947, the country has been plagued much of the…
Now Is the Time to Speak Out for Our Nation
The brutal killing of the American Paul Johnson in Riyadh once again sparked off a barrage of hate mail from the United States. Before I go further let me tell readers that I receive…
Bush’s Words Are Full of Hope; Will His Actions Follow Suit?
Now that George W. Bush is fairly well placed in the White House for another four years, it is important for us in the Arab world to read through his inauguration speech and try…
Who Is Responsible?
I read a report recently that IBM, the world’s largest computer services company, will be investing $6 billion in India over the next three years. This decision guarantees that Indians will play a significant…
Return to Reason, Mr. President
“Your friend is he who tells you the truth,” goes an old Arab saying, and that is why I am sharing with you, President Bush, these lines echoing the sentiments of millions of Arabs…
‘Vitamin waw’
I have often wondered how candidates are selected for employment in companies and how well-qualified students gain places in our universities. And I also wondered how it had happened that the phrase “vitamin waw”…
Ireland embodies the true Islamic spirit!
In this week’s article, I continue to focus on our Muslim values and draw attention to the negative issues that are keeping Muslim societies behind. I strongly believe that it is the duty of…