LAWAC Event: Terence Ward on Saudi Arabia

This past week, I was able to attend a Los Angeles World Affairs Council event entitled "Terence Ward on Saudi Arabia." Mr. Ward is an author and has personal experience living in both Saudi Arabia and Iran. The event was moderated by Ani Zonneveld, the founder and president of Muslims for Progressive Values.

Terence Ward and Ani Zonneveld, photo courtesy LA World Affairs Council

Mr. Ward started by discussing the history of Islam and Wahhabism. I was very interested and kind of surprised to learn that Wahhabism is not just old-fashioned Islam, it is, as Ms. Zonneveld put it, a "bastardization" of classical Islam. Then, he spoke about the current political issues in the Middle East. The most fascinating part of that was the ways in which the Saudis have gained power. First, because of the huge amount of money they have access to, they are able to spread their kind of Islam throughout the Middle East and the world. In addition to this, the Saudis have elevated importance because they are the guardians of Mecca. Leaders of other nations dare not question or criticize them because of this combined economic and religious power. Finally, Mr. Ward and Ms. Zonneveld touched on the cultural implications of Saudi rule. Although the Saudis are indeed Muslim, Wahhabism is so far from mainstream Islam that the Saudis have begun to destroy religious sites in Mecca. The most shocking example of this is the demolition of the prophet Mohhamed's wife's home and the construction of a public bathroom on top of it.

After the main presentation, the speakers opened it up to questions from the audience. Well, everyone seemed to have contrasting opinions of the Saudis and Wahhabism, so there were a few very harsh comments (not questions) on Mr. Ward's conclusions about Saudi Arabia. As Mr. Ward pointed out, these critics were too close to the Saudis to be able to see the larger picture of what was going on. One man even attempted to use a newspaper from Saudi Arabia to prove that all was well. This outburst just reminded me how impactful propaganda and censorship can be on opinions and awareness. That same week, for my GOA Arabic class, I watched a movie set in Saudi Arabia. It provided the opportunity for me to really understand how censorship and extreme governments can affect a country's people. This LAWAC event was extremely thought-provoking, and I learned so much about Islam, Wahhabism, and Saudi Arabia. Thank you to Mr. Caragher for making this happen!

Terence's Ward's book, The Wahhabi Code
Ani Zonneveld's organization, Muslims for Progressive Values
The movie I referenced, Barakah Meets Barakah