Qatar crisis and individuals who influence relations between countries

Fahad Suleiman Shoqiran

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After God saved Moses and his followers from the Egyptian Pharaoh, they headed to Palestine. On their way, they saw people worshipping statues and not God. Moses’ followers then asked Moses to make them a statue so they worship it but he refused, and they continued their journey.

Moses had asked his brother Aaron to look after everyone in Mount Tabor during his absence. A deceitful and cunning man named Samiri took gold from Moses’ followers, melted it and turned it into a golden calf that was making a lowing sound and deceived them into worshipping it.

The Quranic Surah Ta Ha details this incident. Samiri misled and deceived Moses’ followers with his trick. We’ve seen people similar to Samiri throughout history. These characters are experts in sowing hatred among people.

There’s a man named Abdullah ibn Saba in Islam whose character is similar to Samiri’s. However, it’s not possible to prove incidents related to him, like the case is with Samiri, due to the unreliable narrative of Sayf ibn Amr. Despite the fact that ibn Saba’s character is doubted, it’s worth noting that these characters are always present in all societies working on spreading hate.

There is a reason I am brining this up now. These historical incidents remind how such characters influence relations between countries and people’s interests.

Azmi Bishara’s name, the former member of the Israeli Knesset, has recently been brought up a lot after Arab and Islamic countries became impatient with Qatar’s behavior. Many maps which Qatar drew during the Arab Spring are attributed to him. There are hundreds of videos of him talking about revolution. In one of these videos, he angrily threatens Saudi Arabia.

Azmi Bishara does not mix between his personal theoretical ideas and his political ideas. He encourages political Islamist groups in his analyses and during his media appearances

Fahad Suleiman Shoqiran

Playing on contradictions

Engineering Qatar’s relations with Israel and the latter’s communication with Hezbollah and Hamas are attributed to him. He’s the founder of the idea of playing on contradictions – a concept adopted by Qatar. Recent Qatari actions are related to increased cooperation with the enemies.

The Saudi cabinet’s statement noted Qatar’s “secret and public cooperation” with the enemy. In the Saudi statement about severing ties with Qatar, Saudi Arabia accused the latter of supporting terrorists in Qatif.

Azmi does not mix between his personal theoretical ideas and his political ideas. He encourages political Islamist groups in his analyses and during his media appearances. When Trump won the elections, he and his center published articles and studies “estimating the situation.” These pieces talked about the confusion which the region will witness after Obama’s departure and Hillary Clinton’s loss.

Some people did not quite understand the reason they attacked Trump as such. This is because they did not clearly understand the link between Azmi and political Islam groups whom Qatar harbors its symbols. Trump is not lenient with these criminal groups, such as the Brotherhood, Hamas, ISIS and Hezbollah, and thinks they are terrorist.

When Trump tweeted saying that severing ties with Qatar is one of the results of his visit to the region and that severing ties marks the beginning of the serious war on terrorism, many finally understood why Azmi was angry when Trump won.

Pure communist

Azmi grew up as a pure communist. He was influenced by Marxism and its social theory. He almost never agreed on anything with the Islamists except for revolting and longing for totalitarian patterns. He disagrees with his students and allies regarding religion. In his book Religion and Secularism in a Historical Context, he does not hide his historical vision regarding religions.

The book exposes Azmi’s ideas and shows theoretical pragmatism. Azmi is the friend of Islamists, Sahwa members and Sururists. He opened his center and office for them, granted them awards and used his connections to provide them with jobs. However, he’s also a communist who views these people’s convictions as “historical situations.”

They overlook his philosophical ideas about religion, and they are thus used in a purely ideologically war that serves Qatar’s interests. They are recruited to work against their people, and they are in fact the disciples of the Israeli Knesset member as they are submissive to him because they cannot criticize his well-known opinions or theories about religion and they do not dare say they disagree with him. Azmi uses them as tools for a cheap price. Meanwhile, they simply wander blindly.

Qatar’s whims

Qatar’s whims have blinded those who are supposed to be rational and wise. They became hypnotized and worked against their state. They found jou in the criticism directed against their people who are loyal to their homeland. At times of war, they stood with “Qatar’s hostile policies” – as the Saudi cabinet put it – and “they put their fingers in their ears and covered themselves with their garments.”

Their behavior is tantamount to saying: “‘Permit me [to remain at home] and do not put me to trial.’ Unquestionably, into trial they have fallen. And indeed, Hell will encompass the disbelievers.”

Don’t be misled by anyone no matter who he is or what he presents you with. Don’t be deceived like Samiri misled Moses’ followers who when Moses left them to speak with his God, they worshipped the calf! Addressing God, Moses said: “I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased.”

It’s the conflict between right and wrong. Be careful and consider who you stand with. “And Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people do not know.”
This article is also available in Arabic.
Fahad Shoqiran is a Saudi writer and researcher who also founded the Riyadh philosophers group. His writings have appeared in pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, Alarabiya.net, among others. He also blogs on philosophies, cultures and arts. He tweets @shoqiran.
