A clear sense of relief prevailed across various currents within Saudi society following the new decisions made by King Salman Bin Abdulaziz yesterday evening.
Despite the diverse backgrounds of the new ministers appointed to the Saudi cabinet, the Islamic current has been happiest as a result of the King’s decisions. Saudi Islamic preachers have expressed delight that the King has pulled the rug from underneath the liberals and the Jami Salafists. Affiliates of both of these groups enjoyed the lion’s share during the reign of the late King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz.
Many analysts considered King Salman’s decisions to be smart and said they reflect his political shrewdness. He has been able to satisfy all parties and currents within the Kingdom as well as win the hearts of the people by ordering the payment of two months salaries to all public sector employees and double bonuses to university students. He also ordered an amnesty for common prisoners and prisoners who owe no more than half a million riyals.
Yet, some Islamists’ reactions, as monitored by Arabi21, have expressed reservation toward the King’s decision to assign some portfolios to liberal individuals. One such example has been the portfolio of the ministry of culture and information assigned to former director of Al-Arabiya TV Channel Adil Al-Toraifi.
However, nothing has pleased the Isamists in the royal decree more that the sacking of the head of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice Sheikh Abdullatif Al Al-Sheikh from his position. Many Islamic preachers have expressed great delight at the dismissal of Al Al-Sheikh from his position which he dedicated to fighting the commission’s members, as they claim.
The removal of Al Al-Sheikh from his position delights the Islamists because he is accused by them of sacking many members of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice and also of arbitrarily transferring many others to distant locations. He is also accused of siding with the enemies of the commission in some of the incidents that took place during his tenure according to some observers.
Some elements within the commission expressed happiness that Al Al-Sheikh has been sacked by driving around in motorcades composed of the commission’s vehicles and by prostrating themselves in public as gestures of gratitude. Some have even gone as far as hiring wedding halls to receive well-wishers who came to congratulate them upon hearing the news of the removal of Al Al-Sheikh, as they put it.
In spite of the sacking of Al Al-Sheikh and the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Abalkhail, both of whom are affiliates of what is known as the “Jami Current”, prominent figures within this same current have expressed their satisfaction with the king’s decisions.
Arabi21 has monitored a number of tweets by some of the most prominent figures within Saudi Arabia. Twitter is considered the most popular social networking platform for expressing opinions inside the kingdom. Muhammad Al-Saeedi, professor of Islamic jurisprudence at Makkah’s Umm Al-Qura University, tweeted: “In his decisions yesterday, the king extends bridges to all out of a desire to unite the ranks and repair the flaw among his children. Can we all realise this?”
The academic and activist Muhammad Al-Hudaif hailed the king’s decisions and tweeted: “One of the most important features of the luminous royal decrees is that they have uprooted the elements that established ‘McCarthyism’ and the conduct of informers as a culture attracting long queues of mercenaries and dishonest bargain hunters.”
Some liberals have welcomed the king’s decisions, yet cautiously and reservedly, in some tweets. While others have accepted them unreservedly since there are still a number of ministers and senior officials who are regarded to be affiliates of the liberal current.
Saudi liberal writer Muhammad Al-Omar tweeted: “The basic first minute impression is that those who are happy first will be dismayed last and those who are dismayed first will be happy last.” This was taken to imply that the Islamists were the ones who have been pleased most by these decisions.
Arabi21 notes that Saudis have generally refrained from talking about the removal of some of the princes from their positions, especially the sons of the late King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, focusing instead on the financial rewards and the cabinet reshuffle.
Some of the most prominent Islamic preachers have not delved into the details of the royal decrees but have been content with publishing tweets that praise the new monarch King Salman Bin Abdulaziz expressing optimism about the future.
Preacher Muhammad Al-Arifi tweeted: “In the name of Allah I inaugurate the hashtag #thank_you_King_Salman. Praise be to Allah who guided him to issue these royal decrees. O God assist those who have been appointed, lead them along the path of goodness and bless them”.
Preacher Salman Al-Oudeh tweeted: “Dynamism is a blessing. This has been a long awaited change. O God guide the new officials so as to serve the people and enable them to carry the burden with which they have been trusted.”
Perhaps one of the most significant signs that the king has succeeded in penetrating the hearts of the Saudis so quickly is the fact that his tweet, which he made immediately following the announcement of the royal decrees, was retweeted more than 230,000 times in less than five hours, breaking a Twitter record.
He tweeted: “O honourable people. You deserve more. Whatever I do it will still be well short of what I owe you. I ask Allah to help me and you in our endeavour to serve the religion and the homeland. Don’t forget to pray for me.”
King Salam Bin Abdulaziz, has only been king of Saudi Arabia for five days, yet the heavy weight of events and decisions enabled him to reign rapidly and gain the allegiance of various components of Saudi society.
Some observers believe that an anticipated amnesty for some detained reformers and preachers may bolster the mood of optimism in the new era. This matter has not been widely expressed perhaps out of the desire not to rush into things as understood from tweets made by renowned Saudi preacher and activist Mohsin Al-Awaji.
This article was first published on Arabi21
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.