Ibrahim's First draft
Title: to what extend can the problems of urbanization be met by a policy of sustainable development?
Subtitle: has the Saudi government taken the right steps for sustainable development in term of urbanization since, its unification, 8 decades ago and explored oil?
Introduction
As a result of being Makkah and Medina, the two holy cities for Muslims people around the world, inside the board of Saudi Arabia, it should represent the Islamic society and concepts perfectly. Therefore, Saudi government has imposed Shariah law as constitution of the country. So, any measure or action should attain approval from religious institution before impose by the government. It is important to confirm that the religious institution has a complete power to refuse any measure conflict with Shariah laws. Moreover, all the Saudi kings should attain approval from religious institution before assuming the reins of powers and also they have right and power to isolate them if they do not follow Shariah laws or national interest.
Shariah law is not [the] only influencing factor on policy makers in Saudi, there is also customary law which call in Saudi society URF, culture heritage from Arab tribes, the agreement among these tribes before Islam existing 14 centuries ago. This law responsible for arrange and organize the relationship among members of one tribe or among others tribes and each tribe has representative is elected by the members of tribe(Eben Saleh. 1999).
These two factors Shariah law and customary laws URF are highly considerable from policy makers in any aspect in Saudi society. That means any plan from the government for development the country should take approve from religious institution before it be applied on the ground. Religious institution calls for Islamic urbanization for sustainable development. Islamic urbanization is development of the society through concern for the individual and society both in terms of education, healthcare developing cities and country and all aspects of live and support freedom and equality in rights and meals within the framework of Islamic law and social customary if do not conflict with Shariah law.[unclear]
This essay will discuss what Saudi government has done for sustainable development in term of education, healthcare, cities, roads network and analysis the change in lifestyle and improve standard of living in urban and rural region in Saudi. After that it will evaluate the outcome of sustainable development plans with government expenditure on these plans. Finally, it will compare the development between Saudi and others countries in Gulf region. This essay conclusion is the shariah law has positive implication in plans of sustainable development but the problem might come from who apply these roles or lack of knowledge in new technology from Shariah scholars and what the Saudi government has to do to reduce the confliction between planners for sustainable development and Shariah scholars.
What [the] Saudi government has done for sustainable development?
before unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian eight decades ago by King Abdul Aziz AL Saud , people in this region were living under line of poverty and there are not any kind of education such as school or universities except some teacher in mosques to teach the Quran and the basic requirement of the Islamic religion. Moreover, not everybody has opportunity to involve in these basic teaching. Since Saudi founded and explored oil, government has become surplus of oil revenue helped to build strategic plans to re-build the country as contemporary design. As a new government has less of experience of development plans project, Saudi invite international company for draw the plans and implement it. In the beginning, government started in temporary project without clear vision of the future just attempt to reaching developed countries .No one deny Saudi government has built enormous projects in infrastructure, healthcare, education and cities and roads development.
As a result of massive amount of petrodollar, Saudi government has been able to build the basic infrastructure in short time. Just before fifty years ago, there are no any kind of urban city in most of region of Saudi especially in middle country . Each village is independent on its resources and manage by oldest one who has the power and ability on influence on others. In around 1950 there are no central electricity services in most town and city in Saudi. Each place and community has to do their needs independently without any intervention or organize by the government. Most population in this period were living in houses built from mud and woods. These houses usually have less of facilities such water, electricity and sewage. In term of education most population do not have an opportunity to go to schools because there were no available schools near where they live and if it happen someone attained an opportunity to attend that usually just for primary or secondary school. Also, in this period no hospitals or even healthcare centers for treatment illness and diseases it was just limited on folk treatment without adequate of knowledge and equipment for diagnosis diseases accurately. Most people have died because of there are no qualifiers doctors and equipment and safe place at that time.
Nowadays, it is clear that Saudi Arabian has jumped from poor country and lack of basic needs for its population and number of them travel to neighbor countries to find a job to become one of countries who have developed rabidly. Saudi has built all cities with high standard of technology as a modern country. In short time, all population have all facilities and services for free such healthcare, schools and universities. Moreover, to encourage citizens to join schools, Saudi built schools in every where near housing with accessibility by provide students with transportation from and to schools for free. Also. Saudi subside students who went to continue studying in universities a free accommodation and payment for expense as a fixed amount payable monthly.
In spite of Saudi concerns about how to develop its region and its citizens but these plans same time encounter with religion institution. Religion scholars take long time of discussion to approve specific plan of development. That belong to less of experience of religion scholars in developing plans or they cannot apply Islamic concepts on these plans or even they thought these plans might conflict with Islamic concepts or destroy these concepts. Mix workers or students in the same place are forbidden in Islam that let government for each kind of project has to do it for two genders and that increased the expenses of development projects. In the other hand, religion institution concerns about protect and maintain Islamic concepts. That create a huge argue between government planners and developers with Islamic scholars in controversial issues such workplace and the way of woman education recruit them. Both government planners and Islamic concern about development the country and citizen but they argue about the way and measurement and implement of these plans (Doumato. 1999).
Lifestyle in Saudi Arabian has changed rabidly since it founded eight decades ago until now. My family lives in village in the middle of the Saudi Arabian, it just 10K.M. from fourth commercial city in Saudi, I remember, when I was in primary school 25 years ago, that there were no road from our home to school it just same path or dirt road unpaved. Also, there is no state electricity or water. Moreover, the first year for me in primary school I remember that there is no chair or table in classrooms but I think I am lucky because I had opportunity to enrolled in schools and universities which was not available for me father or previous generation. New both cities and villages have attained all government services and liking of roads networks.
In recent days people behavior and treatment has shifted some time in negative side. They lose some traditional feature at social and moral. People become unhelpful each other as a result each one keen to increase its wealth and their lifestyle individually. Accelerating in lifestyle in Saudi society led to disintegration in society and family. Also, that led to reduce the practice of Islamic concept as Saudi people are considered as conservative Muslim at Muslim people (Hijazi. Etc. 1998).
The things that might criticize Saudi government is they pay more attention and investment in development project in design and technology in asset such as building and roads and in the other side they pied less in investment in education for new generation as modern education (Algindan. 2000). Shariah law support justice and equality and fight against corruption and exploitation issues. Saudi government pretends as Islamic country enforces the shariah laws but that is not true in the ground.
Development cost in Saudi is very high by comparing with other countries in the same region and circumstances. For example, in the recent days, Saudi government has announced about plan to build new sports stadium in Jeddah that will cost the government budget $ 10 billions. Whilst in just four years ago Qatar has built enormous stadium in just about $1 billion. Saudi government has spent a huge amount of money for development projects comparing with other neighbors countries but unfortunately the outcome of those expenditure are very low in term of quality, technology and safety. That might due to corruption or less of knowledge and experience of dealing with foreign company. However, Saudi society still commitment on its traditional and religion concepts. Islamic practices are essential to apply in all aspect of life day in Saudi society such as markets and companies. So far Saudi government has been done plans for development but its might not for sustainable development because some of them have been protested by devout Muslim such as King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. This university led to aggressive controversial in Saudi society even if it will encourage the knowledge and technology research but they think it will destroy their concept and traditional of Islam because the system of education lead to workers and students work in one place and that against their believe.
To evaluate the development in Saudi Arabia whether achieve high level of sustainable development or not is essentially to compare its achievements with other countries have the same conditions and resources in the same region. For instance, any visitor to United Arab Emirates especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi can observe that the level of development in all aspects such as education, healthcare, justice, modern cities, human right and safety on building and roads. However, that might belong to this country was colony and that help them to draw plans for development. Also, the size of Emirate is small and population is low by comparing with size and population in Saudi. Moreover, development projects in Emirates do not need approval from religion institution that lead to rapid implementation of these projects.
Conclusion:
Whereas reason for writing this essay is to analysis the impacts of Islamic laws (shariah) on sustainable development in Saudi Arabia. Shariah laws do not clash with sustainable development but planners and developers have to understand the theory and requirement of Islamic society. Shariah emphasizes of using resources fairly and distribute it equally that are essential in sustainable development. Also, shariah laws prohibited moral and financial corruption and they consider a big sin in Islamic religion. Moreover, the Islam encourages education and keen for new knowledge and build the society in high standard of living and fight against injustice and poverty. All these factors are essential for sustainable development which Saudi government should consider it whilst making any plans of developing country.
In recent years, Saudi government has launched new programs of education. There more than 50000 Saudi students around the world for studying high education. Also, they have plane to build more than 30 university in next five years in high standard of technology for meeting an increase of demand on high education in labor market (Ministry of High Education Saudi Arabia. 2010). These planes to reach their aims should attain the agreement from religion institution and suitable for Muslim society to avoid their protested.
Reference;
Al-Gindan. Yussuf. M. "Undergraduate curriculum reform in Saudi medical school". Saudi Medical Journal. Vol. 21(4).324-326. 2000
http://www.smj.org.sa/PDFFiles/Apr00/Undergraduate.pdf. (accessed 20/07/2010)
Alshuwaikat. Habib M, "GLS-based urban sustainability assessment: the case of Dammam city, Saudi Arabia" Local Environment, Vol 11, issue 2 April 2006.
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a743780101(Accessed 20/07/2010)
Doumato. Eleanor Abdella, " Women and work in Saudi Arabia: How flexible are Islamic Margins?, Middle East journal. Vol.53. No.4, Autumn 1999.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/4329391. (accessed 20/07/2010).
Eban Salah. Mohammad Abdullah, "The impact of Islamic and customary laws on urban form development in Southwestern in Saudi Arabia". Habitat International. Vol 22 Issue 4. 1998
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V9H-3VR0CNW-G&_user=10&_coverDate=12/31/1998&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1386112455&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1e5d8eb02a013a737c0728966bc5ccbb. (Accessed 20/07/2010)
Hijazi. N, Abalkhail. B, Seaton. A, " Asthma and respiratory symptoms in urban and rural in Saudi Arabia". European respiratory Journal, 1998.
http://www.ersj.org.uk/content/12/1/41.full.pdf+html. (accessed 20/07/2010).
http://www.alarabiya.net. (Accessed 20/07/2010)
Title: to what extend can the problems of urbanization be met by a policy of sustainable development?
Subtitle: has the Saudi government taken the right steps for sustainable development in term of urbanization since, its unification, 8 decades ago and explored oil?
Introduction
As a result of being Makkah and Medina, the two holy cities for Muslims people around the world, inside the board of Saudi Arabia, it should represent the Islamic society and concepts perfectly. Therefore, Saudi government has imposed Shariah law as constitution of the country. So, any measure or action should attain approval from religious institution before impose by the government. It is important to confirm that the religious institution has a complete power to refuse any measure conflict with Shariah laws. Moreover, all the Saudi kings should attain approval from religious institution before assuming the reins of powers and also they have right and power to isolate them if they do not follow Shariah laws or national interest.
Shariah law is not [the] only influencing factor on policy makers in Saudi, there is also customary law which call in Saudi society URF, culture heritage from Arab tribes, the agreement among these tribes before Islam existing 14 centuries ago. This law responsible for arrange and organize the relationship among members of one tribe or among others tribes and each tribe has representative is elected by the members of tribe(Eben Saleh. 1999).
These two factors Shariah law and customary laws URF are highly considerable from policy makers in any aspect in Saudi society. That means any plan from the government for development the country should take approve from religious institution before it be applied on the ground. Religious institution calls for Islamic urbanization for sustainable development. Islamic urbanization is development of the society through concern for the individual and society both in terms of education, healthcare developing cities and country and all aspects of live and support freedom and equality in rights and meals within the framework of Islamic law and social customary if do not conflict with Shariah law.[unclear]
This essay will discuss what Saudi government has done for sustainable development in term of education, healthcare, cities, roads network and analysis the change in lifestyle and improve standard of living in urban and rural region in Saudi. After that it will evaluate the outcome of sustainable development plans with government expenditure on these plans. Finally, it will compare the development between Saudi and other
What [the] Saudi government has done for sustainable development?
before unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian eight decades ago by King Abdul Aziz AL Saud , people in this region were living under line of poverty and there are not any kind of education such as school or universities except some teacher in mosques to teach the Quran and the basic requirement of the Islamic religion. Moreover, not everybody has opportunity to involve in these basic teaching. Since Saudi founded and explored oil, government has become surplus of oil revenue helped to build strategic plans to re-build the country as contemporary design. As a new government has less of experience of development plans project, Saudi invite international company for draw the plans and implement it. In the beginning, government started in temporary project without clear vision of the future just attempt to reaching developed countries .No one deny Saudi government has built enormous projects in infrastructure, healthcare, education and cities and roads development.
As a result of massive amount of petrodollar, Saudi government has been able to build the basic infrastructure in short time. Just before fifty years ago, there are no any kind of urban city in most of region of Saudi especially in middle country . Each village is independent on its resources and manage by oldest one who has the power and ability on influence on others. In around 1950 there are no central electricity services in most town and city in Saudi. Each place and community has to do their needs independently without any intervention or organize by the government. Most population in this period were living in houses built from mud and woods. These houses usually have less of facilities such water, electricity and sewage. In term of education most population do not have an opportunity to go to schools because there were no available schools near where they live and if it happen someone attained an opportunity to attend that usually just for primary or secondary school. Also, in this period no hospitals or even healthcare centers for treatment illness and diseases it was just limited on folk treatment without adequate of knowledge and equipment for diagnosis diseases accurately. Most people have died because of there are no qualifiers doctors and equipment and safe place at that time.
Nowadays, it is clear that Saudi Arabian has jumped from poor country and lack of basic needs for its population and number of them travel to neighbor countries to find a job to become one of countries who have developed rabidly. Saudi has built all cities with high standard of technology as a modern country. In short time, all population have all facilities and services for free such healthcare, schools and universities. Moreover, to encourage citizens to join schools, Saudi built schools in every where near housing with accessibility by provide students with transportation from and to schools for free. Also. Saudi subside students who went to continue studying in universities a free accommodation and payment for expense as a fixed amount payable monthly.
In spite of Saudi concerns about how to develop its region and its citizens but these plans same time encounter with religion institution. Religion scholars take long time of discussion to approve specific plan of development. That belong to less of experience of religion scholars in developing plans or they cannot apply Islamic concepts on these plans or even they thought these plans might conflict with Islamic concepts or destroy these concepts. Mix workers or students in the same place are forbidden in Islam that let government for each kind of project has to do it for two genders and that increased the expenses of development projects. In the other hand, religion institution concerns about protect and maintain Islamic concepts. That create a huge argue between government planners and developers with Islamic scholars in controversial issues such workplace and the way of woman education recruit them. Both government planners and Islamic concern about development the country and citizen but they argue about the way and measurement and implement of these plans (Doumato. 1999).
Lifestyle in Saudi Arabian has changed rabidly since it founded eight decades ago until now. My family lives in village in the middle of the Saudi Arabian, it just 10K.M. from fourth commercial city in Saudi, I remember, when I was in primary school 25 years ago, that there were no road from our home to school it just same path or dirt road unpaved. Also, there is no state electricity or water. Moreover, the first year for me in primary school I remember that there is no chair or table in classrooms but I think I am lucky because I had opportunity to enrolled in schools and universities which was not available for me father or previous generation. New both cities and villages have attained all government services and liking of roads networks.
In recent days people behavior and treatment has shifted some time in negative side. They lose some traditional feature at social and moral. People become unhelpful each other as a result each one keen to increase its wealth and their lifestyle individually. Accelerating in lifestyle in Saudi society led to disintegration in society and family. Also, that led to reduce the practice of Islamic concept as Saudi people are considered as conservative Muslim at Muslim people (Hijazi. Etc. 1998).
The things that might criticize Saudi government is they pay more attention and investment in development project in design and technology in asset such as building and roads and in the other side they pied less in investment in education for new generation as modern education (Algindan. 2000). Shariah law support justice and equality and fight against corruption and exploitation issues. Saudi government pretends as Islamic country enforces the shariah laws but that is not true in the ground.
Development cost in Saudi is very high by comparing with other countries in the same region and circumstances. For example, in the recent days, Saudi government has announced about plan to build new sports stadium in Jeddah that will cost the government budget $ 10 billions. Whilst in just four years ago Qatar has built enormous stadium in just about $1 billion. Saudi government has spent a huge amount of money for development projects comparing with other neighbors countries but unfortunately the outcome of those expenditure are very low in term of quality, technology and safety. That might due to corruption or less of knowledge and experience of dealing with foreign company. However, Saudi society still commitment on its traditional and religion concepts. Islamic practices are essential to apply in all aspect of life day in Saudi society such as markets and companies. So far Saudi government has been done plans for development but its might not for sustainable development because some of them have been protested by devout Muslim such as King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. This university led to aggressive controversial in Saudi society even if it will encourage the knowledge and technology research but they think it will destroy their concept and traditional of Islam because the system of education lead to workers and students work in one place and that against their believe.
To evaluate the development in Saudi Arabia whether achieve high level of sustainable development or not is essentially to compare its achievements with other countries have the same conditions and resources in the same region. For instance, any visitor to United Arab Emirates especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi can observe that the level of development in all aspects such as education, healthcare, justice, modern cities, human right and safety on building and roads. However, that might belong to this country was colony and that help them to draw plans for development. Also, the size of Emirate is small and population is low by comparing with size and population in Saudi. Moreover, development projects in Emirates do not need approval from religion institution that lead to rapid implementation of these projects.
Conclusion:
Whereas reason for writing this essay is to analysis the impacts of Islamic laws (shariah) on sustainable development in Saudi Arabia. Shariah laws do not clash with sustainable development but planners and developers have to understand the theory and requirement of Islamic society. Shariah emphasizes of using resources fairly and distribute it equally that are essential in sustainable development. Also, shariah laws prohibited moral and financial corruption and they consider a big sin in Islamic religion. Moreover, the Islam encourages education and keen for new knowledge and build the society in high standard of living and fight against injustice and poverty. All these factors are essential for sustainable development which Saudi government should consider it whilst making any plans of developing country.
In recent years, Saudi government has launched new programs of education. There more than 50000 Saudi students around the world for studying high education. Also, they have plane to build more than 30 university in next five years in high standard of technology for meeting an increase of demand on high education in labor market (Ministry of High Education Saudi Arabia. 2010). These planes to reach their aims should attain the agreement from religion institution and suitable for Muslim society to avoid their protested.
Reference;
Al-Gindan. Yussuf. M. "Undergraduate curriculum reform in Saudi medical school". Saudi Medical Journal. Vol. 21(4).324-326. 2000
http://www.smj.org.sa/PDFFiles/Apr00/Undergraduate.pdf. (accessed 20/07/2010)
Alshuwaikat. Habib M, "GLS-based urban sustainability assessment: the case of Dammam city, Saudi Arabia" Local Environment, Vol 11, issue 2 April 2006.
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a743780101(Accessed 20/07/2010)
Doumato. Eleanor Abdella, " Women and work in Saudi Arabia: How flexible are Islamic Margins?, Middle East journal. Vol.53. No.4, Autumn 1999.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/4329391. (accessed 20/07/2010).
Eban Salah. Mohammad Abdullah, "The impact of Islamic and customary laws on urban form development in Southwestern in Saudi Arabia". Habitat International. Vol 22 Issue 4. 1998
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V9H-3VR0CNW-G&_user=10&_coverDate=12/31/1998&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1386112455&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1e5d8eb02a013a737c0728966bc5ccbb. (Accessed 20/07/2010)
Hijazi. N, Abalkhail. B, Seaton. A, " Asthma and respiratory symptoms in urban and rural in Saudi Arabia". European respiratory Journal, 1998.
http://www.ersj.org.uk/content/12/1/41.full.pdf+html. (accessed 20/07/2010).
http://www.alarabiya.net. (Accessed 20/07/2010)
Not focused enough on sustainable dev. Sort bibliography.
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