Saudi Rides the Retail Boom

by Vivian Salama

The National

Just a few minutes walk from the Great Mosque of Haram, a shiny new mall will soon open, featuring the likes of Tiffany and TopShop.

To many, this is just another example of rampant globalisation. To others, it is a simple business opportunity.

Brands as diverse as Hugo Boss and Juicy Couture are jostling for a foothold in Saudi Arabia, leaving the kingdom caught in a dilemma between commerce and reverence.

“Some people see it as McDonaldising the world, putting a KFC or a Starbucks a few metres from [Masjid] al Haram, but we are traders and for us, Saudi Arabia offers a great opportunity,” said Khalid al Sehaibany, the leasing director for Mohammad al Habib, a Riyadh-based developer.

As the religious centre for 1.2 billion Muslims and home to over 20 per cent of the world’s proven petroleum reserves, Saudi Arabia has long trod a fine line between its desire for prosperity and attachment to tradition.

Now the kingdom is striving to foster an improved business climate as, like many oil-producing countries, it seeks to decrease its oil dependency. As with other GCC countries, retail has the potential to become a significant contributor to the economy.

While much attention has been focused on the UAE, analysts say that Saudi Arabia is on its way to becoming a regional retail leader. Worth US$6 billion (Dh22bn), the sector in Saudi Arabia holds second place regionally after Dubai’s.

Some seven million square metres of new retail space are due for completion in the kingdom by 2010. Fuelled by these projects and a rapid population growth, sales are forecast to increase at a healthy five per cent per year until the end of 2012.

“This is a country with a lot of potential,” said Naeem Ghafoor, the chief executive of Skyline Retail Services. “The people have money, are well travelled and well cultured.”

As in most countries in the region, malls function as entertainment centres, providing people of all ages with a safe and culturally acceptable gathering place. The retailers reap the benefit of this guaranteed footfall. However, the enormous spending power of Saudi Arabia’s 21 million citizens is the real force behind the sector’s massive potential.

“Saudi consumers have the strongest purchasing power in the GCC,” said Mr Sehaibany. “They have money and they like to shop. What more can the [retailers] ask?”

According to government estimates, the average Saudi per capita income has grown 10.6 times, from about 5,083 Saudi riyals (Dh4,978 ) in 1971 to about 55,216 riyals in 2006. As a result, the kingdom finds itself in a mad rush to meet the demand for bigger and better residential complexes and shopping centres.

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Greater Need for Halal Marketing

 

by Vivian Salama

The National

ABU DHABI // A sign on display at the Burger King in the capital’s Al Wahda Mall answers a question more and more customers are asking. “We sell only halal products,” the sign reads. 

Catering to the world’s fastest growing religion of about 1.4 billion people, the rapidly growing halal industry, worth an estimated Dh7.7 trillion (US$2.1 trillion), has broadened in scope in recent years to include everything from food to Islamic fashion and textiles, as well as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and even Islamic finance.

Research conducted by Brand Union has found that 70 per cent of Muslims worldwide follow halal standards to some degree. It is therefore no surprise that the industry could easily account for 20 per cent of world trade in food products by 2025, according to the Canadian government’s Agri-Food Trade Service.

However, the implementation of halal standards have suffered a major setback rooted in the global dispute over what qualifies for the designation.

“There are 192 countries under the United Nations banner and there are that many variations of halal,” said Muhammed Munir Chaudry, the president of the Chicago-based Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA). 

Pamela Pike, a spokeswoman with the Halal Exchange, an international e-commerce business that assists with the online halal trade, said many governments, including the UAE, Turkey, Malaysia and the GCC, as well as halal certification bodies, had attempted to set standards for the industry.

“For the consumers this diligence and structure will be beneficial as it will boost their ability to buy halal with confidence.” 

While most countries in the Middle East and North Africa regard almost all Sharia-compliant products as halal, countries in South and South East Asia limit this designation to food products, following the teachings of Malaysia, a global leader in halal food production.

The UAE has never required businesses to label halal products.

Thus, the push to adopt a global halal trademark is being received with mixed responses. 

“Some of the larger companies, feel like their business will suffer if they put a logo on because some other customers will not like it or they will think that before, your product was not halal,” said Dr Chaudry. “They are afraid of a backlash.”

Industry analysts say that businesses will capitalise far more from this growing industry if retailers and manufacturers put greater effort into branding and marketing their halal products.

“It boils down to gaining the confidence of consumers,” said Duncan James, the strategy director at Brand Union. 

Analysts say Islamic banking, which earns between Dh734 billion and Dh1.84 trillion annually, has been the most active of the non-food sectors in promoting its Sharia compliance, launching many programmes worldwide in line with Islamic guidelines. 

For example, in 1998, HSBC launched its Islamic “Amanah” programme – the Arabic word for safety – making up one of the largest Islamic banking teams of any international bank.

The programme does not just cater to those in the Muslim world, but rather, was marketed as a financial option for those in Europe and the Americas looking for a reputable sharia-compliant bank. Similarly, Barclays introduced “Sharia compliant accounts” in keeping with Islamic standards.

Another active sector looking to boost its portfolio with Sharia-compliant products is the cosmetics industry, worth an estimated Dh2.06bn worldwide. Brands such as ACTIValoe, Sunbreeze and Kandesn have already earned the approval of the IFANCA and various other halal certification boards.

According to Mr James, several industries in the region could do more to capitalise on the halal brand. For one, he suggested the launch of a halal airline, similar to that launched by the Vatican and Italy’s Mistral Air last year, to transport pilgrims to holy sites. “Such an airline could provide halal food, calls to prayer, copies of the Quran in seat pockets, religious programmes on the in-flight entertainment system and separate sections for male and female passengers,” he said.

A similarly ripe industry, according to Mr James, is halal hospitality, particularly women-only hotels, to permit Muslim women to book rooms without a male guarantor, as is required in Saudi Arabia. At this week’s Arabian Hotel Investment Conference, Abdulla Mohamed Almulla, the chairman of the Dubai-based Almulla Hospitality, is due to reveal the details of his $2bn scheme to develop an Islamic-compliant hotel brand portfolio.

“There may even be opportunities for malls to brand themselves as all-halal in the region,” speculated Mr James. “There are so many retail opportunities out there that no one has really taken advantage of.”

Capitalism, the Dubai way…

Just back to Abu Dhabi after spending 2 days in Dubai.  Spent a few hours strolling around the colossal Mall of the Emirates which, for those who don’t know, actually has an indoor ski resort.  Stand in one spot and you see a Seattle Coffee, Starbucks, Gap and French Connection — each place backed with blonde-haired foreigners speaking nearly half a dozen languages.  You can easily forget that you are in the Arab world…. that is, until prayer time.  I was absolutely flabbergasted when, without warning, the call to prayer echoed through the mall on internal loudspeakers…. just when it was starting to feel like Kansas.

 

 

Can Hamas be Ignored?

by Vivian Salama

Middle East Times

Middle East author and historian Rashid Khalidi offered the following forecast for Tuesday’s peace gathering in Annapolis, “Cloudy with rain and a chance of storms.” He added, “That’s been the Middle East forecast for decades.”

The media has been criticized for its relentless skepticism of the “get together” – as one White House official described it – taking place in Maryland this week. For many, this multilateral gathering of more than two dozen delegations to discuss the Palestinian-Israeli issue is merely history repeating itself. In 2000, just as President Clinton was preparing to leave office, he invited the then-embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and his beleaguered Palestinian counterpart Yasser Arafat together at Camp David to negotiate a final settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Seven years later, a politically besieged President George W. Bush has invited Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas – both of whom are fighting to stay for political survival – to make long overdue concessions and revitalize final status talks. Photo-ops and cliché catch phrases like “Road Map to Peace” will not undo the decades of damage this conflict has inflicted upon both sides. Israel’s Prime Minster Olmert has lost considerable support in Israel following his futile military campaign against Hezbollah in the summer of 2006. President Abbas comes to the table representing a government that was not democratically elected by the majority of Palestinians, and so by attending the meeting – all the while further alienating Hamas which essentially rules over Gaza – he may be doing himself more harm than good.

Meanwhile, since September 11, 2001, the Bush administration has been preoccupied with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the greater War on Terrorism, all the while neglecting this conflict which continues to be a source, if not a consistent grievance for much of the Middle East and the Muslim world. The War on Terrorism ultimately amounts to a war of ideas. To win the war of ideas, the U.S. must take genuine steps toward solving the Arab-Israeli conflict. That’s where Annapolis comes in.

British-Arab historian Albert Habib Hourani wrote shortly into the Suez Crisis of 1956 that “[He] who rules the Near East rules the world; and he who has interest in the world is bound to concern itself with the Near East.” With just over one year left on the clock, the administration, led by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, has put considerable time and energy in recent months into assuring both sides that it is committed to finding a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. How the Bush administration intends to help foster the creation of a Palestinian state when neither the United States nor Israel recognize Hamas – elected democratically by the Palestinian people in January 2006 – has yet to be determined.

Much of the talk leading up to this meeting has revolved around the idea of concessions. Such a compromise would include full Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank with the exception of a few areas amounting to minor border tweaks. Control of the city of Jerusalem would be shared along ethnic lines with commitments from both sides to strive for peaceful coexistence.

A positive aspect to staging the Annapolis gathering at this particular time is that the stakes are high for all the major players involved. The Bush administration, desperate to establish any kind of credibility in the region, knows that the road to fixing the diplomatic disaster created in Iraq runs through Jerusalem. Also, many Israelis, tired of the same old tug-of-war that has dictated the conflict, are pressing for the old “land for peace” notion that has popped up repeatedly in various peace processes involving Israel. Abbas and his Fatah party understand that a failure to achieve a final settlement for the majority of Palestinians will undermine the credibility he is struggling to retain in the face of Hamas. More poignant is that the United States and Israel understand this too.

Ultimately it is not what comes out of the meeting in Annapolis that will be telling, but rather, what is to follow. If the meeting can jump start a series of talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis, then hope is not lost. However, it is unrealistic to think that anything will be accomplished so long as the parties involved continue to isolate Hamas.

The new world order: Islam as an equal

My pal, and fellow PostGlobal panelist, Ali Ettefagh in Tehran sent me the following article today.  Militarily, the Islamic world will not – at least not for a very long time – match the power of the United States.  However, there comes a point when through the simple policy of resistence and nonalignment, a Muslim leader like Musharraf can seriously stick American policy between a rock and a hard spot. 

The New World Order: Islam as an Equal

by Peregrine Worsthorne

For about 100 years, the British took it absolutely for granted that they had a God-given right to tell the American colonists how to conduct their own affairs.

Then, quite out of the blue – to the utter amazement of the British – the Americans started, quite literally, to shoot the British soldiers rather than continue accepting their orders. What had seemed perfectly normal before was suddenly transformed into an intolerable affront.

I was remembering this last week after reading about how President Bush had telephoned President Musharraf to tell him to hold an election… or else. By the standards of the last 50 years, this was par for the course – part of what had become a natural post-war internationalist order. No longer. Something profound has changed; even to my old imperialist ears Bush’s command sounded like the most stupendous cheek; and how it must play in the Islamic world defies description. This does not mean democracy has necessarily lost its charms; only that America has.

In the case of the American Revolution it took a bitter war before the English learnt their lesson – no more royal ordering about; no more assumptions of superiority. An equal relationship, once out of the question, was henceforth to be the order of the day.

A cosmic shift of something of the same order, I believe, is now happening between the West and the Islamic world. Rather as the very idea of an English monarch bossing the Americans around has become unthinkable, so has the very idea of an American president bullying the leaders of Islam. It has become part of a vanished world. Not yet in the mind of George Bush, for sure. But then George III, too, was a slow learner.

 

Afghans are not allowed to serve alcoholic drinks

I’ve been growing increasingly interested in Afghanistan lately – perhaps even as a destination for future assignments.  I recently stumbled upon this great blog called Afghan LORD and this particular entry written on August 2, 2007 struck a chord with me.  I experienced similar treatment in Egypt during Ramadan – a time when anyone Arab/Middle Eastern (Christian or Muslim) is not allowed to drink.  I would often accompany my fellow expats to the various bars and restaurants around Cairo, but during Ramadan, would be forced to carry my passport to prove I am an American citizen.  The bottom line is, it’s the law of the land – but I understand how frustrating the experience below must have been for him.  I can only assume that the situation may have improved slightly since the fall of the Taliban.  (Although let’s be honest, the Taliban are still very much a part of life in Afghanistan!)

——-

A few days ago I was invited by a friend of mine to have dinner together in one of the foreign Restaurants in Kabul. He met a German and an Afghan-German friend there. We installed ourselves at the table. After a while, my friend ordered two beers but unexpectedly a muscle-man appeared in front of us in a harsh tone and asked me for my passport. I told him that I am Afghan, precisely the land he is now in. He started talking strictly to me: You are not allowed to drink alcohol in this restaurant!

Why? I asked him

Because we are not allowed to serve you alcoholic drinks.

On my left hand, the Afghan-German, a doctor, had also been asked for his passport. He was angry about it. For a few seconds he quarreled with his German counterpart. As I understood it he was telling him: ‘this is my land, this is my land, no one has the right to ask me as an Afghan how I should behave about this.’ They finished quarreling, but I got tense. How is it possible that in your own country you don’t have your freedom. Not only for me but for all other Afghans, I thought.

Foreigners here have a lot of luxury facilities and expensive cars while outside of these restaurants hundreds of human beings are suffering on the streets, begging, asking for food. Some time foreigners are accompanied by a number of security guards, blocking the roads and driving over 100 miles/hour. Some, in very fashioned restaurants drink Champagne, smoking marijuana and narcotics. They are allowed to do so, but the Afghans are not allowed to enter, to drink, to spend time there. I am seeing that some of the foreigners only work for themselves, they brought facilities in here for themselves; not to help Afghans. They take the money they make back out of Afghanistan..

I feel frustrated when facing with such a phenomenon. No one seems to trust us. A considerable number of aid workers come to our land, but they can’t understand our feelings. It was so frustrating while the muscle-man rudely told me I am not allowed to drink. The way it happened also is a thing you would not do in our culture, even if we have different codes, which in need can be flexible also. These day there are dozens of foreign restaurants, hotels, discos and prostitution houses in Kabul, for the foreigners, who call themselves ‘ex pats’ (for ex-patriots).

The Importance and Unimportance of Bin Laden Videos

My academic thesis focuses on questions like this one.  The release of a new Osama bin Laden video commemorating the 6th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks is raising questions as to the significance of such videos.  – VS

 

Left, Osama bin Laden in an a video broadcast in 2004. Right, he appears in a recent banner advertisement on an Islamic militant Web site.

Counterterrorism Blog

By Douglas Farah

Click here for the Counterterrorism Blog

There is an interesting debate ongoing over whether the mass media, and particularly Arab-language television, should broadcast and assign great importance to the videos of al Qaeda leaders, particularly Osama bin Laden.

Do the broadcasts help create a mystique around a cult figure that inspires those who want to participate in the broader al Qaeda project, even on an ad hoc basis? Or are such broadcasts necessary for the general public to see and understand al Qaeda, to understand the enemy more clearly? Or both, and does it make any difference?

I think it is both, and that in the Internet age it matters little what is broadcast on air. Those who want to access the entire speech will be able to do so in a matter of hours, can download and forward it with great speed and efficiency. If there are hidden messages to followers, keeping the broadcasts off the air are hardly likely to be a deterrent or keep the message from getting through.

Broadcasting bin Laden’s speeches, in whole or in part, are far less dangerous than the radical, hate-filled sermons that fill many mosques in London every week, as the Times of London documents.

My full blog is here.September 7, 2007 01:32 PM    Print

Embattled Arabic School Set to Open in Sept.

By Vivian Salama

Forward Magazine  

NEW YORK – With only days until school bells around the United States signal the start of the 2007-2008 school year, much attention will be focused on one particular school in Brooklyn, New York. 

In so many ways, the Khalil Gibran International Academy (KGIA) is like any of its neighboring schools: it teaches math and science; physical education and art.  However, this middle school has introduced a curriculum with a feature unique to any other school in New York: Arabic language and culture.

In this city of 22 million, there are numerous schools focusing on particular themes, though few have generated as much controversy.  Even before a single student was enrolled, labels such as “public madrassa,” “segregationist,” and “jihadi” were associated with the school.  

Named after famed Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran, the school would be one of few across the United States that incorporates the Arabic language into its curriculum.  It joins 70 other dual-language programs, including Spanish, Chinese, Haitian-Creole and Russian, which already exist in New York City. The school’s advisory board is comprised of a diverse range of people from all walks of life, including three rabbis.  Currently 44 students of Middle Eastern descent are enrolled to begin classes in this month. 

Designated to the post of principal of this controversial school was 39-year old Debbie (Dhabah) Almontaser, a Yemeni-American veteran of the New York City public school system.  Having worked to bridge some of the cultural gaps that developed following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Almontaser fiercely defended the Khalil Gibran School saying it was in line with the basic public school requirements for grades 6 through 12. 

Then controversy came knocking on Almontaser’s door.  At a press conference last month in New York, Almontaser defended t-shirts linked to her work on which there was a printed message reading “Intifada NYC.”  Behind the t-shirt is an organization called the Arab Women Active in Art and Media (AWAAM) which printed the t-shirts as a show of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.  Sharing office space with AWAAM is the Saba Association of American Yemenis.  Almontaser is on the Saba board.

When questioned about the t-shirts, Almontaser explained that the Arabic word “Intifada,” literally means “shaking off.”  When further questioned a day later, she took back the comment, but the damage was done.  The president of New York City’s United Federation of Teachers slammed Almontaser for making comments she deemed inflammatory in a sensitive post-September 11th era.  In a statement made to the New York Post, UFT President Randi Weingarten explained “I’m very concerned about it…it’s not OK to explain away ‘Intifada,’ ” she said. “Maybe this was just a real error in judgment for which she has now apologized, or maybe, ultimately, she should not be a principal.”

Sure enough, it was only a matter of days before Almontaser stepped down.  Mounting pressure was not enough to close the school down but it was more than enough to dissuade Almontaser from assuming the role as principal of the academy.

“This morning I tendered my resignation to Chancellor Klein, which he accepted,” Almontaser said in a statement, referring to New York Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. “I became convinced yesterday that this week’s headlines were endangering the viability of Khalil Gibran International Academy, even though I apologized.”

The saga did not end there.

Within days of Almontaser’s resignation, the New York Department of Education announced that it had selected an interim principal to replace her.  To take her place is Danielle Salzberg, a woman raised as an Orthodox Jew.  All in all, the seemingly forced resignation of Almontaser coupled with the selection of Salzberg, a longtime educator at the nonprofit New Visions for Public Schools in New York, has been viewed by many as a victory for a faction of the Jewish community that had waged a months-long battle against the school.

         On August 20, some 200 protesters gathered in front of the headquarters of New York’s Department of Education calling for the reinstatement of Almontaser.  Their sentiments were expressed in a New York Daily News editorial written by Egyptian writer Mona Eltahawy.  She wrote, “In any language, a witch hunt is what led Debbie Almontaser to step down as principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy,” adding, “New York is not as free of hate and racism as I once thought.”

Still plenty of critics continue to speak out against the school, saying that it risks opening the door to extremist Islamic thought.  Conservative American commentator Daniel Pipes wrote on his blog danielpipes.org: “”In principle it is a great idea _ the United States needs more Arabic-speakers. In practice, however, Arabic instruction is heavy with Islamist and Arabist overtones and demands.”

In all likelihood, this Brooklyn middle school has not seen the last of controversy, but parents and administrators alike say the priority is providing a stable environment for its young pupils.  In the meantime, the 44 students currently enrolled in the Khalil Gibran International Academy are scheduled to begin classes – as planned – on September 4, 2007.

Today’s Mistakes Matter More Than Partition

Newsweek/Washington Post — PostGlobal Forum

by Vivian Salama

There is no right or wrong answer to whether the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan was a mistake. Were mistakes made? Sure. Are mistakes still being made? Absolutely.

 

The fact remains that for Pakistanis, it is far too dangerous to acknowledge such a question publicly because to question partition is to question the legitimacy of Pakistan (the same goes for Bangladesh). Certainly the younger generations may not have a proper sense of the losses and gains that were suffered by both sides and so any doubts may evaporate with time. It is natural that they feel closer nationalistic ties to modern day Pakistan and not to a greater subcontinent that was bitterly divided over half a century ago. The older generation that witnessed the bloodshed and migration, meanwhile, has good reason to second guess partition given the current political instability.

Like with so many conflicts in history, the partition of India and Pakistan was seen as a way to avoid civil war. Muslims in the now partitioned Punjab, for example, were the most impoverished residents which naturally created a sense of resentment. Many then recognized the opportunity to draw upon the more salient religious identifications as a means of building linkages and drawing distinctions. We mustn’t forget that in much of India prior to 1947, Muslims and Hindus for the most part lived harmoniously (as they do today in most of India) and partition by some was seen more as a precaution to avoid religious marginalization following the colonial exodus.

As for India, one of the headlines in the Times of India last week said it all: “60 and getting sexier.” Three factors contribute to India’s stability: political democracy, military security, and economic development. In fact, there is much that contributes to this ’sex’ appeal India proudly flaunted as it rang in 60 years of independence from British rule. For one thing, it is by and large one of the most successful secular democracies in the world. The country’s economy is growing at 9% (although poverty and malnutrition remain rampant). Meanwhile, India’s ambitious nuclear program (which has received thumbs up from the United States) is an understandable intimidation to Pakistan and so it is no surprise that its neighbor would look to secure its own borders via nuclear proliferation.

In many ways, partition may be viewed as a failure for Pakistan. The Islamic Republic has stumbled both politically and economically over the last 60 years. It lacks a functional democracy and remains one of the poorest countries in the world. It undertook a path that stunted democratic political development. The influential elite had to be incorporated into the political process, which they then manipulated to their benefit. As a result, Pakistan remains a dictatorship and its domestic situation is growing increasingly volatile.

Something worth considering is a comment made by Pakistan’s exiled former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto last week at the Council of Foreign Relations in New York. She noted that Pakistan’s founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah died “a year after Pakistan was founded,” and so Pakistan lacked “a national leader with the authority, the respect to help [it] develop democratic political institutions,” whereas India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who ruled for 17 years “provided the leadership that could help a new nation strengthen its democratic institutions,” Bhutto said.

It is far too difficult to look back on the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan as a mistake; just as it is equally difficult to look ahead and envision a partitioned Iraq, for example. There is too much damage control that needs to be done today and looking back will only further delay things. Pakistan must work to establish political and economic stability on the ground, and India should make a genuine effort to assist its neighbor in this time of turmoil. Otherwise, divided or united, the subcontinent will face even greater challenges to come.

Illegal Abortions Trigger Debate of Law and Ethics

By Vivian Salama

Daily Star Staff

Click here for Daily Star Lebanon link

CAIRO:  “One of my female patients once told me, ‘I have infrequent sex, and I can never guess when – maybe every 40 or 50 days.  So, I just take the pill when I know I am about to have sex,’” recalls Ahmed Ragab, professor of reproductive health at Al-Azhar University. 

            “This is very wrong,” he insists.  “And of course, condoms are not an accepted contraceptive among most married couples, so as a result you find a high level of unwanted pregnancies.” 

            There are no statistics accurately indicating the frequency of abortion in Egypt or anywhere in the Middle East, as it is illegal throughout the region, though the level of tolerance varies both by the society and in the courts.  Doctors across the Middle East confirm, however, that abortion, albeit punishable by law, happens with great frequency, very often, via methods that put the pregnant mother’s health at risk. 

            Variance between the courts and religious community has created a lingering cloud of controversy.  Early last year, Egypt’s highest Islamic authority, Al-Azhar, issued a fatwa saying “it is impermissible for a mother to induce abortion even if is proven that the fetus is deformed or suffers from mental retardation… It is not justifiable.”

“The only difference that erupted between scholars is whether the abortion was intentional, or the woman didn’t know she was pregnant and intentionally did something that would cause an abortion, or someone else harmed her in a way without knowing she is pregnant,” explains Sheikh Safwat Hegazy, Secretary General of Dar El Ansar for Islamic Affairs.  “Even if the pregnancy is a result of adultery, it is prohibited.”

            Religious authorities in Kuwait, on the other hand, ruled at Islamic conferences over the years that abortion under such circumstances is permissible.  However, even among moderates, there is debate.  The central issue among theologians is when a soul enters the embryo.  Whether it is after 120 days, or 80, or as some believe, after 40 days, those accepting abortion argue that it is merely a question of “when?”  

            In Christianity, the issue varies from one denomination to the next.  For Catholics, it is prohibited – the Vatican constantly issuing statements of condemnation against the practice.  Christian Orthodox faiths hold a more lenient view on the issue.  While the church preaches that abortion is against the will of God, it tends to handle matters on a case-by-case basis.

The courts have their own take.  Under legislation set by the Egyptian Court of Cassation, abortion is justified only if the pregnancy and/or delivery pose a high risk to the mother’s health.  If the baby risks serious deformity, the courts will also consider the matter.  The court does not show pity for women impregnated through rape.  Doctors who perform abortions outside these parameters risk up to 10 years imprisonment.  The laws are similar in Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

            “Basically, it’s a conflict of two human rights – the right for every female to control her private life, including the decision of not wanting the baby, and the right to life,” explains Mahmud Moustafa, a Cairo prosecutor.  “Here, we say it is life, so it is killing.  But it is not [murder].  The embryo is alive but not a living person.  It is a legal technicality.  It should be separate from the mother’s body for the baby to be alive.” 

            In the late 1980’s, Al-Ahzar’s Grand Imam at the time, Sheikh Gad El-Haq addressed the issue from two perspectives, the issue of genetic abnormality and rape.  “I asked him, ‘now that we can diagnose some of the genetic abnormalities with 100 percent accuracy, what should we do?’” recalls Ragab.  “He was against it, saying ‘science which today allows you to diagnose genetic abnormalities will allow you in the future to treat these abnormalities.’” 

            Similarly, on the issue of rape, Sheikh Gad advised that Islamic leaders take the children and provide them with proper foster homes and schools, where they are given the chance of a bright future.   

            Regardless of the moral and religious dilemmas, women are receiving abortions daily – and because it’s illegal, women in many cases are going to great lengths to rid their bodies of developing embryos.  Doctors describe a number of methods by which women have punctured their uteruses to induce abortion.  Ragab recalls incidents where hospitals found the stems of molikhaya plants and cotton trees shoved into the patient’s uterus – often the roots were doused in kerosene.   

“In hospitals, you hear of doctors removing matches from the uterus, knitting needles, once I learned a nurse pulled a catheter from the uterus,” Ragab explains.  “We have found as many as 10 tablets of aspirin – their impact on an empty stomach will definitely cause an ulcer.  Yes, these things can kill the embryo, but before killing the embryo, it will damage the health of the mother.” 

Another issue is that illegal abortions tend to be performed in secret.  Often times, the pregnant woman is unmarried, one of the greatest social taboos in Arab culture.  Such occurrences have led to hundreds of honor killings across the region.  Families – as a symbolic undertaking to preserve their honor – kill the unmarried pregnant woman, regardless of how she was impregnated to begin with.  Most modern, educated societies have abolished the practice of honor killing, though family honor is still very much at stake.    

            “Unmarried abortions have certainly increased but in our society, this is seen as unaccepted and extremely sensitive,” explains Tarek Tamara, doctor of gynecology and obstetrics in Cairo.  “A lot of people demanded that I do illegal abortions for them. Patients who come for an illegal abortion usually come in hiding.  Then, when I tell them I do not do it, they try to disappear quickly hoping I will not tell anyone about them.”

            “Except for certain health risks, it is completely illegal to perform abortions, and they teach them this in medical school.  It is a felony – the doctors are aware, hospital administrations are aware,” notes Moustafa.  “The bottom line is we press charges frequently, but not as often as the actual abortions happen.  For every 100 abortions, we might prosecute 20, maybe.” 

            There are other options, despite legal restrictions, such as the morning-after pill which is available over the counter at most regional pharmacies and pills which medically induce abortion, also available at pharmacies.  There are clinical procedures, such as uterus dilatation and curettage, and a suction devise which literally sucks the embryo right out.  These are all happening with great frequency, as the Arab culture has not openly embraced contraceptives such as condoms, and sterilization – vasectomies and hysterectomies – is prohibited by Islam. 

            Ragab describes extreme cases, such as a woman who was impregnated through premarital sex with her cousin and promised marriage only if she aborted the child.  In the fifth month, the woman finally succumbed to her cousin’s request, and had to remove the fetus via cesarean section.  In the end, her cousin abandoned her and married another.  She resorted to getting a hymenography – virginity reborn.    

            “I met in my life many women who justify abortion and see it as a way of life, and even see it as a contraceptive,” Ragab admits.  “Everybody hates abortion, even me.  I don’t call for abortion legalization, but we have to face reality.  Let’s see what the causes of unwanted pregnancy are, and deal with them first.”