National State: Imagining a World Without Narrow Nation States

By Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi

The outcome of the author's experience confirms that what our societies need is to institutionalize and instill the concept of the "National State". We must carry out this process in a nuanced and unprecedented meaning, and move beyond the conventional idea of the nation-state as manifested in the West. The National State is the "State of Citizenship", the State of a legal or social contract between Man and the State; the State that serves its people and realizes their ambitions and aspirations regardless of their background and the State that rules by law.
It is the State where the law governs all its acts with the citizens and where all are equal before the law. It is the State that truly believes that pluralism is a source of strength and that coexistence is a source of inspiration to all who live on its soil. It is a State of neither a particular race, sect, cult nor an ethnic group. It is not a State of a given superior human race over others. As the State of Citizenship and rule of law, it is not at all the State of nationalistic and/ or racist people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Feb 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9789390358236

Book preview

PREFACE

The essence of human existence is a life experience that shapes their awareness, culture, way of thinking and approach towards life, together with their way of handling life with all of its details. People may have control over the shaping of some components of their life experience but, for the most part, they are subject to many factors such as their environment and society they belong to and even the international context of time and place imposed on them.

My fate arranged for me to have comprehensive, rich and diverse experiences that were multidimensional and full of variables. When I explore and recall this experience, I find it distinct in its difficulties, rough in its merits and painful in switchbacks and transitions. I have lived in three different environments in contradictory cultures and studied in many schools and universities that could never be subsumed under one method or system.

I began my education journey in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the scintillating and invigorating moments before the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) dominated over the UAE’s educational institutions. Teachers came from most of the Arab and non-Arab countries that had an established system of education at that time. Then, at the onset of adulthood, I moved to the depths of the conservative American West—called the evangelic or Christian belt—when I joined Portland State University in Oregon for my bachelor’s degree, later completing my higher education from there as well.

I have lived and witnessed university life, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in a US city. This enabled me to experience western culture in depth. However, three major transformations occurred in the Islamic world while I was there. The Iranian Revolution erupted, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and the Great Mosque of Mecca ‘Al Masjid al Haram’ was besieged by Juhaiman al Otaybi. These events marked the beginnings of what is called ‘Sahwa’¹ or the ‘Awakening movement’ in Arabia.

These three major incidents that took place in 1979, when I was studying in the US, represent a tumultuous historical moment of transformation in Muslim contemporary history. In that chapter of my life, while I was still a university student, the MB succeeded in recruiting me. With the enthusiasm of youth, the passion of spirit and the glow of intellect of an energetic young man who lives in a world that is entirely different in details, parameters and contents from his homeland, I allowed the sparkling zeal to ignite my mind and guide it to begin a keen research journey to defend the causes of Arabs and Muslims using the data and parameters of that particular phase.

However, in the thrilling climax of that zeal, I discovered the fragmentation and divisiveness among Muslims. I realised that besides the MB, there were other groups—namely, the ‘Salafi movement’—who speak in the name of Islam and believe that they represent the true and authentic Islam. Then, I discovered another group called the Tablighi Jamaat (literally, society for spreading faith) which says that it serves, stands for and expresses Islam. Because I was dealing in good faith with the two new groups—the Salafi and Tablighi—to serve the causes of Islam and Muslims, the MB leaders in the United States (US) warned me not to approach or contact these two groups and even asked me to tell other youth not to deal with them. At this point, my inner narration began and I wondered why they would warn me of that. Were these two groups not Muslim? Had Almighty Allah not ordered us as Muslims to hold fast to His bond and covenant, to be together and not to scatter?

At that moment, I put some distance between myself and all people who try to set or understand themselves as guardians or speakers on behalf of Islam. I made up my mind to be independent in my thinking and rejected any kind of guardianship or custody on my mind or my will in the name of Islam.

Immediately after I finished my master’s degree, I registered for a PhD at the same institute. Then I returned to the UAE where I applied for the position of a lecturer at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). But since the UAEU was under the control of the MB, they created all possible obstacles to hinder and prevent my appointment for the position even though I met all the requirements. Ultimately, I got the position and this step made me realise how important and relevant the university is as a community component. I also realised why the MB is always keen to control university life, wherever they are.

Because of my family’s circumstances, especially during that period, I started looking for a PhD programme in education in the Gulf region, to be close to the UAE. However, I could not find any options but Al Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University. This experience added new intellectual and cultural dimensions to my life. This new environment and transfer brought a substantial shift in my thinking; a shift from the centre of the conservative white Christian American West, which represents the reservoir of American Christianity, to a different culture in the most famous university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), which symbolises the fortress of the Sahwa Movement—being its shield and starting point. I moved to that popular KSA university and immersed myself in my studies until I obtained the PhD.

The conclusion of this educational, scientific and intellectual experience was that I found myself deeply embedded in two different sides of both world cultures. I combined modern US education with the genuine heritage authenticity of education at Al Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University. Also, I thoroughly and deeply experienced life from within the MB besides exploring and living the ideology of the Sahwa Movement. Then I went back home, to the UAE, where I discovered the real experience that is far away from the ideological slogans, stances or mottos. I returned to my country to take part in building a society and a State that would set an example and represent a window to humanity to achieve its aspirations for hope, happiness, tolerance, coexistence and stability.

I returned to my home country as a lecturer in the UAEU, the first comprehensive national university in the UAE. I worked there and was promoted through each rank of academic service until I first reached the position of chancellor of the UAEU and then that of chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) under Abu Dhabi emirate’s government. I also served in many domestic and international intellectual, academic, scientific, cultural and media positions.

This book came about as an expression and illustration of this exceptional experience in all its varieties and diversities. I modestly present this humble effort before the reader to express a blend of scientific, theoretical and practical experience. The outcome of this experience confirms that what our societies need is to institutionalise and instil the concept of the ‘national state’. We must carry out this process in a new and unprecedented method, as it is not the nation-state as manifested in Western thought. It is the ‘state of citizenship’, the state of a legal contract or social contract between the subject and the state; the state that serves its people and realises their ambitions and aspirations regardless of their background and the state that rules by law. The state where the law