Living Peaceful Coexistence in Oman

Mohammed Said al Mamari

Advisor, Minister’s Office

Ministry of Endowments

and Religious Affairs, Muscat

 

Whenever people find out that I am from Oman, I have been asked the following questions:

What makes Oman special? Why don’t we hear much about Oman in the news or social media?

     To answer these questions one has to look into the specific values, traditions and political visions of the Sultanate of Oman.

     In this one world, where people of different backgrounds, ethnicity, cultures and religions are living together, where societies have become multicultural and full of diversity, establishing harmony has become crucial, and fostering peaceful coexistence has become vital.

     In October 2003, H.E. Mr. Yousef Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah, the Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, addressed his speech to the 58th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, in which he stated the importance to conduct efforts “in the service of humanity and for the safety and security of the international community”. He stated:

     “Security and stability are a blessing. Under this blessing peoples can devote all their time and energy to building and development in all areas of life, and direct all their moral and material resources to create prosperity and advancement. That is why one of the most important duties of the state is to guarantee security and stability so that their peoples may live and have the peace of mind to be able to work, produce, build and reconstruct. But if security is disturbed and stability is shaken, what will ensue will be chaos and destruction.”

     Without peaceful coexistence the lasting peace of nations cannot be preserved, and a common ground between people cannot be established.

     Lack of coexistence leads the way to violence, and it destroys the peace and stability of mankind. When people or even nations fail in their dialogue they become intolerant, and then they use force and aggression to support their opinion.

     The Middle East is faced with many challenges: political, economic, social and religious. These challenges must not cause us to react with anger but with ambition. This region has exported one of the great world religions which to this day has shaped the values, choices and habits of millions of people. This region should now construct and promulgate a global paradigm for peace.

     For thousands of years Omanis have traded in peace with other cultures. Politically Oman has open and trusted relationships with all countries, including those further afield: in Europe, North America, Africa and the Far East. This makes Oman the ideal standard bearer of the message calling for mutual understanding.

Mirren Gidda, a reporter covering terrorism, crime and security for Newsweek International, wrote:

     “Oman has managed to stay out of disputes, maintaining good relationships with Western allies and other Middle Eastern countries, including Iran. And it has managed to fend off threats from ISIS and other extremist groups. In 2015, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence at London’s King’s College found that not a single Omani had joined the more than 20,000 foreign fighters battling alongside ISIS.”

(https://www.newsweek.com/2017/02/10/oman-sultanqaboos-terrorism-isis-al-qaeda-548682.html)

She added:

     “The country’s efforts at staying out of the region’s wars have paid off. In November, the Sydney-based Institute for Economics and Peace released its annual Global Terrorism Index, which assesses the impact of terrorism on 163 countries on a scale of zero to 10. Just 34 countries scored zero. Oman was the only country in the Middle East among that grouping. (The U.S.’s and the U.K.’s scores hovered around 5.0.)” (https://www.newsweek. com/2017/02/10/oman-sultan-qaboos-terrorism-isis-alqaeda- 548682.html)

     The Sultanate is effectively handling all that is related to terrorism and sectarian intolerance. The Sultanate ratified the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism in 2011 and has set up a system for fighting money laundering and terrorist financing in 2002 in accordance with a Royal Decree.

     The philosophy of Islam is based on principles of religious tolerance and the avoidance of violence and conflict. Other religious views or models of interpretation must be respected. Prayers in the mosques throughout the country are conducted with Sunnis and Shiites side by side with Ibadhis. Sunnis and Shiites have always lived in harmony and accord with the Ibadhis, who have always been and continue to be the majority in Oman. The communal prayer to God knows no theological disputes. Everyone must answer for himself before God.

     The Basic Law of the State issued on 6th November 1996 and comprising 81 articles lays down a legal framework of reference governing the functions of the different authorities and separating their powers. It also affords safeguards to guarantee the freedom, dignity and rights of the individual. This historic document sets out Oman‘s system of government and the guiding principles behind the state‘s policies and also details public rights and duties. Regarding coexistence, many articles in the Basic Law guarantee it, such as:

Article (10)

The Political Principles:

Reinforcing ties of cooperation and reaffirming friendly relations with all states and nations on the basis of mutual respect, common interest, non-interference in the internal affairs and adherence to the international and regional charters and treaties and the generally recognized principles of international law conducive to the advancement of peace and security among states and nations.

 

Article (12)

The Social Principles

Justice, equality, and equal opportunities between Omanis are pillars of the Society guaranteed by the State. Collaboration and compassion are intimate bonds amongst the Citizens. The reinforcement of the national unity is a duty. The State shall prevent anything that might lead to division, discord or disruption of the national unity.

 

Article (17)

All Citizens are equal before the Law and share the same public rights and duties. There shall be no discrimination amongst them on the ground of gender, origin, colour, language, religion, sect, domicile, or social status.

 

Article (18)

Personal freedom is guaranteed according to the Law, and it is not permissible to arrest a person, search, detain, imprison, subject to residence detention, or restrict his freedom of residency or movement except in accordance with the provisions of the Law.

Article (35)

Every foreigner who is legally present in the Sultanate shall enjoy protection for himself and his property in accordance with the Law. He shall observe the values of the Society and respect the traditions and sentiments thereof.

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     There is nothing better than to spread messages of goodwill to all people. It is our strong belief that peace and stability can only be realised today in any society through dialogue and understanding. And we sincerely believe that by working together, we can achieve the goals of religious acceptance and peaceful coexistence, as stated by H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Salmi, Minister responsible for Endowments and Religious Affairs. He says:

     “We have three population groups on earth: the first, consisting of Christians, Jews and Muslims, who believe in one God and a holy book; the second, atheists, who have lost all confidence in religion; and the third group, representing a variety of religious and spiritual ideas. We endeavour to maintain a constructive and genuine dialogue with scholars and representatives of all these groups.”

     “The aim of the exchange is to reflect on the foundations of our thinking, a common morality and a common sense of justice. For only when we are aware of these similarities and they form a basis for our actions, while accepting cultural differences, will we and our children enjoy a peaceful future.”

     The Sultanate of Oman has been sharing its peaceful philosophy at home and abroad for centuries. Oman‘s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs has been promoting dialogue among nations for decades with initiatives like the Oman International Jurisprudence Conferences, which focus only on the similarities within the Islamic schools of thoughts. More than 20 conferences in the last 25 years have been organized. The Al-Tafahom magazine, a quarterly Islamic intellectual review, is published by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs and distributed in the Arab and Islamic worlds. The first issue was published in the winter of 2003. It contains academic articles by and for writers all over the world and from various intellectual orientations. It highlights the moderate trend in Islam in order to foster mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence on a global scale.

     The Sultanate launched the exhibition “Tolerance, Understanding, Coexistence: Oman’s Message of Islam” in 2010 as one part of its comprehensive approach promoting these values. This was not a public relation campaign but a continuation of Oman’s long-standing tradition of conducting dialogue and commerce with diverse communities and cultures.

This exhibition has appeared in 125 cities in 37 countries since its inception in 2010. During the last ten years an international team has built a unique worldwide network, reaching almost all levels of society.

The 24 panels in this exhibition present aspects of a modern Arab country, and offers the visitor insights into the practice of Islam in daily life, an examination of contemporary Omani society and the role of women in society. The panels also highlight the long-standing tradition of peaceful coexistence between different faiths and ethnic communities, as evidenced by traveler’s reports over the centuries.

 

To conclude, it is important to emphasise the following points:

■ The peaceful coexistence in Oman has come about as a result of the mixture of a moderate yet orthodox interpretation of the religion, effective laws which guarantee and protect religious freedom, and the political will and effectiveness in dealing with terrorism and sectarian intolerance. The Omanis have consistently focused on building the nation while avoiding conflict and strife both at home and abroad.

■ The attitudes of Omanis towards other peoples is due to the centuries-old traditions of tolerance and acceptance of other cultures and belief systems. Omanis adhere to their own beliefs while at the same time treating others with respect.

■ The initiatives of the last decades are a necessary response to the effects on society of globalization. The teachings and traditional messages carried forward from Oman‘s past are diluted nowadays by modern media and are not reaching the younger generations. The custodians of Oman‘s traditions are now using new methods to inculcate old values.

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Mohamed Said Al-Mamari

is from Oman, has studied in the UK and Germany, and has a multicultural background. He has visited more than 60 countries, continues to accomplish his mission to support people in understanding each other and working together to build lasting peace. Al-Mamari is convinced that Tolerance can not be sustainable without strong mutual respect and open dialogue among people. Therefore, for many years he organized several initiatives and projects to enhance the Common Values which are shared by human beings. He works as Scientific Advisor to The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Oman, and is director of the global project “Tolerance, Understanding, Coexistence: Oman’s Message of Islam.”

 

 

Reference:

Living Peaceful Coexistence in Oman, by: Mohammed Said al Mamari . Towards United Values, Case Study Oman, page: 73-79