حقوق النشر محفوظة Copyrights جامعة السلطان قابوس Sultan Qaboos University مركز تقنيات التعليم Center for Educational Technology
The video presents a lecture on the themes of belonging, loyalty, and citizenship, focusing on the context of Oman. It explores the significance of genuine belonging and the dangers of tribalism, racism, and sectarianism in society. The speaker emphasizes the necessity of a collective identity that transcends individual affiliations for societal progress.
Intellectual and Emotional Connection
Impact of Belonging
Intrinsic Desire
Behavior and Action
Types of Dangerous Affiliations
Historical Context
Potential for Positive Influence
Misinterpretation as a Danger
Consequences of Narrow Affiliations
Societal Impact
"True belonging must have fruitful and positive results."
"The great danger arises when personal interpretations are presented in religion."
The lecture serves as a call to action for individuals to embrace a sense of belonging that fosters unity, societal progress, and a collective identity. The dangers posed by tribalism, racism, and sectarianism are highlighted as critical issues that need addressing to ensure stability and development within societies, particularly in the context of Oman. The emphasis on intrinsic desire, meaningful action, and the holistic understanding of belonging is crucial for the formation of a cohesive community that can thrive amidst diversity.
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. My dear students, may God bless you and guide you on the path of righteousness and success. God willing, today we will begin explaining the chapter on loyalty and belonging from the book "Oman: The State and the People." I will tell you about a time when Ali was kidnapped, Ali and his companions were all kidnapped. They couldn't find a grain of bread, nothing but a day to plant in the desert. Our hands were from the palm trees, and we were stumbling and suffering. We will begin, God willing, with the definition of belonging. What is belonging? When we talk about belonging, what do we mean by this term? Belonging is an intellectual and emotional connection to an idea, a group, or a nation. Belonging does not stop at an intellectual or emotional connection, but rather it must generate a positive, effective, and constructive will and behavior by the member, leading to positive and constructive results on the ground. Without this, belonging is not true belonging. True belonging must have fruitful and positive results. Effective results benefit him first, and then society and the entire nation. The achievements realized on the land of Oman in various fields are a source of pride and honor. We look forward to continuing the blessed renaissance with greater will and determination. This will only be achieved through concerted and integrated efforts for the benefit of all. What are the results of belonging? What are the results of genuine belonging? Good belonging has several types and levels. Good belonging is a will, because belonging is only achieved through the intrinsic desire that settles and springs from within the individual. It springs from within the individual and is accomplished through personal satisfaction and free conviction. There can never be belonging without this will. This is the first point. Secondly, belonging is behavior and action, because true belonging drives its possessor to meaningful action through which he expresses his belonging, expresses his genuine belonging, and declares himself through this civilized, balanced, and refined behavior that he practices to distinguish himself from others and to achieve for himself what he believes in and is convinced of. Behavior, whether explicitly stated or not, is a form of self-promotion and advertising to others. There are, dear students, various types of affiliations that the twentieth century witnessed. These affiliations have bequeathed many human societies numerous dangers that have affected their stability and hindered their progress. These affiliations have been able to undermine their stability and advancement. Among the most dangerous of these affiliations are tribalism and racism. Some may think that these affiliations have become a thing of the past, but the truth is that many tribal affiliations occurred at the end of the twentieth century. The twentieth century witnessed progress in human rights, respect for them, and the elevation of their characteristics, but these dangerous affiliations, unfortunately, swept away everything in their path, violating and destroying stability. Why? Because they were not affiliations that encompassed all components and elements of society, but rather affiliations of a particular group. This group then used its tribal affiliation and its declared racism to dominate the various components of society, seeing them only as scattered fragments. This was a harbinger of things to come. This is a harbinger of doom for the stability and progress of societies. At the end of the twentieth century, we observe the century of civilization, urbanization, and human rights. Yet, despite this, the twentieth century witnessed immense and dangerous massacres based on tribal and racial affiliations, and on the perceived superiority and distinction of those belonging to their tribe or ethnic group over the rest of society. These societies ultimately suffered cultural and developmental ruin. All of this occurred because they abolished the highest, noblest, and most civilized form of belonging: belonging to the homeland, not to a tribe, an ethnic group, or a specific sect that considers itself superior to others based on its perceived uniqueness. This sense of superiority crushes the rest of society. Among the dangers of other affiliations is religious affiliation. Here, we must clarify an important point: religious affiliation is not inherently dangerous to individuals or societies. On the contrary, God revealed religion so that people could live in peace, security, and stability. God Almighty says in the Holy Quran, "And We made you into nations and tribes." And his tribes, that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you. But the great danger arises when personal interpretations are presented in religion. Here, the level of understanding drops, and thus religion becomes a personal objective, or behind it, an economic objective, or behind it, a political objective, and not a purely religious objective aimed at uniting members of society on higher goals and noble ideals. How much have we witnessed and read in the last century, or in this twentieth century, of religious conflicts that are in reality personal interpretations, not religious conflicts, but rather the banner of religion is raised for purposes, and it is the same person who raises this banner who is innocent of it. How much blood has been shed, and how much has the image of religion been distorted for purposes and whims that have no relation whatsoever to the matter of religion, and which stem from the dangerous sectarian affiliation in which religion is exploited for self-interests. Sectarian affiliation and tribal affiliation, again, are not a fault, but they become a scourge on society when they are mobilized The followers believe that these sectarian or doctrinal views are the truth, and that anything beyond them is falsehood. They believe that these views are the only ones that should be followed, and all others should be destroyed. They believe that their views alone represent the truth, that they alone possess the truth, and that they alone are the source of divine revelation. Based on this narrow, personal, and doctrinal affiliation— which aims to mobilize followers and achieve self-interest rather than societal, national, or spiritual and material development— fierce and sometimes bloody conflicts erupt against other sects and schools of thought. Sadly, society becomes defined only by bloodshed and the harming of others, and its defining characteristics become corruption and the spread of corruption.
