The Inshallahs

I wonder why so many people in the Middle East continue living under social and political conditions, which most people would not choose to accept as living condition. My curiosity for the subject has grown through the years.

My concern to be more concrete is why the Iraqis continued living under the Saddam Hussein's tyranny for such a long time; and why the Saudi Arabians continue accepting the Saudi family as their bosses, and how come the Iranians haven't got rid of the mullahs for a long time ago.

I am fully aware of the complexity of the question I raise. Therefore, I would like to underline that I cannot possibly give a complete and satisfactory answer. The issue is too complex and the human brain too little! Yet I believe it should be allowed to play with some thoughts. It should be allowed to ask and it should be allowed to think. Or not?

I recall very well the day I very politely asked my religion teacher, after he had spend an hour or two on reasoning for God's existence, how I could believe in a god that I can't see with my eyes. The teacher came towards me looking very angry and shocked. He sent me to the principal's office after slapping me hard on my face. Later I was expelled because of what they called it “kind of blasphemy.” Well, as I was under 18 and this was one of the “good” schools in Iran, my father was blamed for not bringing me up in the “right way”.

How dare I could question God Almighty's existence, was what the teacher and the principal could not understand. Why I asked such a question from my religion teacher was what my parents did not understand. Why no one did answer my question was what I did not understand!

Today 15-20 years after this incident I still wonder why it should not be allowed to ask such a simple question and why in fact people are not encouraged to ask. Moreover, why each time does someone question the authority of the authorities s/he is accused of for example blasphemy and sentenced to death or jailed?

Yet, to be executed for one's thoughts and believes is nothing new in human history. Not long, time ago, in the name of god we punished the man who publicly announced that the planet Earth was not the center of the universe and not flat at all.

Lately the political situation for the opposition groups and the ordinary people in Zimbabwe has become intolerable. Robert Mugabe is apparently one of those who does not like someone questioning his authority. In addition, he can be brutal.

However, Mugabe's brutality has not stopped the opposition and people from actively opposing his government. The people have not stopped thinking and questioning the authorities, even though some are killed and their houses burned down. In fact there have been many protest demonstrations in Zimbabwe recently.

On the other hand, there have not been many anti-government demonstrations in the Middle East. There were a few rallies in Iran last year. But hopes that these protests would become a movement against the mullahs and their establishment have not materialized. Rather people chose the path of not questioning.

For an observer and an outsider like me, it does not cost many calories to say, “Go ahead, protest and die!” However, I still believe we should ask why the Zimbabweans carry on protesting despite the very high costs, while Iranians seem to have given up. The only apparent different between Iran and Zimbabwe is religion.

As curious as I am, I have talked to many people, especially Iranians in exile about their thoughts on this issue. Based on my unofficial and unscientific research and discussions with friends and family, I have come to conclusion that it is useful to group the explanations in two rough categories. One type is what I would call the “sorrow” category and the other I choose to call the “Inshallah” category. Both labels have their roots deep in the 1400-year-old Iranian Shi'a mentality.

Members of the Sorrow category are those who explain the lack of motivation for questioning authority by saying things like “there is nothing we can do”, “the mullahs will kill you if you say something”, “I have children to take care of”, ” how can you expect people protesting when they have no food or jobs” and so on.

The Sorrows continuously grieve and mourn over their loss, whether country or dead leader, and have developed rituals to express their sorrow. Grieving is overwhelming and fills one's entire life. Members of the Sorrow group stay faithful to the chosen passive path. Iranians, for instance, faithfully grieve over the lost Pahlavi Dynasty. Even today, nearly 25 years after the revolution, we hear songs and read poetry about the loss of country and kingdom to the Islamic Republic.

The Inshallahs are those who blame the whole thing on foreign powers and expect them (God, Americans, Russians, British, Imam Mahdi, or someone else) to intervene when the all-knowing power finds it convenient.

It is very tempting to argue for the similarities between the Inshallahs and different castes in India. Both groups tend to believe in a sort of fate. The Inshallahs would explain their situation by saying something like “it's our fate” or “it's God's will” almost same as an untouchable in the Indian caste system. The only different would be the word “god.” The Indians might have instead used the word Bhagwan.

The Sorrow group cannot possibly explain why the Zimbabweans continue their protests but Iranians don't. The Inshallah group has no answer either. Yet the latter has not given up. They count the days and wait for the “savior” whoever it might be.

The sorrow group is more or less exclusively related to the Shi'a mourning mentality, whereas the Inshallah group can be found among both Sunnis and Shias. This makes the Inshallahs the main category and the very majority of the people in the Middle East. One should not underestimate the power of the Sorrow group, but there is no doubt that the Inshallahs are the key players in the Middle East.

The Inshallahs have to live with, on the one hand the intervener's will, and on the other hand their desire of self-determination and independence. They wish to gain control over Iraq but expect the Americans to do it for them. They ask the Americans to throw the mullahs out of Iran, yet they do not want the Americans to do it; because they also know once you get the Americans in your country they will stay there! The super powers have surely used the Inshallahs and their ambivalence. The Kurds that are being used by Americans in Iraq are one of many obvious examples here.

In many ways the Inshallahs are the key players in the Middle East. As the key player, the Inshallahs should be aware of their role and take responsibility. The political situation and living conditions for millions of Middle Easterners will get better, Inshallah, as people start asking questions.

Meet Iranian Singles

Iranian Singles

Recipient Of The Serena Shim Award

Serena Shim Award
Meet your Persian Love Today!
Meet your Persian Love Today!