Reflections No.

4
10 July 2014



1


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As Sauui Aiabia seeks to inoculate itself against the violence, civil uisobeuience anu
potential ie-wiiting of colonial-eia boiueis that chaiacteiize the Niuule East anu Noith
Afiica's convoluteu push foi gieatei fieeuom, tianspaiency anu accountability, a majoi
challenge to the kinguom's puiitan inteipietation of Islam sits on its uooistep: Qatai, the
only othei countiy whose native population is Wahhabi anu that auheies to the Wahhabi
cieeu.
It is a challenge that is iooteu in histoiical tensions that go back to Qataii effoits in the 19
th

centuiy to caive out an iuentity of theii own anu long-stanuing enueavois by the uominant
Al Thani family, who hail fiom same Bin Tamim tiibal gioup as Wahhabism's founuei,
Nuhammau bin Abuul Wahhab to ensuie its giip on powei oi what a 0S intei-agency
assessment of Qatai uesciibeu as "an unceasing evaluation by the Al Thanis of the uomestic
anu inteinational iisks to theii family's 14u-yeai giip on powei."
1


1
0S Embassy Boha (Qatai). 2uu8. 'The Next S Yeais--an Inteiagency Fielu Assessment 0f Key Tienus Anu
Stiategic Challenges In Qatai,' Septembei 16,
http:cablegateseaich.wikileaks.oigcable.php.iu=u8B0BA664&q=qatai%2usauui
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



2
The Qataii challenge also stems fiom long-stanuing uiffeiences with Sauui Aiabia in
ieligious inteipietations that haik back to Qatai's geogiaphy, patteins of tiaue anu histoiy;
anu a paitially uelibeiate iefusal to gioom a class of populai Nuslim legal scholais of its
own. Noie iecently, Qatai's puisuit of an activist foieign policy piomoting Islamist-leu
political change in the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica as pait of a soft powei stiategy
uesigneu to ieuuce its uepenuence on a Sauui uefense umbiella was piompteu by a
peiception that it no longei coulu iely solely on the kinguom oi the 0S uefense umbiella foi
its piotection. The Economist's question, "Wheie is ulobocop.
2
" against the backuiop of the
0niteu States' peiceiveu weak iesponse to Russian annexation of 0kiainian teiiitoiy,
Chinese encioachments in the East anu South China Sea, the civil wai in Syiia, anu jihauist
auvances in Iiaq, is piominent in the minus of Qataii stiategic planneis.
Although long existent, Qatai's challenge to the kinguom was nevei as staik as at a time of
massive change in the iegion. It has spaikeu an incieasingly colu wai among uulf states as
well as in Syiia anu Aiab nations who have in iecent yeais toppleu theii autociatic leaueis,
fiist anu foiemost among which Egypt. Foi all piactical puiposes, Qatai's iefusal to toe
Sauui Aiabia's countei-ievolutionaiy line constitutes a litmus test foi the kinguom's ability
to pioject itself as the iegion's foiemost Aiab powei capable of imposing its will. So uoes
Bahiain, a festeiing wounu in the uulf's backyaiu wheie uiscontent is boiling at the suiface
following the Sauui-backeu biutal ciushing of a populai ievolt in 2u11. A ieneweu ciisis in
Bahiain wheie fiustiateu youth aie becoming incieasingly militant anu violent woulu also
seveiely test Qatai's policy. If theie is one thing Qatai anu its uulf uistiactois agiee on, it is
a uesiie to iing fence theii neck of the woous against the messy, volatile anu bloouy
piocess of change sweeping the iest of the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica.
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uiven theii uiffeiences in social, foieign anu secuiity policies, Qatai, which hosts the laigest
0S militaiy base in the Niuule East, anu Sauui Aiabia suppoiteu by the 0niteu Aiab
Emiiates anu Bahiain have fought a tacit colu wai often involving pioxies foi much of the
of the last 2S yeais punctuieu by ielatively shoit peiious of goou neighboily ielations anu
coopeiation albeit with cleaily uefineu but unspoken ieu lines. Incieasingly, those

2
The Economist. 2u14. The Becline of Beteiience, Nay S, http:www.economist.comnewsuniteu-
states216u1SS8-ameiica-no-longei-alaiming-its-foes-oi-ieassuiing-its-fiienus-uecline
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S
uiffeiences coulu no longei be papeieu ovei. A five-yeai peiiou of ielative calm in bilateial
ielations enueu in Naich 2u14 when Sauui Aiabia togethei with Bahiain anu the 0niteu
Aiab Emiiates withuiew its ambassauoi fiom Boha, chaiging that continueu Qataii
suppoit foi the Nuslim Biotheihoou amounteu to inteifeience in the uomestic affaiis of
fellow membeis of the uulf Coopeiation Council (uCC). Sauui Aiabia fiieu a month befoie
the withuiawal of uulf ambassauois fiom Boha a shot acioss Qatai's bow with the
publication of a stoiy in a Lonuon-baseu Aiab newspapei waining of a possible suspension
of uiplomatic ielations as well as othei sanctions, incluuing the closuie of Sauui aiispace to
Qatai anu the suspension of tiaue agieements.
S
The 0AE auueu its bit by iebuking the
Qataii ambassauoi foi allowing Boha-baseu Sheikh Yusuf al Qaiauawi, wiuely seen as a
spiiitual leauei of the Nuslim Biotheihoou, to attack the Emiiates foi not suppoiting
Islamic goveinment. A 0AE couit convicteu at the same time a Qataii national, uubbeu a
piisonei of conscience by Amnesty Inteinational, foi aiuing a banneu 0AE Islamist gioup
that the authoiities claim was linkeu to the biotheihoou.
4

In iefusing to bow oi pay at best lip seivice to Sauui uemanus that it cut its ties to the
Nuslim Biotheihoou, Qatai has put Sauui cieuibility on the line anu taigeteu a key
weakness of the kinguom - its inability to impose its will on the Aiab woilu on its own
steam. If anything, that weakness has piompteu Qatai to auopt a moie pioactive anu at
times panic-uiiven foieign policy. Sauui suppoit foi the oveithiow in }uly 2u1S of
Piesiuent Nohammeu Noisi was as much uesigneu to uestioy the Nuslim Biotheihoou as
it was to compensate foi its weakness by cieating an Aiab leauei stiong enough to push the
Niuule East anu Noith Afiica in the uiiection the kinguom woulu like to see it go. Analyst
Baiak Baifi aigues that Sauui angei at 0S policies, incluuing iappiochement of Iian, tacit
suppoit foi the oveithiow in 2u11 of Egyptian Piesiuent Bosni Nubaiak, anu ciiticism of
the coup against Noisi, a Nuslim Biothei, ieflects Sauui fiustiation that the 0niteu States
has been unwilling oi unable to auvance at least some of the kinguom's goals in the absence

S
Niuule East Nonitoi'. 2u14. Sauui thieatens to isolate Qatai foi its suppoit of Nuslim Biotheihoou, 2u
Febiuaiy, https:www.miuuleeastmonitoi.comnewsmiuule-east987S-sauui-thieatens-to-isolate-qatai-
foi-its-suppoit-of-muslim-biotheihoou
4
Simeon Keii. 2u14., 'Biplomatic Ciisis as uulf States Withuiaw Ambassauois fiom Qatai, Financial Times
Naich S, http:www.ft.comintlcmssuSe81uSc4-a4Sb-11eS-9cbu-
uu144feab7ue.html#axzz2weoSWpYP
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



4
of a stiong Aiab leauei.
S
Foi much of the peiiou since Woilu Wai Two, Sauui Aiabia, ielieu
on leaueis such as Egypt's Anwai Sauat piioi to his peace tieaty with Isiael as well as
Nubaiak anu Iiaq's Sauuam Bussein befoie his 199u invasion of Iiaq to uiive elements of
its agenua. The absence of such leaueis has unueimineu Sauui Aiabia's effoits to leau fiom
behinu anu thieatens to highlight limitations to its powei that is baseu piimaiily on
financial muscle anu moial authoiity as the custouian of Islam's two most holy sites. Sauui
Aiabia's weak was eviuent when inteiioi ministei Piince Nohammeu Nayef faileu shoitly
aftei the iuptuie in uiplomatic ielations with Qatai to peisuaue a gatheiing of Aiab
secuiity chiefs in Naich 2u14 to join it in banning the Biotheihoou.
By uefying the kinguom, Qatai, a countiy foimei Sauui intelligence chief Piince Banuai bin
Sultan al-Sauu uenounceu as "nothing but Suu people.anu a Tv channel"
6
is shining the
spotlight on the limits of Sauui powei. Qatai uiove the point home by iesponuing to Sauui
piessuie with at best nominal concessions. In a conciliatoiy move, Sheikh Qaiauawi, an
Egyptian-boin natuializeu Qataii citizen anu fieice ciitic of Sauui anu 0AE attituues
towaius political Islam, who has long auviseu Qataii iuleis, expiesseu his love foi Qatai's
uulf uetiactois.
7
"Ny peisonal position uoes not ieflect the position of the Qataii
goveinment ... I uo not take on an official position, but just expiess my peisonal opinion. I
woulu like to say I love all the countiies of the uulf, anu they all love me: Sauui Aiabia,
Kuwait anu the 0niteu Aiab Emiiates, 0man, anu Bahiain. I consiuei them one countiy anu
one house. What I saiu, anu I say, is a mattei of sinceie auvice, which will piove its sinceiity
aftei a while," Qaiauawi saiu.
Sauui concein about Qataii policies went beyonu the uulf state's suppoit foi the
Biotheihoou anu its alignment with biewing uiscontent acioss the Niuule East anu Noith
Afiica. The kinguom feaieu that Qataii actions coulu unueimine Sauui national secuiity anu
policies. It saw Qatai's facilitation in Naich 2u14 of the ielease by Syiian jihauists of 1S
kiunappeu uieek 0ithouox nuns by allegeuly paying a $67 million iansom as a move that

S
Baiak Baifi. 2u14. 'Sauui Aiabia's 0bama pioblem,' Woilu Politics }ouinal, Naich 28,
www.woilupoliticsjouinal.commiuule-east4S.4S2sauui-obama
6
Auam Entous. 2u1S. 'A veteian Sauui Powei Playei Woiks To Builu Suppoit to Topple Assau,' The Wall
Stieet }ouinal,' August 2S, https:global.factiva.comhauefault.aspx
7
Amena Baki. 2u14. Qaiauawi's 0-Tuin: I love the 0AE, Sauui Aiabia, Al Aiabiya, 2u Apiil,
http:english.alaiabiya.netenNewsmiuule-east2u14u42uQaiauawi-s-0-Tuin-I-love-Sauui-Aiabia-
0AE-.html
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S
stiengtheneu the veiy foices Sauui Aiabia was seeking to combat.
8
Similaily, Sauui officials
saw Qataii suppoit foi Bouthi iebels in noithein Yemen neai the kinguom's boiuei anu
Yemen's Biotheihoou-affiliateu Al Islah paity as a national secuiity thieat. The Bouthis
weie among seveial gioups listeu by Sauui Aiabia as teiioiists in Naich 2u14.
In uefying Sauui Aiabia, Qataii emii Sheikh Tamim bin Bamau al Khalifa benefitteu fiom
his fathei anu pieuecessoi's ability to tuin his countiy's lack of size anu population into
stiategic assets that maue its uispute with Sauui Aiabia not quite a stiuggle between Baviu
anu uoliath. Tamim unlike Sauui iuleis is moieovei ielatively unencumbeieu by factional
politics, geogiaphical uispaiities, anu sectaiian uiffeiences. Be enjoys ielative uomestic
secuiity anu has no institutions like a pailiament oi an autonomous cleigy that inhibit his
ability to set policy. That has enableu Qatai to emeige as a iaie example of a goveinment
that has successfully sought to hainess the powei of political Islam without losing contiol
anu seeing its effoit backfiie.
Recent uecaues aie litteieu with faileu goveinment attempts at exploiting political Islam
without becoming a taiget. These attempts incluue Isiael's tacit backing of Bamas in the
198us in a biu to countei Palestinian nationalism, foimei Egyptian Piesiuent Anwai Sauat's
use of the Biotheihoou against the left in his countiy, anu the emeigence of Al Qaeua fiom
Westein anu Sauui backing of Islamist iesistance to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In
contiast, "the influence of Islamism within Qataii society anu politics has been veiy
limiteu.which highlights the piagmatic anu instiumental use of this iueology anu
movement by the iegime in Boha in the puisuit of iegime suivival," noteu scholai Beinaiu
Beykal.
9
Qatai's success is all the moie iemaikable given that the uulf state anu the
Biotheihoou aie stiange beufellows. Qatai auheies to the Banbal school of Islamic law that
manuates obeuience to a iulei while the Biotheihoou piopagates activism against seculai
iegimes anu has nevei favoieu what it views as feuual monaichies.

8
Robeit Fisk. 2u14. Qatai pays Syiian iebels 4um iansom to fiee nuns - oi uiu it. It uepenus what iumouis
you believe, The Inuepenuent, Naich 18, http:www.inuepenuent.co.uknewswoilumiuule-eastqatai-
pays-syiian-iebels-4um-iansom-to-fiee-nuns--oi-uiu-it-it-uepenus-what-iumouis-you-believe-
92uuS27.html
9
Beinaiu Beykal. 2u1S. Qatai anu Islamism, Noiwegian Peacebuiluing Resouice Centie, Febiuaiy,
http:www.peacebuiluing.novaiezflow_sitestoiageoiiginalapplicationac81941uf1be874ccbuaSSe747
218abf.puf
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



6
Noieovei, Qatai's Shiite Nuslim minoiity estimateu at between 1u anu 2u peicent of the
Qataii population has been integiateu economically anu politically.
1u
As a iesult, Qataii
uecision-making is concentiateu in a small, tightly knit ciicle of uiiven associates anu
auvisois of the emii. The iegime moieovei has foigeu a ielationship of mutual uepenuency
with meichant families that makes it less likely that they woulu tuin against the iulei even
in times of stiess oi economic uowntuin.
SS yeai-olu Sheikh Tamim took the long view with the buisting into the open of Qatai's
uiffeiences with kinguom as he confionteu an aging anu ailing Sauui leaueiship. Sauui king
Abuullah bin Abuulaziz, who at appioximately 9u iepoiteuly neeus a walkei because of
back ailments, uses oxygen tubes to bieathe anu allegeuly lacks the eneigy to attenu
meetings that last moie than two houis, appeaieu to iecognize the auvantage of youth
when he issueu his binuing, unchangeable appointment of his 71-yeai olu half-biothei anu
ueputy piime ministei, Piince Nuqiin bin Abuulaziz Al Sauu, as ueputy ciown piince.
Piince Nuqiin is the youngest of the suiviving sons of King Abuulaziz, the founuei of Sauui
Aiabia. Bis appointment appeaieu to confiim conceins about the health of 78-yeai olu
Ciown Piince Salman bin Abuulaziz.
11


1u
Yousef Kamal, a Qataii Shiite, seiveu as finance anu economy ministei fiom 1998 until XX. Noieovei some
of Qatai's iichest meichant families incluuing the Al Faiuans, Baiwish anu Fakhiu aie Shiites.
11
Simon Benueison. 2u14. 'Sauui succession change iisks ioyal family squabble,' Washington Institute foi
Neai East Policy, Naich 27, http:washin.st1iuLFup
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



7

King Abuullah using oxygen tubes uuiing meeting with 0S Piesiuent Baiak 0bama (Souice: Caiiie Buuoff
Biown Twittei)
Sheikh Tamim's appioach has seiveu to ieinfoice Sauui Aiabia's view of Qatai as
potentially subveisive. Sauui Aiabia's aging leaueis feai that Qatai coulu seive much moie
than fieewheeling Bubai as an inspiiation foi a conseivative Sauui society that
acknowleuges its ioots but in which vaiious social gioups incieasingly aie voicing a uesiie
foi change. The subveisive natuie of Qatai's appioach is symbolizeu by its long-stanuing,
ueep-seateu ties to the Nuslim Biotheihoou whose pieuicament seives as a seiious litmus
test foi Sheikh Tamim baiely a month aftei his fathei abuicateu in his favoi. In auuition to
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



8
the setback Qatai suffeieu with the successful Sauui countei-ievolutionaiy campaign that
helpeu topple the Noisi goveinment in Egypt, Sheikh Tamim was confionteu with Sauui
effoits to cuitail Qataii influence in the iebel movement opposeu to embattleu Syiian
leauei Bashai al-Assau. To some uegiee, piessuie on Tamim has been alleviateu by the
iegion's pieoccupation with the jihauist Islamic State in Iiaq anu Syiia's (ISIS) teiiitoiial
expansion fiom Syiia into Iiaq.
Sheikh Tamim's iefusal to cave into Sauui uemanus has foiceu uulf states to lowei the
tempeiatuie anu tone uown the ihetoiic in the iealization that theie was with little
piospect of any ieal meeting of the minus. Those uemanus incluueu not only the silencing if
not the expulsion of Sheikh Qaiauawi anu the toning uown if not the shutuown of Al
}azeeia, Qatai's global television netwoik that fiequently gives voice to opposition foices in
the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica incluuing the Nuslim Biotheihoou, as well as of two
Boha-baseu think tanks, the Biookings Institution, whose executives weie baiieu fiom
entiy into the 0AE because they weie allegeuly close to the Biotheis, anu the Aiab Centie
foi Reseaich anu Policy Stuuies (ACRPS).
12
Bubai's notoiiously anti-Islamist secuiity chief,
Bhahi Khalfan has iepeateuly uenounceu ACRPS heau Azmi Bishaia, an Isiaeli Palestinian
anu auvisoi to the Qataii emii, as an Isiaeli spy taskeu with uestabilizing the uulf.
1S
In a
fuithei affiont to the Qataiis, Khalfan also calleu on the goveinment in Abu Bhabi to asseit
the claim of the 0AE, a feueiation of seven emiiates, to Qatai as its eighth emiiate.
14

Few attiibuteu cieuibility to the announcement by a uCC foieign ministeis' meeting in late
Apiil 2u14 that the uiffeience between Qatai anu the Sauui-leu block hau been iesolveu.
The skepticism was ieinfoiceu by a iefusal by Sauui Aiabia, the 0AE anu Bahiain to ietuin
theii ambassauois to Boha. "Without piecisely the kinu of meaningful change that Qatai
cannot unueitake, ielations seem set foi an extenueu colu snap, punctuateu by peisonally-

12
The Stiaits Times. 2u14, 'Sauui Aiabia uemanus Qatai shut uown Al-}azeeia bioaucastei: Souice,' The
Stiaits Times, Naich 14, http:www.stiaitstimes.combieaking-newswoilustoiysauui-aiabia-uemanus-
qatai-shut-uown-al-jazeeia-bioaucastei-souice-2u14uS1
1S
uaviiel Fiske. 2u14, 'Bubai police: Ex-NK Azmi Bishaia is Isiaeli spy,' The Times of Isiael, Naich 11,
http:www.timesofisiael.comuubai-police-ex-mk-azmi-bishaia-is-isiaeli-spy#ixzz2vfYWuSiA
14
Aiab News. 2u14. 'Qatai is pait of 0AE: Bubai secuiity official,' uulf in the Neuia, Apiil 2,
http:www.gulfintheeuia.cominuex.php.iu=69S287&news_type=Top&lang=en
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



9
leu spuits of angei, potentially peiipatetically luiching ielations fiom one mini-ciisis to the
next," saiu uulf expeit Baviu Robeits.
1S

The 0AE like Sauui Aiabia has long iesenteu the Biotheihoou's use of Boha as a base to
expanu into Bubai anu othei emiiates. Abu Bhabi Ciown Piince anu Aimeu Foices Chief of
Staff Sheikh Nohammeu bin Zayeu bin Zayeu waineu 0S uiplomats as fai back as 2uu4 that
"we aie having a (cultuie) wai with the Nuslim Biotheihoou in this countiy." The 0S
embassy in Abu Bhabi iepoiteu that "Sheikh Nohammeu anu his biotheis Bamuan anu
Bazza iaiely miss an oppoitunity to talk to high-level 0Su (0S uoveinment) inteilocutois
about the influence of the Nuslim Biotheihoou on moueiate-thinking Emiiatis. In a
meeting with Beputy Secietaiy Aimitage on Apiil 2u, Sheikh Nohammeu bin Zayeu noteu
that 0AE secuiity foices hau iuentifieu 'Su to 6u' Emiiati Nuslim Biotheis in the Aimeu
Foices, anu that a senioi Nuslim Biotheihoou sympathizei is within one of the iuling
families - a iefeience, we believe, to Shaijah Rulei Sheikh Sultan Al Qassimi, whose ties to
Sauui Aiabia aie well known. Sheikh Nohammeu has tolu us that the secuiity seivices
estimate theie aie up to 7uu Nuslim Biotheihoou sympathizeis in the 0AE. Be also saiu
that when the Aimeu Foices uiscoveieu Nuslim Biotheihoou sympathizeis within theii
ianks, they weie aiiesteu anu given a foim of ieveise biainwashing."
16

In 2uu9. Sheikh Nohameu went as fai as telling 0S officials that Qatai is "pait of the Nuslim
Biotheihoou."
17
Be suggesteu that a ieview of Al }azeeia employees woulu show that 9u
peicent weie affiliateu with the Biotheihoou. Sheikh Nohammeu chaigeu that Qatai was
facilitating Iianian inioaus into the Aiab woilu anu that "he sees Iianian influence in the
Biotheihoou veiy cleaily as both a way to agitate the Aiab populace anu ienuei the
tiauitional leaueis of Aiab society impotent."
18
0thei 0AE officials piivately uesciibeu
Qatai as "public enemy numbei S", aftei Iian anu the Biotheihoou.
19


1S
Baviu Robeits. 2u14. Bow Peisonal Politics Biive Conflict in the uulf, Fiom the Potomac to the Euphiates,
Nay 6, http:blogs.cfi.oigcook2u14uSu6how-peisonal-politics-uiive-conflict-in-the-gulf
16
0S Embassy Abu Bhabi. 2uu4. '0AE Ninimizing Influence 0f Islamic Extiemists,' Novembei 1u,
http:cablegateseaich.wikileaks.oigcable.php.iu=u4AB0BBABI4u61
17
0S Embassy Abu Bhabi. 2uu9. 'Stiong Woius in Piivate fiom NBZ at IBEX -- Bashes Iian, Qatai, Russia.'
Febiuaiy 2S,
http:cablegateseaich.wikileaks.oigseaich.php.q=Stiong+Woius+in+Piivate+fiom+Nbz+at+Iuex&qo=u&q
c=u&qto=2uu9-u2-26
18
"#$%& 0S Embassy Abu Bhabi
19
"#$%& Bammonu
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



1u
Because of the Biotheihoou's inioaus into the 0AE, Sheikh Nohammeu saiu he hau sent his
son with the Reu Cioss iathei than the Reu Ciescent on a humanitaiian mission to Ethiopia
to cuie him of his inteiest in Islamist teachings. "Bis son ietuineu fiom the mission with his
vision of the west intact anu in fact coiiecteu. Be was astonisheu that the Chiistians with
the Reu Cioss weie giving foou anu suppoit to anyone who neeueu the suppoit, not just to
Chiistians. Bis son hau only heaiu the stoiies of the west thiough the lens of Al }azeeia anu
otheis similaily aligneu," the embassy iecounteu Sheikh Nohammeu as saying.
2u

At the heait of uiffeiences between Qatai anu Sauui Aiabia anu its allies is the fact that
Qatai has emeigeu as living pioof that Salafism anu even moie impoitantly, Wahhabism,
the puiitan veision of Islam uevelopeu by the 18
th
centuiy waiiioi pieachei anu scholai
Abuul Wahhab who foigeu an alliance with the Al Sauus that uictates life in contempoiaiy
Sauui Aiabia since its cieation, can be somewhat foiwaiu anu outwaiu looking iathei than
exclusively iepiessive anu iestiictive. Qatai has also uemonstiateu that auheience to
Abuul Wahhab's cieeu neeu not be thieateneu by iegimes that cloak themselves in Islam
anuoi asseit legitimacy thiough some mouicum of fiee elections oi by gioups that auheie
to alteinative, at times politicizeu, inteipietations of Islam. Wiiting in Sauui-owneu pan-
Aiab newspapei Ash Shaiq al Awsat, Faiag Abuel Fattah implicitly uefineu Sauui Aiabia's
uiffeiences with Qatai as well as the Biotheihoou as one between iegimes whose policies
aie exclusively inspiieu by allegeuly puie ieligion such as the kinguom anu those whose
inteipietations of Islam weie infoimeu by politics. "We must fiist uiffeientiate between a
goveinment that iules thiough ieligion, anu one that infuses its political outlook with
ieligion," Abuel Fattah saiu.
21

An assessment of Qatai's appioach to ieligion by the 0S embassy in Boha concluueu that
"Qatai's bianu of Islam.is both tiauitional anu piogiessive. It is tiauitional in that it is
baseu on sciiptuie anu stanuing inteipietations, but piogiessive in its toleiance foi vaiious
Islamic schools of thought anu moueiate social stiictuies. Even though Amiis of Qatai have
iefeiieu to themselves anu theii subjects as 'Wahabi,' use of this teim is incieasingly
pejoiative in Qatai touay. The cuiient Amii (Bamau bin Khalifa Al Thani) seveial yeais ago

2u
"#$%& 0S Embassy Abu Bhabi
21
Faiag Abuel Fattah. 2u14. Bebate: Political Islam has suiviveu in Suuan because it contiols the militaiy, Ash
Shaiq al Awsat, 14 }une, http:www.aawsat.net2u14u6aiticleSSSSS224
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



11
maue a point of using the Wahabi teim as a uesciiptoi in public, but his uiiectoi of
communications at the time believes he uiu so to make cleai to Sauui Aiabia that Qatai
alone woulu uictate the teims of its ieligious piactices anu the vocabulaiy useu to uesciibe
them."
22
The communications uiiectoi, Auel al-Nalki, accoiuing to the embassy, saiu that
Sheikh Bamau maue his comment at a time that Sauui Aiabia was piessuiing Qatai to
auheie to Sauui inteipietations of Islam, Al Nalik saiu the emii's use of the teim Wahabi
was his way of saying, 'Thank you veiy much, but we Qataiis will uo things oui way.'
2S

The embassy's cable to the State Bepaitment in Washington concluueu that "juuging by the
extent to which Qataiis seek to uistance themselves fiom Sauui Aiabia in all spheies, it
shoulu come as no suipiise that even in ieligion Qataiis uefine themselves by how they
uiffei fiom theii Sauui neighbois anu yielu to no one the iight to uefine the teims oi
vocabulaiy by which Qataiis live."
24

>)1.8-$&23 %5- # (&..<. &(#31
Boha's newest anu biggest mosque, a multi-uomeu, sanu-coloieu, aichitectuial maivel,
symbolizes Qatai's complex anu volatile ielationship with Sauui Aiabia as well as its bolu
soft powei policy uesigneu to piopel it to the cutting euge of the 21st centuiy. It's not the
mosque itself that iaiseu eyebiows among ciitics of Wahhabism but it's naming aftei
Sheikh Nohammeu Abuul Wahhab, a waiiioi, cleiic anu scholai who founueu
contempoiaiy Islam's most puiitan sect.
The naming of the mosque that oveilooks the Qatai Spoits Club in Boha's }ubailat uistiict
was intenueu to pacify moie tiauitional anu Salafi segments of Qataii society as well as
Sauui Aiabia, which sees the tiny uulf state as a tioublesome anu uangeious gaufly on its
uooistep challenging its puiitan inteipietation of Islam as well as its counteiievolutionaiy
stiategy in the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica. Qatai's social ievolution in the past two
uecaues contiasts staikly with Sauui effoits to maintain as much as possible of its status
quo while impiegnating itself against the push foi gieatei fieeuom, tianspaiency anu
accountability sweeping the iegion. By naming the mosque aftei Abuul Wahhab, Qatai
ieaffiimeu its auheience to the Wahhabi cieeu that goes back to 19
th
centuiy Sauui suppoit

22
0S Embassy Boha (Qatai). 2uu7. 'Qatai Foiges Its 0wn "Wahabi" Path,' Novembei 8,
http:wikileaks.oigcable2uu711u7B0BA1uS2.html
2S
"#$%& 0S Embassy Boha (Qatai)
24
"#$%& 0S Embassy Boha (Qatai)
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



12
anu the ultimate iise to uominance of the Al Thani clan, the countiy's heieuitaiy monaichs
who account foi an estimateu twenty peicent of the population.
2S

Yet, uespite being a tiauitional uulf state, Qataii conseivatism is eveiything but a miiioi
image of Sauui Aiabia's staik way of life with its poweiful, conseivative cleigy; absolute
genuei segiegation; total ban on alcohol anu houses of woiship foi auheients of othei
ieligions, anu iefusal to accommouate alteinative lifestyles oi ieligious piactices. Qataiis
piivately uistinguish between theii 'Wahhabism of the sea' as opposeu to Sauui Aiabia's
'Wahhabism of the lanu,' a iefeience to the fact that the Sauui goveinment has less contiol
of an empoweieu cleigy compaieu to Qatai that has no inuigenous cleigy with a social base
to speak of; a Sauui histoiy of tiibal stiife ovei oases as opposeu to one of communal life in
Qatai; anu Qatai's outwaiu looking maiitime tiaue histoiy. Political scientists Biiol Baskan
anu Steven Wiight aigue that on a political level, Qatai has a seculai chaiactei similai to
Tuikey anu in shaip contiast to Sauui Aiabia, which they attiibute to Qatai's lack of a class
of Nuslim legal scholais.
26

The choice against giooming a poweiful cleigy of its own ieflecteu Qataii ambivalence
towaius Wahhabism that many vieweu as both an oppoitunity anu a thieat: it seiveu as a
tool to legitimize uomestic iule, but also constituteu a potential monkey wiench that Sauui
Aiabia coulu employ to asseit contiol. 0pting to geneiate a cleiical class of its own woulu
have enhanceu the thieat because Qatai woulu have been uepenuent on Sauui cleigymen
to uevelop its own. That woulu have piouuceu a cleigy steepeu in the kinguom's austeie
theology anu inspiieu by its histoiy of political powei-shaiing that woulu have auvocateu a
Sauui-style, state-uefineu foim of political Islam.
This is not to say that Qatai takes its auheience to Wahhabism lightly. Plotting an
alteinative couise uiu not pievent tiibal ieligious leaueis in the late 19
th
anu eaily 2u
th

centuiy unuei then emii Sheikh }assim bin Nohammeu Al Thani fiom shifting theii fiame
of Islamic legal iefeience fiom the moie libeial Naliki to the moie iestiictive Banbal school
of Islamic law.

2S
Alan }. Fiomheiz. Qatai, A Nouein Bistoiy, Lonuon , 2u12, I. B. Tauiis & Co. Ltu, p. 91
26
Biiol Baskan anu Steven Wiight. 2u11. Seeus of Change: Compaiing State-Religion Relations in Qatai anu
Sauui Aiabia, Aiab Stuuies Quaiteily, SS(2), 96-111
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



1S
The Al Thanis gieatei maneuveiability by steeiing cleai of the giooming an inuigenous
cleigy that woulu uemanu a say in political anu social affaiis. 0nlike Sauui iuleis, the Al
Thanis uo not ueiive theii legitimacy fiom a cleiical class. Theii ability to avoiu giooming a
local cleigy was maue easiei by the absence of a stiong meichant class anu uiban centeis
in the 19
th
anu eaily 2u
th
centuiy. As a iesult, Qatai lacks the institutions that often holu the
kinguom back anu was slow anu cautious in cieating ieligious infiastiuctuie. Religious
authoiity is not institutionally vesteu. Qatai has foi example no uianu Nufti as uo Sauui
Aiabia anu vaiious othei Aiab nations; it only cieateu a ministiy of Islamic Affaiis anu
Enuowments 22 yeais aftei achieving inuepenuence. Qatai's College of Shaiia (Islamic
Law) was establisheu only in 197S anu the majoiity of its stuuents iemain women who
become teacheis oi employees of the enuowments ministiy iathei than cleigymen.
27

Qataii ieligious scholais on a caieei path to become shaiia couit juuges weie sent foi
fuithei euucation to Egypt's al-Azhai 0niveisity iathei than Sauui institutions like the
Imam Nohammeu Ibn Sauu 0niveisity in Riyauh. Similaily, Qatai uoes not have a ieligious
foice that polices public moiality. Noi aie any of its families known foi piouucing
piominent ieligious scholais. Qataii ieligious schools aie mostly iun by the ministiy of
euucation unlike Sauui Aiabia wheie they iesoit unuei the ieligious affaiis authoiity. They
aie staffeu by expatiiates iathei than Qataiis anu attenueu by less than one peicent of the
total stuuent bouy of which only ten peicent aie Qataii nationals.
28
Noieovei, the majoiity
of Qatai's ieligious scholais aie South Asians oi Aiabs hiieu as migiant woikeis who aie
wholly uepenuent on theii employeis anu thus unlikely to challenge authoiity.
The lack of influential native ieligious scholais enableu Qatai to auvance women in society,
allow them to uiive, anu tiavel inuepenuently; peimit non-Nuslims to consume alcohol anu
poik, sponsoi Westein aits like the Tiibeca Film Festival, uevelop woilu-class ait
museums, host the Al }azeeia television netwoik that ievolutionizeu the iegion's contiolleu
meuia lanuscape anu has become one of the woilu's foiemost global bioaucasteis, anu
piepaie to accommouate Westein soccei fans with un-Islamic piactices uuiing the 2u22
Woilu Cup. While the absence of an inuigenous cleiical class gave Qataii iuleis a fieei hanu

27
Nehian Kamiava, 'Royal Factionalism anu Political Libeialization in Qatai,' 2uu9, Niuule East }ouinal,
vol:6S:S, p. 4u1-42u
28
"#$%& Baskan anu Wiight
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



14
it uiu not stop Sauui anu othei foieign scholais fiom gaining influence, paiticulaily among
moie conseivative segments of Qataii society.
Qatai neveitheless piojects to young Sauuis anu otheis a vision of a conseivative Wahhabi
society that is less iestiictive anu less choking anu giants inuiviuuals iiiespective of genuei
a gieatei uegiee of contiol ovei theii lives. Women who in the miu-199us weie like in
Sauui Aiabia banneu fiom uiiving, voting oi holuing goveinment jobs touay occupy
piominent positions in multiple sectois of society in what effectively amounteu to a social
ievolution. It's a pictuie that juxtaposes staikly with that in its only Wahhabi biothei. The
contiast was staikest when young Sauuis took to social meuia to uemanu that they be
iecognizeu as citizens with iights anu iesponsibilities iathei than tieateu as subjects.
Couching theii ciiticism anu uemanus in ieligious teims, they uenounceu the Al Sauus foi
stealing theii countiy's lanu anu wealth anu uepiiving unemployeu youth of peiks uue to
them in an oil-iich nation. They also took the cleigy to task foi failing speak out on behalf of
the unueiuog.
29

In piojecting a moie compassionate inteipietation of Wahhabism, Qatai thiew uown a
gauntlet foi the kinguom's inteipietation of nominally shaieu ieligious anu cultuial beliefs.
"I consiuei myself a goou Wahhabi anu can still be mouein, unueistanuing Islam in an open
way. We take into account the changes in the woilu anu uo not have the closeu-minueu
mentality as they uo in Sauui Aiabia," Abuelhameeu Alansaii, the uean of Qatai 0niveisity's
College of Shaiia, a leauei of the paiauigm shift, tolu The Wall Stieet }ouinal in 2uu2.
Su

Twenty yeais eailiei Al Ansaii was uenounceu as an "apostate" by a Qataii Sauui-tiaineu
chief ieligious juuge foi auvocating women's iights. "All those people who attackeu me,
most of them have uieu, anu the iest keep quiet," Al Ansaii saiu.
Qatai's long-stanuing piojection of an alteinative is paiticulaily sensitive at a time that
Sauui Aiabia is implicitly uebating the funuaments of the social anu political aiiangements

29
Nauawi Al-Rasheeu. 2u14. 'Naiginalizeu Sauui youth launch viitual piotests,' Al Nonitoi,
Apiil 9, http:www.al-monitoi.compulseoiiginals2u14u4sauui-piotest-youtube-social-meuia-
economy.html.utm_souice=Al-Nonitoi+Newslettei+%SBEnglish%SB&utm_campaign=b7e72c88S6-
}anuaiy_9_2u141_8_2u14&utm_meuium=email&utm_teim=u_28264b27au-b7e72c88S6-9Su7821S Fouau
al-Ibiahim. 2u14. 'Sauui iuleis face giowing iumblings of uiscontent,'
Al Akhbai, Apiil S, http:english.al-akhbai.comcontentsauui-iuleis-face-giowing-iumblings-uiscontent
Su
Yaioslav Tiofimov 2uu2, 'Qatai Is Eschewing Sauui Aiabia's Bianu 0f Wahhabi Islam in Favoi of
Noueinization,' The Wall Stieet }ouinal, 0ctobei 2,
http:online.wsj.comnewsaiticlesSB1uSS412141SS478u791
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



1S
the Qataiis question. The kinguom's conseivative ulema as well as Salafis woiiy that key
membeis of the iuling family, incluuing King Abuullah; his son, Piince Nutaib, who heaus
the National uuaiu; anu Piince Tuiki al-Faisal, a foimei heau of intelligence anu
ambassauoi to the 0niteu States anu Biitain, aie toying with the iuea of a sepaiation of
state anu ieligion in a state that was founueu on a pact between the iuling Al-Sauus anu the
cleigy anu sees itself as the mouel of Islamic iule. The cleigy voiceu its concein in the
spiing of 2u1S in a meeting with the king two uays aftei Piince Nutaib ueclaieu that
"ieligion (shoulu) not entei into politics." The notion of a sepaiation of state anu ieligion
fiist emeigeu when Piince Tuiki a uecaue eailiei citeu veise 4:S9 of the Quian: "0 you who
have believeu, obey uou anu obey the Nessengei anu those in authoiity among you." Piince
Tuiki suggesteu that the veise iefeiieu exclusively to tempoial authoiity iathei than both
ieligious anu political authoiity. Responuing to Piince Nutaib in a tweet, uianu Nufti
Sheikh Abuul-Aziz al-Taiifi waineu that "whoevei says theie is no ielationship between
ieligion anu politics woiships two gous, one in the heavens anu one on eaith."
S1

To be suie, Qatai's gieatei libeialism haiuly means fieeuoms as uefineu in Westein
societies. Qatai's foimei emii Sheikh Bamau silenceu opposition to iefoims. Bamau, foi
example, aiiesteu in 1998 ieligious scholai Abuuliahman al Nuaimi who ciiticizeu his
auvancement of women iights. Al Nuaimi was ieleaseu thiee yeais latei on conuition that
he no longei woulu speak out publicly. Qataii poet Nuhammau Ibn al-Bheeb al-Ajami, was
sentenceu in Novembei 2u11 to life in piison in what legal anu human iights activists saiu
was a "giossly unfaii tiial that flagiantly violates the iight to fiee expiession" on chaiges of
"inciting the oveithiow of the iuling iegime." Bis sentence was subsequently ieuuceu to 1S
yeais in piison. Al-Ajami's ciime appeaieu to be a poem that he wiote, as well as his eailiei
iecitation of poems that incluueu passages uispaiaging senioi membeis of Qatai's iuling
family. The poem was entitleu "Tunisian }asmine." It celebiateu the oveithiow of Tunisian
piesiuent Zine El Abiuine Ben Ali.
Recent meuia-ielateu legislation ieflects the Al Thani's effoit to maintain tight contiol. A
new meuia law piohibits publishing oi bioaucasting infoimation that woulu "thiow

S1
Ibiahim Batlani, 'Sauui Aiabia wiestles with its iuentity,' }uly 12, 2u1S, The Baily Stai,
http:www.uailystai.com.lb0pinionCommentaiy2u1S}ul-1222SS66-sauui-aiabia-wiestles-with-its-
iuentity.ashx#axzz2YuS8z44W
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



16
ielations between the state anu the Aiab anu fiienuly states into confusion" oi "abuse the
iegime oi offenu the iuling family oi cause seiious haim to the national oi highei inteiests
of the state." violatois face stiff financial penalties of up to one million Qataii iiyals (0S
$27S,uuu).
S2
In iaie public ciiticism of the law, Qataii jouinalists uemanueu in }une 2u1S
gieatei fieeuoms anu ciiticizeu the absence of a meuia law anu piess association.
SS

}ouinalists fuithei expiesseu concein that a uiaft cybeiciime law woulu iestiict fieeuom
of expiession anu the piess. The uiaft "stipulates punishment foi anyone who exceeus any
piinciples of social values," accoiuing to state-owneu Qatai News Agency. It woulu also ban
the publishing of "news oi pictuies oi auuio-viueo iecoiuings ielateu to the sanctity of the
piivate anu family life of inuiviuuals, even if they aie coiiect, via libel oi slanuei thiough
the Inteinet oi an IT uevice."
S4

?&23@A12/&23 -$1 B50A
Qatai shaies with Sauui Aiabia a fiim will to iing-fence the uulf against the populai
upiisings in othei paits of the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica. The two countiies' uiveiging
woilu views have howevei manifesteu themselves in uiffeient appioaches towaius the
populai ievolts, piotests anu violence sweeping the iegion. While Sauui Aiabia initially
aujusteu to iegional change on a ieactive case-by-case basis anu has moie iecently
launcheu a successful countei-ievolutionaiy effoit in Egypt anu has tiieu to countei the
Biotheihoou's influence among Syiia iebels, Qatai has sought to embiace it heau on as long
as it is not at home oi in its uulf neighboihoou. Foi that ieason, Qatai suppoiteu the
uispatch to Bahiain in 2u11 of a Sauui-leu foice to help quell a populai upiising in its own
backyaiu but backeu iegime change elsewheie in the iegion.
Qatai's ties to the Nuslim Biotheihoou nonetheless meant by implication that it suppoiteu,
the most oiganizeu, albeit clanuestine, opposition foice Sauui Aiabia, Al Sahwa (The
Awakening), a poweiful Islamist netwoik nuituieu by membeis of the Biotheihoou.

S2
}ames N. Boisey, 'Peisian uulf Futuies,' ulobal Biief, Naich S, 2u1S,
http:globalbiief.cablog2u1SuSuSpeisian-gulf-futuies
SS
}ouinalists call foi oveihaul of QNA, }uly 14, 2u1S, The Peninsula,
http:thepeninsulaqatai.comqatai244976-jouinalists-call-foi-oveihaul-of-qna.html
S4
Natt }. Buffy. 2u14. '}ouinalists conceineu ovei Qatai's ieviseu cybeiciime law,' Al Nonitoi, Naich 17 ,
http:www.al-monitoi.compulseoiiginals2u14uSqatai-al-jazeeia-cybeiciime-twittei-
uangei.html.utm_souice=Al-Nonitoi+Newslettei+%SBEnglish%SB&utm_campaign=27u27b7eS2-
}anuaiy_9_2u141_8_2u14&utm_meuium=email&utm_teim=u_28264b27au-27u27b7eS2-
9Su7821S#ixzz2wKEyS2js
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



17
Auuing insult to injuiy, Qatai also funueu to the tune of $Su,uuu a month two piominent
Lonuon-baseu Sauui uissiuents: Saau al-Faqih, who was blacklisteu until 2u12 by the
0niteu Nations Secuiity Council on suspicion of teiioiism, anu Nohammeu al-Nasaii.
SS

Al Sahwa's suppoit foi the Biotheihoou was not an issue foi the Sauuis foi much of the
seconu half of the 2u
th
centuiy uuiing which the kinguom accommouateu the gioup. Sauui
Aiabia as fai back as the 19Sus offeieu iefuge to thousanus of Biotheis who fleu iepiession
in Egypt anu Syiia. 0vei time, they integiateu into Sauui society, occupieu key public sectoi
positions, incluuing in the euucation sectoi, anu blenueu theii politicizeu Islam with
Wahhabism. The Biotheis weie neveitheless caieful to avoiu fiiction with the kinguom's
iuleis. That changeu uuiing Iiaq's 199u invasion of Kuwait. Al Sahwa anu the Biotheihoou
hopeu to utilize opposition to Sauui suppoit of the 0S-leu coalition that foiceu the
withuiawal of Iiaqi tioops as a vehicle foi pushing foi political iefoim.
Theii position spaikeu a Sauui ciackuown anu ieneweu stiains in the kinguom's ielations
with Qatai. Piominent Biotheis incluuing, Nohammeu Qutb, the biothei of the gioup's
onetime militant iueologue, Saiu Qutb, weie expelleu. Sauui angei at the Biotheihoou
because of its ties to Al Sahwa eiupteu in a iaie public conuemnation in 2uu2 as the
kinguom came to giips with the fact that the majoiity of the peipetiatois of the 911
attacks on New Yoik anu Washington weie Sauui nationals. Then Inteiioi Ninistei Piince
Nayef bin Abuul Aziz al-Sauu chaigeu that the gioup was the "souice of all evils in the
Kinguom."
S6
A Sauui human iights activist anu foimei membei of the Biotheihoou
uesciibeu how secuiity seivices tolu him uuiing an inteiiogation that they hau been
monitoiing all membeis of his cell in an inuication of how seiious Sauui authoiities took
the potential thieat poseu by the gioup,.
S7

The eiuption of populai ievolts in eaily 2u11 in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya anu Yemen again
spaikeu tension with Al Sahwa which uemanueu in petitions anu open letteis political
change in the kinguom
S8
anu fuelleu feais among Sauui iuleis that they too coulu face

SS
Inteiview with piivate investigatoi, Novembei 11, 2u1S
S6
Aiab News. 2uu2. 'Naif says Nuslim Biotheihoou cause of most Aiab pioblems, 'Novembei 28,
http:www.aiabnews.comnoue226291
S7
Inteiview with the authoi Febiuaiy 1u, 2uu2
S8
Sheikh Salman al Auueh et al. 2u11. (About state of iights anu
institutions), Febiuaiy 2S, (Civilizeu Bialogue),
http:www.ahewai.oiguebatshow.ait.asp.aiu=24%B8%A7%B9%84%B8%AB%B9%88%B8%A7%B8%
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



18
iebellion at home. Concein about the Biotheihoou anu Qataii suppoit of the gioup
mounteu in August 2u1S when Sauui imam Bamau Al-Boqail uenounceu the Egyptian
militaiy oveithiow of Noisi uuiing a Fiiuay piayei seimon in Riyauh's Al-Feiuous
mosque
S9
as uiu piominent Al Sahwa figuies using both ieligious anu political
teiminology.
4u
The compaiison of Egyptian stiongman ueneial Abuel Fattah Al-Sisi to
embattleu Syiian piesiuent Bashai al Assau echoing fiom pulpits in mosques in Qatai
iesonateu with many Sauuis who echoeu Islamist sentiment on Twittei
41
anu othei social
meuia as clips of seimons went viial. Qatai's challenge to the kinguom was spotlighteu
with the ueath of Nohameu AlBaulaq, a nephew of Abuuliahman AlBaulaq, the uiiectoi of
the kinguom's teiioiist iehabilitation piogiam. Nohameu AlBaulaq uieu in Syiia fighting as
pait of a Qatai-suppoiteu jihauist iebel gioup.
42

Sauui iuleis initially opteu to tieau caiefully in iesponse to Al Sahwa's sense of
empoweiment by the Aiab ievolts. Islamists like Sheikh Nohammeu el-Aiefi anu Nohsen
al-Awaji who signeu a petition against Noisi's iemoval weie waineu to back off but not
uetaineu. Similaily, Sahwa leauei Salman leauei Salman Al-Auueh's populai television
show was cancelleu but no fuithei steps weie taken against him. Al-Auueh's populai
television show was cancelleu as weie seveial of his public appeaiances but no fuithei
steps weie taken against him. That changeu anti-Egyptian coup sentiment at home
mounteu anu Biotheihoou piotests in Egypt continueu. Sauui feais feu on suspicions that
the Biotheihoou with Qataii backing woulu stii the pot in the Al Sauus own backyaiu anu
even foige an alliance with the kinguom's aich iival Iian. Thiowing away caution, the
kinguom went on the offensive. Biotheihoou sympathizeis in Sauui univeisities anu
schools weie thieateneu with losing theii jobs. Biotheihoou liteiatuie was in eaily 2u14
banneu foi the fiist time at the Riyauh Book Faii. 0ltimately, the kinguom followeu Egypt in
banning the Biotheihoou as a teiioiist oiganization.

B1%2u%B8%A7%B9%84%B9%8S%B8%AA%B9%8S%B8%AF%B9%867642; Sheikh Salman al Auueh.
2u1S. 'An 0pen Lettei, Twitmail, Naich 16, http:twitmail.comemail78u1u9446
S9
http:www.youtube.comwatch.v=kvKff_B-7BY
4u
Naic Lynch. 2u1S. 'uulf Islamist Bissent 0vei Egypt," Foieign Policy, Naich 18
http:miueastafiica.foieignpolicy.composts2u1Su818gulf_islamist_uissent_ovei_egypt
41
Al }azeeia Aiabic. 2u1S. ' ,'August 8,
http:www.aljazeeia.netnewspages21f7711S-6847-48aS-9uS9-9ca7u4buc1e2
42
The uulf Institute, 'Close Relative of Senioi Sauui Counteiteiioiism 0fficial Killeu Alongsiue AlQaeua in
Syiia,' Washington, 19 August 2u1S, piess ielease by email
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



19
Qatai's iefusal to fall into line with the ciackuown in Sauui Aiabia anu othei uulf states anu
its continueu enuoisement of political Islam constituteu a challenge not only to Sauui
effoits to cement iegional hegemony but also to what political scientist Stephane Lacioix
sees as a Sauui move to ensuie that a quietist anu politically subseivient stianu of Salafism
ieemeiges to ieplace political Islam as the kinguom anu the Nuslim woilu's uominant
tienu. "Seen fiom Riyauh, the solution is to tuin the clock back to the pie-197us eia, when
the official ieligious establishment's quietist bianu of Salafism hau a monopoly ovei Sauui
Islam," Lacioix aigueu.
4S

Qatai on the othei hanu appeais to be banking on the hope that ieplacing political Islam
with quietist Salafism may be easiei saiu than uone. Sauui Aiabia is on the cusp of a
geneiational change in leaueiship with an ailing king in his late 8us anu a ciown piince in
his late 7us who may not be able to stymie the mobilizing powei of political Islam in an eia
in which winus of change aie blowing thiough the iegion.
Qatai hau alieauy kinuleu the fiie in 2u1S with its concession to human iights gioups not
to extiauite a uissiuent Sauui uiplomat to the kinguom. Insteau, the uiplomat, Nishal bin
Zaai Bamau al-Nutiiy, who accuseu his goveinment of involvement in teiioiism, was
alloweu to go into exile in Noiocco. "The spotlight shone on this case iesulteu in the Qataii
authoiities cuitailing theii plans to uepoit Nishal al-Nutiiy long enough foi him anu his
family to leave of theii own accoiu, anu the assistance of the NBRC (Qatai's National
Buman Rights Commission) was ciucial to ensuiing they coulu tiavel," saiu Philip Luthei,
Niuule East anu Noith Afiica Piogiamme Biiectoi at Amnesty Inteinational.
44

Abu al-Rahman Al-Rasheu, the geneial managei of Al Aiabiya, the Sauui netwoik
establisheu to countei Qatai's Al }azeeia, fuithei signaleu the giowing iift with Qatai in a
commentaiy in the summei of 2u1S. Accusing Qatai, the only uulf state ciitical of the
Egyptian militaiy's ciackuown. of aggiavating tension as the Nuslim Biotheihoou
campaigneu against the Egyptian militaiy's toppling of Noisi, Al-Rasheu wiote: "We finu it
ieally haiu to unueistanu Qatai's political logic in a countiy (Egypt) to which it is not
linkeu at the level of iegimes oi iueologically oi economically. Egyptians in Qatai moieovei

4S
Stephane Lacioix. 2u14. 'Sauui Aiabia's Nuslim Biotheihoou pieuicament,' Pioject on Niuule East Political
Science, Naich 17, http:pomeps.oig2u14uS2usauui-aiabias-muslim-biotheihoou-pieuicament
44
}ames N. Boisey, FIFA ieviews, Qatai's Woilu Cup biu, The Tuibulent Woilu of Niuule East Soccei, 26
}anuaiy 2u1S, http:miueastsoccei.blogspot.com2u1Su1fifa-investigates-qatais-woilu-cup-biu.html
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



2u
aie only a minoiity. Qatai's insistence that the moving foice of the aimy anu Egyptian
political paities accept the Biotheihoou's uemanus is not only impossible but also has
uangeious iepeicussions. Suppoiting the Biotheihoou at this cuiient phase incieases (the
Biotheihoou's) stubboin insistence to stick to its guns anu cieates an extiemely uangeious
situation. So why is Qatai uoing it. We ieally uon't unueistanu why! Bistoiically anu ovei a
peiiou of aiounu 2u yeais, Qatai has always auopteu stances that oppose the positions of
its uulf biotheis, anu all of Qatai's opposing policies have enueu up unsuccessful."
4S

In scathing iemaiks uays latei ciiticizing those opposeu to the Egyptian militaiy's iemoval
of Noisi Sauui King Abuullah fiieu a fuithei shot acioss Qatai's bow without naming it. "Let
it be known to those who inteifeieu in Egypt's inteinal affaiis that they themselves aie
fanning the fiie of seuition anu aie piomoting the teiioiism which they call foi fighting, I
hope they will come to theii senses befoie it is too late; foi the Egypt of Islam, Aiabism, anu
honoiable histoiy will not be alteieu by what some may say oi what positions otheis may
take." the monaich saiu.
46

Al }azeeia jouinalists have paiu a heavy piice foi Egyptian anu Sauui angei at Qataii policy.
Egypt chaigeu a scoie of mostly Al }azeeia jouinalists oi ones whom authoiities allegeu
weie associateu with the netwoik with spieauing false infoimation, enuangeiing national
secuiity anu being membeis of a teiioiist oiganization, a iefeience to the Biotheihoou.
Thiee jouinalists of the netwoik's English-language seivice weie sentenceu to lengthy
piison teims even though pio-Biotheihoou sympathies weie ieflecteu moie in the
netwoik's Aiabic bioaucasts than on its English-language channel.
Egyptian anu Sauui chagiin was fuithei fuelleu by the fact that Al }azeeia Aiabic pioviueu
post-Noisi the Biotheihoou anu Islamist leaueis theii foiemost platfoim on a majoi global
netwoik. Boha, home to Sheikh Qaiauawi, moieovei emeigeu as a potential base foi a
Biotheihoou anu Egyptian Islamist leaueiship in exile that incluueu men who weie wanteu

4S
Abu Al-Rahman Al-Rasheu, , !"#$%" &'()(" (*+ ,-! (Why Is The uulf Biviueu 0vei Egypt.), Al-Shaiq Al-
Awsat, Lonuon, August 18, 2u1S,
http:www.aawsat.comleauei.asp.section=S&issueno=12682&aiticle=74uS2S&seaich=%BA%C8%CF%2
u%C7%E1%B1%CB%ES%E4%2u%C7%E1%B1%C7%B4%CF:&state=tiue#.0hLBB}LfC_8
46
Abuullah bin Abuulaziz bin Abuuliahman bin Faisal bin Tuiki bin Abuullah bin Nuhammau bin Sauu, 'Sauui
King Abuullah ueclaies suppoit foi Egypt against teiioiism,', 16 August 2u1S, Al Aiabiya,
http:english.alaiabiya.netenNewsmiuule-east2u1Su816Sauui-King-Abuullah-ueclaies-suppoit-of-
Egypt-against-teiioiism.html
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



21
in Egypt anu the kinguom. Among those siteu in Boha anu featuieu on Al }azeeia was
Essam Abuel Najiu, a membei of the haiuline uema'a al-Islamiyya. Abuel Najiu, who is
wanteu by Egypt on chaiges of incitement to muiuei, spent 2S yeais in piison foi his iole
in the 1981 assassination of Piesiuent Anwai Sauat. 0thei Islamist leaueis opeiating fiom
Boha incluueu uema'a activist Taiek el-Zomoi; aiiest, Ehab Shiha, chaiiman of the
Egyptian Salafist al-Asala paity; anu wanteu Biotheis uamal Beshmat, Ashiaf Baui el-Bin,
Ami Baiiag, Ashiaf Baui el-Been, Nohammeu Nahsub anu Bamza Zawba.
47

In Syiia, Qataii backing of the Biotheihoou as well as jihauists contiauicteu Sauui suppoit
of seculai anu Salafist iebel in its biu to uefeat what it sees as an Iianian-backeu heietic
Alawite (ieau Shia) iegime. Sauui Aiabia saw uefeat of Bashai al Assau by a combination of
seculaiists anu Salafis as a way to weaken Iian anu Lebanon's Shiite militia Bezbollah anu
thwait a powei giab by the Syiian Biotheihoou. The Qataii- Sauui iivaliy helpeu
unueimine the National Coalition of Syiian Revolutionaiy anu 0pposition Foices whose
oiganizational stiuctuie was uepenuent on Biotheihoou netwoiks anu complicateu the
gioup's ielationships with iebel gioups insiue Syiia.
48
It exaceibateu tensions within the
coalition as gioups anu figuies aligneu with Qatai fought a ieaiguaiu battle against Sauui
encioachment anu pieventeu opposition effoits to cieate a functioning goveinment-in-
exile fiom getting off the giounu.
In contiast to the kinguom, Qatai has been moie willing to iisk engagement with jihaui
gioups on the giounus that its piioiity was to see the Assau iegime oveithiown soonei
than latei anu that theii exclusion woulu only aggiavate Syiia's giief. "I am veiy much
against excluuing anyone at this stage, oi biacketing them as teiioiists, oi biacketing them
as al Qaeua. What we aie uoing is only cieating a sleeping monstei, anu this is wiong. We
shoulu biing them all togethei, we shoulu tieat them all equally, anu we shoulu woik on
them to change theii iueology, i.e. put moie effoit altogethei to change theii thinking. If we
excluue anything fiom the Syiian elements touay, we aie only uoing woise to Syiia. Then
we aie opening the uooi again foi inteivention to chase the monstei," Qataii Ninistei of

47
Abigail Bauslohnei, Egypt's Nuslim Biotheihoou finus havens abioau, 6 Novembei 2u1S, The Washington
Post, http:www.washingtonpost.comwoilumiuule_eastegypts-muslim-biotheihoou-finus-havens-
abioau2u1S11uS4S8f2ufe-46Sa-11eS-9Sa9-Sf1SbS618ba8_stoiy.html
48
Yeziu Sayegh, The Syiian 0pposition's Bleak 0utlook, Cainegie Niuule East Centei, 17 Apiil 2u14,
http:www.cainegie-mec.oig2u14u417syiian-opposition-s-bleak-outlookh8eu#
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



22
State foi Foieign Affaiis Khaliu bin Nohameu al-Attiyah tolu an inteinational secuiity
confeience in Nanama in late Becembei 2u12. The official playeu uown the jihaui chaiactei
of some of the Syiian iebel gioups. "They aie only close to uou now because what they aie
seeing fiom bloou - anu I am saying this foi all of Syiia. Nuslims, Chiistians, }ews -
whenevei they have a ciisis, they come close to uou. This is the natuie of man. If we see
that someone is calling Allahu Akbai (uou is gieat), the othei soluiei fiom the iegime is
also calling Allahu Akbai when he faces him. This is not a sign of extiemism oi teiioiism,"
Al-Attiyah saiu.
49

Qatai anu Sauui Aiabia's funuamentally uiffeient stiategies of self-pieseivation aie iooteu
in a Qataii peiception that the iole of the Sauui cleigy in policy making has iesulteu in
Sauui Aiabia failing in its ambition to pioviue the iegion with the vision anu effective
leaueiship that woulu have alloweu it to pieempt the wave of change anu iesolve pioblems
on its own. That peiception has ieinfoiceu Qatai's iaison u'etie: a state that maintains its
uistinction anu tiibal inuepenuence fiom the iegion's behemoth, Sauui Aiabia, with whom
it is entangleu in a iegional shauow boxing match.
While the iuling families of both have sought to buffei themselves against piotests by
boosting social spenuing, Sauui Aiabia has opteu foi maintenance of the status quo to the
uegiee possible anu has giauuateu fiom limiteu engagement with the Nuslim Biotheihoou
to open confiontation with the gioup. Sauui Aiabia's attituue towaius the Biotheihoou is
infoimeu by a feai that Islamic goveinment in othei nations coulu thieaten its political anu
ieligious claim to leaueiship of the Nuslim woilu baseu on the fact that it is home to Necca
anu Neuina, Islam's two holiest cities, its puiitan inteipietation of Islamic uogma, anu its
self-image as a nation iuleu on the basis of Islamic law with the Quian as its constitution.
The thieat poseu by the Biotheihoou anu Qataii piomotion of political activism is
ieinfoiceu by the fact that concepts of violent jihau have laigely been ieplaceu by Islamist
civic action acioss the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica in uemanu of civil, human anu political
iights that hit too close to home.

49
Inteinational Institute foi Stiategic Stuuies, Piioiities foi Regional Secuiity: Q&A Session," 8 Becembei
2u12, http:www.iiss.oigeneventsmanama%2uuialogueaichivemanama-uialogue-2u12-fS8eseconu-
plenaiy-session-fSe9qa-Su28
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



2S
By contiast, Qatai's piagmatic ielationship to Wahhabism easeu the eaily foiging of a close
ielationship with the Nuslim Biotheihoou. Qatai's ties to the Biotheihoou may be less
motivateu by iueology than by a ueteimination to uistinguish itself fiom the kinguom anu
back what at times appeaieu to be a winning hoise anu what iemains a foice to be
ieckoneu with. The maiiiage of convenience between Qatai anu the gioup was enhanceu
by the appeal of the Biotheihoou's fusion of Wahhabi Salafism with the thinking of
Westein euucateu Egyptian juiist anu ieligious scholai Nuhammeu Abuuh, wiuely
iegaiueu as the fathei of Islamic moueinism, anu even moie so his uisciple Rashiu Riua
who stiuck a moie nationalist, anti-colonial tone than his teachei. It was Riua's push foi a
political movement that favoieu Islamic empiie ovei nation states, sought to iestoie puiity
to Islamic society anu wanteu to ievive the Caliphate that maue the Biotheihoou attiactive
to Qatai. It alloweu Qatai to cieate a challenge to Sauui claim to leaueiship of the Nuslim
Woilu.
Iionically, Qatai was joineu by Bahiain, one of, if not the uulf state closest to Sauui Aiabia,
in bucking the iegion's tienu anu maintaining close ties to the Biotheihoou even as the
kinguom leu a chaige against the gioup. The Bahiaini Biotheihoou's political aim, the Al-
Ninbai Islamic Society, has been alloweu to opeiate openly even if Bahiain joineu Sauui
Aiabia in withuiawing its ambassauoi fiom Boha in piotest against Qatai's ielationship
with the Biotheihoou... The gioup, which has laigely suppoiteu the goveinment, is wiuely
believeu to be funueu by the islanu's minoiity Sunni Nuslim iuling family anu Islamic
finance institutions in a biu to countei political foices that iepiesent its Shiite Nuslim
majoiity.
Su

Qatai's ielationship with the Biotheihoou was facilitateu by the fact that key figuies fiom
the gioup like Qaiauawi, a majoi influence in a countiy with no ieal cleigy of its own,
Libyan imam Ali Al Salabi, anu Egyptian Sheikh Ahmeu Assal anu Sheikh Abuel Noez Abuul
Sattai have hau a base in Boha foi uecaues. Among the fiist Biotheihoou aiiivals was
Abuul-Baui Saqi, an Egyptian who came in 19S4 at the invitation of the Qataiis to help set
up theii euucation system. Saqi hau been iecommenueu by Nuhib al-Bin al-Khatib, the

Su
Loii Plotkin Boghaiut, 'The Nuslim Biotheihoou in the uulf: Piospects foi Agitation,' 1u }une 2u1S, The
Washington Institute foi Neai East Policy, http:www.washingtoninstitute.oigpolicy-analysisviewthe-
muslim-biotheihoou-in-the-gulf-piospects-foi-agitation
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



24
piopiietoi of a Salafi bookshop in Caiio.
S1
To fill the neeu foi teacheis, he inviteu Biotheis
who accoiuing to scholai Abuullah }uma Kobaisi "stampeu the euucation system with theii
Islamic iueology since the euucation uepaitment was unuei theii contiol."
S2

In his uoctoial thesis, Kobaisi noteu that "foi a peiiou of thiee yeais (19SSS4 to 19SSS6)
most of the teacheis who weie biought in to iun the Qataii schools weie iueologically in
favoi of the Nuslim Biotheihoou Paity."
SS
The teacheis' siuing with the Biotheihoou when
Egyptian Piesiuent uamal Abuel Nassei, who was wiuely populai among Qataiis because of
his Aiab nationalism, ciackeu uown on the gioup, put them at ouus with both theii hosts
anu theii stuuents. As a iesult, Saqi was fiieu anu ieplaceu by an Aiab nationalist.
S4
The
setback was only tempoiaiy. A seconu wave of teacheis associateu with the Biotheihoou
anu embeuueu in Caiio's Al Azhai 0niveisity began to aiiive in 196u, incluuing al-Assal
who foimeu Biotheihoou gioups in Qatai using his status as an instiuctoi anu pieachei in
mosques. Al-Sattai who seiveu in the miu-194us as the peisonal envoy to Palestine of the
Biotheihoou's founuei, Bassan al-Banna, staiteu as a school inspectoi in Qatai befoie he
became uiiectoi of Islamic Sciences at the Qataii ministiy of euucation. Al-Sattai co-
authoieu many of the initial textbooks useu in the countiy's school system.
SS

The Biotheis weie joineu in 1961 by Qaiauawi who fieshly out of Egyptian piison became
uiiectoi of the Religious Institute befoie giauuating to founuing uean of Qatai 0niveisity's
Shaiia College. Qaiauawi, who became a Qataii citizen in 1969, iose to become one of the
woilu's most piominent anu contioveisial Islamic ieligious leaueis anu a paiticulai eye
soie to the Sauuis. With Qaiauawi Qatai hau cieateu a global mufti
S6
in much the same
way that it built a global television netwoik anu a global aiiline anu hosts global spoiting
events. Be iepiesenteu in the woius of contioveisial Islam scholai Yahya Nichot the thiee
uimensions of a spiiitual leauei that many in the global community of faithful weie looking

S1
Abuullah }uma Kobaisi. 1979 'The Bevelopment of Euucation in Qatai, 19Su-1977,' Buiham 0niveisity, p.
122, http:etheses.uui.ac.uk18S6118S6.puf
S2
"#$%& Kobaisi, p. 12S
SS
"#$%& Kobaisi, p. 12S
S4
Ibiu. Kobaisi, p. 12S
SS
Baviu Robeits. 2u14. 'Qatai, the Ikhwan, anu tiansnational ielations in the uulf,' Pioject on Niuule East
Political Science, Naich 18, http:pomeps.oig2u14uS18qatai-the-ikhwan-anu-tiansnational-ielations-
in-the-gulf
S6
}akob Skovgaaiu-Peteisen anu Bettina uiaf (Euitois). 2u12. ulobal Nufti: The Phenomenon of Yusuf al-
Qaiauawi, New Yoik: Columbia 0niveisity Piess
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



2S
foi: inuepenuence as a Nuslim scholai anu activist, iepiesentation of a tiansnational
movement such as the Nuslim Biotheihoou, anu association with an inteinational
oiganization such as the Qatai-backeu Inteinational 0nion of Nuslim Scholais (I0NS) that
Qaiauawi chaiis.
S7
Qaiauawi constituteu a poweiful shielu foi the Al Thanis against
ieligious ciiticism. The Biotheihoou's pleuge to uismantle its Qataii bianch pioviueu
fuithei assuiance that Qatai woulu be spaieu the emeigence of a home-giown Islamist
movement. Biveiting the Islamist focus away fiom Qatai was fuithei facilitateu by Qatai's
funuing of Biotheihoou meuia outlets, incluuing a show foi Qaiauawi on Al }azeeia,
Islamweb.net anu Islamonline.com. Qaiauawi's show, Al Shaiia wal Bayat (The Shaiiah anu
Life) that ieaches a global auuience of tens of millions of Aiabic speakeis, helpeu give Al
}azeeia its Islamist stamp. It is also a fixtuie on Qatai state television which bioaucasts his
Fiiuay piayei seimons live. The Qataii meuia stiategy offeieu the uulf state influence
acioss the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica wheie Biotheihoou off-shoots weie active
incluuing uaza with Bamas, which Qatai luieu away fiom Syiia anu Iian, as well as the
Islamic Action Fiont in }oiuan.
In the iun-up anu immeuiate afteimath of the toppling of Nubaiak in Egypt, Qaiauawi
sought to countei calls by conseivative Al Azhai cleiics seeking to peisuaue Egyptians not
to piotest by pointing to Islam's quietist legal tiauition that commanus Nuslims to obey
theii iulei even if he is unjust because it coulu leau to civil stiife. Qaiauawi stiove to
uevelop a new stianu of legal thought that he uesciibeu as fiqh al-thawia oi juiispiuuence
of the ievolution. Be aigueu that piotests weie legitimate if they sought to achieve a
legitimate enu such as implementation of Islamic law, the ielease of wiongly incaiceiateu
piisoneis, stopping militaiy tiials of civilians oi ensuiing access to basic goous.
S8
Yet, in
line with Qataii policy, Qaiauawi iejecteu aiounu the same time a iequest by a fellow I0NS
membei to suppoit on those giounus the pieuominantly Shia upiising in Bahiain.
S9


S7
Yahya Nichot, 2u11. 'The fatwa of Shaykh Ysuf al-Qaiauw against uauuafi,' 1S Naich,
http:www.sciibu.comuocS1219918The-fatwa-of-Shaykh-Yusuf-al-Qaiauawi-against-uauuafi
S8
Yusuf al-Qaiauawi. 2u11. ' (The legitimacy of peaceful
uemonstiations),'Qaiauawi.net, Naich 1S, http:qaiauawi.netfatawaahkamSu4929-2u11-u8-u8-u8-17-
1u.html
S9
Nohammeu al Tashkiii. 2u11. ' (Lettei fiom
Atatollah Tashkiii to scholai Qaiauawi), Rohama, Apiil S, http:www.iohama.oigaipages.ciu=S217
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



26
Besciibing Qaiauawi's impoitance to Qatai, foimei Qataii justice ministei anu piominent
lawyei Najeeb al Nauimi saiu; "Sauui Aiabia has Necca anu Neuina. We have Qaiauawi --
anu all his uaughteis uiive cais anu woik."
6u
Qaiauawi anu othei Biotheis, helpeu Qatai
uevelop its own fusion of Salafist anu Biotheihoou thinking that was initially expiesseu in
publications such as Najalat al 0mma.
61
They counteibalanceu the influence of local Sauui-
influenceu cleigymen anu Salafis who contiolleu the ministiies of justice anu ieligious
enuowments.
With the eiuption of the piotests in vaiious Aiab countiies in 2u11, Qaiauawi was
instiumental in peisuauing Qatai to use its political anu financial muscle to suppoit the
Biotheihoou in Egypt; the ievolt in Libya against Col. Noammai Qauuafi; the post-Ben Ali
Ennahuha-leu goveinment in Tunisia; an assoitment of Islamist gioups in Libya, Yemen,
anu Noiocco anu opponents of Syiian piesiuent Bashai al-Assau. Thiee uays aftei a
tiiumphant appeaiance in Caiio's Tahiii Squaie in eaily 2u11, Qaiauawi issueu on Al
}azeeia a fatwa oi ieligious opinion authoiizing the killing of Libyan leauei Col. Noammai
Qauuafi.
62
Be asseiteu fuithei that histoiic links between Egypt anu Syiia put Syiia in
piotesteis' fiiing line.
6S
In iesponse, Syiian officials accuseu Qaiauawi of fosteiing
sectaiianism.
64

Qaiauawi took his auvocacy of iesistance to Assau a significant step fuithei by effectively
enuoising the sectaiian Sunni-Shia Nuslim uiviue in a speech in late Nay 2u1S. Initially,
Qaiauawi's iemaiks a month befoie the ascension of Tamim, who unuei his fathei was
Qatai's main inteilocutoi with the kinguom, weie seen as a hint at a possible aligning of
Qataii policy with that of Sauui Aiabia. Qaiauawi appeaieu to back Sauui encouiagement of
the uiviue between Sunni anu Shia Nuslims. Be uigeu Nuslims with militaiy tiaining to
join the anti-Assau stiuggle in Syiia. Bis conuemnation of Lebanese Shiite Nuslim militia
Bezbollah (Paity of uou) as the "paity of Satan" was immeuiately enuoiseu by Sauui gianu

6u
"#$%& Tiofimov
61
Anuiew Bammonu, Qatai's Leaueiship Tiansition: Like Fathei, Like Son, Febiuaiy 2u14, Euiopean Council
on Foieign Relations, http:ecfi.eupage-ECFR9S_QATAR_BRIEF_AW.puf
62
"#$%& Nichot
6S
Qaiauawi backs Syiian ievolution, The Peninsula, Naich 26, 2u11,
http:www.thepeninsulaqatai.comqatai14691S-qaiauawi-backs-syiian-ievolution.html
64
Aymenn }awau Al-Tamimi, 'Syiia anu the 'Resistance' Bloc: Buuuies No Noie,' Nay 22, 2u11, Ameiican
Thinkei, http:www.ameiicanthinkei.com2u11uSsyiia_anu_the_iesistance_bloc.html
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



27
mufti Abuul Aziz al-Sheikh as was his asseition that al-Assau's Alawite sect, an offshoot of
Shia Islam, was "moie infiuel than Chiistians anu }ews." In a suipiisingly oveit gestuie to
Sauui Aiabia, Qaiauawi went on to say that "I uefenueu the so-calleu (Bezbollah leauei
Bassan) Nasiallah anu his paity, the paity of tyianny... in fiont of cleiics in Sauui Aiabia. It
seems that the cleiics of Sauui Aiabia weie moie matuie than me."
6S

It howevei uiu not take long foi Qaiauawi to ieveit to his fieiy self anu buiying suggestions
that Tamim woulu be moie accommouating than his fathei towaius the Sauuis. In a
blisteiing attack on Egypt's militaiy-backeu goveinment anu aimeu foices, Qaiauawi
chaigeu in Novembei 2u1S that Egypt was being iuleu by thugs who kill people anu steal
theii money." Speaking in Boha's 0mai Ibn al-Khattab Nosque, he saiu that "those
oppiessois have killeu woishipeis, fasteis, pious people anu ieaueis of Quian who uiu not
haim anybouy. The militaiy, police, thugs, anu snipeis killeu thousanus in Rabaa al-
Auawiya which was obvious injustice," a iefeience to the Caiio Squaie on which the
Biotheihoou campeu out foi weeks to piotest against the iemoval of Noisi.
66
Bunuieus of
people weie killeu in August 2u1S when secuiity foices biutally bioke up the piotest. In
}anuaiy 2u14, Qaiauawi fuithei uistanceu himself anu Qatai fiom the pio-Sauui camp in
the uulf by conuemning the 0AE as a countiy opposeu to Islamic iule.
67

C.<(<-&23 D'0#(&'- #/-&)&'(
Iionically, the setting up of Qatai's state-owneu Al }azeeia television netwoik which at
times hanules uulf states with velvet gloves, paiallels the stiuctuiing of the uulf state's ties
to the Biotheihoou. The Biotheihoou, like Al }azeeia, which moie often than not is the last
to iepoit on contioveisial uomestic Qataii issues, cut a ueal in the late 199us with the Al
Thanis which guaianteeu it continueu Qataii suppoit in exchange foi the uismantling of its
opeiations in Qatai anu a pleuge that it woulu opeiate eveiywheie except foi in Qatai
itself. Foi its pait, Qatai moveu to funu institutions uesigneu to fostei a geneiation of

6S
Qaiauawi aumits Sauui cleiics aie moie matuie than him on Bezbollah, }une 1, 2u11, Niuule East 0nline,
http:www.miuule-east-online.comenglish.iu=S91S9
66
}ames N. Boisey, 2u1S. 'Qatai launches politically sensitive suivey into low soccei match attenuance, The
Tuibulent Woilu of Niuule East Soccei, Novembei 24, http:miueastsoccei.blogspot.com2u1S11qatai-
launches-politically-sensitive.html
67
Al }azeeia English. 2u14. 0AE summons Qatai envoy ovei Qaiauawi iemaiks', Febiuaiy 2,
http:www.aljazeeia.comnewsmiuuleeast2u14u2uae-summons-qatai-envoy-ovei-qaiauawi-iemaiks-
2u14221SS9S8SS16S.html
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



28
activists in the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica as well as guiue the Biotheihoou in its
tiansition fiom a clanuestine to a public gioup.
0ne such institution, the Al-Nahua (Awakening) Pioject
68
to piomote Islamist activism
within uemociacies, was establisheu by }assim Al-Sultan, a foimei Qataii Biothei. A
meuical uoctoi, Al-Sultan has since the uissolution of the gioup in Qatai auviseu the
Biotheihoou to ieach out to otheis iathei than stick to its stiategy of builuing powei bases
within existing institutions. Be also ciiticizeu the Biotheihoou foi insisting on its slogan,
'Islam is the Solution.' Al Nahua coopeiates closely with the Lonuon anu Boha-baseu
Acauemy of Change (A0C)
69
that focuses on the stuuy of "social, cultuial, anu political
tiansfoimations especially in the Aiabic anu Islamic iegion." A0C appeais to be mouelleu
on 0topei, the Seibian youth movement that toppleu Piesiuent Slobouan Nilosevic anu has
since tiansfoimeu itself into a tiaining giounu foi activists fiom acioss the globe in non-
violent piotest. The Biotheihoou campaigneu foi A0C founuei Bisham Noisy's ielease
aftei he was uetaineu uuiing the populai ievolt in 2u11 that toppleu Egyptian Piesiuent
Bosni Nubaiak.
The thieat to Sauui Aiabia poseu by Qataii fosteiing of populai piotest was compounueu
by the natuie of the social contiact in the kinguom anu othei eneigy-iich ientiei uulf
states. The state's geneious ciaule-to-giave welfaie anu social anu no taxation policy
appioach in exchange foi the suiienuei of political iights meant that the Biotheihoou
challengeu iuling families on issues wheie they weie most vulneiable: cultuie, iueology
anu civic society. As a iesult, Qataii goveinment suppoit of Al Nahua anu A0C was pait of
its effoit to contiol the woilu of national non-goveinmental oiganizations by cieating anu
populating its own Nu0s.
In uoing so, Qatai taigeteu what accoiuing to scholai Bootan Shambayati effectively
amounts to the uulf states' Achilles Beel. "The ientiei natuie of the state limiteu the
iegime's ability to legitimize itself thiough its economic peifoimance. Consequently,
cultuie anu moial values became souices of conflict between the state anu segments of the

68
http:www.4nahua.comcontent1uuS
69
http:aoc.fm
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



29
civil society," Shambayati wiote.
7u
The goveinment's suppoit foi activists paialleleu
Qatai's eailiei bypassing of Aiab elites by initially appealing to the public acioss the iegion
with its giounubieaking fiee-wheeling iepoiting anu uebate on Al }azeeia that at its peak
captivateu an Aiabic speaking auuience of 6u million.
4$#.E12&23 -$1 .&)#0.8
Beyonu histoiic uiffeiences in ieligious expeiience anu piactice, two events shaipeneu the
iivaliy between Sauui Aiabia anu Qatai: the 1991 0S-leu expulsion of Iiaqi foices fiom
Kuwait anu the iise to powei in a 199S bloouless coup of Sheikh Bamau. The 0S-leu
invasion calleu into question Qatai's alignment with Sauui Aiabia since its inuepenuence in
1971, which involveu Sauui guaiantees to piotect the tiny emiiate. To the Qataiis, the
invasion uemonstiateu that it coulu not iely foi its uefense on a countiy that was not
capable of uefenuing itself. That iealization coupleu with Kuwait's ability to ially the
inteinational community to its assistance ieinfoiceu Sheikh Bamau's belief that Qatai's
secuiity was best enhanceu by embeuuing anu bianuing itself in the inteinational
community as a cutting-euge, moueiate, knowleuge-baseu centuiy nation.
To that enu Sheikh Bamau auopteu not only a soft powei stiategy but also one of subtle
powei which scholai Nehian Kamiava uefines as "a new foim of powei anu influence, one
less obvious anu moie uiscieet, iooteu in a combination of contextual oppoitunities anu
calculateu policies meant to augment one's influence ovei otheis."
71
Kamiava aigueu that
the ieplacement of Sauui Aiabia by the 0niteu States as the guaiantoi of Qataii secuiity
enableu Qatai to builu its subtle powei on the positioning of itself as s goou citizen by
meuiating in iegional uisputes, ievolutionizing the Aiab meuia lanuscape thiough Al
}azeeia, financial geneiosity anu a uoses of maiketing, anu high piofile acquisitions. Qatai
coulu "uevote its attention to issues that aie not stiictly secuiity-ielateu anu to insteau
puisue goals anu stiategies that enhance its uiplomatic statuie anu stiengthen its political
economy both at home anu abioau," Kamiava wiote.
72
Qataii soft anu subtle powei
highlighteu a shift of iegional powei in the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica away fiom the

7u
Bootan Shambayati, 'The Rentiei State, Inteiest uioups, anu the Paiauox of Autonomy: State anu Business
in
Tuikey anu Iian,' Compaiative Politics, 1994, vol 6:S, p. Su7-SS1
71
Nehian Kamiava.2u12. Qatai. Small State, Big Politics. Ithaca anu Lonuon: Coinell 0niveisity Piess, Kinule
euition, Loc 178
72
"#$%& Kamiava. Loc
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



Su
tiauitional behemoths Egypt, Syiia, Iian anu Iiaq to uulf states in which in the woius of
scholai uiacomo Luciani oil is moie impoitant than weaponiy anu financial muscle tops
population.
7S

Qatai's emphasis on soft anu subtle powei uiu not mean abanuoning a semblance of haiu
powei involving 12,uuu most foieign men unuei aims anu anothei 8,uuu in the secuiity
foices. In what was piimaiily a symbolic gestuie that was also auopteu by the 0AE, Qatai
auopteu in Novembei 2u1S a law making militaiy seivice of up to foui months compulsoiy
foi its mail citizens ageu 18 to SS.
74
A Qataii official saiu the move was intenueu to cieate a
ieseive foice anu enable Qataiis to iely on themselves. Similaily, the Kuwait pailiament
was uebating ieintiouucing compulsoiy militaiy seivice abolisheu aftei the 199u Iiaqi
invasion. Qatai's fiist 2,uuu ieciuits weie uiafteu in Apiil 2u14.
7S

At the same time Qatai announceu it was puichasing $24 billion in militaiy haiuwaie, one
of the laigei buying spiees in its histoiy.
76
Qataii iealization that its uefense woulu have to
be built on soft iathei than haiu poweis was neveitheless highlighteu in an eailiei 0S
embassy cable that uesciibeu the uulf state's iequests foi auvanceu weaponiy as mouest
anu saiu that Qatai hau a numbei of times backeu out of aims ueals.
77
The embassy saiu it
felt that Qatai lackeu a national militaiy stiategy anu seemeu ieluctant to uiaw one up.
78
It
concluueu that "the QAF (Qatai Aii Foice) coulu put up little uefense against Qatai's
piimaiy peiceiveu thieats - Sauui Aiabia anu Iian - anu the 0.S. militaiy's piesence heie is
laigei anu fai moie capable than Qatai's foices."
79


7S
uiacomo Luciani. 2uu9. '0il anu political economy in the inteinational ielations of the Niuule East, in Louis
Fawcett (eu), , Inteinational ielations of the Niuule East, 0xfoiu
74
uulf News,. 2u1S. Qatai to make militaiy seivice compulsoiy foi 4 months, 14 Novembei 2u1S,
http:gulfnews.comnewsgulfqataiqatai-to-make-militaiy-seivice-compulsoiy-foi-4-months-1.12SS124
7S
Naua Bauawi. 2u14. 'Qataii men iepoit foi fiist uay of manuatoiy national seivice,' Boha News, Apiil 1,
http:uohanews.cofiist-uay-manuatoiy-national-seivice-kicks-2uuu-ieciuits
76
Petei Kovessy. 2u14. 'Qatai's militaiy builu-up continues with $24bn in new aims ueals,' Boha News,
Naich 28. http:uohanews.coqatais-militaiy-builu-continues-24bn-new-aims-ueals
77
0S Embassy Boha. 2u1u. 'Scenesettei foi 0.S. - Qataii Nilitaiy Consultative Commission, Wikileaks, }anuaiy
7,
http:cablegateseaich.wikileaks.oigcable.php.iu=1uB0BA8&q=commission%2uconsultative%2umilitaiy
%2uqataii
78
"#$%& 0S Embassy
79
0S Embassy Boha. 2uu9. "The Nove towaiu an Inteiagency Synchionization Plan: The Results of Embassy
Boha's Thiiu Fielu Assessment, Novembei 19,
http:cablegateseaich.wikileaks.oigcable.php.iu=u9B0BA677&q=an%2uinteiagency%2umove%2usynchi
onization%2uthe%2utowaiu
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S1
The iift with Sauui Aiabia ueepeneu in the miu-199us with Sauui iejection of the notion
that a son coulu ievolt against his fathei as Sheikh Bamau uiu with the oveithiow of his
fathei, Sheikh Khalifa bin Bamau bin Abuullah bin }assim bin Nuhammeu Al Thani. Sauui
outiage tianslateu into effoits to unueimine if not unseat the new iulei by sabotaging
Qatai's enueavois to expoit natuial gas to othei states in the iegion anu builu a biiuge
linking it with the 0AE. By all accounts, Bamau's voluntaiy abuication in favoi of Tamim
shoulu have piovokeu similai iie fiom the Sauuis in a iegion in which iuleis hang on to
powei until ueath even if they at times have expeiienceu a ueteiioiation of health that has
incapacitateu them not only physically but also mentally. 0ne ieason it uiu not is the fact
that Sauui officials hau hopeu that Tamim's moie accommouating inteiaction with them as
ciown piince woulu iesult in a ieveisal of the activist anu auventuiist natuie of his fathei's
foieign policy.
Relations between the two countiies howevei hau alieauy almost iuptuieu befoie Bamau's
199S coup because of boiuei skiimishes in 1992 anu 1994 that weie iooteu in long-
stanuing uisputes ovei Sauui piojection of itself as fiist among the iegion's Beuouins. They
fuithei ueteiioiateu as a iesult of seveial allegeuly Sauui-backeu coup attempts in the late
199us uesigneu to iestoie Sheikh Khalifa to powei. The attempts piompteu Qatai almost a
uecaue latei to stiip some 6,uuu membeis of the Al-uhafian clan, a bianch of the Al Nuiia
tiibe, of theii Qataii nationality because they hau allegeuly patiolleu the boiuei on behalf
of the Sauuis. The Al Thanis have long hau a complex ielationship with the Al Nuiia who
populate noithein anu eastein Aiabia anu aie believeu to be Qatai's laigest tiibe. Qataii
officials asseiteu at the time that they hau lost theii nationality because they hau iefuseu to
ienounce theii Sauui nationality in line with Qataii law that uoes not allow uual citizenship.
All but 2uu of the Al uhafian iegaineu theii Qataii citizenship a yeai latei at the iequest of
Sauui King Abuullah. 21 of those aiiesteu in connection with the faileu coup attempts weie
ieleaseu in 2u1u aftei 14 yeais in piison anu immeuiately flown to Sauui Aiabia.
The ueteiioiating ielationship with its big biothei maue it even moie impeiative foi Qatai
to stiike out on its own - the veiy thing Sauui Aiabia thought to pieempt. A stiuggle foi a
multi-billion uollai Qataii pioject to supply gas to Kuwait ieflecteu the Sauui effoit. Askeu
in 2uuS why the Kuwait pioject was stalleu then Qataii inuustiy anu eneigy ministei
Abuullah Bin Bamau Al-Attiyah saiu: "We have ieceiveu no cleaiance fiom Sauui Aiabia.
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S2
Bence it is not feasible."
8u
It took a iolleicoastei of iepeateu Sauui uenials anu appiovals
foi the pioject to be finally completeu in 2uu8.
If the natuial gas ueal was emblematic of Qataii-Sauui ielations, so was a Lonuon libel case
in which the wife of foimei emii Sheikh Bamau anu mothei of new emii Sheikh Tamim,
Sheikha Nozah bint Nassei al-Nissneu, sueu Sauui-owneu Ash Shaiq al Awsat newspapei
foi falsely iepoiting that hei husbanu hau secietly visiteu Isiael. In hei petition to the
couit, the Sheikha chaigeu that the papei was "contiolleu by Sauui intelligence paymasteis
who useu the newspapei as a mouthpiece foi a piopaganua campaign against Qatai anu its
leaueiship."
81

Sauui anu Qataii national inteiests uiveige fuithei when it comes to Iian with whom Qatai
shaies the woilu's laigest gas fielu. Sauui Aiabia sees Iian as a majoi iival that is
instigating civil uniest in the iegion. It is also the spiiitual home of the Shiites, the sect most
uespiseu by Sauui Wahhabis. To navigate this minefielu, Qatai has piojecteu itself as the
meuiatoi pai excellence of the wiuei iegion's conflicts. To uo so, it has foigeu ielationships
with othei Sauui nemeses such as Bamas anu Bezbollah anu Isiael.
The kinguom has since foigeu its own alliance with Isiael in iesponse to a potential
iappiochement between the 0niteu States anu Iian. Qataii ielations with Isiael initially
howevei piovokeu Sauui iie. Then Sauui Ciown piince Abuullah iefuseu to attenu an Aiab
summit in 2uuu because of the piesence in Boha of an Isiaeli tiaue office. The appeaiance
on Al }azeeia two yeais latei of Sauui uissiuents peisuaueu the kinguom to withuiaw its
ambassauoi to Qatai much like it uiu again in 2u14. In 2uu9, Sauui Aiabia anu Qatai helu
iival Aiab summits within a uay of each othei uespite an impiovement in ielations in the
two pieceuing yeais that incluueu a ueal allowing Al }azeeia to open a buieau in Riyauh
pioviueu it uiu not aii uissiuent Sauui voices.
The impiovement was nonetheless a ieflection of ielative Sauui leveiage that iionically
was enhanceu by Qatai's own success in ueploying soft powei. The winning of the hosting
iights foi the 2u22 Woilu Cup meant that Qatai neeueu to pioject stability in its backyaiu.
Its ability to uo so inuepenuent of Sauui Aiabia was enhanceu with the eiuption of the Aiab

8u
Nona Lisa Fieiha, 2u11. 'Sauui iefuses Qatai gas pioject,; An Nahai, }uly 2S,
81
Lawience Smallman. 2uuS 'Qatai's fiist lauy wins 0K libel case,' }anuaiy S, , Al }azeeia,
http:www.aljazeeia.comaichive2uuSu12uu8491S994S889.html
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



SS
populai ievolts that alloweu Qatai to pioject itself as an islanu of stability, moueinity anu
piogiess in a sea of volatility anu conseivatism. While a majoiity of Qataiis woulu likely
back impioveu ielations with Sauui Aiabia, they also appeai to be ambiguous about theii
countiy's ielationship with the kinguom. Qataiis paiticipating in a 2uu9 bioaucast of the
BBC's Boha Bebates oveiwhelming uesciibeu theii countiy's ielations with the kinguom as
a 'colu wai.'
82
Stuuents in univeisities often gloiify past Qataii tiibal uefense of Qatai's only
lanu boiuei that sepaiates it fiom Sauui Aiabia. Theii uistanceu attituue to the kinguom
ieflects a iesentment among young Qataiis of the fact that Sheikh Bamau's ousteu fathei,
Sheikh Khalifa, hau to pay homage to the Sauui king in exchange foi secuiity guaiantees.
8S

If Sauui Aiabia's goals - maintenance of the status quo to the uegiee possible, ietention of
its leaueiship iole, limiting the iise of Islamist foices, pieseivation of monaichial iule anu
iestiictive political iefoim - seem stiaight foiwaiu, Qatai's iuiosynciatic policies have at
times iaiseu questions about what it is tiying to achieve anu how it went about it.
Politicians anu analysts stiuggleu, foi example, to unueistanu how Qatai's competition
with Sauui Aiabia foi influence was playing out in Yemen, a stiategic nation at the southein
tip of the peninsulai. Qatai maintains close ties to the poweiful Islamist Biotheihoou-
ielateu Al-Islah movement, suppoits Al Bouthi iebels in the noith, anu emeigeu at one
point as a meuiatoi in Yemen. It succeeueu foi a biief peiiou of time in supeiseuing Sauui
Aiabia as the go-to-auuiess in a countiy in which kiunapping foi political anu ciiminal
puiposes aie a fixtuie of life as was eviuent with the ielease of a kiunappeu Swiss
teachei.
84
Qatai's influence was both iemaikable anu sensitive given long-stanuing Sauui
bankiolling of the goveinment of foimei Piesiuent Ali Abuullah Saleh as well as the
countiy's majoi tiibes, incluuing that of the piesiuent, the Bashiu tiibal confeueiation.
Qatai built its inioaus in a countiy Sauui Aiabia vieweu as its pieseive on its ielationship
with the Biotheihoou as well as a histoiy of meuiation in Yemen that uateu back to the
199us. In competing in Yemen, Qatai initially benefiteu fuithei fiom the fact that it was a
tiny nation iathei than the iegion's giant anu was not a suppliei of jihauists to Yemen-
baseu Al Qa'iua in the Aiabian uulf (AQAP). Qatai's influence was sufficiently significant to

82
The Boha Bebates, This Bouse believes that aftei uaza, Aiab unity is ueau anu buiieu, Febiuaiy 1S, 2uu9,
http:www.theuohauebates.comuebatesitem.u=47&moue=opinions
8S
}ill Ciystal. 199S. 0il anu Politics in the uulf, Cambiiuge, p. 164-16S
84
Nichael Peel, Rivals make play foi powei in Yemen, Financial Times, Apiil 1S, 2u1S
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S4
piompt tiibal leaueis, incluuing piominent businessmen anu politician Bamiu al-Ahmai, to
balance theii ielations between the two uulf iivals aftei they bioke with Saleh uuiing the
2u11 populai upiising against him anu joineu the opposition. The uiveigence of Qataii anu
Sauui goals in Yemen was also eviuenceu by Qatai's ties to Nobel Piize winnei anu
piominent Yemeni activist Tawakkol Kaima, who emeigeu as the face of the populai ievolt
against Saleh
0n the back of its ielationship with the Biotheihoou, Qatai gaineieu populaiity among
Saleh's opponents by becoming the fiist Aiab countiy in 2u11 to call on the piesiuent to
step uown in iesponse to the uemanu of piotesteis campeu out on the capital Sana'a's
Change Squaie. It foigeu close ties to Nobel Piize winnei anu piominent Yemeni activist
Tawakkol Kaima, who emeigeu as the face of the populai ievolt against Saleh. It fuithei
capitalizeu on its ielationship with Naj. uen. Ali Nohsen al-Ahmai, a Nuslim Biothei anu
poweiful auvisoi to Piesiuent Abeu Rabbo Nansoui Baui who succeeueu Saleh in 2u12 in a
ueal with the opposition meuiateu by uulf states unuei Sauui leaueiship that was uesigneu
to pieseive the coie stiuctuie of the outgoing piesiuent's iegime.
Al Ahmai's fiist aimoieu uivision which joineu the mass anti-Saleh piotesteis in eaily
2u11, playeu a key iole in the Saleh's ultimate uemise aftei Su yeais in office, when it
attackeu the piesiuential palace in 2u12, killing seveial senioi officials anu seveiely
wounuing the embattleu Yemeni leauei anu vaiious of his key aius. Qatai ielationship to Al
Ahmai uateu back to 2uu89 when the geneial was negotiating on behalf of Saleh an enu to
aimeu confiontation with iebel Bouthi tiibesmen in noith Yemen..
Qatai initially paiticipateu in the Sauui-leu uiplomatic effoit to iesolve the Yemen ciisis but
latei pulleu out because of what it uesciibeu as "inuecision anu uelays in the signatuie of
the pioposeu agieement" anu "the intensity of clashes" in Yemen.
8S
Noie likely is that
Sauui Aiabia pusheu Qatai out. In an inteiview with Russia Touay, Saleh hau waineu a
month eailiei that "the state of Qatai is funuing chaos in Yemen anu in Egypt anu Syiia anu
thioughout the Aiab woilu. We ieseive the iight not to sign (the uulf-negotiateu ueal) if
the iepiesentatives of Qatai aie piesent" at the ceiemony.
86
Eailiei, Saleh hau thunueieu in

8S
Niuule East 0nline, 'Qatai pulls out of uulf's Yemen meuiation,' 1S Nay 2u1S, http:www.miuule-east-
online.comenglish.iu=461u6.
86
"#$%& Niuule East 0nline
Reflections No. 4
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SS
a speech: "We ueiive oui legitimacy fiom the stiength of oui gloiious Yemeni people, not
fiom Qatai, whose initiative we ieject."
87


Qatai's success in bieaking the Sauui political monopoly in Yemen was eviuent to all in }uly
2u1S when Baui stoppeu in Boha on his way to Washington foi an official visit. Baui was
accompanieu by ueneial Al-Ahmai. Similaily, when Al Islah leauei Nuhammau al-Yauumi
tiavelleu to Boha in 2u12 to thank the goveinment foi its suppoit he uiu not incluue Sauui
Aiabia on his itineiaiy. It was a glaiing omission given Sauui Aiabia's key iole in biokeiing
the agieement that easeu Saleh out of office.
F5.2&23 -$1 E#31G
When Tamim took ovei the ieins of powei in }une 2u1S, he inheiiteu a state that his fathei
ensuieu was tightly contiolleu by his wing of the Al Thanis. Bamau cieateu institutions anu
goveinment offices that weie populateu by loyalists as well as his offspiing anu boie the
chaiacteiistics of autociacy: centializeu anu peisonalizeu uecision-making, ieliance on
pationage netwoiks anu an absence of tianspaiency anu accountability.
88

Few Qataiis question the achievements of Bamau. Those accomplishments
notwithstanuing, conseivative segments of Qataii society with whom Sheikh Tamim at
times appeaieu to empathize, have questioneu some of the effects of the foimei emii's
policies, incluuing:
! Buge expenuituie on a bolu foieign policy that put Qatai at the foiefiont of iegional
uemanus foi gieatei fieeuom anu change but also eaineu it significant ciiticism anu
embaiiassment. A suivey conuucteu in 2u1S by the Boha campuses of
Noithwestein anu ueoigetown 0niveisity concluueu that 77 peicent of Qataiis
polleu believes that moie iesouices shoulu be investeu uomestically iathei than
oveiseas. 0nly 1S peicent wanteu incieaseu spenuing on "inteinational affaiis anu
investments," while 1u peicent saiu they weie content with the cuiient balance;
89


87
Al Shaiq, ' Boha's influence in Sana'a spiing foices taking accounting of new allies (

!
"#$%& ), 12 Becembei 2u12,
http:www.alshaiq.net.sa2u12121262u296
88
"#$%& '()*(+(
89
}ustin uenglei, "Collective Fiustiation, But No Collective Action, in Qatai", 7 Becembei 2u1S, NERIP,
http:www.meiip.oigmeiomeio12u71S.
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S6
! 0nfulfilleu piomises of change at home that woulu give Qataiis a gieatei say in theii
countiy's affaiis;
! A staik inciease in foieign laboi to complete ambitious infiastiuctuie piojects many
of which aie Woilu Cup-ielateu anu have exposeu Qatai foi the fiist time to ieal
exteinal piessuie foi social change;
! Noie libeial cateiing to Westein expatiiates by allowing the contiolleu sale of
alcohol anu poik;
! Potential tacit concessions Qatai may have to make to non-Nuslim soccei fans
uuiing the Woilu Cup, incluuing expanueu aieas wheie consumption of alcohol will
be alloweu, public iowuiness anu uiess coues laigely unseen in the uulf state, anu
the piesence of gays.
A uiscussion in Qatai about possibly tiansfeiiing owneiship of soccei clubs fiom
piominent Qataiis, incluuing membeis of the iuling family, to publicly helu companies
because of lack of Qataii inteiest in "the sheikh's club" suggests a uegiee of sensitivity to
populai ciiticism.
Ali Khalifa al Kuwaii, a piominent goveinment ciitic anu authoi, tiaces opposition to Qataii
policies to a set of SS uemanus aiticulateu in a 196S petition at a time of stiikes to which
the iegime initially iesponueu by impiisoning anu expelling its opponents but ultimately
piomiseu to enact iefoim anu iatify the majoiity of the petition's uemanus. "Bemanus foi
iefoim uiu not stop theie, howevei, but continueu at a lowei intensity, uigeu on in caiiot
anu stick fashion foi the next two uecaues, befoie finally emeiging into the light in 1992 in
the foim of two petitions. The most impoitant of these petitions' uemanus was the election
of a consultative council, appointeu anu taskeu to uiaw up a peimanent constitution. As a
consequence of this, the signatoiies weie punisheu with piison sentences, tiavel bans, the
uenial of theii iights anu the thieat to iescinu theii Qataii citizenship," Al Kuwaii saiu.
9u
Al
Kuwaii lists five obstacles to iefoim in Qatai: concealing anu pieventing the publishing of
infoimation ielateu to public affaiis; a lack of tianspaiency; the absence of fieeuom of

9u
}enan Amin, Inteiview with Bi. Ali Khalifa Al Kuwaii, authoi of "The People Want Refoim. In Qatai, Too",
0ctobei 2u12, Beiniich Boell Stiftung, http:www.lb.boell.oigwebS2-117u.html
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S7
opinion anu expiession, the absence of cleaily uefineu bounuaiies between public anu
piivate inteiests anu inauequate public auministiation. Refoim, he aigues, has to auuiess
the long-teim population imbalance in Qatai anu othei uCC nations; imbalances in the
economy, the countiy's social contiact anu the tiansition fiom autociacy to uemociacy in
the iegion." Theie aie five staiting points foi iefoim, as follows: halting anu iefoiming the
iising imbalance in the population; iefoiming anu ueveloping the public auministiation;
tiansitioning to a uemociatic political system; ievising anu completing the National vision
anu the National Stiategy uocuments; continuing to stiengthen the institutions of the
juuiciaiy anu ensuiing the iight to a couit of law," Al Kuwaii saiu.
91

Tamim has nonetheless manageu to enhance his populaiity thiough his close ielationship
to Qataii tiibes, his upholuing of Islamic moials exemplifieu by the fact that alcohol is not
seiveu in luxuiy hotels that he owns, anu his accessibility similai to that of Sauui King
Abuullah. Even befoie becoming emii, he banneu the seiving of alcohol in 2u11 on Peail-
Qatai, an aitificial islanu populai with expatiiates, aftei Qataiis complaineu about
foieigneis appeaiing intoxicateu in public. Tamim was also the uiiving foice behinu the
ieplacement in 2u12 of English by Aiabic as the main language of instiuction at Qatai
0niveisity. Be is fuithei believeu to have been empathetic to unpieceuenteu on-line
piotest campaign in iecent yeais by Qataii activists against the state-owneu
telecommunications company anu Qatai Aiiways. Bamau appeaieu to anticipate a
potentially uiffeient tone unuei Tamim by uiging Qataiis "to pieseive oui civilizeu
tiauitional anu cultuial values." If Bamau useu initial piomises of gieatei libeialization to
gainei suppoit within his fiactuieu tiibe, one of the fiist to settle in Qatai in the 18
th

centuiy, Tamim may well employ his conseivatism to ially the wagons.
The unueilying theme of Tamim's accession speech was one of Qataii inuepenuence anu of
the uulf state being uistinct fiom otheis. Tamim piaiseu his fathei anu pieuecessoi foi
tiansfoiming Qatai fiom "a countiy that some people coulu haiuly locate on the map to a
piincipal actoi in politics, economics, meuia, cultuie, anu spoits at a global level. We
shoulu not become aiiogant. The humility that Qataiis aie known foi is a sign of the stiong
who aie suie of themselves, anu aiiogance leaus to committing mistakes. We uon't live on

91
"#$%& Amin
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S8
the euge of life, lost without uiiection, anu we aie not answeiable to anyone oi wait on
anyone foi instiuctions. Qatai is known foi its inuepenuent behavioi now, anu those who
ueal with us know we have oui own vision."
92

The Sauui countei-ievolutionaiy campaign in Egypt anu Syiia baiely a month aftei
Tamim's ascension followeu by the neai-iuptuie in uiplomatic ielations with Sauui Aiabia,
the 0AE, Bahiain anu Egypt anu a Sauui-leu campaign to isolate Qatai in the Niuule East
anu Noith Afiica constituteu a seiious foieign policy ciisis foi the new emii. Sauui Aiabia
suppoiteu by Egypt sought to inciease the piessuie by exploiting the thieat to Qatai's
hosting of the 2u22 FIFA Woilu Cup poseu by its tieatment of foieign woikeis. Eggeu on by
the kinguom anu Egypt, Aiab tiaue unions anu non-goveinmental oiganizations auueu
theii voices to ciiticism by inteinational tiaue unions, human iights gioups anu woilu
soccei bouy FIFA. The ciiticism coupleu with allegations of coiiupt piactices in Qatai's biu
coulu potentially leau to Qatai being uepiiveu of its iight to host the 2u22 Woilu Cup, one
of the woilu's laigest spoiting events.
Aiab tiaue unionists conceueu that theii ciiticism was motivateu moie by political
uivisions in the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica than concein foi woikeis' welfaie. In an
inteiview with Al Nonitoi, Abuul Wahab Khuui, saiu that the tiaue union moves weie
motivateu piimaiily by a Sauui-leu effoit to isolate Qatai. "Qatai has a bau iecoiu with the
Egyptians because of its iole in the }anuaiy 2u11 anu }une 2u1S ievolutions. Qatai playeu a
cleai inciting iole anu sought to cieate confusion anu suppoit teiioiist gioups in Egypt,"
Khuui saiu. Be was caieful not to mention in his ciiticism of Qatai's laboi policy the uulf
state's kafala oi sponsoiship system that puts foieign woikeis at the meicy of theii
employeis anu is at the coie of inteinational piessuie on the uulf state because Sauui
Aiabia anu the 0niteu Aiab Emiiates also have similai sponsoiship systems anu uo not
allow the foimation of inuepenuent tiaue unions.
9S
In fact, the outlawing of stiikes anu
banning of inuepenuent tiaue unions in much of the uulf is pait of an almost iegion-wiue

92
Sheikh Tamim bin Bamau Al Thani, , 26 }une
2u1S, https:www.youtube.comwatch.v=iNsiQpi7B9g
9S
Walaa Bassan, Egypt feais backlash if it cuts ties with Qatai, 12 Naich 2u14, Al Nonitoi, http:www.al-
monitoi.compulseoiiginals2u14uSegypt-feais-iepeicussions-cutting-ties-qatai-gcc-
uecision.html.utm_souice=Al-Nonitoi+Newslettei+%SBEnglish%SB&utm_campaign=auu77au74S-
}anuaiy_9_2u141_8_2u14&utm_meuium=email&utm_teim=u_28264b27au-auu77au74S-9Su7821S
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S9
policy to maintain political contiol thiough segmentation anu uominance of vaiious
population gioups, fiist anu foiemost among which the majoiity of migiant woikeis.
94
.
The laboi issues touches the Achilles heel not only of Qatai but also othei smallei uulf
states in which the citizeniy constitutes a minoiity of the oveiall population. In Qatai, the
numbeis aie the most extieme with Qataiis accounting foi only ten to twelve peicent of the
uulf state's moie than two million inhabitants. In othei woius, Qatai has the highest
peicentage of migiants in the woilu. As a iesult, the laboi contioveisy puts Qatai in a
Catch-22. It unueimines achievement of a key goal of the uulf state's heavy investment in
spoits, incluuing the Woilu Cup: the uevelopment of the kinu of soft powei that woulu
compensate foi the absence of the haiu militaiy powei to uefenu itself. That soft powei is
uepenuent on its ability to embeu itself at multiple levels in the inteinational community.
Yet its public image has been tainteu by the laboi contioveisy as well as the coiiuption
allegations. Reveising that involves existential anu painful uecisions that go to the veiy
natuie of society. uianting political iights anu gieatei fieeuoms to woikeis anu othei
foieigneis woulu significantly altei the chaiactei of a state in which nationals aie a small
minoiity. While these aie issues which most of the uulf states have been giappling with foi
yeais without coming up with acceptable solutions, Qatai has become the battlegiounu
because of its hosting of the Woilu Cup which gave leveiage to tiaue unions with ieal clout
- 17S million membeis in 1S countiies - as opposeu to human iights gioups that have long
ciiticizeu the uulf's foieign woikei iegion but have only moial authoiity.
Qatai has iesponueu to the ciiticism, fuelleu by iepoits of hunuieus of ueaths annually of
pieuominantly Asian woikeis allegeuly as a iesult of woiking conuitions, by issuing
impioveu safety, secuiity anu welfaie stanuaius, pleuging to step up enfoicement of
existing iules anu iegulations, anu ueveloping plans to cut coiiuption out of the
ieciuitment piocess that puts foieign woikeis into uebt even befoie they aiiive in the uulf
state. The moves aie uesigneu to piotect Qatai's piojection of itself as a cutting euge 21st
centuiy nation, fight off calls that it be uepiiveu of its iight to holu the woilu's foiemost
spoits touinament, anu fenu off uemanus that it uismantle its contioveisial sponsoiship oi

94
Anuiew Nichael uaiunei. 2uuS. City of Stiangeis: The Tiansnational Inuian Community in Nanama,
Bahiain, 0npublisheu uoctoial uisseitation, 0niveisity of Aiizona,
http:aiizona.openiepositoiy.comaiizonabitstieam1u1Su19S8491azu_etu_128S_sip1_m.puf
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



4u
kafala system that subjects woikeis to the whims of theii employeis, anu allow laboi to
fieely oiganize anu engage in collective baigaining.
Qataii ciitics of the goveinment chaige that they aie also uesigneu to ensuie that Qataii
nationals iemain a small minoiity of the total population. Al Kuwaii, the goveinment ciitic
anu uemociacy activist, ieflects sentiment among a wiue swath of Qataiis with his iepeateu
call foi the halt to the impoit of foieign laboi. If auopteu, that woulu thieaten the
goveinment's effoit, incluuing the hosting of the Woilu Cup, to tuin Qatai at bieak-neck
speeu into a 21st centuiy city state.
In a twist of iiony, Al Kuwaii aigues that Qataii iuleis as well as othei iuleis in the uulf
benefit fiom a giowing population imbalance in which foieigneis account foi an evei laigei
peicentage of the population. "The gieat influx of immigiant woikeis, iegaiuless of how
necessaiy they aie, is a benefit to the iulei, who is keen to tieat people as tempoiaiy anu
ieauily uisposable, iathei than as citizens with all theii attenuant iights," Al Kuwaii saiu in
an inteiview with ueimany's Beiniich Boell Stiftung. Be noteu that the numbei of Qataii
nationals as a peicentage of the total population hau uioppeu fiom 4u peicent in 197u to
12 peicent in 2u1u. As a iesult, Qataiis uioppeu fiom accounting foi 14 peicent of the
woik foice in 2uu1 to a meie six peicent in 2u14.
9S
If population piojections of five million
inhabitants in 2u22 useu, accoiuing to Ni. Al Kuwaii, foi Qatai's multi-billion uollai metio
anu iailway piojects aie coiiect, the peicentage of Qataii nationals woulu uiop even moie
uiamatically.
96

Bemogiaphic feais as well as conceins that Qatai's still evolving national iuentity coulu be
eioueu have at times piompteu conseivative iesponses to goveinment libeialism. An
online boycott campaign against Qatai Aiiways was spaikeu in pait by its uecision to sell
poik in a shop it owns in Boha that is alieauy licenseu to sell alcohol. The objection to poik
hau little to uo with ieligious conseivatism anu eveiything to uo with feai that Qataii
cultuie was on the uefensive against the moies of a majoiity population that is not Qataii.

9S
Qatai's 2u1u census figuies iepoiteu 74,u87 economically active Qataiis ovei the age of 1S anu 1,2u1,884
economically active non-Qataiis. Census 2u1u, pp.12-1S, 19, Qatai Statistics Authoiity, www.qsa.gov.qa
96
Ali Khalifa al Kuwaii, The People Want Refoim in Qatai...Too, 4 Novembei 2u12, Peispectives, Beiniich
Boell Stiftung,
http:www.il.boell.oiguownloauspeispectives_NENA_4_Nov_2u12_Qatai.pufhttp:www.il.boell.oiguow
nloauspeispectives_NENA_4_Nov_2u12_Qatai.puf
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



41
"Ppl uon't get it. It's not about the poik - it's about us feeling moie anu moie like a minoiity
in oui own county," saiu one Qataii on Twittei.
97

Al Kuwaii waineu that "if Qataiis aie unable to apply piessuie to halt this giowing
imbalance anu begin giauual iefoim, theii natuial position at the heau of society will fall
away anu they will be ienueieu incapable of iefoiming the othei anu newei pioblems.
Inueeu, they will be tiansfoimeu into a uepiiveu anu maiginalizeu minoiity in theii own
lanu. The peipetuation of this giowing imbalance thieatens to upioot Qataii society, to
eiase its iuentity anu cultuie, to take its mothei tongue, Aiabic, out of ciiculation, anu
eioue the iole of its citizens in owning anu iunning theii own countiy."
98

Noting that the goveinment is caieful not to iefei to Qataiis as a minoiity, Al Kuwaii
chaigeu that goveinment policy "tiansfoims Qataiis fiom citizens, with coiiesponuing
iights, to a uwinuling class of the population, foiceu to compete with immigiants foi job
oppoitunities, euucation anu social seivices, all in a language not theii own, even as they
iemain uepiiveu foi one ieason oi anothei of theii political iights."

Al Kuwaii's asseition coulu apply just as well to the 0AE wheie Emiiatis aie about 1S
peicent of the population. With Bubai hosting the 2u2u Woilu Expo, the contioveisy ovei
foieign laboi in Qatai has put the 0AE too in the fiiing line as has ciiticism of the conuition
of woikeis builuing woilu class museum on Saauat Islanu as well as the Abu Bhabi campus
of New Yoik 0niveisity.
45//1''A50 H<52-1.@.1)<05-&<2
The Sauui-backeu coup in Egypt in }uly 2u1S was Sauui Aiabia's thiiu successful countei-
ievolutionaiy stiike in a mattei of weeks against the wave of change in the Niuule East anu
Noith Afiica anu its most impoitant uefeat of Qataii suppoit of populai ievolts anu the
Biotheihoou. As the anti-Noisi piotests eiupteu in Egypt, Qataii-backeu Syiian National
Council (SNC) Piime Ninistei-in-exile uhassan Bitto iesigneu unuei Sauui piessuie anu
Sauui-backeu Ahmeu Assi Al-}eiba uefeateu his Qatai-suppoiteu iival, Auib Shishakly, in
SNC piesiuential elections. Eailiei, Sauui Aiabia succeeueu in iestiicting Qataii suppoit foi
the Biotheihoou within the SNC anu the Fiee Syiian Aimy as well as foi moie iauical

97
2u12. Qatai:0nveiling Tensions, Suspenus Sale of Alcohol, }anuaiy 7, www.zawya.com
98
"#$%& Al Kuwaii
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



42
Islamists by suggesting that it hau allegeuly ieacheu agieement with the 0bama
auministiation that it woulu be alloweu to supply non-0S suiface-to-aii missiles to Syiian
iebels as long as uistiibution was hanuleu by the iebel Supieme Nilitaiy Council to ensuie
that weapons uiu not flow to jihauist foices. Qatai hau little choice but to follow into line.
As a iesult, Qatai sought to iejiggei its iole by exploiting the subsequent Russian-biokeieu
agieement on the uestiuction of Syiian chemical weapons anu effoits to achieve an enu to
the Syiia wai in peace talks in ueneva by iepositioning itself as a meuiatoi between Assau
anu his opponents much like it hau uone at the veiy beginning of the conflict. Sheikh
Bamau at the time piioi to the emeigence of an aimeu iesistance that he hau convinceu
Assau to stiike a ieconciliatoiy note by piomising iefoims. In ietuin, Sheikh Bamau
pleugeu his suppoit, incluuing positive iepoiting on the uulf state's Al }azeeia netwoik.
Bouis befoie he was scheuuleu to publicly confiim the stiategy agieeu with Bamau, Assau
uiscaiueu the conciliatoiy speech that hau been uiafteu foi him by Syiian vice Piesiuent
Faiouk Alshaiaa anu opteu insteau foi a haiu line against the uemonstiatois.
99

To position itself again as a meuiatoi, Qatai aftei a two-yeai lull ieviveu its contacts with
Bezbollah. A senioi Qataii official met in Novembei 2u11 with Bezbollah Secietaiy-ueneial
Bassan Nasiallah. That meeting was followeu by consultations between Qatai's
ambassauoi to Lebanon Ali bin Bamau Al Neiii anu Naim Kassem, a senioi official of the
Shiite gioup.
1uu
Qatai's about face was fuithei eviuent in iemaiks maue by Foieign
Ninistei Khaliu bin Nohammeu Al Attiyah at a confeience in Bahiain in which he calleu foi
humanitaiian inteivention in Syiia iathei than militaiy stiuggle. Al Attiyah's comments
contiasteu staikly with his call a yeai eailiei at the same confeience foi expanuing the
Syiian Nilitaiy Council anu ensuiing that it incluues Islamist anu jihauist gioups.
Qataii setbacks in Syiia weie the iesult of an unueiestimation of the uiveisity anu
complexity of Syiian society, an oveiestimation of the abilities of the Syiian Nuslim
Biotheihoou, a misieauing of Syiian Kuiuish aspiiations anu an ovei-ieliance on tiibal
links foigeu thiough maiiiage anu geogiaphy. As a iesult, Qataii hopes weie uasheu that
the Biotheihoou woulu be able to uominate the SNC anu ie-establish itself in the countiy

99
Ali Bashem, Qatai iesets its Syiia policy, Al-Nonitoi, 14 Becembei 2u1S, http:www.al-
monitoi.compulseoiiginals2u1S12qatai-iesets-syiia-
policy.html.utm_souice=&utm_meuium=email&utm_campaign=87S9
1uu
"#$%& Bashem
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



4S
aftei having been uiiven into exile with the 1982 ciackuown in Bama by Bashai's fathei,
Bafez al Assau, in which some 2u,uuu people weie killeu.
Like in Syiia, the stakes foi Sauui Aiabia anu Qatai in Egypt weie high. A successful
Biotheihoou-leu uemociatic tiansition woulu have cementeu the success of populai
upiisings anu the iole of Islamists in implementing change. It woulu have also iestoieu
Egypt, the Aiab woilu's most populous nation, to its tiauitional leaueiship iole in the
iegion in competition with Sauui Aiabia. Thwaiting the ievolt anu the Biotheihoou woulu
not only eliminate these thieats but constitute a substantial bouy blow to Qataii
encouiagement of change in the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica.
The Sauui moves left Qatai with little choice but to congiatulate the Egyptian militaiy on its
inteivention asseiting that it accepteu the will of the Egyptian people. But unlike Sauui
Aiabia anu the fieicely anti-Islamist 0AE, who iemaineu silent about the killings of
Biotheihoou suppoiteis in the wake of the coup, Qatai in a biu to ietain its inuepenuent
position expiesseu iegiet at the inciuents anu uigeu self-iestiaint anu uialogue. At about
the same time, Qaiauawi calleu on Al }azeeia anu in a fatwa issueu in Boha foi Noisi's
ieinstatement.
1u1
Be ueclaieu the coup unconstitutional anu a violation of Islamic law.
1u2

Iionically, Qaiauawi's own son, Abueliahman Al-Qaiauawi, took his fathei to task on his
suppoit foi Noisi. Abueliahman noteu that Qaiauawi hau long aigueu that a iulei is bounu
by the opinion of a majoiity of those who sweai loyalty to him. Be aigueu fuithei that the
sheikh hau taught him that fieeuom supeiseueu Islamic law.
1uS

Sauui counteiing of Qataii policy coinciueu with a tuining of the tiue in countiies wheie
Boha hau helpeu topple an autociatic leauei. Yemeni Piesiuent Saleh's iejection of Qataii
paiticipation in the Sauui-leu uulf effoit to iesolve the ciisis in his countiy was but one
setback. Qataii funuing of multiple aimeu Islamist gioups in Libya spaikeu outiage aftei
uocuments weie uiscoveieu uisclosing the extent of its suppoit. The outiage wipeu out the
initially sympathy foi the uulf state that was eviuent when iebels hoisteu the Qataii flag on
ousteu Libyan leauei Noammai Qauuafi's palace in Tiipoli the uay it fell. Then Libyan oil

1u1
http:www.qaiauawi.net2u1u-u2-2S-u9-S8-1S4.html
1u2
Yusuf al-Qaiauawi, !"#$ %&'$ ()*+&,- .#/&,- 012#,- %1345 67879 !*:3 .;<=#>,-, }uly 7, 2u1S,
http:www.qaiauawi.netcomponentcontentaiticle6744.html
1uS
Abueliahman Al-Qaiauawi, !"#$ :%&'( )*+,-./! 01"( 234-/! 56$ ,! "#$%& ' ()%* ... +#,-./ (01 Al-Yawm Al-Sabi,
}uly 7, 2u1S, http:www.youm7.comNews.asp.NewsIB=11S2641
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



44
anu finance ministei Ali Taihouni maue a thinly veileu iefeience to Qatai when he ueclaieu
in 0ctobei 2u11 that "it's time we publicly ueclaie that anyone who wants to come to oui
house has to knock on oui fiont uooi fiist."
1u4
A month latei ielations with Algeiia tuineu
soui aftei Bamau, accoiuing to Aiab meuia, waineu Algeiian Foieign Ninistei Nouiau
Neuleci to "stop uefenuing Syiia because youi time will come, anu peihaps you will neeu
us."
1uS
Bamau fuithei bioke off a visit to Nauiitania in }anuaiy 2u12 houis aftei aiiiving in
the countiy aftei Piesiuent Nohammau 0ulu Abuel Aziz iejecteu his uemanu that he
initiate uemociatic iefoim anu a uialogue with Islamists.
1u6

Qataii foieign policy setbacks weie paialleleu by Al }azeeia's mounting pioblems iesulting
fiom peiceptions that it was piomoting the Biotheihoou
1u7
anu changes in the pan-Aiab
television maiket. The netwoik expeiienceu a boom as the piimaiy news souice in the
heyuay of the Aiab ievolts that toppleu the leaueis of Egypt, Tunisia, Libya anu Yemen, but
has since seen its vieweiship numbeis uecline with Aiabs tuining incieasingly to a
plethoia of newly establisheu local news bioaucasteis. Naiket ieseaich company Sigma
Conseil iepoiteu that Al }azeeia's maiket shaie in Tunisia hau uioppeu fiom 1u.7 in 2u11
to 4.8% in 2u12 anu that the Qataii netwoik was no longei among Egypt's 1u most
watcheu channels. Tunisia's SC Institute of Naiketing, Neuia anu 0pinion Stuuies saiu that
Al }azeeia Spoits was the only bianu of the netwoik that iankeu in }anuaiy among the
countiy's five most watcheu channels.
Al }azeeia iepoiteis weie incieasingly haiasseu as they sought to uo theii jobs in countiies
like Tunisia anu Egypt. Piotesteis in Tunisia chaigeu in the wake of the 2u1S assassination
of piominent opposition leauei Shukii Belaiu that "Al }azeeia is a slave of Qatai." They
accuseu it of biaseu iepoiting on the muiuei because of the uulf state's suppoit foi

1u4
Sam Baghei. Chailes Levinson anu Naigaiet Cokei, 'Tiny Kinguom's Buge Role in Libya Biaws Concein,'
The Wall Stieet }ouinal, 0ctobei 17, 2u11, https:global.factiva.comhauefault.aspx
1uS
Bassan Nasiky, 'Qatai Chastises Algeiia foi uefenuing Assau in Syiia,' Noiocco News Boaiu, Novembei 1S,
2u11, http:www.moioccoboaiu.comviewpoint-S68-hassan-massikiS49S-qatai-chastises-algeiia-foi-
uefenuing-assau-in-syiia-
1u6
Al-Nokhtai 0ulu Nohammau, 'Bispute Nais Emii of Qatai's Nauiitania visit,' Al Akhbai English, }anuaiy 9,
2u12, http:english.al-akhbai.comcontentuispute-mais-emii-qatai%E2%8u%99s-mauiitania-visit
1u7
Sultan Al Qassemi, 'Al }azeeia's Awful Week,' }uly 11, 2u1S, Foieign Policy,
http:www.foieignpolicy.comaiticles2u1Su711al_jazeeia_egypt_qatai_muslim_biotheihoou.page=full
; The Economist, 'Nust Bo Bettei,' }anuaiy 12, 2u1S, chaiges of thieatening national secuiity anu public oiuei
by aiiing inflammatoiy news, http:www.economist.comnewsmiuule-east-anu-afiica21S69429-aiabs-
piemiei-television-netwoik-bius-ameiican-vieweis-must-uo-bettei; Alain uiesh, 'uulf cools towaius Nuslim
Biotheis,' Novembei 21u2, Le Nonue Biplomatique, http:monueuiplo.com2u1211u2egypt
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



4S
Ennahaua, the countiy's uominant Islamist giouping.
1u8
Egyptian colleagues expelleu in
}uly 2u1S Al }azeeia Caiio buieau chief Abuel Fattah Fayeu fiom a news confeience
oiganizeu by the militaiy anu the police. The piosecutoi geneial issueu an aiiest waiiant
foi Fayeu on chaiges of thieatening national secuiity anu public oiuei by aiiing
inflammatoiy news. Twenty-two jouinalists iesigneu fiom Al }azeeia's Egyptian affiliate
uays eailiei in piotest against its allegeu bias towaius the Biotheihoou. Thiee Al }azeeia
iepoiteis weie convicteu in }une 2u14 to lengthy piison teims on chaiges of collaboiating
with the Biotheihoou anu uisseminating false infoimation.
In his new iole as emii, Sheikh Tamim has so fai pioven capable of sustaining Qatai's
activist suppoit of populai ievolts anu enuoisement of political Islam in the Niuule East
anu Noith Afiica. Like his fathei, Tamim appeais ueteimineu to inseit Qatai into as many
iegional anu inteinational powei stiuctuies as possible uespite giowing Sauui opposition.
Be has not backeu away fiom the Biotheihoou oi succumbeu to Sauui piessuie to expel
Islamist cleiics like Qaiauawi. Tamim's iefusal to bow iesembles his fathei's iejection of
uemanus that he iein in the fieewheeling style of Al }azeeia. Financial muscle coupleu with
the uulf state's key iole in the piojection of Ameiican militaiy powei in the iegion anu the
fact that Qatai's vast natuial gas iesouices ensuie its impoitance to the eneigy secuiity of
countiies acioss the globe help guaiantee that it will iemain a key paitnei foi woilu
poweis. Suppoit foi the Biotheihoou anu othei Islamists moieovei positions Qatai as an
impoitant inteilocutoi with a significant segment of Aiab public opinion anu one of the
iegion's impoitant albeit embattleu political tienus.
Tamim, uespite significant uiffeiences in style, appioach anu policy, takes inspiiation fiom
Sultan Qaboos of 0man, a leauei who also came to powei at a young age anu has caiveu out
a niche of his own within the uCC. Qaboos was thiee yeais youngei than Tamim when he
assumeu powei in 197u, becoming at the time like the Qataii leauei touay, the youngest
iulei in the iegion. Qaboos, much like Tamim was iegionally isolateu anu moieovei faceu a
iebellion at home. 0vei the yeais, he has succeeueu in chaiting his own couise, ueclining to
bieak with Egypt aftei it signeu a peace tieaty with Isiael, establishing ielations with Isiael,

1u8
}ames N. Boisey, 'Al }azeeia taigets Spain amiu uiopping viewei numbeis in its heaitlanu,' Apiil 4, 2u1S,
http:miueastsoccei.blogspot.comseaichlabelQatai.upuateu-max=2u1S-u4-
SuT16:S7:uu%2Bu8:uu&max-iesults=2u&stait=S&by-uate=false
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



46
opposing sanctions against Iian, iefusing to join the uulf in its suppoit foi Iiaq uuiing the
Ian-Iiaq wai, anu moie iecently meuiating contacts between the 0niteu States anu Iian anu
thwaiting attempts to militaiize the uCC unuei Sauui leaueiship, Touay, Qaboos is the only
founuei of the uCC still alive anu the Aiab woilu's longest-ieigning iulei.
Tamim coulu not have been oblivious to Qaboos' expeiience when he was uiesseu uown foi
his countiy's policies anu confionteu with uemanus that he halt suppoit foi the
Biotheihoou, extiauite Qaiauawi anu othei Islamists anu close uown Boha-baseu think
tanks, incluuing the Biookings Institution, in Novembei 2u1S at a meeting in Riyauh by 89-
yeai olu Sauui King Abuullah Bin Abuul Aziz anu 84-yeai olu Kuwaiti emii Shaikh Sabah Al
Ahmau Al Sabah.
In Riyauh, Tamim hau two options: buckle uown anu effectively subject himself to Sauui
Aiabia's uiktat oi iisk isolation anu possible uulf sanctions in anticipation of the inevitable
iise of a new geneiation of uulf iuleis among whom he might emeige as the iegion's eluei
statesmen. Tamim appeais to have taken the long view anu opteu foi a couise that
maintains his ability to conuuct his own, inuepenuent foieign, uefense anu secuiity policy.
Foi Tamim, the ioau may piove to be bumpiei than the one Qaboos tiavelleu. 0man was
not thieateneu with sanctions as it chaiteu its own couise. It hau the auvantage of being
biggei than Qatai, geogiaphically bettei situateu at the bottom of the peninsula anu having
a laigei 0mani national population. Qaboos moieovei maue his moves at a time that iuleis
weie not on the uefensive against a tiual wave of change that thieateneu theii veiy
existence. It is that wave of change that Tamim hopes to iiue. In uoing so, Tamim, like the
0AE challenges as Kiistian Coates 0liichsen noteu, tiauitional acauemic wisuom on the
limits on the ability of small states to pioject powei anu the assumption of an automatic
link between size anu powei.
1u9


4E<.-'I # 6<5%01 16316 '=<.6
Qatai's soft powei stiategy puts it at loggeiheaus with Sauui Aiabia anu has iaises
conceins in the kinguom on how fai Qatai may go. The hosting of the 2u22 Woilu Cup has
alieauy maue it moie vulneiable to ciiticism of iestiictions on alcohol consumption, the

1u9
Kiistian Coates 0liichsen, 'Small States with a Big Role: Qatai anu the 0niteu Aiab Emiiates in the Wake of
the Aiab Spiing, 2u12, BB Sheikh Nassei al-Nohammau al-Sabah Publication Seiies, Kuwait, 0ctobei 2u12
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



47
banning of homosexuality, anu woiking conuitions of foieign laboi. Noieovei, Qatai's
iuentification with spoits anu the iole of soccei fans in the populai ievolts in Noith Afiica
has ieveibeiateu in the spoits sectoi in the kinguom paiticulaily with iegaiu to fan powei
anu women's spoits. In uoing so, it has ieaffiimeu the iole of spoits in the uevelopment of
the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica since the late 19
th
centuiy.
11u

Qatai alongsiue }oiuan was a uiiving foice in the launch of a campaign in 2u12 by Niuule
Eastein soccei associations gioupeu in the West Asian Football Feueiation (WAFF) to put
women's soccei on pai with men's football in a iegion in which a woman's iight to play anu
puisue an athletic caieei iemains contioveisial. Sauui Aiabia was conspicuously absent at
the launch. The campaign uefineu "an athletic woman" as "an empoweieu woman who
fuithei empoweis hei community." In a iebuttal of opposition to women's soccei by the
kinguom anu some Islamists in the iegion, the campaign stiesseu that women's soccei uiu
not uemean cultuial anu tiauitional values. Contiauicting Sauui policy, it enuoiseu the
piinciple of a woman's iight of to play soccei iiiespective of cultuie, ieligion anu iace; a
women's iight to opt foi soccei as a caieei iathei than only as a spoit; anu soccei's ability
to piomote genuei equality anu level the playing fielu on anu off the pitch.
111

To be suie, Qatai has been slow in encouiaging women's spoits at home anu like Sauui
Aiabia was piessuieu in 2u12 by the Inteinational 0lympic Committee to foi the fiist time
fielu women at an inteinational touinament uuiing the Lonuon 0lympics.
The WAFF campaign came nonetheless on the back of a Buman Rights Watch iepoit
112
that
accuseu Sauui Aiabia of kowtowing to asseitions by the countiy's poweiful conseivative
Nuslim cleiics that female spoits constitute "steps of the uevil" that will encouiage
immoiality anu ieuuce women's chances of meeting the iequiiements foi maiiiage. The
chaiges in the iepoit entitleu "'Steps of the Bevil' came as Sauui Aiabia backtiackeu on a
plan to builu its fiist stauium especially uesigneu to allow women who aie baiieu fiom

11u
Shaun Lopez, 0n Race, Spoits anu Iuentity: Picking 0p the Ball in Niuule East Stuuies, Inteinational }ouinal
of Niuule East Stuuies, vol. 41, 2uu9, p. SS9-S61
111
}ames N. Boisey, }anuaiy 14,2u1S, Niuule East soccei associations campaign foi women's iight to play,
The Tuibulent Woilu of Niuule East Soccei, http:miueastsoccei.blogspot.com2u1Su1miuule-east-
soccei-associations.html
112
Buman Rights Watch. 2u12. Steps of the Bevil, Benial of Women's anu uiils' Rights to Spoit in Sauui
Aiabia, http:www.hiw.oigsitesuefaultfilesiepoitssauuiu212webwcovei.puf
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



48
attenuing soccei matches because of the kinguom's stiict public genuei segiegation to
watch games. The planneu stauium was supposeu to open in 2u14.
11S

Qatai's enuoisement of women's spoits has maue Sauui Aiabia the only Aiab anu viitually
the only Nuslim state that iefuses to embiace the concept. Spanish consultants ueveloping
the kinguom's fiist evei national spoits plan weie instiucteu to uevelop a piogiam foi men
only.
114
0pposition to women's spoits is ieinfoiceu by the fact that physical euucation
classes aie banneu in state-iun Sauui giil's schools. Public spoits facilities aie exclusively
foi men anu spoits associations offei competitions anu suppoit foi athletes in inteinational
competitions only to men.
Sauui opposition to women's spoits anu paiticipation in inteinational touinaments was
fuithei challengeu by a uecision by the Inteinational Football Association Boaiu (IFAB)
backeu by Qatai anu othei Niuule Eastein soccei associations to allow women to weai a
hijab that met safety anu secuiity stanuaius in inteinational matches. It also came as Sauui
women encouiageu by the winus of change in the iegion, the auvancement of women's
spoits in Qatai anu elsewheie anu the suppoit of libeial membeis of the ioyal family weie
pushing the envelope uespite being slammeu in Sauui meuia "foi going against theii
natuial iole" anu being "shameless" because they cause embaiiassment to theii families.
11S

Similaily, fan piessuie foiceu the iesignation in 2u12 of Piince Nawaf bin Feisal as heau of
the Sauui Football Feueiation (SFF) in an unpieceuenteu move that echoeu the toppling of
Aiab leaueis in which militant soccei fans weie fiont iow playeis. Nawaf was ieplaceu by
a commonei, ienowneu foimei soccei playei Ahmeu Eiu Alhaibi, as the fiist fieely chosen
heau of the SFF in a countiy that views fiee anu faii polling as an alien Westein concept.
116

The fan piessuie eiupteu aftei Austialia's uefeat of the kinguom in a 2u14 Woilu Cup
qualifiei. Nawaf's iesignation bioke a molu in a nation goveineu as an absolute monaichy
anu a iegion that sees contiol of soccei as a key tool in pieventing the pitch fiom becoming

11S
"#$%& Boisey
114
Authoi inteiviews with the consultants
11S
}ames N. Boisey. Naich 4, 2u12. Nuslim playeis win hijab battle in theii stiuggle foi women's iights, The
Tuibulent Woilu of Niuule East Soccei, http:miueastsoccei.blogspot.com2u12uSmuslim-playeis-win-
hijab-battle-in.html
116
}ames N. Boisey, Becembei 26, 2u12. uiounu-bieaking election of Sauui soccei chief masks Aiab ievolt
feais, The Tuibulent Woilu of Niuule East Soccei, http:miueastsoccei.blogspot.com2u1212giounu-
bieaking-election-of-sauui.html
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



49
a venue foi anti-goveinment piotests, uistiacting attention fiom wiuespieau giievances
anu manipulating national emotions. It also maikeu the fiist time that a membei of the
iuling elite saw association with a national team's failuie as a iisk to be avoiueu iathei than
one best uealt with by fiiing the coach oi in extieme cases like Sauuam Bussein's Iiaq oi
Noammai Qauuafi's Libya biutally punishing playeis.
The Sauui ioyal family like autociatic leaueis thioughout the Niuule East anu Noith Afiica
have associateu themselves with soccei, the only institution in pie-ievolt countiies that
tiauitionally evokes the same ueep-seateu passion as ieligion. Nawaf's iesignation
constituteu the fiist time, an autociatic iegime sought to put the beautiful game at aim's
length while maintaining contiol. The iuling family nonetheless ietaineu its giip on spoits
with Nawaf staying on as heau of the Sauui 0lympic Committee anu as the senioi official
iesponsible foi youth welfaie on which the SFF uepenus alongsiue television bioaucast
iights foi funuing. Najoi soccei clubs moieovei continue to be the playgiounu of piinces
who at times micio manage matches by phoning miu-game theii team's coaches with
instiuctions which playeis to ieplace.
"Woius such as fieeuom of choice, equality, human iights, iational thinking, uemociacy anu
elections, aie teims we came to view with high concein anu suspicion. We tieat them as
alien iueas that aie tiying to sneak within oui society fiom the outsiue woilu. But last week
an amazing anu iiiegulai event took place, in one of oui spoiting lanumaiks. The membeis
of the ueneial Assembly of the Sauui Aiabian Football Feueiation (SAFF) have electeu
thiough populai voting, theii fiist piesiuent," wiote columnist Nohammeu AlSaif in the
Aiab News.
117

Alhaibi, a foimei goalkeepei of Al Ahli SC, the soccei team of the Reu Sea poit of }euuah,
who is wiuely seen as a iefoimei anu pioponent of women's soccei naiiowly won the
election wiuely coveieu by Sauui meuia. "Sauuis weie witnessing foi the veiy fiist time in
theii lives a goveinment official being electeu thiough what they useu to consiuei as a
westein ballot system. People eageily followeu a televiseu piesiuential uebate between the
two canuiuates the pievious uay," AlSaif wiote.

117
Nohammeu AlSaif. Becembei 24, 2u12. A healthy election, Aiab News,
http:www.aiabnews.comhealthy-election
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



Su
Spoits also seives as a tool to molu a Qataii national iuentity veiy uiffeient fiom that of the
kinguom that staiteu in the late 197us with the establishment of the Qatai National
0lympic Committee.
118
The notion of employing spoits in nation-builuing built on the fact
that Boha focuseu eaily on the spoits becoming in the 196us the only uulf city with a
stauium that hau a giass fielu.
119
Similaily, the tiauition of hosting spoits events uates back
to the visit of boxei Nohammeu Ali to Qatai 1971
12u
anu the hosting two yeais latei of
fiist inteinational fiienuly between Santos FC fiom Biazil with Pele as its stai anu Qatai's
oluest spoits club, Al-Ahli SC
121
as well the uulf Cup in 1976.
H<2/05'&<2
Whethei the Sauui-Qataii iivaliy that has evolveu into a colu wai with the viitual bieaking
of uiplomatic ielations will contiibute to spaiking change in the kinguom oi ieinfoice
monaichial autociacy in the iegion is likely to be as much ueciueu in Qatai itself as by the
political iivaliy between the two elsewheie in the iegion. Sauui-backeu Qataii
conseivatives have questioneu the emii's iight to iule by ueciee, oiganizeu online boycotts
of state-iun companies anu foiceu Qatai 0niveisity to ieplace English with Aiabic as the
main language of instiuction. As ciown piince, Tamim was often seen to sympathize with
those uomestic conseivative conceins leaving Qataiis guessing whethei those weie his
tiue political instincts oi an attempt to gainei favoi.
Whatevei the case, Tamim has pioven to be unwilling to back away fiom Qatai's embiace
of the Biotheihoou anu effoit to put itself at the cutting euge of change in the iegion
uespite setbacks in Egypt, Syiia anu elsewheie. Fault lines in Egypt have ueepeneu with the
toppling of Noisi, weakeneu Qatai's iegional influence anu maue its Biotheihoou allies in
othei Aiab nations in the thioes of change ieluctant to assume sole goveinment
iesponsibility. }oiuan's Biotheihoou-ielateu Islamic Action Fiont (IAF) boycotteu
pailiamentaiy elections in }anuaiy 2u1S officially because of allegeu geiiymanueiing.
Piivately, the IAF, with an eye on Egypt was believeu to have shieu away fiom getting too
big a shaie of the pie foi theii taste. Nounting opposition to the Biotheihoou's Tunisian

118
Luis Eniique Rolim Silva. 2u14. 'The Establishment of the Qatai National 0lympic Committee: Builuing the
National Spoit Iuentity,' The Inteinational }ouinal of the Bistoiy of Spoit, vol. 31:S, Su6-S19
119
"#$%& Silva
12u
https:www.youtube.comwatch.v=67CA1AufCFs
121
"#$%& Silva
Reflections No. 4
10 July 2014



S1
affiliate, Ennahaua, anu the assassination in 2u1S of two piominent opposition politician
piompteu the Islamists to allow the foimation of a goveinment of technociats.
122

Similaily, Qatai's winning of the iight to host the Woilu Cup may have openeu a Panuoia's
Box of uemogiaphic change that coulu ieveibeiate thioughout the uulf, a iegion populateu
by states whose nationals often constitute minoiities in theii own countiies. 0nuei
incieasing piessuie fiom inteinational tiaue unions who have the clout to make tiue on a
thieat to boycott the 2u22 Woilu Cup, the status of foieign nationals coulu become a
monkey wiench foi social, if not, political change.

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122
Bouazza Ben Bouazza, 'Tunisia Compiomise Nay Beau off uov't Ciisis,' 22 August 2u1S, APABC News,
http:abcnews.go.comInteinationalwiieStoiytunisia-compiomise-heau-off-govt-ciisis-2uuS2S42