The Thought of the Arab Nationalism

 By Muna Mustafawi

The topic of Arab Nationalism was argued and discussed by regional experts and 200 Zayed University students in an Al Arabia television program filmed at the university.

Dr. Ghassan Ataya from Iraq said Religion and the Arabic language are what bind us with Arab Nationalism “Arabs are a theory but as an application different from reality and our generations are far from national dimension, but it protects them,” he said. 

Dr. Naser Arif of Zayed University said Arab nationalism is not a passport but is its substance. “Some factors that characterized the Arabs contributed significantly to the weakness of Islamic civilization, such as language which every country has its own language,” he said.

Students in the audience were asked if speaking Arabic made people one nation. 45% agreed, and 35% opposed and the rest agreed that there is no relationship to the Arabic nation.

Mr. Mishary Abdul Aziz from Saudi Arabia said “Arab nationalism failed and became imported from the West based on their ideas.” He said an invasion of Kuwait is an example of it. Arabism confirmation of the self and anti-racism, like Iraq’s recognition of the Kurds.

The students in the audience were asked if the Arab peoples need to consolidate Arab nationalism: 32% agreed, 18% opposed and 49% vote “sometimes”.

Dr. Ataya said that nationalism linked to militarism, after that it became a civilian dictatorship like in Iraq.

But, Dr. Nasser Aref had a different opinion; he noted that the third world military countries led the liberation movements and revolutions against colonialism. He concluded by saying Arab nationalism is not incompatible with Islamic law. The idea of nationalism found after colonization. Islam is not incompatible with awareness. Our religion had been the incubator of the Arabism.

A question was asked to Dr. Aref after the forum by Converged Media student Muna Mustafawi, Are the Arabs Arab language and culture or the proportions? (In Arabic)

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