Changing Attitudes Toward Religiosity: A Double-Edged Sword for Arab Rulers
By Dr. James M. Dorsey, BESANovember 13, 2020

Crown Princes Muhammad bin Salman and Muhammad bin Zayed, image via Twitter
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Public opinion polling in the Arab world suggests that autocratic leaders like Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman and his UAE counterpart, Muhammad bin Zayed, have gotten some things right. Both men have to varying degrees replaced religion with nationalism as the ideology legitimizing their rule and sought to ensure that countries in the region broadly adhere to their worldview.
The worldview of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman and his UAE counterpart Muhammad bin Zayed rejects any political expression of Islam, propagates a religious duty to obey the ruler without exception, represses freedom of expression and dissent, yet leaves unchallenged religious concepts such as notions of infidels and slavery that are viewed by Muslim reformers as well as significant segments of Arab youth as obsolete.


