Believe me, we only have two things to do, and then nothing can stop us from prosperity.
I couldn’t help but be surprised to see the number of foreigners at the Hamad Airport (Doha, Qatar) because so many foreigners have never been seen in Dubai. This made me believe that the government and people of Qatar have done those two things.
I was so used to examining everything that I decided to test my personal assessment of Qatar right at the airport. I had my laptop bag in my hand, I left it unattended at the airport and went away.
Qatar Airport is a world in itself where you can find the most expensive European clothing stores, the highest chandeliers and designs, everything from Ajwa dates to Irish whiskey, German cars and American diamonds. There is a beautiful garden inside the same airport. It is a place with few trees and cascading water fountains that bring you very close to nature within the airport and you will not want to leave that place in a hurry. You can sit there for hours, mesmerized by the natural aroma emanating from the trees, and the soothing sound of falling water which helps to normalize human blood pressure.
Then, I purchased an expensive cup of coffee because there were no affordable options available. Upon returning to the spot where I had left my laptop bag, it was missing. This caused me to feel anxious about my test as this had created a problem for me. Seeking help, I inquired with some fellow passengers who advised me to report the incident at the information counter. I approached the counter where a young Arab man named Mohammed attentively listened to my situation. He then made an announcement in Arabic over the wireless phone, presumably regarding my missing laptop bag.
After a while, a security guard arrived with the laptop bag. He asked me about the items inside the bag, to which I provided the answers, and then he handed me the bag. I thanked Mohammed, took a photo with him, and headed to my next destination. Seeing Mohammed’s face, light up as I received the laptop made me realize how happy he was to assist me.
Even after returning to my homeland, thoughts of Qatar persist in my mind. I delved into research on the Qatari government to understand the magic they have worked in the past few years, attracting foreigners from around the globe to engage in business and sports activities with them.
The 2022 Football World Cup was held in Qatar, and the renowned Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman was invited to the opening ceremony. He was accompanied by 20-year-old Ghanim al-Muftah from Qatar, who, despite being born with a disability (a different ability), achieved the award for being the youngest successful and popular person in 2017. There was a diverse crowd of Europeans, Americans, Latin Americans, Africans, and Asians who were football fans from around the world. It could be said that the whole world was either in Qatar or watching the event on TV.
Ghanim al-Muftah started the event surprisingly with this verse from Surah Hujrat:
یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ اِنَّا خَلَقۡنٰکُمۡ مِّنۡ ذَکَرٍ وَّ اُنۡثٰی وَ جَعَلۡنٰکُمۡ شُعُوۡبًا وَّ قَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوۡا ؕ اِنَّ اَکۡرَمَکُمۡ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ اَتۡقٰکُمۡ ؕ
“O people, indeed, I created you from male and female, and I made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah, is the most righteous of you.”
We were raised to believe that we were scattered on this earth as nations and tribes so we could learn from each other and find beauty in our differences.
Think about the message being conveyed here. Burning the Quran may be seen as an act of bravery by some, but the Quran speaks only about you and judges based on individual character rather than religious affiliations. The people we hold in high regard worldwide are called law-abiding citizens today. Our Quran has reiterated this principle fourteen hundred years ago by calling it pious or the most righteous. We also consider law-abiding citizens to be the most respected. We believe that being law abiding is a mark of respect, regardless of one’s color, language, or nationality. We do not respect those who break the law, as this is what our Quran has taught us.
One sentence that caught my eye from the Qatari government documents goes something like this:
“Justice and equality and promoting tolerance and sympathy for other cultures”
Justice and equality should be emphasized in a way that, by understanding the culture of other nations, a feeling of acceptance should be created for them.
This single sentence is enough to reflect their entire rational intuition, and as a nation, they have followed this principle.
This rational intuition is the biggest factor in guiding them to do these two things.
Firstly, they wholeheartedly respect and protect the dignity and property of both their own citizens and visitors.
Secondly, they ensure equal business opportunities for everyone regardless of their race and color.
It is essential for us to adopt these two principles and educate our future generations that these are the only two things to do.
May Allah grant us the wisdom to comprehend and implement.
