Arabs and Emiratis put nationality first, UAE forum hears

ABU DHABI // The majority of Emiratis and Arabs identify themselves by their nation state rather than their religion or Arab identity.

These were the results of a survey that were revealed at the Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies forum on Monday.

This is a major shift from the past decade when many polls suggested that Arabs saw themselves as "being Arab" more than anything else. The only exception was Lebanon, whose citizens had continually identified themselves as Lebanese in previous surveys, said Dr Jim Zogby, the author of the study and president of the Arab American Institute.

It interviewed 15,000 people over the age of 15 from seven Arab countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia, on issues of identity and their insights on religion’s role in societies.

He believed the shift in perception of identity was positive because it indicated that people have more respect for their states.

"It is not a temporary thing, this is who you are — Saudi, Egyptian," he said. "And the arena of your activity not some place else. This creates a sense of social contract with the people who lead you."

He said the study’s findings showed that the majority had "moderate views of religion, they are very tolerant."

For instance, when asked how important it is for Muslim societies to protect the rights of non-Muslim citizens or residents, the majority said it was very important. Only a small fraction said it was not important at all, while not one interviewee from the UAE believed that.

During the second day of the forum, more than 400 scholars, thinkers, politicians and diplomats continued to discuss the importance of empowering citizenship and loyalty towards one’s nation state, rather than the problematic idea of bringing back a single Islamic state that will govern all Muslim societies across the globe.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, an American Muslim scholar and president of Zaytuna Univesity, said that the Prophet Mohammed’s priorities had been security and peace.

Read more on... Arabs and Emiratis put nationality first, UAE forum hears

Author: Haneen Dajani