In late April, a heated discussion erupted after a vote by the "state building" committee of Yemen's National Dialogue Conference (NDC). Liberals, socialists, youth activists, women and other progressive forces voted for Sharia to be the "main" source of legislation rather than the "exclusive" source, as the Salafists and Islamists insisted. The vote triggered a debate in Yemen about the role of religion in politics and the unbridled rise of Islamist radicals during the political transition.
During the April meeting, opposing sides traded accusations, with the Salafists accusing their progressive adversaries of abandoning Islam in favour of man-made rules. Simultaneously the liberals, socialists and youth activists labelled their opponents as backward and narrow-minded. The wording "Sharia is the main source of legislation" gained 79.5 per cent of all votes while "Sharia is the source of all legislation" gained only 20 per cent. Since the bylaws of the NDC require 90 per cent for any vote to pass, the victory for the progressive bloc remained incomplete. As only 75 per cent would be required in the second round of voting, they felt confident. But their sense of calm did not last long.
The next day, Salafist delegate Kamal Bamakhrma published a statement on Facebook condemning the other side and accusing them of polytheism, standing against Islam and other faults along these lines. In his statement, Mr Bamakhrma called on the Yemeni people to rescue Islam from the liberal forces and defend their religion by opposing the vote.
Subsequently, Yemeni radical cleric and member of the Islamist Islah party Sheikh Abdulmajeed Al Zindani issued a videotaped fatwa condemning progressive forces for following the West and described them as enemies of Islam. Mr Al Zindani is a powerful religious cleric and the fatwa came at a politically tense moment. When South Yemen and North Yemen united in 1990, he issued a fatwa condemning the constitutions that each of the countries had adopted. In 2011, he delivered a speech in Change Square praising the revolutionary youths for taking the first step in establishing the Islamic Caliphate system by revolting against the then president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, even though Mr Al Zindani had previously had a close alliance with him.
At the same time, Mr Al Zindani's son Muhammed, a new rising radical cleric, leaked the names of those who voted against Sharia as the exclusive source for legislation. Those on the list panicked as they feared violent retribution from radical followers of Mr Al Zindani. They demanded that the NDC's general secretary take urgent action to secure their lives - some later published the names along with their photos, exposing them to attacks in the streets or even in their houses.
The issue dominated Yemeni media - newspapers, TV channels, social media - and was the topic in every gathering. Some stood against Mr Al Zindani while others echoed his statements to the letter.
At this point, even members of the Islah party and Salafists themselves realised how dangerous things had become. The Islah delegate Mansour Al Zindani, Mr Al Zindani's brother, stressed that fatwas are personal expressions of opinion, do not represent the party's position and are certainly not the right approach to solve thorny political problems. Certain Salafists followed suit by issuing similar assurances. The NDC's leadership issued a strongly-worded press release condemning the fatwa. Interestingly, the statement was read by Muhammed Qahata, a leader of the Islah party, of which Mr Al Zindani has been a loyal member.
The issue remains unresolved. The consensus has to wait until the president, Abdrabu Mansour Hadi, can chair the committee himself and act as a powerful mediator. While this procedure violates the by-laws of the NDC, the sensitivity of the matter forced delegates to bend the rules.
This was not simply a heated three-day period for the NDC, but rather a more complex issue indicative of broader problems.
The debate over Sharia consumed and enraged the Yemeni political establishment; however, it pales in comparison with other looming challenges, such as the controversies over southern autonomy and the Houthi rebellion in Saada. It was a clear sign of how far Yemen still needs to go in order for democratic forms of consensus building to override the historically powerful forces of religion, army and tribe that have enjoyed a disproportionate influence on Yemeni politics for decades.
The question that is really forcing itself now is what will happen if the outcome of dialogue does not satisfy some of Yemen's most powerful groups? Will they maintain peaceful activism to which they have been committed for the last few months? Will non-political tools, again, dominate Yemen's political arena?
It is clear how that Yemen's progressive forces remain weak amid the unchallenged religious manipulation of the country's future.
This situation raises more questions than answers. Yemen's problems are far from being resolved and the manipulative elites are still powerful. Even though the 2011 uprising had to a certain degree challenged all previously unquestionable groups, the GCC-brokered deal for political transition has not only failed to check these powerful actors but has conferred on them a sense of legitimacy and authority that will only force the country's political establishment to stagnate.
Farea Al Muslimi is a Yemeni activist and writer
On Twitter: @Almuslimi
More coverage from the Future Forum
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOlivia%20Newman%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Daisy%20Edgar-Jones%2C%20Taylor%20John%20Smith%2C%20Harris%20Dickinson%2C%20David%20Strathairn%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
How Beautiful this world is!
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMascotte%20Health%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMiami%2C%20US%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bora%20Hamamcioglu%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOnline%20veterinary%20service%20provider%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.2%20million%20raised%20in%20seed%20funding%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Brief scores
Day 1
Toss England, chose to bat
England, 1st innings 357-5 (87 overs): Root 184 not out, Moeen 61 not out, Stokes 56; Philander 3-46
Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
if you go
The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles.
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
Jebel Ali results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 64,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: One Vision, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gabr, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
4pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 96,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
4.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Torno Subito, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Untold Secret, Jose Santiago, Salem bin Ghadayer
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets