FA0: There is hunger and malnutrition in the Arab region. But why?

Ebu Masum Mucahit

According to a recent estimate from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than half of the Arab population is food insecure. This thought-provoking research makes one pause and reflects why one part of the world could be hungry and the other would be battling obesity. More excogitative is that while over 810 million people are starving globally, nearly two billion are overweight, while around 600 million suffer from obesity—a sickness which has emerged as a severe problem in North America and Europe. Undoubtedly, Allah created the earth to provide for the entire human race. However, not staking claim to these blessings and natural resources has caused this imbalance. As it is known, the so-called “poor nations” are mostly rich in natural endowment. However, citizens of these countries have been rendered powerless to the extent that they cannot manage their affairs.

Unfortunately, in 2021, 810 million still go to bed hungry every night. It is more saddening that some of these dreadful figures are coming from the Muslim Arab nations, with  Yemen having 13.5 million, Syria with 12.5 million and Sudan with 10 million. One would wonder why a region that whetted the appetites of Westerners and the region of the Arabian Nights and its plenty and fertility is in this condition today.

Since the Ottoman Empire’s exit from Arab territory, blood and tears have been the order of the day in this region. Especially as imperialists go to great lengths to keep the people of this region from rising, telling apparent lies to deceive and exploit them. They attacked Iraq for “chemical weapons” and turned Syria into a bloodbath due to the government’s persecution of the people. They incited people to revolt against the government in Egypt due to despotism, only to support a coup that toppled the government chosen by 51% of the country’s voters. Similar chaos has erupted in several nations, including Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and, most recently, Sudan. As a result of these shambles, the Arab world has been ravaged by famine and bloodshed, with no hope in sight. However, it is sad to watch the UN oversee all of these crimes and then produce arrogant reports on these actions.

In the 1990s, Somali scholars pointed out that European colonization was to blame for the country’s starvation. Humanity is divided into two basic categories: good and evil. Bad people are self-centred. The well-being of others is vital to a good person. Today’s Western way of thinking is purely self-centred. They are a group of people that boil their eggs by setting the earth on fire. To keep the bad from harm, we must appreciate what we have and be entirely strong not to give them a chance. After centuries, the enemies of the Arabs are no longer terrified of them since they no longer follow the prophet’s legacy. Their states are divided because they no longer hold unto brotherhood.

They have become a group of people whom their foes have duped. In either war or internal conflict, these countries are obliterated by imperialism. As colonialism ended, a new world order formed that was unjust. Necip Fazl Ksakürek, a Turkish intellectual, summarized the reality today by saying,

“One takes nine out of ten, while nine takes one out of ten. Even if it is a tyrant, a wolf will not distribute to lambs in this manner.”

Of course, the Arabs’ internal strife and the current state of affairs are largely due to their natural resources. The Arabs reside in a strategic location where three continents intersect. This geographic location has piqued the interest of those who seek to rule the world. Greedy, nasty westerners’ appetites for oil and natural gas are whetted, and different invasions of these regions occur because of this. All of which leads to neo-colonialism.

Meanwhile, Neo-colonialism has always been fueled by the leaders’ incompetence and internal strife. It is possible to address the difficulties by reorienting ourselves to Islam as we did in the past by embracing it and eliminating Sassanids, the superpower of the time, defeating Byzantium, and making the world a better place. On this note, the Quran provides us with a clear path to follow.

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favour of Allah upon you - when you were enemies, and He brought your hearts together, and you became, by His favour, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.” (Al-Imran: 103)

How well the Abdullahs, who are starving today, provided relief to the world’s starving regions. Since we want to do it again, we will need all of our faith, fraternity, and hard work. Make a difference in the world. In a world without oppression, let us make it happen. As Erbakan proposed, understanding the system’s relevance is the first step toward changing the current order and system. For the sake of Allah, let us give up our lust for material things and work together to construct a better world.

Muslims cannot go hungry if they work hard and fight for their rights. Saudi Arabia’s modern and vast plantation agricultural areas have demonstrated the truth of this axiom. Exactly like one of Gaddafi’s enormous desert irrigation projects!