At first glance, Qatar might appear to be paradise on earth. Imagine New York City in the middle of a desert, but right by the ocean. Education is free, hospitals are free, housing is free, there are no taxes, and the country is not in debt. The majority of people can even speak English...sounds like a place you'd want to be, right? As beautiful as Qatar sounds, and even though they are one of the least restrictive Islamic countries in the world, it is still illegal for foreign Christians to evangelize in the country and it is illegal for a Muslim citizen to change their faith. That is the harsh reality in this modern society, and for that reason the majority of Christians in Qatar are foreigners. Look at what a person would have to give up to become a Christian...but we know that without Christ these people are lost. As we pray for Qatar this month, I pray that the scripture above would be a part of your prayers; that the people of Qatar would see beyond the material things they have been given by their government and that they would search to satisfy their soul as only Christ can.
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Qatar
Basic Info: Qatar is a peninsula with a strategic location in the Persian Gulf, next to Saudi Arabia. It is slightly smaller than Connecticut, and much of the country is low barren plain covered with sand. The country has extensive oil and natural gas reserves, and because they were a British protectorate, English is commonly used as a second language. About 96% of the population is urban and the country has a .5% unemployment rate. Expatriates make up the majority of Qatar residents, and there are no political parties.
Economy: The discovery of oil in the 1940’s changed the state of the country’s economy. It is now considered to be one of the wealthiest countries in the world. It has a high standard of living with many social services of a modern state and is comparable to living in the West. In 2007, oil and natural gas revenues enabled Qatar to attain the second-highest per capita income in the world. Despite the global financial crisis, Qatar has maintained its economic growth. The drop in oil prices in late 2008 and the global financial crisis reduced Qatar's budget surplus and slowed the pace of investment and development projects in 2009, but GDP growth still registered more than 9% for that year. Proved oil reserves of 15 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for 37 years.
Government: Qatar is a constitutional monarchy that is ruled by the Al Thani family with consultation from a council of ministers, an appointed advisory council, and an elected municipal council. The Al Thani family has been in power since the mid 1800’s. Qatar was a British protectorate that received independence in 1972. For over 20 years the Emir Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani ruled the country with no balance of power, and he crippled the economy by pocketing money from the extensive oil reserves. The Emir was overthrown by his son Hamad in a bloodless coup in 1995. The new Emir proceeded to transform the country’s economy with social reforms and an extensive system for tourism. He even provided the major financial backing for the founding of the all-news satellite station, Al-Jazeera, which has gained significant international prestige. Sunni law is the basis for the government. Compared to Saudi Arabia, the laws would be considered liberal, but not as liberal as UAE or Bahrain. It is a discretionary system of law controlled by the Emir, although civil codes are being implemented. Islamic law still dominates family and personal matters. Qatar became the first country in the Persian Gulf where women gained the right to vote as well as hold positions in senior government. Women can legally drive and for the most part can dress as they please in public, but local Qatari women will wear the black abaya. Also, men are allowed to wear shorts in public.
Religion: Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, Other 14% (2004) Islam is the state religion of Qatar and the royal family follows the Wahhabi interpretation of Sunni Islam that was founded in Saudi Arabia. The constitution does grant freedom of worship, but within the "standards of public order and morality." Religious groups must be registered in order to be recognized legally, and one requirement is that a minimum of 1500 community members must live in the country. No foreign missionary groups can operate openly in the country, but expatriate believers can practice their faith. In March 2008, the first church building was built in Qatar since the advent of Islam in the seventh century. For the 100,000 Catholics who live there, it was an occasion worthy of celebration. Religion is not indicated on national identity cards and passports, and is not a criteria for citizenship. However, proselytizing Muslims is forbidden, and criticizing Islam or the royal family is a crime. Before 1985 there were no Qatari believers, but several have become believers outside of the country and have since suffered for their faith.
Wahhabi Islam
Wahhabism is a reform movement that began 200 years ago to rid Islamic societies of cultural practices and interpretation that had been acquired over the centuries. Some examples include:
praying to saints; making pilgrimages to tombs and special mosques; venerating trees, caves, and stones; and using votive and sacrificial offerings. Wahhabism focuses on the Muslim principle that there is only one God, and that God does not share his power with anyone. The Wahhabites also believe in the literal sense of the Koran and the necessity of deducing one's duty from it apart from the decisions of the four schools. The literal interpretations of what constitutes right behavior according to the Quran and hadith have given the Wahhabis the title of "Muslim Calvinists." To the Wahhabis, for example, performance of prayer that is punctual, ritually correct, and communally performed not only is urged but publicly required of men. Wine is literally forbidden in the Quran, but under the Wahhabis, the ban extends to all intoxicating drinks and other stimulants, including tobacco. Modest dress is prescribed for both men and women in accordance with the Quran, but the Wahhabis specify the type of clothing that should be worn, especially by women, and forbid the wearing of silk and gold, although the latter ban has been enforced only sporadically. They forbid the pilgrimage to tombs and the invocation of saints. The severe simplicity of the Wahhabis has been remarked by travelers in central Arabia. They attack all luxury, loose administration of justice, all laxity against infidels, addiction to wine, impurity and treachery. Wahhabis consider Wahhabism to be the only true form of Islam. They do not regard Shi'as as true Muslims.
Wahhabism also converted political loyalty into a religious obligation. According to Wahhab's teachings, a Muslim must present a bayah, or oath of allegiance, to a Muslim ruler during his lifetime to ensure his redemption after death. The ruler, conversely, is owed unquestioned allegiance from his people so long as he leads the community according to the laws of God. The whole purpose of the Muslim community is to become the living embodiment of God's laws, and it is the responsibility of the legitimate ruler to ensure that people know God's laws and live in conformity to them. The Wahhabi emphasis on conformity of external appearance and behavior makes a visible expression of inward faith. Therefore, whether one conforms in dress, in prayer, or in other activities becomes a public statement of whether one is a true Muslim. Because adherence to the true faith is demonstrable in tangible ways, the Muslim community can visibly judge the quality of a person's faith by observing that person's actions. In this sense, public opinion becomes a regulator of individual behavior. Therefore, within the Wahhabi community, which is striving to be the collective embodiment of God's laws, it is the responsibility of each Muslim to look after the behavior of his neighbor and to admonish him if he goes astray.
Information compiled from www.persecution.net ‘Qatar’, CIA WorldFactBook ‘Qatar’, Global Security.Org ‘Wahhabi’
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation for Qatar falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
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Qatar Drowning in Petro Dollars
Qatar 1 2007
Qatar 2 2007
