Islamabad, Nov 19: Misleading campaigns are exploiting events, successes, and the remarkable development witnessed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on all fronts to tarnish the image of the Land of the Two Holy Mosques through fabricated, baseless, and deceptive media content.
These efforts aim to undermine the reputation of the purest nation in this era—a nation dedicated to serving Islam and Muslims across humanitarian, religious, and political dimensions.
The truth is these campaigns undoubtedly stem from hostile motives, orchestrated by organizations, entities, states, or individuals with enmity towards Saudi Arabia. Thankfully, such campaigns are transparent and well-known, lacking credibility to the point that even the average individual can easily recognize their weakness. Today, there is hardly anyone in this diverse world who is unaware of Saudi Arabia’s genuine image as a nation committed to serving Islam and Muslims, aiding Muslim communities, and defending Islamic causes globally.
The remarkable advancements and progress achieved by Saudi Arabia have coincided with smear campaigns using deceptive information, fabricated images, and manipulated videos. A notable target has been the success of the Saudi Entertainment Authority and its initiatives for citizens and residents, such as Riyadh Season. The campaigners attempt to discredit these achievements using deceptive content.
Riyadh Season has emerged as a global showcase, fully open to engaging with cultures worldwide. It appeals to an international audience and communicates with the world while delivering a message that resonates both internally and externally.
This openness is deliberate and carefully structured, adhering to clearly defined limits that ensure it never compromises or even approaches the Kingdom’s foundational principles and policies.
The ideas and plans behind Riyadh Season are grounded in the highest values, designed to reach every individual on this planet while operating within the solid framework of Saudi Vision 2030—a vision that meticulously considers and respects all religious, cultural, economic, and political dimensions.
Why hasn’t Saudi Arabia’s historical leadership in Islamic and Muslim causes received sufficient attention?
And I also ask: why don’t they mention the efforts of the Kingdom towards Islamic causes? For example, the Kingdom convened the Islamic Summit on November 11, 2023, following the Gaza crisis that began on October 7, 2023.
A year later, on November 11, 2024, Saudi Arabia hosted the second Arab-Islamic Summit, which significantly boosted international recognition of Palestine as a state. This summit served as a critical step in unifying Arab and Islamic efforts.
Similarly, why do these campaigns ignore Saudi Arabia’s unmatched dedication to serving the pilgrims of the Two Holy Mosques? The Kingdom has achieved remarkable milestones in facilitating Hajj and Umrah services, hosting millions of pilgrims and ensuring their comfort.
These efforts have seen a transformative leap under Saudi Vision 2030, under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who prioritizes enhancing services for pilgrims as a key objective of this vision.
Ultimately, I believe audiences are conscious and aware and possess the media literacy needed to distinguish between genuine and fabricated content.
Today, it is our responsibility to uphold the truth and remain vigilant against campaigns aiming to tarnish the image of the homeland of Islam, benevolence, dignity, and humanity.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its capital of goodness will remain pure and unblemished, no matter how hard these deceivers try. Together, with the support of loyal allies, we will stand firm against these campaigns and continue defending this pioneering nation that serves the causes of Islam and Muslims worldwide.
Author: Dr. Jamal Hassan Al-Harbi
