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Authors: Anthony Litton
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to, neither of which applied, she could have told the assembled gathering what had really happened and why; also how much planning it had taken. But some tales were best left untold, so, as she continued to listen to Nasir, both her face and her lips remained closed.
“Some of you look puzzled, I see, but it is the simple and obvious fact that we are sitting here, in peace, discussing who will take his place. We have not rushed off in all directions, some of us west into the deserts, some east across the waters; all trying to win support for our bid to become the next emir. Fouad showed another, better, way to proceed. It was to discuss amongst ourselves and decide in peace what should happen next. Logically it should be to confirm what we have already decided – that his son should take his place. I myself, “ he continued his voice hardening, “make no secret of my support for my brother’s wishes. Lest anyone,” he added calmly, “feel it’s blind, and perhaps stupid, loyalty to a dead man that hinders my making a wiser, better decision, let me tell you why I give my support to my nephew.” Here he turned and gave a quick smile to the young boy. “Not only do I believe that he has already shown traits which will, in due time, make him a strong and wise ruler, it goes deeper even than that. It rests on my belief as to what would happen should anyone but Talal be named. Anyone amongst us has, by blood, some claim to sit where Fouad sat. And therein lies our real and mortal danger. Like all of you, I value Narash as it is, independent and free from outside controls and alien ways. I think I speak for most when I say I have no wish to again have the Wahabbi foot on my neck!”
He paused as the room erupted in a storm of growls and shouts of agreement. Many in the chamber had been alive during the last of the Saudi/ Wahabbi occupations little more than forty years previously, and had no wish for a repeat of the bitter experience.
“Nor,” Nasir continued when the tumult had died down, “do I, like yourselves, feel their violent and intolerant way of life is one any Narashi would willingly undertake. It is our family’s duty to safeguard the well-being – even perhaps, the happiness, as far as that is possible – of all in Narash. I do not see that well-being, even less so the happiness, being protected under ibn Saud and his Wahabbi supporters. Their cold, hard and joyless way of life, their violent interpretation of the Koran and the words of the Prophet, blessed be his name, are all alien to us in Narash, and I wish it to remain so. That, I see, as our first, perhaps only, duty.” He paused and then continued. “Indeed, we are a family that is blessed with many talents. Talents we need in these fearsome days we now live in. It is also true that without strong leadership from within the family, Narash will fall, if not this month, this year, then soon. I say from within the family, but in reality I mean by the family. But should we choose one of us over another, the successful man will not have the full support of his defeated rivals, or the family groupings they represent. I say, and say clearly, we can stay united as a family only by uniting behind Talal and what he represents. Only then can each family faction feel it will have an equal chance to be heard, have influence over Narash’s future.” Again he paused for effect.
“My kinsman,” here he gestured to Abdul, “and I have had disagreements on many issues and will, I have no doubt, continue to do so.” He smiled briefly at Abdul and received the faintest of smiles in return, “but I tell you publicly, that I applaud his wisdom, which putting aside any understandable bitterness he may feel, has him seeing clearly the only safe route for us to travel.”
He stopped speaking and raised his hands to signal that he had finished.
Zahirah and Firyal, invisible behind their screens allowed themselves smiles compounded in equal parts of pride and
“Some of you look puzzled, I see, but it is the simple and obvious fact that we are sitting here, in peace, discussing who will take his place. We have not rushed off in all directions, some of us west into the deserts, some east across the waters; all trying to win support for our bid to become the next emir. Fouad showed another, better, way to proceed. It was to discuss amongst ourselves and decide in peace what should happen next. Logically it should be to confirm what we have already decided – that his son should take his place. I myself, “ he continued his voice hardening, “make no secret of my support for my brother’s wishes. Lest anyone,” he added calmly, “feel it’s blind, and perhaps stupid, loyalty to a dead man that hinders my making a wiser, better decision, let me tell you why I give my support to my nephew.” Here he turned and gave a quick smile to the young boy. “Not only do I believe that he has already shown traits which will, in due time, make him a strong and wise ruler, it goes deeper even than that. It rests on my belief as to what would happen should anyone but Talal be named. Anyone amongst us has, by blood, some claim to sit where Fouad sat. And therein lies our real and mortal danger. Like all of you, I value Narash as it is, independent and free from outside controls and alien ways. I think I speak for most when I say I have no wish to again have the Wahabbi foot on my neck!”
He paused as the room erupted in a storm of growls and shouts of agreement. Many in the chamber had been alive during the last of the Saudi/ Wahabbi occupations little more than forty years previously, and had no wish for a repeat of the bitter experience.
“Nor,” Nasir continued when the tumult had died down, “do I, like yourselves, feel their violent and intolerant way of life is one any Narashi would willingly undertake. It is our family’s duty to safeguard the well-being – even perhaps, the happiness, as far as that is possible – of all in Narash. I do not see that well-being, even less so the happiness, being protected under ibn Saud and his Wahabbi supporters. Their cold, hard and joyless way of life, their violent interpretation of the Koran and the words of the Prophet, blessed be his name, are all alien to us in Narash, and I wish it to remain so. That, I see, as our first, perhaps only, duty.” He paused and then continued. “Indeed, we are a family that is blessed with many talents. Talents we need in these fearsome days we now live in. It is also true that without strong leadership from within the family, Narash will fall, if not this month, this year, then soon. I say from within the family, but in reality I mean by the family. But should we choose one of us over another, the successful man will not have the full support of his defeated rivals, or the family groupings they represent. I say, and say clearly, we can stay united as a family only by uniting behind Talal and what he represents. Only then can each family faction feel it will have an equal chance to be heard, have influence over Narash’s future.” Again he paused for effect.
“My kinsman,” here he gestured to Abdul, “and I have had disagreements on many issues and will, I have no doubt, continue to do so.” He smiled briefly at Abdul and received the faintest of smiles in return, “but I tell you publicly, that I applaud his wisdom, which putting aside any understandable bitterness he may feel, has him seeing clearly the only safe route for us to travel.”
He stopped speaking and raised his hands to signal that he had finished.
Zahirah and Firyal, invisible behind their screens allowed themselves smiles compounded in equal parts of pride and
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