Saudi National Challenges Stereotypes Linking Saudis to Religious Scholarship
A Saudi national, Senan Arfaj, has sparked conversations online after speaking against the widespread assumption that all Saudi citizens are Islamic scholars simply because the country is home to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
In a video shared on social media, Arfaj described the belief as a misconception held by some Muslims outside Saudi Arabia.
“Just because I am Saudi, it does not make me a scholar,” he said.
According to him, many people wrongly assume that Saudi citizens are more religious or spiritually superior because Islam’s two holiest cities are located in the Kingdom.
“There is a misconception in the Muslim community outside of Saudi Arabia. They think the Saudi people are like the chosen people or that we are all scholars because Saudi has Mecca and Medina,” he stated.
Arfaj acknowledged that Saudi Arabia is home to respected Islamic scholars, but stressed that ordinary citizens are no different from Muslims in other parts of the world.
“Yes, Saudi has great scholars doing a great job, but there are also normal citizens who are not scholars like me,” he added.
He further argued that Islam does not support the idea of superiority based on nationality or place of origin.
“There are no chosen people. We are not better than anyone. We are Muslims just like you,” he said.
The Saudi national also highlighted the contributions of Islamic scholars from countries such as Malaysia, India, and Indonesia, noting that religious knowledge and scholarship are not tied to nationality.
“There are scholars from Malaysia, from India, and from Indonesia who are doing a great job as well. So we are all Muslims. We are all equal,” he said.
Arfaj concluded by reminding viewers that being from Saudi Arabia does not make a person perfect or free from mistakes.
“Mecca and Medina are in Saudi, yes, but it doesn’t make me an Islamic scholar. I sin. I make mistakes just like any other Muslim,” he added.
The video has since generated reactions online, with many social media users praising his message on equality, humility, and unity within the global Muslim community.
Saudi National Challenges Stereotypes Linking Saudis to Religious Scholarship