Children to Sing The UAE National Anthem

It is no secret that Dubai is one of the most liberal cities in the Muslim world. Here, you see men and women mingle without a problem. Residents, for the most part, are able to sun bathe on the clean beaches of Dubai without a problem. Even though women in bikinis get a lot of stares from some men, it is relatively safe for them to be on their own. Dubai has always prided itself on its open-arms policy toward both its tourists and its residents.

However, the facts on the ground are slowly changing. Malls are starting to put up notices where they state their definition of “public display of affection” as “hugging someone of an opposite sex and more” and at the same time inform us that we are not allowed to do that. Yes, hugging between men and women is frowned upon if not outright illegal. The tide is slowly turning and we can all feel the effects of it.

Along the same lines, the Prime Minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai (one and the same person)—Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum—introduced a new law. Starting this academic year, all public and private schools are going to be forced to 1) fly the flag of the UAE and 2) sing the national anthem of the UAE every morning before classes start. The reason for this is to, and I quote, “instill in them [the children] the spirit of nationalism and patriotism.

I know what you’re thinking right now. “There is nothing wrong with this move.” Of course, if all or most of the population here was both Emirati and Muslim, it would be completely fine to force them to sing the national anthem. However, the fact of the matter is that over 75% of the population in the UAE is foreign. Yes, you read that right—out of every 4 people in the streets of the UAE, 3 are not Emiratis. I am sure that gives you an idea about who most of these students are that are going to be singing the national anthem here.

Here is another problem. You do not have the right to apply for citizenship in the UAE and on top of all that, there is no such thing in the UAE as “permanent residency”. If you move here for work, you are on a 3 year contract with your employer and hence a 3 year visa (same goes for your wife and children). If your employer likes you, they will renew your contract and let you stay in the country for another 3 years, otherwise you’ve got to pack your bags and go home.

So, my problem here is with the idea that children that are never going to be able to call this country their home are being forced to sing the national anthem of the UAE which encourages them to “sacrifice their souls” for the country “whose religion is Islam and guide is the Quran”. It does not make sense to me. I, however, can’t do anything about it except rant here because I, like so many others here, am not a citizen of this country.

Here is the official website of Sheik Mohammed that gives a little more detail about his newest order for schools: Official website of the Prime Minister.