Football Reformation: Towards Saudi Nationalism

Who in the right mind would neglect the fact that a local team, in fierce competition with other local teams carry the same colors of the national team? Yes I am talking about the green and white. I am talking about Al- Ahli.

Until today, football matches and bitter defeats have caused more deaths and demonstrations than any factor in the Kingdom’s unique socio-political history. Sports aside, positive nationalistic pride in the Kingdom has been destructively neglected at a time where it was needed to be reinforced most.

Then there was him. The King of all Arabs. The reason why I am back home. My Beloved King Abdullah.

A man of intuitive foresight, he, as the old Arabic saying goes “Put his hand on the wound”. The wound: Saudi football. The symptoms: Sever necrosis of nationalism and the inhibition of social solidarity.

Think about it.

Al-Ahli team bearing the colors of the Saudi Flag ( White and green) is a long time arch enemy of Al-Ittihad team ( Yellow and black).
I still remember the jingles and songs we used to chant as kids. Ittihadis would accuse Al-Ahli fans for being sissies, algae, fungus ( because of the green) while they claim to be tigers , gold and petroleum.
On the other side of the fense, Ahli fans would say that Ittihadis are urine color, dirt, evil, asphalt etc. as apposed to the green alligators symbolizing rivers and grass, the color of paradise.

Fact: Green and white are the colors of the Saudi flag. Another fact: Family ties, political power struggles, franchises, business ventures and personal relationships are almost always based on team preferences.

Another team we dare not forget to consider : Al-hilal. Colors: Blue and white. AKA: “Al-Saud”. The royal family’s team of choice and the cronies way to untapped resources. Just like religious influence and extremism , this team witnessed an extraordinary presence during the last decade. So profound and biased that one could swear that the asphalt in the Riyadh roads had a shade of blue, All depended on the mood of the royals, everything was blue. Road signs, sport channel microphones, government forms. Even Saudia Airlines logo supposedly green and white was changed to blue over night.

Al-Hilal’s rival is a fourth dominant team called Al-Nasr. Similar to Al-Ahli in principles and financial predicament, it is not a surprise that Al- Ahli fans root for Al-Nasr when they play against Hilal.



A brief background on the Saudi teams:

Al- ittihad: Literally translated as the Union. The majority of masses supports this team. With Jeddah being a haven for immigrants and residents hailing from different nations. Most supporters are young. It is no surprise that the Ittihad draws passionate strength from the western region. Al-Ittihad’s greatest supporter is a business who worked his way to the top. Al-bilawy is a multi millionaire who made his fortune dominating the 700 number. ( Access to Satellite TV callers and viewers). The team occasionally hires foreign players for tens of millions to play in significant matches in which they win and go home.

Al-Ahli: A Nationalistic team. Capitlizes on the local talents.Started as a club for kids initiating the football sport from Africa. The Ahli has talented players and seldomely hires foreign players to play in their matches. Baby boomers and middle aged fans who lived through King Khaled’s ( before Fahad) Oil and economy boom remain loyal to this team. Upper class society has been known to support this team yet their financial support is limited due to their adherence to their nationalistic-long term goals. Al-Ahli and Ittihad are rivals. The last decade witnessed a slum in the history of Al-Ahli with the big financial backups of Al-ittihad and Al-Hilal.
Al- Ahli’s supporters are dispersed through out the kingdom.

Al-Hilal: The Royal family’s pet team. A select few support this team due to the political and social implications of supporting this team. Based mainly in Riydh where the biggest stadium was built to host national games. The Stadium ironically accommodates more than the population of Riyadh. While the Jeddah stadium can’t accommodate one tenth of football goers in Jeddah. Eventhough the presence of Al-Hilal supporters is not that much felt in everyday life. The Royal preference feeds its existence.

Al-Nasr:
If the rival of the most funded Ittihad is Al-Ahli in the western region, the Rival of Al-Hilal is al Nasr. A Royal family rogue and a survivor, Al- Nasr’s Mascot is a..

It should be interesting to follow the teams growth now that the Kingdom is taking a new approach in sports and balanced nationalistic development.


Political sentiments were once strongly associated with football teams. ( only in saudi Arabia). This only contributed to social stratification and rebellion. The status quo reflected in sports.

Al-Ahli jumpstarted step forward in national Identity. The team bearing their new colors. Green, White and tonight Grey. The white and green not to be together in one plane so as not to indicate any association with the national team. Grey and white, Green and Grey. When Al Ahli plays it doesn’t mean that Saudi plays. It means Al-Ahli plays.

The time has come to put our differences aside. With every team having strengths and weaknesses each team glows in pride with it’s individuality. It is from these difference that we as Saudi draw our strengths. Unity in diversity. No longer are we divided to be conquered. We are divided to enhance our strengths. To work together for a better national team. The Ittihad with its fierce passion and enthusiastic fans. The Ahli with it’s nationalistic principles and strong resistance and patience and the Hilal with a reassuring hand that the New Saudi is from the people, by the people and for the people.

Whether you are an Ittihadi or a Hilali you won’t have to unconsciously hold contempt for the Saudi national team. We are all Saudis now. Green and White. We are new. The king is new. The government is new. Islam is new.

From That Woman: Saudi Men I

Last night as two gorgeous women were sitting on the sofa in front of me, with one of them saying artistically how culturally challenged she was , and the other one in a " Mute" period, since her wedding was coming up soon; I happened to think of many things.

Men sometimes become an integral part of our lives, it might be right, and it might be wrong. What I was thinking about was; until what extent do we allow ourselves to compromise to make these men happy and "Emotionally Satisfied"?
It might be that Arabian Hot Blood in our men, that makes them just burn from inside thinking that we actually do have a past, we did talk to men, we did date other men, and that actually made us who we are today. For most of our Saudi men, and actually all the Society, this is not acceptable, and this might actually make him change his mind about marrying or proposing to the woman he likes or loves.

For our mothers, what they really believe in, is that a woman should be an ordinary woman. Women shouldn't fight to do things men should do, they shouldn't advance in their career or even earn a higher degree. The Mothers are simply worried, since this might actually threaten the entity of that potential future groom.

I know that there should be a red line to the end of compromising, the compromising that we woman selectively and intentionally can give to the man. Compromising is integral, but where should compromising end? Because we never want to be another woman or that woman he has planned already for us to be.



* There are always exceptions but they are rare.

From That Woman: Saudi is small..

The world is small..

We always say that, it's more like our motto in life, but when one lives in Saudi Arabia, you should really be aware what small means.. small is more of "Really really really Small"

It's both scary and nice at the same time. I've always realized and understood how everything is irrelevantly and relevantly related here, If I went out in public with some friends, in a week my parents would hear about it from their friends and if I was covering my hair or not.
If I attended a wedding, I'd hear the next day the feed back of my friend's fourth cousin who told her boyfriend's sister about the bride's dress or maybe even my dress!
It's seriously hectic, and sometimes it's really tough, for women like me; who wants to be "That Woman".

Today, I realize that this is not a joke, and how that personal relationships and even friendships are very hard to establish. It's very hard to just be yourself.

Breaking Question: "Should personal relationships, societies and families be integrated to that extreme extent? I wonder where is privacy? Peace? and just enjoying the simple things in life?"

If you slip once, the entire town talks about it, your family will be extremely disappointed and frustrated because actually, you didn't ruin your reputation alone, you took them down the drain with you. You are not responsible only for your actions, your family is responsible, your friends, your neighbors, everything is centralized, there is no decentralization in the Saudi Society.
If you chose to marry a man, you won't actually marry a man, you'll marry his entire family, and the entire society with him.

Being a woman is a full time job, we want to have it all, and we strive for the best; for perfection, we want: perfect bodies, perfect wardrobes, perfect grades, perfect husbands, perfect families.. everything has to be perfect, OR... The really really small society will start talking about you. & well we came to realize that they'll talk about you any way, so don't try hard to please.

and the journy continues

The begining of an end

I write this poem of a girl I know
With a heart of gold, made the world around her glow
Broken today I watch her sigh
The hopeful gleam no longer in her eyes

It’s been a while since I’ve held this pen
Years of life have molded me since then

A little girl searching for where she belonged
Guided by the memory of vague recall

An impulsive decision to go back in time
Against their will she crosses the line

A young mother she thought
“I’ve got to see”
No time could be better
It’s the time for me

An innocent soul tainted with fear
A whole new world
A religion revealed

Shock and confused by the hurtful truth
This is it, These are her roots!
Lost and confused , She tries to reject
What she knows she has to go through next

She’s riding the waves of a journey so real
Too much emotions, there’s nothing left to feel

As she sits alone in a familiar café
Watching the world as they live their day

She wonders if she’ll ever get to that shore
How much is left for her heart to endure?

Pieces of her, dust in the wind
Wrapped in misery, tormented at will

Searching for answers, lost in dismay
A silent prayer, “Oh keep me sane”

Her friends they know what she’s going through
Do they though? She’s not so sure


Caught in the middle, two worlds at bay
Every person she knows, has something to say

Her soul is in question, her eternal abode
Where no mother or bother can carry the load

For she alone, will mark her end
For she alone, to the grave shall be sent

This worldly life is but a stage
To play our parts and God to obey

And the life she’s had
Has no place in here
The cast of this play
To her world are weird

New rules, new lines
New parts to display
She had no idea
That is was going to be this way

And although her faith in the main theme is strong
It seems that it’s not enough
Could she be so wrong?

No one is perfect, so it’s been said
With no one to trust, no matter how they care

Ignorance is bliss, words so true
Why did she venture, into knowledge so cruel?

We are responsible for all that we do
Now that she knows, her debts are due

To pay the price is a lot to bear
She can’t let go, she’s too weak to dare
Brave she embarked on this one way road
Full of life, faith so bold

God is her love, her constant guide
Hold her hand, show her what’s right

Yes, she’s made a few wrong turns
Give her a chance, she’s willing to learn

Send her an angel, just show her the way
Too suspicious to trust
Thos who speak in your name

She reads your words, every night she cries
Why does she see a different rhyme?

Oh lord your book does not lie
Never did she find an unfair line

Her salvation lies in you so divine
Please let your words lead her life

For she has lived this world as it is
She’s seen and felt things that they’ve missed

No one could ever know what’s inside
No one but the earth, the sea and the infinite sky.

From Badawiya: About this blog

The Saudi comedy.

A bold blog that will make you laugh and cry. Dedicated to the women of Saudi Arabia. True blooded, half blooded or even just Saudi by surrounding. Together we discover the truth behind the veil. Our mission is to tackle the issues of the Saudi woman. Whether you are abroad and living a double life, under house arrest or a rogue in denial.

Here is freedom.

Whoever you are. Wherever you are. Let’s talk about life baby. For there has never been a life so complex as that of a Saudi Woman’s.

Join me and that woman in our journey of self-discovery. Ask your questions. Your questions and comments will set the agenda.