Saudi Arabia's Curriculum of Intolerance - Hudson Institute

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the same sentence instructs that they are not to treat the infidels “unjustly,” but does not provide
any clarification of what this meant.
In the 2007 and 2008 editions, this fourth grade text been changed so that the objectionable
example cited in our 2006 analysis is presented in the format of an exercise that asks the
student to identify true belief, rather than a straightforward declaration. Three cases are
given, and students are instructed to state whether belief is true in each case. Though the
correct answers are not provided, a fifth grade textbook elaborates upon this theme, and
there can be no doubt that the only answer intended as an example of true belief is “c” (see
below), which includes “hat(ing)” the unbelievers. It should be noted that this particular
fourth grade lesson has dropped the injunction not to treat the unbelievers “unjustly” from
its discussion. As our 2006 analysis had noted, the admonition not to treat unbelievers
“unjustly” was reform language that had been highlighted by the Saudi ambassador to
USCIRF in a document dated March 2006. 121 Therefore, this editorial change retracted a
prior year’s touted “reform.”
• “Belief is not just a word that a person pronounces with the tongue. It consists of speech,
conviction, and action.” 122
“We act on the following:
1.We know that belief is a primary obligation
2. We know the meaning of belief
3. We act on this” 123
• “True belief means:…That you hate the polytheists and infidels but do not treat them
unjustly.” 124
“ Is belief true in the following instances?
a. A man prays but hates those who are virtuous
b. A man professes that there is no deity other than God but loves the infidels.
c. A man worships God alone, loves the believers, and hates the infidels.” 125
FIFTH GRADE:
The theme of hating the infidel is developed further in a discussion of loyalty and friendship in a
Fifth Grade textbook on Monotheism, Hadith, Jurisprudence, and Qur’anic Recitation. Students
are instructed to be loyal to and befriend only other monotheist believers.
The instruction from the 2005-2006 text that “[s]omeone who opposes God, even if he is
your brother by family tie, is your enemy in religion” has been removed. There seems to be
no practical significance to this, since the new lesson still teaches that “a Muslim is
forbidden to love and aid the unbelieving enemies of God.” The declaration that “Jews and
Christians are enemies of the believers” continues to be found in a 2007-2008 textbook for
ninth grade. Other lessons remain in upper grade texts that teach that Jews and Christians
are apes and swine, Jews conspire to “gain sole control over the world,” the Christian
Crusades never ended, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are historical fact, and on
Judgment Day “the rocks or the trees” will call out to Muslims to kill Jews.