The hardships of the present push Arabs back to the past. They seek refuge in it, as if they were protecting themselves from today's difficulties and tomorrow's ambiguities. There are luminous stages in the Arab nation's history, but they have gone through successive assassination attempts and unprecedented forgery operations. Darkness has sprung from suicide bombing operations. It has taken over our history and targeted tolerance, coexistence, openness, hope, the ability to shake hands, be honest, and cooperate, as well as the ability to take part in the flow of civilization and progress. The philosophers of darkness have led to the collapse of all the beacons in the Arab nation's history. They have spread the idea that its fate is to crash, explode, commit suicide, and celebrate ruin; that the different other is an enemy with whom you have no other choice but to kill or be killed; that the window is a threat; that progress is a threat. They have spread the idea that Arabs and Muslims can do nothing else except kindle the demarcation lines with the cultures, civilizations, and religions. They have turned Arabs into a time-bomb waiting to explode. It is no secret that the bombs have exploded within the nation before the others, and have affected its image, its stability and its prosperity, as well as the opportunities for living, working, having dignity and peace of mind. Thus was the discourse of 9/11, one of extremism, vengeance, and estrangement. It was the discourse of fire-setting, for imposing an interpretation and a reading of the self and the world. It was the discourse of ruins, and it was obvious that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was the primary target, and that the selection of the executioners targeted its stability, its image, its relations, and the weight of its presence on the Arab, Islamic, and international scene. Saudi Arabia did not bow before the storm, and had a strict security response. It quickly realized that the true confrontation is bound to be comprehensive in its intellectual, religious, cultural, educational, and economic aspects. Anyone who visited Saudi Arabia in recent years will realize the extent of the successes achieved in facing terrorism and the dangers that could've befallen Saudi Arabia and the region had these successes not happened. On its National Day on the 23rd of September, Saudi Arabia chose to launch a date with the future. It is a date that concerns Saudi Arabia as much as it does the Arab and Islamic world. Kings, presidents, scientists, researchers, and media figures of various nationalities flocked to the desert to witness the launching of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. It is a city that was planted in the desert to give Saudis and outstanding students from around the world opportunities to contribute in the progress of scientific research. King Abdullah Abdul Aziz was clearly happy with the achievement of a dream he said he has had for more than 25 years. He set the foundations of the battle of the future in his short speech. He spoke of remarkable contributions of Muslim scientists to say that the university “is a continuation of what has characterized our civilization during its times of prosperity.” He spoke of the role of science in building the nation's strength and affirmed that “science and faith cannot oppose each other except in sick minds”. In a determined response to the rhetoric of caves and darkness, he said: “Humanity has been subjected to a violent attack by extremists who raise the rhetoric of hatred, fear dialogue, and seek destruction. We cannot confront them unless we replace conflict with coexistence, hatred with love, struggles with friendship. There is no doubt that the scientific centers that host everyone are the first line of defense against these extremists. Today, this university will join its counterparts in the world as a place for wisdom and a beacon of tolerance”. These words are even more important as they are uttered by someone who is closely connected to his people and able to address himself to its different generations. He has high credibility inside and outside the Arab and Islamic world, and he is in charge of decisions in a country that bears unusual burdens due to its Arab and Islamic particularity. Arabs dream of seeing the September of the future and of bridges turn the page of the September of caves and extremism, and seeing the Arab nation regain its trust in itself, its role, and its ability to contribute in the progress of humanity and reserve a decent position in the path towards progress, building, and prosperity.
