THE brave men and women of the Omani police, military, and security services declared that the situation in Wadi Al Kabir in the Governorate of Muscat is peaceful and proved to the world a whole that Oman is protected by efficient services capable of achieving the desired results with little or no waste of time.
The high training of servicemen is evident in the way the situation has been handled, which is a display of the mental and moral strength to face situations involving undesirable or unpleasant choices, and venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, and difficulty.
The Omani police, military, and security services do not resort to the use of force unless necessary. But if the situation necessitates it, they will not hesitate to use it, no matter the cost.
Oman has remained and shall continue to do so in the future, far distant from terrorism, fundamentalism, extremism, and acts of violence. Unusual by all standards, the incident struck the Omanis and the whole of the world. Innocent Shite worshippers gathering in a mosque to perform the rituals of A’shura were captured by an unexpected attack.
In Oman, Ibadis, Sunnis, and Shiites live together, eat together and pray together. The government grants the freedom to people to embrace any Islamic school of thought and perform rituals in the form of a series of acts regularly repeated in a precise manner set by the Islamic school of thought they take up readily and gladly.
There are no restrictions on people to follow and adhere to the system of rites. Muslims in Oman adopt a moderate attitude without a pronounced or excessive
degree. People from different Islamic schools of thought live in the same neighbourhood and are given equal opportunities for jobs, education, and services provided by the state.
The government has never taken unlawfully the personal property of people because of their race, language, or religion. Nothing in the Omani dictionary of politics includes any form of prejudiced outlook, action, and treatment.
The rule of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik is characterised by the maintenance and administration of what is just, especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims and the assignment of merited rewards and punishments.
Oman is perhaps the only country where one can keep your house door open and your unattended car unlocked without feeling or experiencing concern or anxiety of being broken into. This is due to the inherited characteristic of Omanis, who bring up their children through nurturing the principles of right and wrong in behaviour.
It is the Omani inherited code of morals that has self-observing force and effect, through which the customs of a stable society are settled. With the death toll reaching 9, Omanis are deeply distressed and sad. The loss of lives is a cause of grief and sadness to every Omani.
In social media, Omanis, as one family, pay tribute to each other for those who lost their lives. Countless messages express the great sorrow Omanis are
going through.
The loss of a courageous young policeman in the incident has thrown all Omanis into a state of distress. His photo and condolences are uploaded by Omanis in their WhatsApp status. You cannot find a single Omani who does not express solidarity with their government, based on a community of interests, objectives, and standards.
All Omanis are voluntarily themselves in the service of their country, proceeding from their own will and own choice. They are willing to sacrifice their lives for their country and its leadership. No envious can gain entrance to the hearts of Omanis or detract them from the good quality of their love for their country.
Omanis are determined to stand by the side of their leadership and render their service. They are all ready to take arms, sacrifice their lives, and unite themselves in defence of their country.
Musallam Al Ma’ani
The writer is Dean of Al Zahra College for Women
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