A Saudi housewife has galvanized the Arab world ahead of the finals of the “Million’s Poet” TV program, aired weekly on Abu Dhabi state television.

The competition draws masters of bedouin dialect poetry known as Nabati, which is highly appreciated by Gulf Arabs. Moving up the ranks of competition, Hissa Hilal’s multiple readings of her poems have enraged fundamentalists in the region.

The Saudi mother’s calmly-stated opinions and expressive writing have resulted in death threats on Islamist websites like Ana Al-Muslim, an online forum known for posting messages from Al-Qaeda.

Sheikh al Barrak’s fatwa had called for the execution of anyone who says mixing of sexes is allowed in Islam because “he is allowing what is not allowed, and therefore he is a kafir who left the religion and should be killed if he does not change his opinion”. via The National

The poet, who has not been to the university, said that through her poems, she wants to “fight extremism, which has become a worrying phenomenon.” via AFP

In her poem entitled “The Chaos of Fatwas,” which she has recited during the popular televised competition, she boldly charged that the “evil comes from those fatwas.”

“Millions’ Poet”: Hissa Hilal

The National has ‘loosely translated’ her poem:

“I have seen evil from the eyes of the subversive fatwas in a time when what is lawful is confused with what is not lawful;

“When I unveil the truth, a monster appears from his hiding place; barbaric in thinking and action, angry and blind; wearing death as a dress and covering it with a belt [referring to suicide bombing];

“He speaks from an official, powerful platform, terrorising people and preying on everyone seeking peace; the voice of courage ran away and the truth is cornered and silent, when self-interest prevented one from speaking the truth.”

Ms Hilal’s family has asked her to write poetry about more “ordinary” issues, but she says “no.

“I want peace for everyone, Muslims and others. We are all living in a global village, so we cannot live without each other.”

Ms Hilal says that she first reflected on writing about the fatwas after visiting some open GCC countries, where western people eyed her suspiciously wearing her niqab but didn’t react in the same way when seeing a Sikh wearing the turban.

“Who is responsible for this suspicious look? Who made it happen? It was this kind of people – extremists – who have given us a bad name. Muslims, instead of being respected, they are a source of fear and suspicion because of these people.” via The National

Ms Hilal will compete against four others in the final. The winner will get Dh5m; second place will get Dh4m; third place Dh3m; fourth place Dh2m; and fifth place Dh1m. Last price is worth $270,000.

This is an amazing story and we honor the courage of Saudi poet Hissa Hilal. Anne