Since people usually want to be anonymous on FHWS questionnaires/interviews, I have decided to use Survey Monkey. I also reduced the number of questions and simplified the wording. One other change is that this questionnaire is not limited to Saudi/non-Saudi couples, it is for everyone no matter which country you are living in because wasta is not specific to Saudi Arabia only. I think it is much better this way insha’Allah. Deadline for submission has been extended to one week from this posting which will be 4 April 2012. I will send out a reminder two days before the deadline insha’Allah…read more.
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Questionnaire On The Use/Abuse Of Wasta
I am in the process of writing a post on the use/abuse of wasta. This system greatly frustrates Saudi/non-Saudi couples who do not have access to a wasta to expedite the approval of their marriage permission application. If you would like to share your views on this subject, the questions are below. As always, if anyone wants to submit their answers on this blog as an anonymous contributor, confidentiality is guaranteed insha’Allah. Please copy/paste the questions into an email and send it to emailfhws at gmail dot com. Deadline to submit your answers: one week from the date of this post which will be 30 March 2011. I will send out a reminder as we get closer to the deadline insha’Allah. Please pass this questionnaire on to others whom you think may be interested. Thank you! Tara Umm Omar
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Name/nickname or do you want to be anonymous?
2. Name of the country where you live? Is the wasta system prevalent there?
3. If you have lived in a previous country where the wasta system was prevalent, state which one:
4. Can you describe what wasta means to you? When was the first time you became knowledgeable of this word?
5. Have you or anyone you know ever used wasta to get the Saudi marriage permission approved?
Were you/they successful? How long did it take?
6. Have you or anyone you know ever used wasta in any other way? How? Did you/they get what you/they wanted/needed?
7. Did your wasta ever request that you pay a bribe or agreed to help on the condition that you perform a mutual favor for him/her? Or helped you out of the goodness of his/her heart? Or describe the arrangement between you and your wasta:
8. How has the wasta system affected your life emotionally/financially/religiously, etc?
9. Do you think wasta is good or bad? Please explain:
10. What is your Islamic belief regarding the use/abuse of wasta? If not Muslim, what is your religious belief regarding the use/abuse of wasta?
11. Should the wasta system be abolished or remain in place with regulations? If it should be abolished, what should replace it, if anything?
12. In your opinion, would it help decrease the use/abuse of wasta if the government of your country (or a previous country you resided in) enforced fines and/or imprisonment? Yes or no? Please explain:
Send to emailfhws at gmail dot com -
