Talk:Qaboos of Oman
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I would like to point out that the mosque(Masjid) which Sultan Qaboos built is not the biggest mosque in the world at all as stated, in fact, there are many other masjids around the world which are by far bigger than this masjid. For example, Al Masjid Al Haram in Makkah (Saudi Arabia) is bigger by probably over 100 times! The total capacity of Al Jami'a Al Akbar (Muscat) is 20,000 worshipers, whereas, in Makkah it can take more than 2.5 million worshipers. I do not know how this false information appeared in this website ?? Regards.
Why did you pull down the section about his Homosexuality. I have good sources and I cited a website. I have many more too. Still in denial or what? --Treeshrub 21:04, 16 May 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Sultan Qaboos' sexuality
Okay, in the Lonely Planet Bluelist 06-07, in the entry for Oman, under Don't Mention, it says "Don't openly question the sexuality of the Sultan. Outside Oman, it is widely accepted that Sultan Qaboos is gay, but nobody - and we mean nobody - talks about it within the sultanate".
There's also http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2004/issue3/jv8n3a1.html - see halfway down the page.
I don't feel happy putting this on the main page unless I have more sources, though: this stuff is really inflammatory in Muslim countries.
I put this information into another article (at this point probably over a year ago), but it was removed for supposed "lack of evidence." Wikipedia is independent; I truly don't care about censorship in other countries. —Sesel 23:21, 17 January 2006 (UTC)
I should say that that link was one of very few that I could find in about the first ten pages of various Google searches, and I don't think that makes enough correlating sources to put it on the main page. I also contributed the first comment in this section. --Motmot 16:33, 19 January 2006 (UTC)
I've never heard this before, and I'm sure the fact that His Majesty has chosen to not marry has fueled speculation to this effect. But where's the proof? And who cares besides? So he's not married. (He was actually for a short time in the 1970s.) If he were homosexual, it's just as likely that a ruler would take a wife and "stay in the closet." I doubt any relationship His Majesty would have would go unnoticed. Everybody has detractors, and the three people the author spoke to would appear to be an extreme minority.
As for the second article, I will admit I did not read the whole thing, and there is no doubt that Oman, as with every country, has its fair share of problems. However, virtually every source on the Internet-- and in print-- describes the Sultan as a man of unquestionable integrity. Even detractors always point to the Sultan as being a dignified and fair ruler. As for him being portrayed as autocratic, what exactly is meant by that? He has shown a tremendous amount of clemency toward the very few political prisoners in the Sultanate, even going so far as to pardon men who tried to assassinate him in the mid-'90s. He has also pardoned many people scheduled to be executed, and the death penalty is hardly ever carried out in Oman. An American woman sentenced to death was pardoned by the Sultan last year. Human rights groups also lobbied to him directly to grant clemency to a blacklisted journalist, which he did.
While it's true that the level of political freedom in Oman cannot compare to that in many Western countries, the country is still a stable society with a high standard of living. It cannot be overlooked that Sultan Qaboos literally transformed Oman from the Middle Ages into the modern world in just a few years. In my opinion the West would do well to study and learn from his reign as a rare example of good Middle Eastern governance. Elections have proven to not be as feasible in this part of the world, as shown by the very dangerous hard-liners being voted into office, and, in Iraq, a potential lack of representation of the minority. Maybe they just need more good rulers like Sultan Qaboos. FreshTurkeySandwich 06:53, 6 February 2006 (UTC)
Sultan Qaboos' homosexuality is open secret. Yes he was married for a time but was divorced because of a "failure to perform his manly duties." These details should be in the article. His homosexuality does not have to be a bad thing. Omanis should support their leader no matter what he decides to do in his personal life. Sultan Qaboos' subjects are intolerant.
What open secret are you talking about? he's not homo, none of that is true... Many people say that Tom Cruise is homosexual, even Cruise denied these sick allegations but still many people really believe these things Sultan Qaboos's first marriage wasn't successful becasue of his duties, but yet he married again My dear friend don't beleive everything you found on the internet unless if it has a strong proof...
I hope you find the following links useful: www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/2692/sultan.html www.travellady.com/Issues/May04/729Thesepeople.htm
- Mr. X
It really stinks that things that are open and so factual, cannot be posted up even with so many links that clarify this. The man is gay, and is known for importing young men from Morocco and Pakistan just to work close to him in his palace. Do Muslims and Middle Eastern people get the right to hide anything they want, at anytime? If they are closed and rigid societies, but the facts are out there, it should be published. Anyhow, I don't get how there's so much speculation on something that is not only apparent, but many people including those that were intimate with him (exwife), have openly said so. Wikipedia isn't under the jurisdiction of the "sultanate"...so what's the argument? --Treeshrub 20:30, 1 January 2007 (UTC)
- The question is not whether he's gay, but what reputable sources can be cited in proof of that allegation? I read the one source cited in the article, and it never states that the Sultan is gay -- only that he is rumored to be so. Nor is anyone cited who claims to be in a position to know if the allegation is true: "importing young men from Morocco and Pakistan just to work close to him in his palace" is definitely not reliable verification, let alone proof. Verification means being able to quote reputable, published sources that quote interviews with multiple men who have had sex with him, procured male prostitutes for him, provided male pornography to him, etc. Even his wife saying he's queer would not prove it, since all that would establish is that he was not sexually attracted to her. There is probably no uglier slur that a man can be accused of anywhere on the planet (except incest, but worse than murder), and especially Islam. Therefore, to include such an allegation in the article, irrefutable verification is required. So far, it's not here. Lethiere 05:22, 2 January 2007 (UTC)
If he's gay? Where's the proof? Do you have a picture or something? no Did he ever said" HEY GUYS GUESS WHAT I'M GAY! no some people say well he never denied these allegations, let's say he denied these on tv, will all people believe it? maybe few would do and many (including you) will still say that he was covering the truth.. Do you remeber when Tom Cruise denied allegations about him being gay and his gay sex life was the reason behinde his divorve from Nicole Kidman... Guess what till this day people believe that he's gay!
Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Have you ever met the man to say that he's gay? I can start up a web site and start spreading sick rumors about George Bush's sexuality? people say that he has been importing young men from Morocco and Pakistan? none of that is true, and I can proof it, I work in his Majesty's Palace. People talk... none of these things are true some people say that he's a magican, and the proof is the rings he wears, you see none of this is true, some people said that the late King Fahd is gay. The internet if full of crap...
You can't just start talking about something that based on some rumors and false information, have you ever been to Oman? no... Have you met any many that been near this man? no..
Your sources are from some internet sites and some jokes from some forums? Come on you can do better than that?
Wikipedia shouldn't post false information
- Yes, but it's fair enough to say that there are rumours about his sexuality. The article isn't definitively saying that he is gay. I came on here specifically because I know somebody from Oman and I'd heard about it all from them, how everybody thinks he 'plays for the team' but of course nobody ever mentions it.
- Having said that... I think it really is a bit much when just because somebody is unmarried everybody starts gossiping about their private life. It's hardly as though he's been doing whatever he does in the middle of the street. Quite possibly he might want to keep his private/family life private because of the whole experience with his father (I had also heard something about a rumoured son in England).
- When my Arabic eventually gets good enough it would be interesting to look at the Arabic version of this page! Milvinder 00:14, 5 January 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Revision
I added two new subheadings about Qaboos' early life and the coup. I would like to create a more detailed account of Qaboos' reign - in particular the Dhofar conflict and modernization. I would also like a section on his personal life. I need help with this please. -Anon
why don't you write about his hobbies and interests? I hope you find this website helpful http://www.omannews.com/english/H.M%20%20E.htm
