Khaberni - In societies where living burdens are increasing and economic pressures are intensifying, voices occasionally emerge calling for a reconsideration of social practices that have transformed from customs to heavy burdens.
From here, the initiative of the Minister of Interior Mazen Al-Faraya came into play, in which he called for a discussion of a set of social ideas, notably reducing dowries for those about to marry, limiting condolence houses to one day, and reducing the number of participants in engagement and wedding parties, contributing to relieving the burdens on the people and preserving authentic values away from exhausting formal appearances.
The initiative, which came in the form of a proposal for social discussion and not as an official directive or administrative decision, sparked widespread interaction among supporters who saw it as a bold proposal by an official close to the heart of the people, and opponents who considered it an interference in entrenched social culture and customs.
Between these two stances, the discussion turned into something resembling a storm on social media, at times overwhelmed by tones of bullying and mockery instead of a calm dialogue about the content and feasibility of the idea.
The essence of the initiative - as it appears - is not in its content as much as in the way it was presented and the perspective from which it is viewed. Minister Al-Faraya did not issue a decree or impose an opinion but instead made a proposal as a citizen before being a minister, engaging with what many Jordanian youth and families suffer from financial and social pressures due to excessive costs associated with joys and sorrows, And ironically, the contents of this initiative are not new to the Jordanian society, as practical steps have already been voluntarily taken by many clans and families to set a cap on dowries, shorten mourning days, and reduce expenses at social events, believing in the necessity to adapt to the harsh economic reality.
The angry or mocking reactions that accompanied the initiative reflect the sensitivity of the relationship between social habits and collective consciousness; many people confuse respecting and adhering to customs on one hand, and rejecting any discussion about them on the other. The truth is that the initiative did not touch the core of social values but sought to correct some practices that have exceeded their limits and have become a burden on the people, without affecting dignity or authentic traditions.
I am not writing these lines in defense of Minister Al-Faraya or to justify his initiative, as I have no familial or special knowledge connection with him, and I've only met him three times, in one of which he thanked me for organizing the Ministry of Youth's football tournaments during Ramadan and the summer, which he followed passionately due to his love for playing football with his friends and the youth and which seems to have influenced his closeness to the people and led him to propose the initiative, not from a position of office or power.
The essence of what needs to be focused on today is not in the person of the minister or his position, but in the environment that receives new ideas and in how ready the society is for calm dialogue on its daily issues. Living societies are those that discuss and evolve their customs to serve the public interest, not those that attack every opinion simply because it comes from an official.
The Al-Faraya Initiative was no more than a social wake-up call, calling for a review of tiring practices that have become a burden on Jordanians, thereby deserving discussion rather than mockery, advancement rather than outright rejection, and perhaps the discussion it sparked is its most significant achievement, because it once again posed a fundamental question to the Jordanians: "Do we have enough courage to review our social customs to align with our economic reality?"
