Dr. Hakim Al-Muhamid*
States are not what we see in terms of roads and borders, nor are they what memory hangs as pictures and flags, but rather what settles in the conscience of its people as meaning. When a country like Jordan goes through a transitional phase in its societal awareness, it is not measured by the superficial noise that appears, but by the major questions that stir deep within: Who are we? How do we protect what we have built? And what language is appropriate for a nation that has paid the price of its existence in the lifetimes of its sons?
In moments of transformation, the winds intensify. Some come from outside, laden with agendas that do not see stability in this country as beneficial, and some seep from within, when the language weakens, and criticism mixes with triviality, and the difference between vigilance and destruction is lost. Here, the danger is not in the attack itself, but in our susceptibility to be lured into it unconsciously.
Jordan was never a fleeting entity. It is the culmination of a long journey, beginning with an idea, matured by experience, and fortified by sacrifices. Over a century and more, this country was not written to be easy, but it chose to be steadfast. It paid the price of its steadfastness with martyrs, stands, and tough decisions, but every time it redefined itself as a state that cannot be reduced to a circumstance, nor tested at a moment.
At the core of this journey, the leadership—represented by His Majesty King Abdullah II and his trusted Crown Prince—carried the burden of the most complex equation: How to balance between internal stability, regional pressures, and global shifts? How to build a state discourse that rises above the noise, without disconnecting from the pulse of the people? And how to maintain meaning, when multiple voices scatter it?
But states are not protected from above only. The home front is not a slogan, but a structure of awareness. It starts with responsible language, not rushing behind impulsiveness, nor succumbing to skepticism. From a culture that knows that difference does not mean disagreement, and that genuine criticism is part of building, not a tool for destruction. And from a society that understands that its cohesion is not a temporary option, but a condition for survival.
It's not required of us to be silent, but to speak wisely.
Not to agree on everything, but to disagree without breaking.
Not to raise slogans, but to restore meaning to its place in our everyday discourse.
There are outbursts, yes. And there are moments when the voice exceeds the idea, and tension dominates wisdom. But addressing this is not done with more noise, but by rebuilding a national discourse based on awareness, which draws on experience, and addresses people as partners in this nation, not just recipients.
Jordan, in this moment, does not need someone to remind it of its fears, but someone to restore its confidence in itself.
It does not need a discourse that simplifies challenges, but awareness that deconstructs them.
Not to align emotionally in passing, but to commit deeply to the idea of the state, what it means in terms of responsibility, justice, and continuity.
This country, which has crossed a century of transformations, is not asked to be flawless, but to be capable of correcting them. Nor to be immune from storms, but to know how to pass through them without losing direction.
And in the end, the most important truth remains:
That nations do not fall when they are attacked, but when the awareness of their people erodes.
And that protecting Jordan today begins with a responsible word… and with deep understanding… and with faith that what has been built with effort is only preserved by awareness.
*Former Governor
