On July 21, 2007, the Burj Dubai surpassed the Taipei 101 skyscraper and the Sears Tower to officially become the world's tallest building. The Burj, which means "tower" in Arabic, will have between 160 and 190 floors upon completion, as well as a luxury hotel and four luxury swimming pools along with offices and residential units. Designed to resemble a glittering desert flower, the Burj Dubai when completed will also be the tallest manmade object ever built on Earth.

Indeed, given this iconic position on the human landscape, the Burj is not unlike the Egyptian pyramids of yesteryears which were also testaments to the wealth and might of the burgeoning Pharoanic kingdom and commanded awe and respect from all who viewed them. Undoubtedly the United Arab Emirates is now a world trading giant, having successfully harnessed the forces of globalisation and free market capitalism in its favour. Its increasingly crowded skyline and its cavalcade of luxury shopping malls, selling all manner of luxury items from Mikimoto pearls to Armani suits, are testament to its voracious desire to be respected as an international destination for investors and tourists.

And if one is to stretch the pyramid comparison a little further, the same problem confronts Burj Dubai as did the Egyptian pyramids. Are the pyramids to be revered and admired as symbols of a powerful empire; or are they to be reviled as physical testaments of slavery: the ultimate reduction of human beings to mere instruments in the service of an oppressive regime? Is Burj Dubai a symbol of progress or a mocking tribute the existence of modern-day slaves?

According to "Building Towers: Cheating Workers", the latest report issued by Human Rights Watch, construction workers in the Gulf States face some of the most horrendous work environments on the planet. Forced to work sixteen- to twenty-hour days in debilitating heat, without any vacation for years and with compensation withheld for months on end, the Dubai construction workers eke out an existence devoid of any dignity or freedom. Living at the mercy of the employers, who literally "own" their employment visas and hence their freedom of movement, these modern day slaves are unable to leave any employer for fear of deportation.

The employers, on the other hand, can, like the Pharoanic rulers of Egypt, easily trade them for cheaper workers or sell them via trading their employment contracts to other companies.

In addition to the restricted freedom of movement, companies in the UAE, both large and small, often refuse to pay these workers since few legal enforcement mechanisms exist to force them to do so. According to the Report, Al-Hamed Development and Construction, a company worth over $300 million dollars and one of the fastest growing construction companies in the world, failed to pay 7000 of its construction workers in 2005-2006. The smaller companies are also notorious for absconding or simply closing up shop without paying their workers.

The fact that the construction workers are "guests" without equivalent legal rights that would enable to contest such actions without fears of reprisals, further entrenches their status as slaves in a society that surely treats them as such. In addition, most workers still owe debts to their handlers and so cannot return without wages to pay them off; so they are caught in a vicious circle of persecution.

The living conditions of construction workers who build towers such as Burj Dubai are further proof of their slave status. Tours of labour camps in Dubai and other Emirates have revealed that workers were often housed in abject conditions without proper plumbing or even sleeping facilities. In one camp, run by the East Coast and Hamriah Company in Sharjah, human rights workers found overflowing toilets and no electricity because the company had failed to pay its bills. Workers who were still living in the camp had not been paid for seven months despite their continuing work on the Company's projects. In addition to problems with working conditions, many workers who die while on the job are buried and forgotten with little notice or compensation to families abroad.

Taken cumulatively, the condition of the Pakistani, Indian, Sri-Lankan and Bangladeshi workers who make projects such as Burj Dubai possible expose the ugliest and most repugnant face of supposed "progress" in the Gulf States. While newspapers across the Middle East and South Asia spend much time decrying the imperialism of Western countries' poor treatment of Muslim minorities, little or no energy is spent discussing the plight of these modern-day slaves, whose masters claim to be the most authentic and representative Muslims. Where indeed are the Islamic values of justice, piety and egalitarianism when it comes to foreign workers imported to be human machines?

Skyscrapers and fancy malls exist all around the world, but the Gulf States are unique in creating a system of labour exploitation where workers are not only denied citizenship despite years of residence but are treated as mere chattel unworthy of even the barest minimum of respect. Housed in camps, fed like cows and worked like horses they are the most reprehensible example of human subjugation in the world today.

While the skylines of city states like Dubai and Sharjah may increasingly resemble those of New York, London and Chicago, underneath the façade of glittering metal and overblown luxuriousness hides the ugly secret of a form of exploitation that is truly unparalleled anywhere else in the developed world. Burj Dubai may well resemble its skyscraper counterparts in terms of structural similarities, but in the oppression and exploitation of its genesis it is no better than a Pharoanic pyramid, a relic of an archaic age that fails to respect the dignity of the human being.

Thanks for this piece. This is truly sick. The Prophet, PBUH, slept on a mat that left marks on his back and these people live a plush life at the expense of the poor.

Good article that unfortunately doesn't go deep enough.

What is conveniently left out and not mentioned of this man-made "paradise" is the fact that they are trying to make it into a Las Vegas of the Middle East, here are some IT and computer circles stating as much here:

http://news.com.com/Techs+next+watering+hole/2010-1071_3-5768522.html?tag=nl

http://news.com.com/2300-1008-5965158.html

however as a byproduct of that greed and gluttony comes the need to "service" tourists and guest workers....Dubai is now slowly becoming the prostitution capital of the world as well as leader in trafficking of women and children (mostly Muslims and Russians from the former Soviet Union), here is an article detailing some of this:

http://www.muslimedia.com/archives/oaw98/dubai.htm

tall skyscrapers have been shown to be putting too much pressure on the Earth's plates so as to trigger earthquakes:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,3605,1655977,00.html

Lastly, in a hadith narrated by Gabriel (AS) to the Prophet an interesting correlation is found:

In the Gabriel Hadith, wherein the angel Gabriel took on the form of a man with extremely dark hair and extremely white clothing, and then came and asked the Prophet (may Allah bless him and his Household and grant them peace) about the levels of the religion (Islam, Iman and Ihsan), he asked after that,

"Tell me about the Hour." The Prophet (may Allah bless him and his Household and grant them peace) replied,

"The questioned one is not more knowledgeable about it than the questioner," whereupon Gabriel (peace be upon him) said,

"Then tell me about its signs."

He replied,

"That the slave girl shall give birth to her mistress, and that you see barefoot, naked, poor shepherds building tall buildings." [Muslim]
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a retired U.S. army general once described the nations of Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as "little, Bedouin Arab tribes with flags"

the more things change the more they stay the same.

regards,
Khalid

Thank you, Rafia, for highlighting this issue- too many Muslims idealize the traditionally Muslim world, and we need to see that human rights issues ARE Muslim issues.

It is shameful that Muslims are helping to fulfill one of the signs of the Day of Judgment.

At least in the west I am treated with greater dignity than I would be in many Arab countries.

A timely article. I'm sick and tired of hearing other Muslims discuss Dubai as though it is some sort of fanciful Muslim paradise. It is nothing more than a den of materialism, emptiness and greed built on the backs of men who are are seen as being just above animals, and that by their own Muslim compatriots, who are happy to propagate a backwards vision of Islam that is doing nothing but destroy the rich culture associated with our religion.

What is conveniently left out and not mentioned of this man-made "paradise" is the fact that they are trying to make it into a Las Vegas of the Middle East

The second link in the article above links to an 2004 altmuslim piece that specifically references the "Vegas on the Gulf" intention.

Friends on earth, I refuse to go to Dubai with my wife and the children. They went on their own(without me).What a waste of money. All you see is only foreigners. Just like in London, you've got to coomb your way to see an english man. Yes, I agree with you all. It is shit, cheap gimmik and a shame on culture of the middle east.

>The second link in the article above links to an >2004 altmuslim piece that specifically >references the "Vegas on the Gulf" intention.

My apologies as I neglected to look thru the links. One other thing I forgot to add actually was that Dubai is so "progressive" that Dick Cheney's price gouging oil/military conglomerate, Halliburton, has decided to leave the U.S. for the paradise that is Dubai:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6440365.stm

this move should put it closer to its "customers" namely

the Iranians:

http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/about_hal/iran.html

and the military ruled state of Nigeria:

http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/about_hal/nigeria_timeline.html

the best part of the deal? No income taxes or taxes of any kind -- EVER! And people thought only the Caribbeans were a good tax and financial fraud center!

regards,
Khalid

What is truly sad is the prior condition of these people that led them to come to this "oasis" of hell on earth.

May God have mercy on all of us...

Well. Islam's official mouthpiece, al-Qaeda and its official mouthpiece al-Jazeera, don't seem to complain too much about Dubai and the Burj, or the shopping malls. No hurry to bomb Dubai, as far as I can tell.

So I am not sure what bothers you sitting here in the home of the shopping malls and skyscrapers and Russian hookers. You can have access to all that but people in the Middle East should not be privvy to that, eh? They should live like Monks and Holy Men befitting their religion "over there". Or otherwise come to America if they want all those things, eh? Don't take the "filth" there to the Holy Lands.

People in Dubai are doing what the Westerners have done in their homelands. Same Slavery, same development, same discard of morals. A 100 years from now, people will be flocking to Dubai looking for the same standard of living they do not find at home.

IT would be interesting to see where Rafia Zakaria lives. If she or he lives in Pakistan, India or Philipinnes and is writing this article, good. But if the writer is based in a place which Dubai is trying to emulate, then that is hypocrisy. Enjoying the fruits of a society and criticising another trying to be build something similar. Who knows, someone in Dubai offers Rafia an extra 20K to do the same thing there and she/he/it is off like a banshee, H ah a ha h ah ah a aha.

I am sure most of the expatriate staff in Qatar minting gold working for al-Jazeera used to write similar crap before they got the big offer, eh?

hajibaba, I agree that exploitation of foreign/undocumented workers takes place here in the US, perhaps to an even greater extent. I guess it bothers me more when this is done by predominantly Muslim countries.

>> I guess it bothers me more when this is done by predominantly Muslim countries. <<

Are countries in the Middle East that rely on the oil economy really "Muslim Countries". I think Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, these are "Muslim Countries". Every place else is just a deserted backwater that has become a "country" because Westerners consume a lot of oil. They would otherwise be just little fiefdoms.

I say to Rafia - please take on india, pakistan, bangladesh, syria and egypt, and their human right records...rather then dubai...the only muslim country where tolerance and a visionary leadership for its citizen's by its leaders has illuminated the mideast as a destination to come to, rather then to abhor. Emirate is for the emirati.The emiratis decide what they want for their country.

I think i am in agreement with hajibaba re dubai and how its redefining that whole region.

If foreign workers are being exploited which clearly they are in UAE, then its the foreign country's responsibility to stand up for its citizens. Not UAE. Why is everyone in this section giving those 'muslim' country's where these poor folks come from a free pass?

I donot see anyone criticizing india, pakistan, bangladesh, phillipines, syria, jordan, egypt from where the poor laborers come from, where the leaders, the rich and powerful usurp their country's resources and are mired in corruption.

In the UAE, I would give huge credit to their leaders and their vision and committment to their citizens, they are taking care good care of, that is something I think is missed by everyone here.

While in Dubai I have seen the most beautiful mosques and most extensive islamic libraries in mideast. And likewise most beautiful beaches and nightlife with plenty of broads and booze if you can afford it. To me, dubai is giving each individual as an adult a choice and the consequences that come with it are your own responsiblity, without dictating by force, as they do in Saudi Arabia. You can go this way or that way, its up to you to chose.

For muslims, I think its the best destination to see prosperity is possible with tolerance, respect for all religions, and open choice in muslim countries, if only muslim nations start to think about their citizens first...like the UAE.

george