Application Comment Details

The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) is the information and communications technology sector (ICT) regulator in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SA).

Amongst its roles and responsibilities include:

• Granting licenses in the ICT sector

• Protection of users’ rights

• Setting service quality standards

• Preparation of policies, regulatory frameworks and studies of ICT sector in SA

• domain name administration in SA

• Increasing the information security awareness level in SA

• Supervision of the National Committee for Information Society in SA

Ummah (أمة‎) is an Arabic word meaning "nation" or "community" and it is a term by which the followers of the Muslim faith, who number approximately some 1.5-2 billion worldwide, identify themselves (as part of “the Ummah”) and is therefore a very sensitive term.

Given that so many people identify themselves under this term, no one group, let alone a private company, should have sole control over this gTLD. Given its sensitivity, we would recommend that this gTLD be withdrawn altogether.

Further, we believe that any and all gTLD applications for any name in relation to a religion or a specific community should be presented to the whole of that community for evaluation before an application is denied or granted. If this cannot be accomplished then such names should be restricted completely from being used as gTLD's.

Failure to do so would give the use and control of such an important grouping name to one group, unjustly elevating its influence above others and permit that group to solely represent a spectrum of different people.

The current applicant cannot demonstrate that it has an ongoing relationship with the whole or at least a majority of the Muslim communities around the world. In the alternative, no applicant should be granted this gTLD without the approval of well-established global institutions which represent the majority of the Muslims worldwide.

Therefore, we respectfully request that ICANN not award this gTLD string.