Kuwait Times

Published Date: May 10, 2007
By Dr Sami Alrabaa, Staff columnist

More and more Saudi women are speaking out against preachers in their country. Fatma Al-Faqih, a columnist at the daily Saudi Al-Watan accuses preachers (April 17) of "denigrating women" and "inciting discrimination against women." "Day in day out, our preachers flood us with accusations against women and beg men to defend the virtues of society that women corrupt," Al-Faqih writes. This "anti-woman culture", Al-Faqih continues, causes women to feel mentally and psychologically inferior, "like a quarrelsome child who must be constantly supervised, intimidated, and punished into performing her duties."
 
It is also unprecedented that the Saudi print media are allowing women to air their indignation and frustration.  Al-Faqih also writes, "Women are good Muslims as men are. But our preachers insist on producing a distorted picture of women, which has nothing to do with true Islam. The Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) never discriminated against women. He respected them. He valued their opinions and occasionally sought their advice. He treated them as full-fledged human beings. Our preachers however, depict women as spoilt minors who have got to be constantly instructed to behave themselves. They cannot be trusted."

Al-Faqih also wonders, "Where is it written in the holy Quran and Hadeeth that women are not allowed to drive their own cars? Where is it stated that women are forbidden to travel alone, leave their houses, or travel alone with the family's chauffeur? Where is it stated that women are forbidden to have a passport without permission from their male closest relatives, forbidden to go to school or university without permission, forbidden to take a job without permission, forbidden to open a bank account without permission, forbidden to name their own children without their men's approval?"

Further, Al-Faqih complains, "Where is that divine law which does not allow women to sue their husbands for divorce? Where is it written that women's voice is a sexual organ and hence she is not allowed to speak in public and express her concerns? Where is that sacred law that does not allow women to keep their own children after divorce? Where is it written in Islam that women are not allowed to vote or run for office?"
 
Al-Faqih concludes, "Are we in Saudi Arabia a special brand of Muslims? In other Muslim countries, women have become presidents (in Bangladesh for example), prime ministers (in Turkey and Pakistan), ministers in Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Kuwait and other Arab countries. In all Muslim countries, women have the right to vote and run for office. No, we are not a special brand of Muslims. It is our preachers who interpret Islam their own way."

Mental anguish
 
Another Saudi columnist, Maha Al-Hujailan draws attention (in Al-Watan, April 13) to another fact of life in the Saudi society, namely that women must always live in constant fear that their husbands may take another wife. "A Saudi woman constantly suffers mental and psychological anguish. After divorce she is left all alone, deserted by all." Al-Hujailan argues.

Al-Hujailan also says that most Saudi men and in particular preachers believe that if it were not for this overt or covert fear, women would not behave themselves. In fact, both men and women are raised to believe that a man who respects women is nothing but a weak and unstable man. They also believe that an ideal man is a violent one who humiliates his wife and other female members of the family.

Atrocious discrimination

Hasna Al-Qunaier, a columnist at the daily Al-Riyadh cites (April 25) some examples of atrocious discrimination against women. "A local preacher tells his viewers to not consult with women. They are extremely emotional and their opinions are not valid. The preacher cites a disputable Hadeeth (a Prophet statement), which says, "A tribe that nominates a women as leader will never succeed." Like many other Hadeeths, this one is contentious. The truth of the matter is the Prophet used to consult with his wives very often and listen to their advice. Our preachers must acknowledge this fact of life."

"Another preacher," Al-Qunaier writes, "urges his male viewers to beat their wives, sisters, and daughters at an early age before they become rebellious and difficult to control. He also said that women who expose any of their skin are like walking naked and that was the reason why both men and women fall into sin. He also warned women against shaking hands with men. Those who shake hands with men commit 'adultery of the hand'..."
 
Al-Qunaier argues that Saudi preachers fail to distinguish between religious duties pertaining to the basics of Islam that are absolute principles, and those recommendations and traditions which maybe were valid during a certain point in time. The face veil is one of those traditions and one of those controversial practices over the history of Islam. "Saudi Arabia is the only Muslim country in the world where the religious authority imposes the face veil," Al Qunaier says. "Why don't we leave it up to women to decide? Some of us like to wear it and some do not," She suggests.
 
Al-Qunaier concludes that women, in the final analysis, are the victims of a rigid interpretation of Islam. Real Islam is based on conviction and devotion from inside and not by the rule of the "whip". "Stop treating us like ignorant minors. Treat us like equal Muslims. We are also able to tell the good from the bad. We are as good Muslims as you are." Al-Qunaier appeals to preachers of the Kingdom.
 
The three Saudi columnists believe that the injustice inflicted on women is either due to misconceptions of Islam or a deliberate struggle of power in favor of a male society which has nothing to do with the true teachings of Islam.
 
Drsami@kuwaittimes.net