Saudi Arabia Can Decide

Saudi Arabia has been keeping a close watch on the Shiites actions in close neighbour Bahrain, where the Sunnis to Shiites (Shias) are roughly 45:50, or almost equal. Some say, 50:45, which would make the Sunnis the majority.There are also, a very small minority of Jewish Bahrainis, one an MP, as well as Christians or Hindus, and other minorities, who are mainly naturalized citizens, many married to  Bahrainis.

Reportedly, "Protests by a disgruntled Shi'ite minority in Bahrain are being closely watched in Saudi Arabia, where Shi'ites make up about 15 percent of the population." (AFP, May 26,2011)

The recent news about Saudi women on Facebook, and the proposed driving ban protest set for June 17, proposes several possible scenarios.

     1- Women who drive their cars now, or on June 17, will  be breaking the law.

     2 - Men will beat the women who drive during, before or after the protest?

     3 - The government will amend the law that restricts women drivers, in the Kingdom.

     4 - Women will not get behind the wheel, or the protest on June 17, or anytime soon.

Women asking for the right to drive, and driving illegally for the time being, are not part of the broader "freedom movements". They are "half the population", not a statistically accurate assessment, because women in the Kingdom probably make up more than half the population. As we often hear, many women are unmarried and cannot find suitable husbands...is the reason lack of men, or something else? While their demands might be legitimate and not unimportant, there are social views, and religious reasons why there is a ban. This is something which should be discussed not forced. It will not benefit the women to become "criminals" by breaking a law seen by many as good and protecting women's rights. This is a very conservative society, or at least a very patriarchal one. In their homes women have a lot of freedom, they wear what they want, do what they want, and are responsible to Allah and to their husbands, or fathers, for their actions.

"He who is not grateful to people is not grateful to Allah."

There is one important point which should be made, and that is that if we are to follow the Islamically correct opinion, then women having drivers, much as is popular in Bahrain and other gulf states, is not correct either. Women are not allowed to be alone with non-mahram men, meaning men who are not their legal guardian, or permitted in Islam to be alone with them because of the well-known verses in the Qur'an which explain who are the men permitted to be alone with women, her father, brothers, husband, nephews, uncles, grandfathers, and so on.

Therefore, if the women run no real or immediate risk of being assaulted, or kidnapped while performing their duties, be it at home, or driving, etc. then they should be allowed as much freedom as the law will allow. This means, that the ruler, law makers and families, should take into consideration what is best and most helpful for women.

Many women are very strict muslims, yet they drive and noone is pointing a finger at them. It is not a question of halaal, or haraam, but it is a question of what is the best option. In light of other  fatwas regarding women, such as if there is the immediate need for a doctor, and no same sex doctor is available, women and men are permitted to be seen by a doctor of the opposite sex, for the purpose of medical diagnosis and care. When there is no longer the need, women or men should see their regular (same sex) doctor.

I am told that in Saudi Arabia, actually, only male doctors are permitted to perform surgery, such as C-sections, therefore, according to this view, men would be considered superior to women in terms of the ability to perform major surgeries. I would like to know, is this true?

A Saudi Prince is asking changes to the law, which he sees as unfair. He questions the ban on women's driving, says, Reuters (Yahoo Maktoob)

 “http://en.news.maktoob.com/20090000622764/Saudi_prince_questions_ban_on_women_driving/Article.htm”>  

The question is certainly seen by Saudis as debatable.

It would be wise to consider the options now, while there is time before the June deadline, otherwise many women and men may find themselves on opposite sides of the issue, even creating rifts in family relationships, marriage relationships, or societal divisions. Your future is in your hands, whatever the decision of the government, is my humble assertion, don't throw away the baby with the bathwater. This is a chance for everyone to join a debate, which although rather a benign subject in most other countries, could help in opening up broader discussions about women's rights in the Kingdom.

I encourage men not to take the way of using the "agal". The "agal" protest seems to be a knee jerk reaction, not based on much thought. In the qur'an when the verse mentions, beating women lightly for being disobedient, it is the last resort, after remonstrating, or warning the disobedient wife, and then sleeping in beds apart. The length of time of each stage, and the timing between each stage is not mentionned, exactly, therefore not encouraging the beating of the wife, which should even if needed be done lightly, as stated. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, described using a small stick, like the toothstick. And he has warned the Muslims not to leave a mark, while beating someone. The saying, " (my son made me forget, darn!! d a r n, not the other word, they look similar, right?) I'll try to remember it later...I'm mad! a western expression, would give the same idea, or "brow beating", that's it. Being angry, showing the displeasure of the husband would be more effective than an actual, and quite ineffective beating; not only feelings, but body, might be hurt. (We know) Islam is progressive, and that Muslims generally do not accept wife-beating, or husband-beating, either. In some countries it is considered "normal", so that's another topic. But for the discussion here, it is one of those practices considered "cultural", or "baggage", etc.

In a healthy discussion, there are always differences of opinion. We will probably see more about these proposed actions, and changes in the society, in the near future.

Have any comments? Please share, but I know there are some out there who can't mind their P's and Q's, so I'm warning you, you know who you are, that I won't accept bad language, and Islamophobic comments. If it's not your religion, why get so steamed up?

-DD