It seemed as if the women in this country were desperately seeking words of help and promise of rescue from these organizations so that that they can begin life afresh enjoying all the freedom they lost a long time ago.

I wonder how members of such organizations -- whose hearts apparently bleed for those oppressed and suppressed -- are so concerned about the Saudi women, but fail to realize the tragic plight of the women in Palestine and Iraq.

I wish the UN addressed the concerns of the women in Gaza who are starving to death because of the Israeli blockade in place for the last eight months. Before that there was a siege that lasted one year. Palestinian women and children are struggling for survival. Children are dying because there is no food and there are no medications. I don't see the UN raising a voice to condemn what is going on in the Gaza Strip.

UN organizations are not concerned about Palestinian women languishing in Zionist jails. They are being held unfairly without any charges or trial. They are being kept away from their children and husbands. How I wish these organizations opened their eyes and talked to us about these continuous tragedies and traumas. As for the situation of Iraqi women, they're in endless distress. They've been traumatized with no end in sight to their miseries. How come these organizations don't see a tragedy that TV screens bring to our living rooms?

Don't they know that the US-led war has so far caused the death of more than one million Iraqis, a majority of them women and young girls? Maybe they know it and hence their horrifying silence?

I won't say that the reason for their silence is that all these catastrophes are caused by America and Israel and they don't want to annoy the global superpower and the regional superpower. I'll only assume that they have good intentions and are trying to find out the truth. Maybe they want to make every nation feel happy.

These organizations should realize that every nation has its religious distinctiveness that's taken into consideration when it comes to enacting laws. Islam has its Shariah rules, whether in granting women their rights or treating them as equals to men. Islam doesn't deny other people their religious distinctiveness.

The Jews guard their religious distinctiveness with zeal. The same applies for Christians, Buddhists and others. This religious distinctiveness is respected in their laws. I've never heard a country or an organization objecting to Jewish religious regulations. No country, individual or organization can criticize Jews without inviting charges of anti-Semitism. In fact, nobody can question the truth about the holocaust even if it is scientifically and historically documented.

It would've been fair and more acceptable if the person who prepared this report considered -- integrally -- the primary role of Islam in the laws of the Kingdom. Since he didn't, I'll make some observations.

Let's take the issue of women driving cars. The way the issue is discussed abroad would give the impression all the problems of women in the Kingdom would vanish once they were allowed to sit behind the steering wheel. The point not to be missed here is that no one in the Kingdom, whether rulers or religious scholars, has ever said that it's religiously forbidden for a woman to drive a car. The minister of foreign affairs has clearly stated that if women don't drive in the Kingdom it is because of the force of social custom. There are those who approve the idea of women driving and those rejecting it. We must find out what the majority wants and I believe a decision one way or the other will be taken very soon.

As for the freedom of women when it comes to marriage and divorce, I know that the system in the country obliges the person who will tie the knot legally to directly communicate with the woman and make sure she agrees with the proposal.

As for divorce, I also know that it's a woman's right, under the Shariah rules, to ask for kulu (to file for divorce and give the husband back his dowry) the moment a she dislikes being with her husband. Judges are aware of it.

I know there are instances where these rules are ignored or violated by fathers or judges. Some judges delay the procedures of kulu because they want to sort out the problems between a man and his wife to avoid a divorce. But these violations don't mean that women in the Kingdom are oppressed when it comes to marriage and divorce!

How do some foreign organizations assume that Saudi women are not allowed to choose their education and work? There are thousands of female students in colleges around the Kingdom. There are women specialized in different fields and work according to their majors. I hope I am not wrong when I say that the number of female students in universities exceeds that of their male counterparts.

As for the problem of unemployment, it doesn't concern just women. There are thousands of men who are unemployed and are having a hard time finding jobs. It's a problem for both men and women. I wish that everyone could find suitable jobs.

The issue isn't about good intentions, but about ruining religions, ruining women and men and then corrupting societies. I can't eliminate the political factor in the report. The UN seems to be thinking that taking away the religious identity from Muslims is the first step toward reforming their societies.

Finally, I say to all those who cry over the situation of women in Saudi Arabia, whether they are outsiders or citizens: Leave the woman alone. Saudi women are capable of taking care of themselves without the help of these busybodies.

I also tell them that this country has a religion that can't be ignored or destroyed. As for other habits or traditions, those are negotiable. Women have problems in Saudi Arabia that need to be addressed; men too have problems worthy of attention. If you really want to address these problems you should be fair in your comments and free from preconceived notions.

By Mohammed Al-Harfi

© Arab News 2008

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Community Comments (19) - Comment on this article

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Re: Palestine by Mohannad El-Khairy, Head of Int'l Markets, Zawya - 19-Feb-08
J T: Palestine has endured centuries of foreign rule; 23 different empires have come and gone, having ruled the Holy Land bringing their own influences and traditions. While most conquered by force, still none of them have systematically attempted to ethnically cleanse, humiliate, disposess, and destroy the native Palestinians the way Israel does. The plight of the Palestinians is natural a right, and Isralies should be the first to understand this basic fact following their ancestor's experiences during WWII. How ironic isn't it, that the hands that supposedly "fed", only fed them death and destruction. Teheran is therefore an expected alternative at this stage. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Palestine by J T - 18-Feb-08
The plight of the Palestinians is of their own doing. Do not bite the hand that feeds you! If it were not for the rocket attacks and such coming from Gaza there would be no blockade. Ignorance and poverty have driven Gazans to bowing to Tehran. The end is near for Tehran. Once they "Persians" are gone we'll see how oppressed the Palestinians are. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Iraqi Women by Weam Namou, President, Iraqi Artists Association - 16-Feb-08
I am a woman, born in Baghdad, Iraq as a minority Christian and I agree with the author. We have no business meddling in other peoples' affairs. Often times don't know what is better for other cultures, religions and countries. We need to fix our issues at home. Here in America, for instance, women have their own challenges to face everyday.

And trivial things take away the focus from important matters. In the case of Iraqi women, politicians, like Mrs. Bush, went around giving false perceptions about how oppressed Iraqi women were during Saddam's days when that was far from the truth. Today Iraqi women are raped, killed, kidnapped and left to be widows and are in povery thanks to the US attempt at liberating them. Those who are concerned about Saudi women should look at what has been ALLOWED to happen to Iraqi women.

Please read my article: "Operation Iraqi Freedom Enslaved Iraqi Women." Once you do, I trust you won't think twice about how bad it is that a Saudi woman isn't allowed to drive a car.

http://www.globalpolitician.com/24070-iraq [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

leave woman alone by william london, ceo, interfin - 14-Feb-08
Usually most people to evade the issue start talking about something elsewhere that is worst
If there is unemployment in Saudi Arabia, the thing to do is to
give woman liberty to drive cars, buy cars, buy land, go into
fashion and get their own apartment
Things will boost production and sales, as very few men shop
anyway. Woman can then drive their children to school and go
shopping by themselves and get involved in business
You confirmed this by saying that there are more woman than
men in university.
The problem with this article is that the men in Saudi Arabia want
to talk for the woman of Saudi Arabia, and when others mention
what is going on in Saudi Arabia, the men get annoyed and tell
us to stay out as the woman of Saudi Arabia can defend
themselves; but they are not allowed to defend themselves
or talk for themselves by the men of Saudi Arabia
I was really surprised seeing a documentary of Iran, that
woman there are more liberated than I taught
Here in the West Indies and the Americas woman are taking the lead in many things, as the men are only interested in
pleasure and war
I am not a woman, I am a man
There are more ways to conquer the world, do what they are
doing in the UAE, through trade and finance [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Leave Saudi Women Alone! by Andre Wright, Designer, Self - 14-Feb-08
I agree, beautifully written...as an American I am tired of our corrupt liberal politicians making comments on how other countries are run and policies to be implemented...all for what I see as a sound bite for the liberal audience...keep the faith liberals will go away some day... [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Thank you for the very WISE article, brother! by Amatullah Abdulla - 14-Feb-08
As a muslim woman living in Saudi Arabia, I know there are many issues that need to be tackled. But I wholeheartedly agree with the author's perspective.
The UN needs to stay OUT of the domestic issues facing Saudi Arabia. If the UN *really* wants to help, focus on the Palestinians who have been suffering much more greatly for decades... and focus on the Iraqis who are also suffering... both of these groups are struggling for their very survival, for the right for their children & families to LIVE, live without fear of being killed in a bomb, live without fear of their child losing their limbs, fear that their husband or 18 year old son will be *captured* as a terrorist, imprisoned & tortured & never to be seen again.

Americans who learn about the way Saudi women live are sometimes jealous of the *good* things Saudi women have. While American women are often EXPECTED to earn a living & support the family, Saudi women are not (though sometimes may have to). While American women are expected to get their kids up early in the morning, take them to school, take them to soccer practice, take them to the library, and do the grocery shopping & other errands - Saudi women have none of these responsibilities since they do not drive.

In America, a woman is raped every 10 seconds. Every 10 seconds!! How often is a Saudi woman worried about that? (not that it doesn't happen, but the likelihood is sooo much less). Thousands of murders take place in America every year, maybe even tens of thousands. Drive-by shootings, convenience store robberies, gas station robberies, school shootings. How often does that happen in Saudi?

So either side can look at the other and say *poor thing*, just as either side can look at the other and say *wow, they are so lucky*.

Changes should be made to "modernize" cultural habits & regulations that no longer serve Saudi society. But this needs to be done by the SAUDIS, or even guests living within Saudi, not be outsiders.
And when making these changes, we need to be careful to stay within the guidelines of Sharia, something the UN cares nothing about. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Re: Re: I disagree with Abdul Azeez, Legal Advisor/Public Relations Officer, Global Metallica Trading Co. by med ed, m, m - 14-Feb-08
There is a lot of truth in what you are saying (my personal judgement). On the government level, no single "islamic" country can claim to be true islam abiding government. In fact, I thank Allah I am not in their coats sinc they will have to report to Allah on any and each thing they are doing and there is no doubt there are lot of things that are in 180 degrees in opposition with islam and there is no need to name people cause the list is long.
On the personal level, we can also say similar things and I agree with you that one should be responsible for her/his deeds: having a dish and CHOOSING to see the bad things is a matter of choice (to a large extent). But this does not mean that we should not look at the HUGHE EFFORTS deployed by many institutions to "impose" things on muslims. Tomorrow if muslims say we forbid the use of dishes, the whole(almost) west machine will be operating to condemn such a decision and to accuse muslims of you name it.
The west is way ahead of muslims mainly in terms of the respect of the law; they have established laws that are not perfect and they enforced the respect of such laws, thus the sort of(still much better than us) rights people have there. In muslim countries, we do believe we have the perfects laws that would ensure the perfect respect for rights but we just dont use them sometimes by choice and sometimes we are forced not to (by some institutions from the west!).
How do I know that. Alhamdu lillah I am a born muslim asking Allah to forgive me the way He the Almighty does for those who accepted islam and whose sins are forgiven when they accept islam. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Every Country has their own good and bad! by MUNA HUSSAN - 13-Feb-08
Jazakallahu for the article brother! I pray Allah reward you.I know you must be frustrated already with people pointing figures to Saudi for little or more things.I will only say this "As muslims we should try to correct each other one way or the other and not find blame in everything people do".There are different kinds of people:
1. Totally for Saudi's (whether right or wrong)
2. Totally against Saudi's (in everything whether right or wrong)
3. People that can judge what is right from what is wrong.i.e they follow saudi when they are right and are against them when wrong.
People say we have freedom of speech.We don't have any freedom of speech.You only have it if you are never interested in politics or you never said anything against the government. Please read cases of different brothers that are arrested on the basis of no reason..if you know what i mean in UK.Also,the same with US.In some part of Africa,a muslim women can not work with her hijab on in states where majority are christian. In the same vain , some muslim countries don't treat women nicely.Men oppresses women. I don't think there is any islamic state.
An islamic state is a state that cater for the needs of everyone.men knows their right .not using their power to beat women or oppresses them and women knows their right as well.
Instead of blaming one country or the other country and looking at other people''s culture as our way of life.why dont we turn to the Quran and Sunnah. The answers are there! UK has their own culture, US has theirs and Saudis has theirs as well! we shouldn't be forcing people and looking at people that don't follow our culture as inferior.We should rather see what is in the culture,why do people follow it and why didn't these people wants to follow it.Moreover,is it in line with the true teachings of islam or not!
If the muslims can unite and not divide in little things,then we are on the road.We shouldn't follow the crowd and commit "Fallacy- an error in reasoning" . The west has their own good deeds and Saudi has theirs.let us be able to correct our bad deeds and improve on the good ones and Allah knows best.

so, i will support the brother if you say "leave the Saudi women alone and don't introduce them to- sex before marriage, fornication,alcholic drinks, invitation to Zina and all sort that is against the sharia .However,I will add this that "support the Saudi women when they are being oppressed by the men,government or forced to divorce their marriages, no proper education, forced marriages etc" . Finally, i will also add by saying :
"LEAVE ALL MUSLIM WOMEN TO MAKE THE CHOICES ALLAH HAS GIVEN THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO ACT ACCORDING TO HIS WILL- REMEMBER THE SAYING : THE BEST AMONG YOU IS HE WHO IS GOOD TO HIS WIFE AND THE WORST AMONG YOU IS HE WHO BEATS HIS WIVES"

AND ALLAH KNOWS BEST. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Re: I disagree with Abdul Azeez, Legal Advisor/Public Relations Officer, Global Metallica Trading Co. by Aishah Schwartz, Founder & Director , Muslimah Writers Alliance - 13-Feb-08
And please allow me to help YOU get YOUR head out of the sand as well - (and thank Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that you were not assigned as 'legal advisor' to Mansour Al-Timani!!) And for crying out loud, please stop blaming the "WEST" for whatever ails you - WE ARE ALL BORN WITH AND GIVEN THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE FREE WILL!!!

Islam teaches that Muslims should not be imitators of those who commit error against themselves - so I implore you, please tell me who mandated or dictated that the rooftops of virtually every building in the Kingdom be laced with satellite dishes through which its citizens are allowed to subscribe to feed coming in from the "West" filled with content 'designed' to subliminally or out-rightly corrupt and pollute the innocent minds of its unsuspecting victims?

P-l-e-a-s-e!! Please take responsibility for your own actions and stop using the 'West' as an excuse for not taking care of what is in your own back yard - and having the audacity to cry wolf when the international community intervenes in an attempt to re-establish that which is right - condemning that which is wrong in a country that claims Islam as its own, and every citizen to be Muslim, and at the same time acts as an oppressor by quashing freedom of religion and expression, and suppressing or flat-out violating the rights of women and foreigners living and/or working in the country!

"Women are treated fairly. No doubt." - clearly you are among those turning a blind-eye to the God-given rights of women that are clearly mandated in the teachings of Islam by the very fact that you claim there is no doubt as to the fairness of their treatment - when, in fact, the abuse of the violation of the rights of women in the Kingdom, particularly where it concerns matters of marriage, divorce and 'guardianship' - (hello! Where does it teach THAT in Islam!) And please do not misconstrue that as a challenge to the Qur'an - it is a challenge to the oppressors of women WHEREVER they exist.

And the next time you want to blame something on the "West" - please kindly remember that the "West" DOES NOT CLAIM TO BE AN ISLAMIC COUNTRY, so it is not the least bit realistic to judge it (or its citizens) by "Islamic" standards.

So, please, again, excuse the international community for holding an "Islamic" country accountable for actions against its citizens that are blatantly contrary to Islamic teachings - actions that are then taken as examples to be emulated by the international Muslim community - a stark reminder of the fact that Saudi Arabia does not OWN Islam!

And in further defense of the "West" please bear in mind that it DOES welcome people of ALL faiths, INCLUDING Muslims, and strives continuously to accommodate the Muslim community with regard to the establishment of mosques, acknowledging Muslim holidays, honoring a Muslim woman's choice to wear hijab, and granting visas to scores of visitors and students. And how do I know this?

I am a Muslim American that embraced Islam and was blessed with the gift of hajj before concluding a one-year visit to Saudi Arabia, so trust me, the rose-colored glasses have long been removed from my eyes, and even from behind a face-veil, I saw more than I wished I had. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Re: i disagree with the author by shanavas Abdul Azeez, Legal Advisor/Public Relations Officer, Global Metallica Trading Co. - 13-Feb-08
Dear Mr, Habib

I read your article regarding the freedom of Saudi woman.
I understood that you don't know the islamic principles correctly.
What do you mean about freedom. Is it Showing your sexy body to others ? or Do prostitutuion in the midst of people ? or to give birth to Bastead children ?
Do you know In America All the Application forms asking for the applicant's Mother's Name not Father's name why ?
It is difficult to say who is the Father.
Saudi Arabia is an Islamic Country. Where woman are treated fairly. No doubt. First you study about Islam and study the Western life style and compare. God created Men and Woman in the world .He only knows the thourouhgly the Psycology of human beings. Islamic principles and life styles are given y God Through His Messenger. Since 14 Century passed nobody is capable of challenge the "Quraan"
All the Propaganda instituted by the west are groundless
They want the other people also live like "Bastards" [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

zupanic.darko.privat@gmail.com by darko zupani?, director, balcan timerya - 12-Feb-08
I can belive that any real man would live woman alone!?
darko [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

And if we didn't fight for the rights of women... by Aishah Schwartz, Founder & Director, Muslimah Writers Alliance - 12-Feb-08
"Finally, I say to all those who cry over the situation of women in Saudi Arabia, whether they are outsiders or citizens: Leave the woman alone. Saudi women are capable of taking care of themselves..."

And yet there is proof that international intervention serves a purpose, again, when it comes to the Kingdom and its representation of Islam to the multitudes - were it not for international intervention, women world-wide would have lost the right to pray in view of the Kaba this past year - but we persevered and prevailed. Allah Akbar!

http://muslimahwritersalliance.com/MWA-GMEA4W/Press-Release2.html [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

I'd like to help you get your head out of that hole in the sand... by Aishah Schwartz, Founder & Director, Muslimah Writers Alliance - 12-Feb-08
"But these violations don't mean that women in the Kingdom are oppressed when it comes to marriage and divorce!"

Please read the following:
http://www.petitiononline.com/no24orce/petition.html [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah by Aishah Schwartz, Founder & Director, Muslimah Writers Alliance - 12-Feb-08
I'd like to see the author's CV - I'd venture to speculate that, "former member of the Saudi Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" is listed under "Employment History".

And not by any means would I dare to minimize the plight of women in Gaza (or any other part of the world for that matter), and maybe I am particularly interested in the rights, or oppression thereof, where it concerns Muslim women - being that I count myself among them - but it is particularly relevant to addressess civil and human rights issues in Saudi Arabia since the Kingdom is the source from whence the majority of the Muslim world take their ques - and if they are sending out the wrong message to the global community, it needs to be corrected, whereafter multitudes will be positively affected vs. an isolated few. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

i disagree with the author by G Habib - 12-Feb-08
How appropriate that the writer is a man. The situation of women anywhere around the world is not ideal - everywhere womena re subject to checks and balances and in some places the freedom is more and some lesser... however that doesn't in itself make the situation in the Kingdom right. where in Islam does it say that a woman cannot on her own? That if she 'mingles' with men she can be corrupted? Can I turn it around and ask - are the muslim men so vulnerable that their women have to covered from top to toe otherwise they cannot be trusted in their company? What is this rule of the kingodm trying to protect? And whom? I can never forget the Saudi woman who was gang raped and given 200 lashes and 6 months imprisonment for 'mingling' - do you call this the Islamic way? The truth is that the Kingdom has reduced islam to a laughing stock of ridiculous laws which not only humiliate women but in fact donot even acknowledge they exist. I am sure there are many saudi women who see nothing wrong in their state of affairs - conditioning is a lovely thing! [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Flirting with Common Sense.... The Convenient Truths! by Abdul Ghafoor, Managing Director, MATCO - 12-Feb-08
I have not read the UN report and therefore would tend to avoid direct comments on that. However, It is a know fact that West mostly does not understand the issues of Muslims and often conveniently picks up issues on their face value and ignores the underlying facts that are vital to understand the real truth.

But hang on ....If above is true for the west and if it seems to be disturbing the Author of the article, isn't he falling to the same trap that he seems to be accusing of west! Mohammed Al Harfi sounds like a Male's name... Correct me if I am wrong! How on earth a male can speak on behalf of females and that too the whole female folk living in Saudi Arabia - Saudi women and foreigner women alike! If Saudi women do not wish to drive by choice, then why dont you allow the Non-Saudi women??? I am sure the answer is that it would give the food for thought to Saudi women too... and that a male in a Saudi would not wish to happen!

The fact is... Mr. Mohammed ... that we Muslims are mostly paternalistic societies and too chauvinistic to realize that males might be suppressing women folk without even realizing. This practice spans on centuries and any dissenting voices are suppressed conveniently on Religious Grounds - interestingly males seem to be the religious guards too, especially in Saudi Arabia! You can dismiss the UN report and frankly speaking I myself would not bother much about it - However deep inside we all know that we speak only CONVENIENT TRUTHS. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Lovely-part II by Mohamed Taibah - 12-Feb-08
Excellent article. No one claims that we don't have any flaws in application. These flaws pop up everywhere in the world in reference to the respective laws in the country. It would not be difficult to apply the same defamatory campaign against any country in the world by focusing on their "differences", or implementation issues. It is also very easy to misjudge a society by "dwelling on" the negative incidents that fall outside the norm. I still remember a relative of mine trying to make a generalization about the American society based on what he saw on "Jerry Springer". [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Well-Said by Ahmed El Tawbah - 12-Feb-08
Well-Said Mohammed [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

Lovely by Hanan Wehbi - 12-Feb-08
What a lovely article! Thank you Mohammed for this great article. I wish more people like you can express these feelings towards the west and their misjudgment. Maybe one day they will start looking fairly at things and even better, leave us alone. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

 

 

 

 

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