Last Friday, 118 Saudis had released a statement warning against the dangers of allowing women to drive. The list of the people who signed the statement included Sheikhs, imams, judges, Islamic scholars, Islamic university teachers, several heads of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice centers in the Kingdom, as well as some teachers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
The statement described the people who call for the right of women to drive as “the enemies of Islam.” How could they make such an accusation? Please, I’m sick of this “conspiracy theories” crap!
The statement says, “[w]omen driving cars is not permissible because the ruling of ‘closing doors that leads to corruption’ applies to it directly.” Oh my God, Not the “closing doors that leads to corruption” ruling again! They have been misusing this ruling for so long, and I can’t believe how they are willing to keep on misusing it. If we were to apply this (باب سد الذرائع) ruling on everything, we will do nothing. Because everything, (repeat: everything), can leads to corruption. You can use a knife to kill somebody, or you can use it to make the best meal he ever had. This is non-sense.
“[N]o Islamic scholar or good figure in society has called for women to drive and that all those who have been calling for them to drive are people who tend to damage the image of Islamic women,” the statement concluded. I want to know what the hell they mean by “good figure”? Are they implying all academics, writers, and government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, who called for the right of women to drive, are trying to damage the image of Muslim woman?
If we looked back in history, we will see clearly that these guys who signed the statement are the same kind of people who opposed King Faisal 30 years ago when he decided to start girls’ education in the country. They are using the same language, and the same lame excuses. What happened then? King Faisal said, “we will open the schools anyway, and if you don’t want your daughters to study at our schools then don’t let them.” King Faisal was a wise man. He did not weaken to those people, and today, more than 55% of students in Saudi universities are females.
The list of signatories included no women. Abdul Aziz al-Qasim, a legal consultant, told Asharq al-Awsat that was normal because this type of people do not want women to appear and participate in the society. He added that their ideology is fundamentally against the existence of women.
Why would we let these people hold our country back? Why can’t the government release a ruling allowing women to drive the same way King Faisal did? I am depressed. I am really depressed.
Saudi Jeans 
This is an outrage.
I am so BEYOND upset! I don’t know from which rock did these ppl crawl out from, because they certainly seem like they lack humanity.
Do u know where we could find the names of the list of those who opposed driving?
Here’s the complete list.
Why don’t we do a list ourselves?
75% of Saudis are under the age of 30 which means that we can have a BIGGER voice than those ignorant idiots!!!
Am serious about a petition btw. A proper one which gets thousands of signatories. I don’t think that would be illegal since the so-called Islamists are doing it anywayz…
This is sad.
Seriously, what century are these people living in.
I dont understand what these people’s problems are! Since when is allowing a women to be alone with a stranger in car all right? It’s another attempt for this group of men to determine how women should live their lives. It won’t work for long though. If they don’t like the idea of a woman driving, don’t let your wives and daughters drive, but don’t speak for the entire country!
mansur
B&W takes it on here.
We need an exterminator ASAP
LOL@ W. What is with the exterminator stuff? I say we take them to USA and let the rednecks have their way with them… Bwahahaha! No… that’s mean.. ;)
YES!! Mean is goood!!! always gooooood
I think women should organize a 100+ car march down Share3 Al-Ta7liyah and invite the press to document it. Let’s see then what the government and the self-proclaimed religious authorities do. My guess is, nada!
That’s the only way to bring about change. It won’t happen without a fight, so give ’em a good fight, people!
Somah… The problem is.. the women have big mouths but they are too chicken to do anything… I know am up for it… (watch me get arrested as soon as I step foot into Saudi!) Oh well…
June, they’d also be willing to do anything that may please their husbands if it meant that she is better than fulana in his and his friends eyes, and fulanah meeb 3agla wala heeb merrah mub zayek ya merty Allah yikhaleek lee rf3ty rasy 3nd al rabe3 el5 el5…, am I right ya banat wila am I right? You guys see how Saudi women are.. WE NEVER STICK TOGETHER..
Ok we all disagree with what the ignorants of islam are doing or saying. But the important thing is to encourage king abdullah and stand up for him no matter what. All the arabs have already lost king faisal and we have become much week to lose our last and only hope, king abdullah
Love ur blog. Very, very refreshing. Defiantly bookmarking it.
Now about women driving. I can’t beleieve that there are people who still think like that! It’s because of these people that the West are able to wrongly accuse Islam of persucuting women. Come on, Abdul Aziz al-Qasim said “that their ideology is fundamentally against the existence of women.”!!!
‘Against the existence of women’!!!!
Who the hell are these people????
Salam Alaikum.
I think what we need is broad-minded scholars – people who have ijazahs in the deen, as well as a good understanding of social sciences. Most people don’t know that King Faisal was an Islamic scholar too, and that was one of the reasons why he had the guts to stand up to the mutawwas and clerics.
btw, I really like your blog. I’ve added it to my favorites.
I see that the attitudes in Saudi Arabia haven’t changed much in the past 15 years – I still recall the shock that the Female GIs caused whendriving their jeeps in downtown Al-Khobar.
But, I’m afarid that it will take a brave (or foolish) scholar or Iman to speak up for women having more rights.
Dear Saudi Jeans:
Damage the image of muslim women? Moslem women rule and why these bozos, all who by the way have chauffeurs without doubt,utter such innanities is because they can. They need to be expozed for their middle ages ignorance and told to just shut up and let her drive. She’ll be a far safer driver than they could ever imagine. Keep up the good and courageous work on SAUDI JEANS.
All the best, from San Francisco, where I always let women drive my car. I know I’m safer with them at the wheel, Francis
i never drive a car because my country saudi arabia gave me all my rights and according to islam driving a car is not considered as one of saudi woan rights
@ hi well the problem is not only with saudi arabia , and women driving is not the only problem there bigger problems than driving ,as far as women driving , ins this land now called saudi arabia women used to ride camels and horsed for transportation and used bring graze their sheep and goats and gather wood for cooking this the same suadi women we talking about are`nt we people, all this she was doing while men used to drik their qahwa and keep them self under the shadow of the bait al sha3r.
concering the other problem is me for example so called foreigner (ajnabi)i was borne here and i am 37 years old i do not my country neither does any of my younger brohter and sisters we speak arabic saudi accent we r practically lost, our only mistake and sin is that our parents came here because of our needs and they stayed here because their serice were required and needed to so it was mutual need but, in a sense we served this land but what we got in return negligence, humilation , and harasment of all kind and no rights this one of the problem too. i am not soo good at english but i hope it was enought to express wat i mean.
okay so you ppl are complaining about the women driving. Okay so what IF they do get the drive then what next? GO naked on the streets like the westerners do?
Anyways driving is not a big deal, and there are a lot of crazy ppl who drive bad, or car breaks down in the middle of the road and she is alone then who is going to help her a MAN???
I guess you don’t know the consiquences of that do you ppl? Here in the West it’s dangerous and there are not too mentally stable ppl nowadays. So think twice about this.
You may be tested and ill things may happen on that day or night on that road ALONE.
All cos you want to drive.
majority of saudi today are youth you must unite,dont let few ultra conservative controlled your freedom, life is too short be merry and be happy someday you will die.how a million men and women controlled by few thousand
Saudi jeans.. great blog can’t believe i’m reading this straight from saudi arabia.. keep it up!
Instead of using the “closing doors that leads to corruption” excuse (without trying to find solutions), what people should ask is “ How do we make our society better so that women could drive safely in our country?” So basically it’s a matter of starting education campaigns ( 7amlaat tow3iya) in schools, mosques, youth centers, and every public venue! Not to mention billboards, TV advertising etc.
While this is going on ( needs a couple of years I guess to have an impact), the whole infrastructure of our roads ( especially parking spaces!) need to be redesigned. Driving schools for women set up, traffic police retrained, traffic rules and regulations revised etc. etc. Really, it’s a no brainer. When people worry about all the corruption that women driving can cause, well I say : Wake up and smell the humos! corruption already exists with or without women driving! Just regulate everything in a humane and professional way, and gradually we can have a society that does not look upon our women as just stupid beings who are easy prey to predators. What is sad, is that our so called youths who are supposedly more worldly, more educated and more sophisticated than their elders, are largely to blame, and are not working together to prove that they can control their behavior in the face of such freedom. For God’s sake, how do they manage it in all the other Arab countries? This is what gets me the most!
Once again, I strongly believe that our government as well as enlightened citizens, should spend time and effort to start a campaign that supports and encourages the idea of women drivers ASAP! We all know it can’t happen overnight!
إضعاف قوامة الرجل ، إذ أن المرأة إذا قادت السيارة وقضت حوائجها بنفسها ، قلت حاجتها للرجل الذي يقوم على شأنها.
That is the only reason women are not allowed to drive in Saudi..To protect “power hungery pussycat real man wanabe”.. I wonder why these scholors never said anything abt Muslim women driving in western countries… humm, interesting… I live in Canada and I often see niqabi’s driving.. they dont seem to think they are doing something wrong!!
هل فعلاً المراءة تحتاج الى القيادة وهل الطرق تستطيع ان تستحمل المزيد من المركبات ,اعتقد ان حان الأوان لجعل الشوارع مثل المدن في اسيا واقتصار وسائل النقل بالدرجات ^^’
Hi,
I’d like to interview a Muslim woman about these kinds of issues for my website. Anyone women interested in speaking – even if anonymous?
– Suzanne
Shouldn’t any statement by mutaween be dismissed out of hand? These are the fanatics who murdered those little girls by forcing them to stay in a burning building, aren’t they?
I wish the Arabian people (I don’t say Saudi, mind you), the courage to overthrow the devil’s alliance: the wahabbi false preachers, and the drunken, whore-mongering house of Saud.
Salaam aleikum.
Despite my issues with Arabians and with the Saudi Arabian government, the Qur’an says what in English would mean “let not your hatred of a people make you swerve from justice.” My issues with your people and government alike do not amount to hatred of you, so since I do not hate you, I can offer credit where it is due.
An anonymous commentator before me said the society should be improved to where women aren’t seen as prey, allowing them to be able to drive safely. Truthfully, that is the long-temr solution. Granted, if driving is unsafe for women, that is probably the only valid reason to prevent such, but there must still be a solution to make it safe for women to drive.
That is an issue that goes into Saudi culture, which must be changed to be more in line with Allah’s revelation, just as all cultures must be. Men must not be taught to view women as prey, but as potential spouses or relatives or strangers to be left alone. And marriage in Saudi is not made easy, especially for the young. The entire culture must be changed, especially with regards to that. Parents must not be allowed to bar marriages for Islamically invalid reasons, making it difficult for the young. Because it is normally a frustrated bachelor that may travel to Bahrain or Thailand for some relief if he can get the ticket, but once this happens, marriage may not cure the individual bachelor of those ills. In the English-speaking nations, many young adults are addicted to porn before they are married, but once they marry, they’re not cured of the addiction. The addiction can ruin marriages if left unchecked and unfought. So, in Saudi Arabia, marriage must be made easier, or else the nation will head down a more dangerous path than the US and England are headed for. I frankly don’t care what happens to the government there, and care only a little bit about the population at large, but I do care enough that you all be protected from the fitnah of men and women being unable to marry young, which makes men and women alike unsafe in the public.
I am sometimes with who said that women shouldn’t drive .. Our probelm is in our society they won’t accept it … In my opinion this thing doesn’t stop our development and prosperity unlike things people think it’s an evolution ,but it’s not
a message to the BOSS ,Go Fuck yourself LOSER and u call urself A BOSS??Drop your damn whatever religion you have that is if you actually have one?!Islam is privilege and I thank God I am a muslim!
Why doesn’t saudi arabia outlaw women and be over with it ??
we should not rush in comments that are built on quick reactions regarding women driving. The problem of woment driving are not woment, it is our young careless men who feel they can do anything in the streets, regardless of others rights or feelings, or honor.
If we have strict law enforcement, young saudis who respect the rights of others, and a safe environement for women to drive, then all of us support it.
The second thing, those people who signed a petition against women driving are expressing their views, they have the right to do so. If we want to take out their right to speak, then we should reevaluate our own values and rights.
Thank you
Going through the comments above, I relaized that we have a problem bigger than the issue of women driving, and that is how we value each other point of view, some of the remarks shows that we are ready to peronally attack others who have a different point of view, and that is sad.
What make nations strong is the respect every citizen has to his follow citizen.
Please more repsect to each other.
i seriously dont know what to say.. i’m am really upset and angr just as you are.. i wonder where did they come up with this rule about not letting us drive???? i mean come on in the prophet mohammed (pbuh) days wemon used camels and horeses as ways of transportation.. so whats the difference?? cars? camels? horeses ? there all ways of transportation… this is why this country is soo behind.. all the saudi men know how to talk about is Islam gives women their rights.. its true islam does give women rights.. but this country doesnt.. where are all our rights that is written in the qura’an?? why cant we use our rights?? how long will this go on??
I cant believe you saudis are accepting this restriction in your country . WE Algerian women have been driving the next year the French Occupation ended in our country , which is 1963 . i have driven since i was 19 and im now in my early 40 i cant think of being deprive of driving a car for a day , I love driving having a chauffeur is not for me. i love my freedom and independence and im a Muslim but refuse to be gagged and chained . the Wahabis are evil. *but cool with the Americans .
Ok i totally agree that not allowing the women to drive is just stupid. It has no basis in Islam.
there are so many other problems that stem from this no driving, or the reasons that the Saudi system uses for not allowing women to drive.
They dont allow them to drive for religous reasons; however what about the non mahram driver?
What about the non mahram servants?
Its more culture than anything else.
Sahabiyat rode camels and horses…
there are allot of worse things the gov can be focusing on, finding employment for the unemployed boys and girls, who are sleeping drunk in each others laps in hotels in riyad and jeddah.
Assalamualaikum,
i am frm india n women r allowed to do all those jobs what males do, , , but we r all watching the ill-effects. muslim women must have all the rights as they r given in islam , they shudnt b deprived at all, just driving a car is not a big problem at all, , , but here we must judge that at any cost we shudnt follow or copy the other cultures , as we might find drunkem guys n gals on the streets of islamic countries, to which the whole muslim community around the world look up as their, leader or saviour countries,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
women used to have liberties even in the era of the PROPHET and in the later period also, , , so , whats the problem now, but theres something very special when we talk about these features like driving(which is not a big game), that we shudnt follow or ape the west just in the name of democracy, , liberties must b enjoyed but, we r being told that ” those who will follow others in this world will b raised with them “, , , so , move cautiously,,,,,,,,,,
No wonder. In indonesia Saudi’s men are very welknown for their hobby of doing SEXUAL HARASSMENT, RAPE and treated indonesian woman as a sexual slave so please tell your men to stop doing that shamefull behavior.
salaams to all – I am not Saudi but a close follwoer of what happens there. I think one way to approach it is to find some middle ground. Some poeple have already spoken about King Faisal and his determination to educate young sisters.
The way too begin this, would be to allow women to drive – with a companion – once it is the norm, you will find that opposition to this will eventually drop.
Having recently left Saudi Arabia having spent a lot of time there driving I would have the following comments to make:
1. You have the highest road death rate in the world and yet you are more concerned whether or not woman should drive? What about all the lives ruined or destroyed because of the appalling driving skills of the MALE “Saudi” drivers.
2. The new King did exactly the right thing in strictly enforcing the speed limit. The roads immediately became safer.
Might I suggest you consider the following:
1. I have seen more dead people as a result of car accidents in one year of driving in Saudi Arabia, than I have in 20 years of driving in the rest of the world.
2. Tragically a lot of those dead were young children catapulted out of cars, through wind shields during high speed crashes. Please protect your children, make them sit down in the car, wear seat belts- they are designed to save lives. These deaths are not an “act of God”, but preventable.
3. Leave space to react if (or as is the case in Saudi – WHEN) something happens. Nearly every car crash I witnessed was caused by a driver being less than a foot away from the car infront and then something unexpected happened – there just wasn’t time/space to react. Leaving adequate space between cars will create the time & space needed to react safely to something unexpected.
4. Consider applying your traditions of hospitality, repsect for your elders to your driving habits. It would make a big difference.
5. I know Saudi is a state of flux, that things are changing slowly, that many of people want change, I hope that the people of Saudi Arabia get the changes that they want. I am sure it will be a very different place in 10 to 15 years time. I wouldn’t be surprised if women are driving by then – but that is the long term. My post concerns the short term.
And just by way of a slight change of direction, here’s one for any Saudi Women reading this:
In ALL the other countries in the world where woman drive, all the statistical evidence PROVES AGAIN & AGAIN that woman are far BETTER and far SAFER drivers than men Indeed in many countries women driver’s pay far less for driving insurance than men.{By the way- I am a man & I crashed my car last week – into a woman’s car :-( }
Hope my spelling is correct Eid Mubarak for next week.
they’re not supposed to mention ISLAM here. Islam never forbids us to drive.. Islam treats men and women equal. those people are just so idiot and selfish!!!!
Use & Abuse “islam”- that’s what these parriers know , believe me i was working in a star hotel here in dubai 4 yrs back , These same mullas guys were dead drunk with all the liquors they could lay they hands on and prostitutes galore –and the hell they created at last the police came , bashed them thoroughly till they came to their senses , they heads were shaved and deported ,, this is islam sauidi styleee man …… As the Quaran says “LA IQRA FIDINNI” (Translated …let they be no force in religion), people pls wake up , learn your islam through common senses & Reason Dont imitate the west blindly , the west took a lots of things from islam during the so called dark ages ( actually -golden age of islam) and progressed Saldly we muslims slipped into the jahiliyat again, a muslim country was attacked and what did the entire muslim world do ,, stand and look , where were the soldiers of Allah ,, talking of religion ,,, Muslims dont exist anymore and Islam is just not existing anymore not in our hearts nor in deeds , maybe there are a few muslims who can be counted on fingers , may Allah guide us all , i dont suppor extremism ,neither do i say that Mullah have to dictate to us what we can do and not do ,, learn islam through understanding the holy Quran and the authentic sunna/hadees , AMIN
We, western women, of course do not go naked on the street, because we are all sitting in our cars:)
But seriously, when I first heard, that woman in Saudi can’t drive it sound like a joke, the same was with cinemas. We have little knowledge about Your everyday life, and Your blog is great, because it could give also western people the view of Your life and Your problems.
Muslims — saudi style
Are u muslims , & is this islam ???
shame on you saudi’s
Dubai: Three men are being tried for getting drunk and reportedly locking up a suspected sex worker and beating her inside a hotel apartment in Dubai.
Dubai Public Prosecution had charged the Saudi suspects, identified as 44-year-old H.K., 36-year-old M.Z. and his 35-year-old brother F.Z. with locking up the 28-year-old Russian woman L.C. and beating her.
They were additionally charged with possessing 45 cans of beer, three bottles of whisky and consuming liquor. The woman was charged with prostitution. M.Z. was also charged with having an illicit affair with the woman.
The trio who appeared in the Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday admitted to consuming and taking liquor but they denied locking up and beating the Russian, who denied her charges as well.
In her statement to the police, L.C. said she agreed to spend three days with M.Z. in the hotel apartment after he arrived in Dubai.
After she arrived at the hotel, she cooked for M.Z. and they spent time together. The next morning the 36-year-old punched her in the nose causing severe bleeding, she claimed.
Then she collected her clothes wanting to leave the apartment, but the Saudis stopped her before she reached the elevator and forced her back in after beating her and dragged her by the hair.
They then threw her on the floor and gave her water. They locked her in one of the rooms. The woman said she got away from the apartment and ran to the hotel reception where she called police. Police rushed to the hotel and caught the three men.
Saudi’s abnormal behaviuor !!!
Dubai: Two policemen have testified that the suspect in the Naif shooting case was “acting and speaking strangely” when he was arrested. A Saudi national was killed and his brother sustained injuries in the incident.
The 21-year-old Saudi national suspect, identified as A.M., was speaking in “an incomprehensible language”, one of the policemen told the Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday.
The Dubai Public Prosecution has charged the suspect with illegally using a gun and premeditatedly killing his 38-year-old compatriot, Z.L., shooting 35-year-old A.L., kidnap and theft.
Incoherent
One of the policemen who attended yesterday’s hearing said he was standing four or five metres away from the victims’ car when he heard the sound of three or four bullets.
“When we stopped the accused and seized the weapon from his hand, he was speaking in a strange language. I did not understand a word of what he said,” the policeman told presiding judge Mahmoud Al Sharshabi.
Another policeman said the suspect was acting strangely and speaking in an unusual manner. Meanwhile, a third policeman testified that the “suspect tried to run away and resist arrest”.
The 21-year-old earlier pleaded guilty to killing and wounding his compatriots, but said he did not intend to kill.
Police said the suspect smelt of alcohol and was not in a normal condition when police arrested him. He forced himself into the car of the victims after noticing the vehicle’s Saudi registration plate.
Saudi Arabia is the most racist country. They treat foreigners from 3rd world countries who are also muslims like slaves while at the same time they kiss white mans toes. They have people who were there 40yrs ago and are regarded as foreigners. These same people went to USA, Canada and Europe and were wellcome by the christians there and given Citizenships.
Abdul , Vancouver
Allowing wemon to drive in KSA
I believe every women should drive or atleast have the choice of driving. wemon all around the world share the luxury and nissesaty of driving, why shoud the wemon of saudi arabia be deprived of this luxury.
Hello everyone,
Someone suggested doing this:
“I think women should organize a 100+ car march down Share3 Al-Ta7liyah and invite the press to document it. Let’s see then what the government and the self-proclaimed religious authorities do. My guess is, nada!”
That would be highly courageous, but foolish, given that such an incident DID take place in the early 90’s, and the consequences were horrendous. Maybe most of you were too young at that time! :-)
Basically, a bunch of women (15-20), had their drivers drive them to a Safeway (US grocery chain) in Riyadh, told them to take a hike once there, got into the drivers’ seats, and drove down the main street for a couple of hundred of meters.
These were prominent women; professors, wives of professors, wives of prominent personalities, etc. The ones who had jobs, all lost their jobs (under pressure from the authorities). Some husbands lost their jobs. Their names and phone numbers were published in leaflets and distributed at mosques. Mutawwas and other “religious” men called them prostitutes. They received death threats and insulting phone calls (whore, prostitute, etc). How does that sound?
Anybody up for it now?
Although, I must say, if women did that now, such an extreme reaction might not happen, as I believe King Abdullah would step in and stop their destruction. He is a good man. BUT, there is only so much he can do. He IS, after all, a prisoner of the religious establishment.
King Abdullah is the FIRST SAUDI LEADER to say in public–no less on American TV–that Saudi women will drive one day. When the interviewer asked him when, he said when people demand it in numbers. She said (Barbara?), but you are the King, can’t you just decree it? He replied no, I have to go with what my people want.
So basically, women will drive one day in this country, when it is demanded by millions, not by thousands (like today), and more importantly, when their demand is as loud, or louder, than the demand of those opposed to it.
My guesses:
8-10 years: limited driving rights for women (limited times, must be accompanied by a man, etc)
20+ years: full driving rights.
Good luck, women of this country, and may your full rights be granted to you one day.
salam to u all…
I am a saudi women..& this is a message to all saudi womens..
sis, what do u want?
u wanna drive..!
u want you’r freedom..!
u want YOUR rights…!
u want & u want,,,,,then what r u waiting 4, what is holding u, go & demand your rights, IT IS YOUR RIGHTS..!!! DO U EVER REALISE THAT FACT,,,U WONT GET WHAT U WANTS UNTEL U DO
I know that we live in a manly society, & u cannt blame the men 4 that… u know why?? coz it is YOUR MISTAKE TOO, its not just his,,
ask your self,,
who raise these men,,?
who raise these ugly minds,,?
who built this society,,?
u r a big part of this…!
so if u want to change it, start changing your self
i beliave in this ayah qor2aneyah, that our GRET GOD SAYS:
(((إن الله لا يغير ما بقوم حتى يغيروا ما بأنفسهم)))
& 4 ever those who sayes(women or men): that the reason that womens can not drive, is becuase of islamic issues..!!
u must be kidding your self..
islam is innocent from all these lies..!!! & well all know this fact
sis,, stop walking behind the man,
walk beside him shoulder by shoulder.
he is not better than u, unless u want him to be,,!!!
then instead of complaining,or even being a yielding!!!
sham on u, u r better than this, & we all deserve the best
so stand up, & take your rights by your self.
the man is not your enemy, he is your partner, he might be your father,brother,husband,friend,,,
he needs u as much as u need hem
so dont give up, & KEEP KEEEP KEEEEEP GOING,,, :)
u can visit me in my blog,its a new one,, actually, its just started
http://www.keepgoing-amo0or.blogspot.com
So silly! doesn’t make any sense for women not to drive…
In my country trinidad and tobago women drive.It’s a small island 1.3 million people. With cell phone a woman can call for help. She does not have to ask some strange man to assist her.I don’t know if the same exist in the kingdom. But I am always concerned about my wife out there, even if she teaches at the university. she likes her job.She is covered. Use your cell phone smartly Allah has given us the knowledge to this technology. use it wisely.
There will never be another King Faisal or anyone even close to him. The problem is we allowed those people with thier infested brains the space to grow stronger and more organized to the point where they control all media (dont think that because one or two females appeared on t.v that things are better). And if u control the media u control the people. 99% of Saudi’s dont read pepers or books, so when some young man says this is haram or halal they beleive him because they love Allah and think what hes sayin is tru.
When (not if) Saudi women drive there will be problems ofcoarse like anything else. During the prophet ohammed’s time there was stealing , people getting drunk, adultry and everything in Mecca and Medina. Can anyone say at the time that the prophet isn’t a good ruler ? NO. Even in NYC u can pay $15 for sex, and if u go clubbing most likely u will get a companion (being polite) but that doesnt stop the raping of women or young girls. So when we say we want women to drive were not sayin all the problems or driver harrasment will stop. Or thoes annoyin ‘garawa’ tryin to ‘ragim’ (even if they got money they’re garawa). But with education of people & when they see thier sister and mother driving trust me they wount do anythin. Again it wount be 100% safe (just like now it isnt safe even for a guy alone to be driving around, thats why i got a nina), but atleast people will change. It’s known that a guy can stop a girls car even with her driver there and take the girl. So her being alone wount be different. And if u think that a driver just by being there will prevent a bunch of guys from doing anything , your wrong. Thjere are cell phones and there can be a female police traffic force, just like females in other forces under the Interior minstry’s umbrella. And if they get a call they can be there in minutes.
The issue seems to be protection of women from would be chasers and those young punks who tease and harras women.
The other issue seems to me is that some are afraid the women would leave homes in their cars for romantic interludes with men in deserted areas. In other words, this would amount to promting vice and waywardness. It could also lead to rape, and general loosening of morals. In the west a lot of women sneak away in their cars to meet their boy friends and engage in immoral behaviour. They may tell their parents that they are going “shopping”. This is not to say all women would do that but why open the door?
So the intent seems to be good here which is “Prevention is better than cure”.
Blind following of the rest of so called “advanced” at the cost or morals is not the answer. The answer could be to limit driving to daylight hours and with cell phones in case their vehicles break down in a deserted area. An upright male muslim would and should never take advantage of a female in distress. It is the “shady liasons” that worry people breaking down the values of the society.
Mubashir
If ur talkin about dating then its already happening a lot .. If the parents dont trust the girl then they shouldnt give her a car .. she would be asked for a permission anyways to get a licence .. so if u dont trust her and dont see that she has a good head on her shoulders then dont permit her to get a licence .. Dating has been goin on for a long time and its more now and will continue .. theres always ways around it .. a girl can date in her own house with her parents and brothers on the same floor .. we all know this happens.
there is a lot of BS running in this country because of these kind of people! … I don’t know how could we convince the most conservatives people in the world ….hooolllly shit.. It’s almost hopeless and will bearly success sometime in the future, after they die !
yeah whatever dude!
King Faisal was not a Wahhabi and that is why Saud al Arab flourished under his rule.
It is true there will not be another Faisal, but we need an ideological change…a change back to the time before Ibn Abdil Wahhab. Then we will fourish again. This is not about womens rights or mens right…this is about a disease in society…that is called Wahhabism…..if we rid ourselves of this we will rise.