Saudi Arabia
General and Cultural Freedoms
As of now, the “general practice” is for women to wear fully-covering black veils, and for men to wear long white shirts covering to the wrists, as well as a head cover. There is a religious police force, the Mutawwa’in, that enforces these practices. On March 15, 2002, 15 schoolgirls died because religious police (also called the “Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice”) refused to let them exit a burning building due to their dress, sparking a backlash against the police and their practices. Along with dress code, the religious police force also enforces segregation on the basis of sex, driving restrictions on women, and designated prayer times for people attending mosque.
Saudi Arabia has no freedom of religion. The state religion is Islam, and all citizens are required to be Muslims. The government does not allow the public expression, proselytizing, and meetings of religions excluding Islam. For example, one cannot wear a Christian cross or a Jewish Star of David in public without fear of retaliation by the Mutawwa’in, the religious police.
Saudi Arabia is a country severely lacking freedom of expression. As articulated by Freedom House, “Authorities do not permit criticism of Islam or the ruling family by domestic media, and a national security law prohibits criticism of the government.”
Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organization reporting on freedom of the press and of expression throughout the world, labeled Saudi Arabia one of the 15 “Enemies of the Internet.” Saudi Arabia is reported to have blocked over 400,000 websites, including those with any relation to politics, homosexuality, education, western entertainment (music, movies…), religion excluding Islam, and pornography. Also, many books are banned from Saudi Arabia, as shown by the illegality of distributing Christian Bibles.
Saudi Arabia does not employ conscription as a way to bolster its standing army.
Education System
Saudi Arabia’s education system leaves minimal freedom for the student to explore paths of thought diverging from the one prescribed by the Government. Prince Fahn bin Sultan, Tabouk District Governor, stated that “There is no room for personal commentary by a teacher who sets the curriculum aside. He must not deviate from it – even if he has spare time during the lesson.” There is a “ban on teaching Western philosophy and religions other than Islam,” and “informers monitor classrooms for compliance with limits on curriculums.” All students of the education system must take a minimum of 3 hours of Islamic study courses a week.
Education in Saudi Arabia is separated by sex, and curriculum is altered for the sexes. Girls are not permitted to enter into traditional Islamic education, yet there is higher female enrollment in secondary education than male enrollment. Female literacy rates are at 50.2%, and at 71.5% for males.
Government-granted “Rights of Age”
Saudi Arabia is one of the four countries in the world that has not granted women the right to vote, along with Bhutan, Brunei, and Lebanon (which has an education restriction for women, but not for men). The male voting age in Saudi Arabia is 21. In Saudi Arabia, drinking alcohol, no matter what age, is forbidden. Recognizing its constitution as the Koran, Saudi Arabia utilizes the text as a religious justification in outlawing the substance. The country is one of the few countries in the world that bans alcohol. Furthermore, the punishments are very stringent. “Sentences for alcohol offences range from a few weeks or months imprisonment for consumption to several years for smuggling, manufacturing or distributing alcohol. Lashes can also be part of the sentence; and a hefty Customs fine if smuggled alcohol is involved. The authorities also hand out stiff penalties to people found in possession of equipment for making alcohol.”
Saudi Arabia also has one of the highest driving ages in the world at 25, and in addition does not allow women to drive. Again citing religious reasons, the government does not allow women to ride bicycles.
Women of all ages and unmarried children require the consent or the accompaniment of a close male relative or spouse to leave the country.
The employment age of Saudi Arabia is 13, yet there are restrictions on the type of work and the length of work (6 hours a day). Saudis are given full rights as workers at age 18.
There is no specific age restriction for marriage, but as dictated by Islamic tradition, the age of marriage must “ensure happiness for both spouses and prevent the countless social dangers inherent in delaying the age of marriage…the person wishing to marry must have the capacity therefore.”
Health and Sexuality
Abortion in Saudi Arabia is mostly restricted. The only situations in which the operation is permissible is when the woman’s life is at risk, and when it is needed either to preserve the physical or mental health of the woman.
Homosexuality is strictly forbidden; sodomy is punishable by death, and this penalty has been carried out in recent years. Like many other “harsh” laws, the reasoning is linked to religion. However, gay life in Saudi Arabia is flourishing, facilitated by the large amount of contact between men, the view by the religious police that what goes on in the private sphere is outside their jurisdiction, and the general sentiment that to be gay is not a lifestyle rather than a practice some men engage in.
The importation and use of contraceptives is banned, and is punishable by six months in jail.
Dating and Marriage
Most marriages are arranged, but there is a growing trend perticularly in urban areas for people to pick their own future spouses. Because of the mandated separation of the sexes, dating is essentially non-existent. Men occasionally pay dowries for their brides. Polygamy is legal for up to four wives.
Sex before marriage, especially for women, is taboo. On top of the inevitable dishonor brought to oneself and ones family, one may also be punished with lashings by the government.
Sources Used:
A History of Saudi Arabia, Madawi Al-Rasheed
http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/irf/irf_rpt/irf_saudiara.html
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/banned-books.html
http://www.freemuslims.org/news/article.php?article=298
http://www.the-saudi.net/saudi-arabia/saudi-constitution.htm
http://www.ukm.org.sa/Free%20lists/LIVING%20IN%20SAUDI%20ARABIA.doc
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/35/10339
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1012.html
http://www.right-to-education.org
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/200705/gay-saudi-arabia
OGGA BOOGA LASHINGS ARE CRAZY… THIS WAS A VERY GOOD SITE FOR THE YOUNGER ORIGIN OF THE COUNTRIES IN THE HIGHER ORIGAN. I LIKED IT BECUASE I LEARNED THAT I COULD GET LASHINGS .. I DONT WANT ONE… BUT MAYBE I DO
by Susan March 8, 2007 at 3:21 pmhey by the way Lebanon does NOT have voting NOR education restrictions on women…Are you kidding me? Lebanese women are stronger, smarter, and more hard-working than their men counterparts. Men are wasting their lives with the futile politics!!
by abumarwan October 4, 2011 at 7:30 ammarriages must be allowed among saudi muslims girls with other muslim countries, regardless their race and country of origion. Islam is a beautiful and an open religion.
by saeed March 28, 2007 at 9:05 pmnot
by Anonymous May 26, 2010 at 10:50 pmgt a life islam is the most screwed up, backwards religion in the world. it allows almost no rights for women. that country is basically living in the stone age in terms of democracy etc.
by Anonymous June 1, 2010 at 4:38 ami am a muslim myself and believe not everything mentioned in the article is true
by m October 26, 2010 at 1:34 amyes their are restrictions on muslim women but that is just because islam respects women and protects her, that’s why their are some restrictions, and people should not say something about something unless they see it with their own eyes or have atleast tried it.
Dear Anonymous,
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 2:04 pmShut up about the religon you know nothing about, Okay. Also if you live as a muslim and actually read the quran openmindidly then you can come and talk about islam.
I know I am a christian and my Muslim wife is so beautiful and we are in love..
by Nicoli Silkworth December 1, 2016 at 9:49 amplease don’t try to save us “heathens” … just leave us to our own Evil ways. if you want, you can get your oil from all of your oil from a decent guy like Hugo Chavez.
by abu ameerah July 4, 2007 at 1:23 pm“ensure happiness for both spouses and prevent the countless social dangers inherent in delaying the age of marriage…the person wishing to marry must have the capacity therefore.”
Well that’s a ironic thing to say when they will kill their own teenagers for just having SEX outside of marriage!! As if growing up isn’t hard enough. There’s nothing to describe that.
by ImBrainwashed October 9, 2007 at 4:31 pmWell,
I respect your opinion, but I disagree !
Many problems all over the world was resulted of having sex out of marriage. We can hear that in many cases, even in the US, a female teenager got pregnant, and some other problems. Everyone must know that any strict islamic rule was created to help people and avoid problems and bad consequences. rules in Saudi arabia are taken exactly as it appears in our holy islamic book, the Quran. Those islamic rules have proved its validity in all cases. every islamic strict rule avoids a problem. If there was no probable bad consequence, Islam wouldn’t forbid it.
by fahad February 4, 2012 at 1:54 pmDon’t forget their God Muhammad married and raped a 9 year old
by Anonymous May 19, 2017 at 3:34 amI think the point of this website is to educate and spread knowledge about the freedoms a country offers, whether too few or too many, as based on different subjective views.
The website does a good job of being unbiased, but it’s sort of shocking how immediately defensive both West and East are being here on the comments…
I think we need to understand where we’re all coming from and where we’re all going to, and by understanding each other, each other’s history, and that there is no distinct Good and Evil, but a middle attempt for everyone’s happiness, we’d be in a much better place.
The vast majority of the USA does NOT agree with the actions of Bush and his administration, as I’m positive there is [repressed] dissent against the extremist tribalism of bin Laden in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Both the West and East need to realize that our foreign policies are absolutist, dividing everything into Good and Evil, but it DOES NOT REFLECT the views of the citizens and those who are well-informed.
We need understand each other and stop this moral and political absolutism, or the world we share will rise up in flames.
by anonymous November 7, 2007 at 11:16 pmAbu Ameerah, what is your issue man? You’re assuming that the only value your nation has is oil? How dare you make the assumption that all us foreigners care about is your country’s natural resources… This is part of the damn problem, your position is not an uncommon one. You are assuming that our attempts at intervention are not related to the ridiculous amount of social restriction going on in your nation, and that we just want to drain you all dry… This is far from the truth, oil is certainly a valuable resource, but as it is now, with so much of your population repressed in terms of sexuality, free speach, religion, etc; there is no wiggle room for you to take part in the developing global markets and world business. Such remarkably conservative tendencies prohibit innovation and cultural development. There is nothing wrong with Islam, matter of fact i have nothing but respect for the religion of Islam, it is one of the most beautiful and open religions in the world, but these conservative tendencies are keeping your eyes closed to the progress and innovations of the modern world. Please, don’t make assumptions.
by Educated December 21, 2007 at 2:34 pmi agree wit u
by rina October 3, 2009 at 5:28 pmSORRY BUT IF IT WEREN’T FOR OUR OIL YOU WOULDN’T KNOW THE NAME OF THE ARABIEN GULF.
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 1:59 pm[…] Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organization reporting on freedom of the press and of expres… […]
by Roger’s View of the World, Love and Seafood Gumbo! » What Cal Poly’s dance with Saudi Arabia really Costs April 18, 2008 at 10:56 pmi dont like abortions and i think they are completly wrong if you didnt want to have a baby then be smart and not have sex at all! thats my feelings about it
by diamond May 15, 2008 at 2:27 pmI’ve been reading princess by jean sasson and it’s a great book to read if you want to know more about Saudi Arabia from a women’s view. It is really sad how they treat women there and this is a great website to find references about life there.
by that girl August 30, 2008 at 8:36 pmIt’s so crazy how they arrange marriages there! I sware that country is so backward… but thats just my opinion so pls dont throw rocks at me
They would in Saudi Arabia… or give you lashings… and Islam is horrible to women! How is making someone wear all black, not be allowed to drive, vote or ride a freaking bike protecting them?!
by lalala February 14, 2011 at 12:53 amnot be allowed to drive, vote or ride a freaking bike protecting them?, are all allowed your getting mixed up with religon and culture.
by jojo27 February 14, 2011 at 12:04 pmThat is an opinion, and I respect it. I confirm that Saudi Arabia is not perfect, not at all. but what I would say our religion, Islam, has saved the women rights. In addition, Islam forbid men insulting women, with a big punishment during life or at the end of the world. I can tell you many marriages are treated badly, such as that the man has to marry a woman that is belonging to an Arabic tribe, or the opposite. That, however, is a habit not an islamic rule, and I recognize that it is a bad habit, and causes to discrimination. As i said, saudi arabia is not perfect, but i would say we r good in applying objective islamic rules
by fahad February 4, 2012 at 2:09 pmAbotions are only right in the case of rape
by Shea October 4, 2008 at 2:42 pmI am a muslim I know islam, I live it, how dare you people think you know islam if you havent lived it, you see what you want to see or what you think there is, you know what mohammed peace be upon him(the prophet) said on his death bed “Take care of the women.” I am NOT saying saudi arabia is perfect, no its not because it doesn’t follow what islam says, its culture thats influencing it NOT islam.
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 1:50 pmsorry * its because it doesn’t follow what islam says
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 1:52 pmOne question: How did you hear Mohammed’s last words?? I’m curious as to your sources, since you mentioned how the internet lies in another post… just thought I’d check if you’re being consistent yourself. 🙂
by lalala February 14, 2011 at 1:11 ama great difference in me and you is that I believe without seeing but you have to believe with facts, to live the need of facts is to view the world in a different way, I believe because thats what my heart tells me, not logic, what is your nationalty or religon, athesit by the sound of it because in every religon you have to believe sometimes its right sometimes its wrong but you get your own evidence, as to the internet my teachers still tell me the internet lies dont know why you guys don’t get it.
by jojo27 February 14, 2011 at 12:26 pmDo you know how scientists figured out that cervical cancer was sexually transmitted? The scientists noted that cervical cancer hardly exists in Saudi Arabia. That is because women are protected from premarital sex and the men are faithful to their wives so they aren’t bringing home HIV, HPV, syphillis and all the rest. Men actually take responsiblity and pride in their families. In the west, when a woman is raped, the baby is killed. In Arabia, when a woman is raped, the rapist is killed. No society is perfect. However Saudi Arabia’s laws offer significant protections and opportunities for women.
by sg February 1, 2009 at 4:39 pmone tiny example about how our sociaty is protecting us. Thanks sg are you muslim?
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 2:06 pmAmazing-thank you for this!
by Anonymous October 23, 2012 at 5:17 amHi Boys and Girls
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by Mastablubba May 21, 2009 at 5:28 pmmastablubba
i really don’t care what the article was saying cos i didn’t really read it all
by lebanese June 18, 2009 at 6:45 ambut to say lebanon is a country that does not allow women to vote is a biiiiiiiig lie. Lebanese women are allowed to vote since long ago, we have female parleiment represetatives, and women ministers in the government. Enrollemt of lebanese women in higher education is more than that of men. So double check your info before you publish them
i agree:)
by rina October 3, 2009 at 5:30 pmmaan u dont know what the hell ur talking about..
by Ussama July 20, 2009 at 5:55 pmfor exaamplee, the driving age is saaudii is 17 years according to the arabic (hijri) calendar, which is a little over 16 years old
damn i think abortions should b allowed. its tha’ womens decisions wheather or not they wanna’ have a baby
by rina October 3, 2009 at 5:22 pmFunny how it’s usually the guys away
by Anonymous October 23, 2012 at 5:27 amnot marrying the woman or raising the child
who says ” I didn’t tell her to keep it” – are the greatest benefactors of women’s “choice” to have an abortion. Roe Vs Wade destroyed the Moral fiber of this country-America. So congrats to us-we have tons of illicit sex-worst Marraige -highest divorce rates- STD’s. including AIDS at alarming rates, Depression due to the the loneliness of single parenthood-or indecisive partners who never commit-who get the milk-but never buy the cow-YES-let’s rejoice and encourage a society that implements rules and protects its citizens-to become as “liberated “and morally bankrupt as we are-all in the name of “Freedoms!”
Even though there are some rules which needs Saudi Government attention, Specially laws related to unskilled worker. People may seems rules like lashes for fornication and banning abortion is irrational but its good for family system. if we see today in West what family values they have left, nothing. Teen pregnancy is so common, this all is burden on country economy and destroy family system. I think we should see things with their end results and logic, then we will know where is the civilized nations.
by Haider October 19, 2009 at 6:28 amit is all very interesting tome as a muslim.i have an international website called muslimtoysanddolls.com.sister Debbie
by Debbie Al-Harbi December 24, 2009 at 1:28 pmWhere did you copy this from? Have you been to Saudi Arabia? Have you lived there for a long time? Did you ask the Saudis how they feel about this? By what I read in your article I’d say NO.
Most of Saudis like what is going on right now and you cannot change that. The people who don’t like it are those who committed a crime and don’t want to go to jail and want to get some attention from the west. Lets see a quote from your article “Saudi Arabia also has one of the highest driving ages in the world at 25 …..” Where do you keep getting such ideas from? I’m 16 years old and I have been driving with a license for about 1 and a half years. Another one “Most marriages are arranged ….” You are worrying me, do you have any kind of mental health issues? I don’t want to lie but there is really a few people who have arranged marriages in Saudi Arabia and that is wrong, the majority of Saudi fathers let their sons to choose who ever they want, it can be a muslim, christian, jew but they have to be religious.”The country is one of the few countries in the world that bans alcohol ….” The Quran is the truth because look in Britain, 15000 people die every year because of alcohol. Same in USA 76000 people die every year because of alcohol. ” blocked over 400,000 websites, including those with any relation to politics, homosexuality, education, western entertainment (music, movies…), ….” Education, Western Entertainment site are not blocked. You said there is no freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia, look what happened in Iran, Pakistan?.
If anyone needs any more details about Saudi Arabia and Islam then send me an email at : bosslife2@hotmail.com and put “Saudi Arabia Question” as a subject so I know and reply faster.
Thanks
by Amr May 21, 2010 at 10:17 amAmr Alghamdi
alot of your information is wrong , please stop trying to show other people that middle easterns and muslims are something diffrent or people from another planet , if something happened once dosen’t mean it happens always
by Anonymous May 26, 2010 at 10:25 amSooooooooooooooo true dude thanks
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 2:13 pmBULLSHIT
there is no way you are not a man who has money and probably a lot of power, and that’s why you’re “defending” Saudi. how about you ask a women, OHH i forgot we are just objects, we are suppose to kneel down and kiss your ass, right because thats EXACTLY what Islam says, right?
i see these stupid comments by nationalists who think they’re “protecting” their country by “defending” it, you think the government and the people in power give a living crap about you, you know what a lot of prince’s called us, they called us “insects”, and you are protecting them, you obviously have power, you obviously got away with a lot of fucked up shit you did.
but don’t fool anyone, just like how the blacks took their human rights and did not accept to be slaves, and just like how democracy struck in many countries, and just like how women in many countries got their freedom and rights, one day, and i assure you it is soon, every power striving, money seeking, demeaning asshole in this country will be punished for justice, because right now this is the most corrupt country i know. the way they manipulate you, but you continue to believe them, open your eyes! if you knock on their door and ask them, “why do you buy a large house that is the size of a city with 10 drivers and 50 maids and you only have 3 children and a wife, while i starve to bring money to feed my children and my wife?”
what do you think he will answer, he will shoot you, because we are just”insects” to them. i have seen so many people getting hurt and getting killed by these brainwashing hypocrites, thats why our crime rate is low, because the crimes that are being committed are by the people in power.
i promise if someone who feels caged, abused, used, unsafe, unhappy, and giving up, i promise there are so many people 90 percent of this country are like you, you just fight, they don’t want you to fight, you have nothing to lose already, then fight, fight for human rights, we were born free, and THEY took it away from us,for money and power? we cannot accept that.
we will NOT listen to “things are changing now” or “this is the way people live here” we will NOT accept it, because we have no way out, if we had like every country an independent age where you can leave, we would have accepted it until we leave, but now THEY PUSHED IT TOO FAR. i have seen too many people cry men, women, and children, i have heard of too many suicides, i have had enough of seeing people like this, we, the people, will fight for freedom.
FREEDOM IS NOT A SIN.
by Hanouf September 2, 2010 at 5:24 amWho are you..?
Don’t speak for us (Saudi women). There are a lot of intelligent young Saudi men who believe in equality, I know them.
How are you gonna help Saudi and insult its people at the same time?
Freedom isn’t a sin, but we can only take so many steps at a time to reach it, you can’t just stop everything and decide that tomorrow everything will change. Just like you can’t just tear down all the communist blocks in Romania. Things take time, nothing happens over night.
It’s obvious you don’t know anything about Saudi Arabia.
Most of what he says about Saudi Arabia is true.
by Jameela September 18, 2010 at 2:58 amIf you look at my other comment you will see the websites and articles I posted that PROVES that things are changing, because they HAVE CHANGED.
YOU ARE OFFICALLY RETARDED MAY I SAY VERY RETARDED< DON'T YOU EVER SPEAK FOR SOMEONE YOUR NOT.
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 1:54 pmMay I ask who the hell you think you are ?????? because to me that seems like someone, who is on another planet, far away from the world because for your information every couple of decades america decides it hates a new religon or race of people just because its islams turn, doesnt mean its islams FAULT
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 2:17 pmhow many age in i go to the saudi arabia? can i go there in 19years?
by khan September 4, 2010 at 3:18 amExcuse me Madawi
Most of your information is wrong and this gives a hints that you do not live in Saudi Arabia ever!!!!!!!!
and As Saudi female I wanna tell you something I have all my rights in education,dress and marrage , I am married and I chose my husbaned
from my experiance in US I wanna tell you that we are so lucky because we are Saudi and we live in paradise thats all
by wedad November 3, 2010 at 9:28 amIt’s good you feel that way…but then you’re husband chooses three other women…
by student December 7, 2010 at 3:41 pmYEAH IF HE WANTS, YOUR HUSBANDS CAN CHEAT ON YOU BEHIND YOUR BACKS AT LEAST OURS CAN SAY IT TO OUR FACE.
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 1:57 pmFunny how it’s usually the guys away
by Anonymous October 23, 2012 at 5:31 amnot marrying the woman or raising the child
who says ” I didn’t tell her to keep it” – are the greatest benefactors of women’s “choice” to have an abortion. Roe Vs Wade destroyed the Moral fiber of this country-America. So congrats to us-we have tons of illicit sex-worst Marraige -highest divorce rates- STD’s. including AIDS at alarming rates, Depression due to the the loneliness of single parenthood-or indecisive partners who never commit-who get the milk-but never buy the cow-YES-let’s rejoice and encourage a society that implements rules and protects its citizens-to become as “liberated “and morally bankrupt as we are-all in the name of “Freedoms!”
I had told most of everyone around me, i’d like to go to Saudi and try living as an Arab muslim womam for a year or so…you know just teenage adventure spirit.
by student December 7, 2010 at 3:39 pmThen i start researching…and man,i DO NOT want to go there. I mean, how can one treat another in such an inhuman way!
and the laws! “A woman cannot drive a car but she can fly an air plane” and then she is to be accompanied by a mahranm… (O_O) wtf! and then the story of an arab women being raped by 7 guys and then she is punished for “being alone with a man” another died in turkey, buried alive “for talking to boys”
seriously, the only difference between a man and woman is the “wo” so why treat women with no respect? why do such a thing….have you no hearts? have you no feelings? you guys should totally re-think your ways. God, any God, want’s love and peace, you people are such a shame if this is how you show peace and love
ONE SMALL TINY FACT THE INTERNET LIES PEOPLE GET OVER IT
by jojo27 December 21, 2010 at 1:55 pmall can’t be lies there must be some truth in it…
by student December 21, 2010 at 2:50 pmof course there is but since
1)kuwaiti girls like me are to tell you the truth spoiled over spoiled, you could what you want, when you want it for example I don’t see america caring about its people and giving each one 2000 british pounds, so they can’t really bothered to write about it.
2) saudi arabien culture could sometimes be retarded and not let girls use the internet.
3) what I want you guys to understand that its the culture not the religon.
by jojo27 February 14, 2011 at 12:16 pmI am a woman, born and lived in Saudi Arabia for 30 yrs as my mom is still living thier since 45 yrs, I still visiting my Family and my frinds, and this is to say that not everything mentioned in the article is true
yes their are restrictions on muslim women but that is just because islam respects women and protects her, that’s why their are some restrictions, and people should not say something unless they see it with their own eyes or have atleast tried it.
I am sorry, many of the information are not True! very starnge.
by Amani April 8, 2011 at 1:20 amAmani
can u just point them out plz!!!!!!!
by zainab October 31, 2011 at 3:26 pmyes please
by sarmad December 20, 2012 at 2:29 pmCan i get driving license in saudia…im 17 years old according to islamic calender….plz help me….!!!!
Thanks in advance
by Faisal April 25, 2011 at 6:37 pmyes, you can so.
by Jodie May 7, 2011 at 2:15 pmI am a muslim woman from Saudi Arabia, and I have to agree with almost everything you said. These crazy things do happen in Saudi Arabia. Saudies choose to live in denial so they don’t have to deal with the harsh reality. However, what is going on in Saudi is not based only on religion, it’s based on traditions that the government created using education to build in people that they’re lucky and they have the best life, and that it is the only county the imply Islam, and that they should always thank the royal family for providing the citizens with a good life.
We have no freedom of speech, or press whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I am scared to even post this, that’s how much fear we have in this country.
These are only the negatives that we have, we do have positives, but whats the point of posting them. We post negatives so we can change them and become better.
by Anonymous September 20, 2011 at 10:53 amyour comment was good but they do give women the right to speak and the right to progress the womens here are very happy u cant blame this country well i dont think u meant to blame but plz dont ever discourage the people who want to come here and live in here , this country is honestly the good one.
by zainab October 31, 2011 at 3:24 pmEvery religion has negatives.. just like christianity had (and still has?) many negative effects just as it had good effects in the middle ages: it gave people strength and the possibility to face their fears of the unknown (e.g. the human body) but because they could not explain everything some things were maybe explained the wrong way and had negative effects such as the healing ‘powers’ some women might have had. one of the problems in the middle ages was that the people in high places in christianity had too much power. The good thing is that we have learned a lot, we have evolved and still have religion only now we have it seperate from the government, and we also have freedom of speech and press in most of the world. From my point of view Saudi Arabia is still evolving (e.g. women are free to vote in 2015) and is trying to find a balance between religion and law. This is a hard process, and there are things (and laws) which have happened which I personally do not agree with, but this is my point of view as an outsider (note: freedom of speech). yes i do notice that most of you use as a defence that other people do not know what they are talking about because they have not lived in saudi arabia or are not muslim but how do you know what you are talking about as you cannot experience freedom of speech, freedom to vote, or freedom of choice and hence you cannot compare? I do not know what you learn in school, but i believe the Islamic religion is a big part of your education no? Do you learn about the western ideas? or western philosophy at all?
by freedomisinyourreach October 1, 2011 at 7:04 pmI do believe your religion can be a beautiful thing, but not if it is used in the wrong way (religious police? can someone explain?).
I hope you will not take my point of view in the wrong way, as i do not take your’s in the wrong way, but merely as a way to widen my own perspective.
Dont Move to Saudi as a Women-No disrespect but i have lived there and its a very hard life I mean even going to the park is complicated I wasnt allowed to write a swan boat ride with my brother-not even my 11 year old sister could…Your husband dominates everything you will do for the day and all you really do there is eat and shop and if you life that than okay but I love nature and walking and its impossible to find a nice place to walk in saudi-its just not a place to go-only if you want to visit mecca which is a beautiful place…
by jane October 27, 2011 at 5:11 pmthis is wrong sis, this is the way how the women of islam have to live plz dont discourage muslim womens here ,plz dont throw an insult on saudi arabia the best and the peace ful country ever!!
by zainab October 31, 2011 at 3:20 pmno dout miss zainab
by sarmad December 20, 2012 at 2:24 pmhello everybody reading, i am zainab student of grade 9 i am of 14 i mean my age is 14 and i want job i mean for the time i am sitting here at home during vacations plz dont laugh at me ok if u guys can help me find an easy and a good job here in makkah then i will be very thankful to u.
by zainab October 31, 2011 at 3:18 pmdear zainab
by poway January 23, 2012 at 10:19 amI got a job and that is to a cloths and per 10 and 15 sr so what did you think about this and can u give your facebook accounts name.
assalam o alikum my name is sarmad anees i want to go saudi arabia for studies and job both anybody there to help me i live in pakistan, if anybody can help and advice me plz contact me.
by M.sarmad.anees December 20, 2011 at 7:01 amdear sarmad
by poway January 23, 2012 at 10:33 amI can that may I can handle that but hoe old r u if your under 14 and 15 i can but if u r over it sorry i can’t.
dear poway
by sarmad December 20, 2012 at 2:22 pmI am 17 years old at the moment
Some of this is not true.
Contraceptives are not illegal at all. Birth control pills can be bought by people of any gender or age without a prescription!
by Roberto February 15, 2012 at 9:54 pmseveral wrong wrong and wrong….first of all in lebanon women have their full rights they can vote, be ministirs, and even presidents and lebanon is the only country in the middle east that has a 100% sort of western civilization…in lebanon an unmarried woman can even have a baby…soooo please check your recources before saying wrong things….plus that contraceptives are present in ksa…u can purchase condoms or pills in all pharmacies….i’m a lebanese guy working in ksa…and i challenge u to check about what i just told u…driving age in ksa is 16…possibly one of the lowest ages….u got it extremely wrong in these parts….check it out…especially what u said about lebanon…all arabs say lebanon is our western country and yet u get this fact from ur minf i think….STRANGE !!!!
by Bahaa Al-Halabi May 7, 2012 at 9:28 amI think the word “women freedom” does not really mean that!! it means “the freedom of man reaching what he wants from women”, when I go to visit western cultures, the women there are treated as an object! every man in college or school is drawling to have sex! just hit and run! women there do not have an honer and security as they have in Islamic worlds. Look at the crimes and rape in western cultures! disasters happens in every single day! By the way… did Saudi women complain to anyone?! do not think so
by Nasser June 27, 2012 at 2:00 amlife in saudi arabia is a bitch . i cry almost every single day . i’m giving up on life ..
by Anonymous July 15, 2012 at 10:24 amdon,t cry yaaaar
by sarmad December 20, 2012 at 4:28 amA real backwrd society…….i wil never b able to survive der….thankgod not born in saudi …awful place…..it would b waste of life being born der…..
by Nehaxec July 22, 2012 at 2:55 pmcan I go to saudi on azad visa in 19 years
by syed adil August 2, 2012 at 5:08 amFor job
yes you can go easily yaar azaad visa cost is 4 lacs in pakistan i will 18 year old in april then i go saudi arabia on azaad visa
by sarmad December 20, 2012 at 4:26 ami am a cristian living in saudi for almost two months now. i read alot of blogs before i came here.. i was scared that time… but all my worries are gone when i came here and see the reality contradict to what the forums said. just like other nations.. different people with different behaviors.. most of them are nice and calling me sadik. goverment here are very strict… yes.. but if you just follow rules.. be good all the time.. mafimuskella.. about the ladies.. yes they wear all black.. but just to protect them from maniacs i guess… 🙂
by esengbucks December 6, 2012 at 4:27 pmohh thats good eseng
by sarmad December 8, 2012 at 10:28 amdownload film porn sex saudi arab
by Saturnino Piedade December 9, 2012 at 10:59 ami want job in saudia arabia pls help me, i live in pakistan
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by Sarmad Anees December 10, 2012 at 5:22 amThanks Bro but u suck!!!
by Anonymous December 18, 2012 at 5:02 pmwhat are you saying?
by sarmad December 20, 2012 at 4:27 amfriends how cost saudi azaad visa at the moment???
by sarmad December 20, 2012 at 2:30 pm[…] […]
by A New Digital Leash for Women Keeps Them From Crossing Borders and Escaping | Care2 Causes January 4, 2013 at 8:02 am[…] …In Saudi Arabia, women and girls can’t currently vote, date, marry for love, use contraceptives, ride bicycles, talk to men on the phone, sing or dance in public. Unless chaperoned by a mahram (male guardian), girls — covered in black abayas — are carted around behind tinted windows to special women-only gyms, boutiques, malls, schools, and restaurants (where they eat in the “family section,” apart from single men). The Mutawwa’in, the religious police, fine or even imprison dissenters. Victims of domestic violence and rape are often punished with lashes. Isolation is so intense that some feel that society is split between “two different species.” […]
by A New Digital Leash for Women Keeps Them From Crossing Borders and Escaping « ACT! for America Houston January 6, 2013 at 2:13 amFucking bullshit!!!
by Anonymous January 18, 2013 at 8:48 amNot all of the above information is true. They do use contraception and abortion is allowed if there are fetal or maternal health risks.
by Anonymous January 23, 2013 at 7:59 amAlhamdolillah im Quraysh a purely Saudi Arabian…..
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Contraceptives are widely available in Saudi. Condoms are sold over-the-counter in pharmacies, while birth control pills require a prescription. Intrauterine devices (IUDs)/diaphragms are also available at hospitals/clinics.
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