The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia
"None of this below is my writing ~ I got it from different web sites about
Saudi and Middle East Marriages"
The religion and customs of Saudi Arabia dictate conservative dress for both men and women.
Foreigners are given some leeway in the matter of dress, but they are expected to follow local customs, particularly in public places. As a general rule, foreign men should wear long trousers and shirts that cover the upper torso. Foreign women should wear loose fitting skirts with hemlines well below the knee. Sleeves should be at least elbow length and the neckline modest.
The best fashion guideline is "conceal rather than reveal". Teenagers are also required to dress modestly in public places. Jeans should not be tight fitting and low necks and tank tops are not recommended. Shorts and bathing suits should not be worn in public.
Whatever their job or social status, Saudi men wear the traditional dress called a thobe. Wearing the thobe expresses equality and is also perfectly suited to the hot Saudi climate. During warm and hot weather, white thobes are worn by Saudi men and boys. During the cool weather, wool thobes in dark colours are not uncommon. At special times, men often wear a bisht or mishlah over the thobe. These are long white, brown or black cloaks trimmed in gold.
A man's headdress consists of three things: the tagia, a small white cap that keeps the gutra from slipping off the head; the gutra itself, which is a large square of cloth; and the igal, a doubled black cord that holds the gutra in place. Some men may choose not to wear the igal.
The gutra is usually made of cotton and traditionally Saudis wear either a white one or a red and white checked one. The gutra is worn folded into a triangle and centred on the head.
When a Saudi women appears in public, she normally wears a voluminous black cloak called an abayah, a scarf covering her hair and a full face veil. There are varying opinions regarding the wearing of the abayah and the veil; however, Saudi women cover themselves in public and in the presence of men who are not close relatives.
Women's fashions do not stop with the abayah though if you are a male, that is all you are likely to see. Beneath the black cloak, Saudi women enjoy fashionable clothing and take great pride in their appearance. They enjoy bright colours and lavish material. Non-Muslim women living in Saudi Arabia often wear the abayah as a sign of respect for local customs.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
17,050,934 (1992 estimate)
7.3 per sq km / 18.9 per sq mi
77.3% urban, 22.7% rural
2,331,000 sq km (900,000 sq mi)
Monarchy
King Fahad bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Consultative Council appointed by the King
14 emirates
Arabic, but English is widely spoken in commerce and business
Islam
Saudi Arabia does not allow the practice of any other religion within its borders.
62.4% of adult population
7
32,371
Women, 68
Men, 65
59 per 1000 live births
$104 billion
$5800 per capita
Imports $21.5 billion
Exports $44.3 billion
Saudi riyal
$1 = 3.75 riyals
893km (555 mi)
92,802km (57,644 mi)
7
7
Metric
Both 110 and 220 volts, 60 cycles AC
380 volts is used for industrial purposes
Government: 7:30am-2:30pm
Private businesses and shops: about 9:30am-2:00pm, and about 5:00pm-10:00pm.
The work week begins on Saturday and runs through to Wednesday or Thursday.
Friday is the Islamic day of rest, corresponding to Sunday in the west.
Government offices are also closed on Thursdays.
There are two every year: Eid Al Fitr which comes after the month of Ramadhan, the month of fasting; and Eid Al Adha which is during the month of pilgrimage or Haj.
The white Arabic script on the flag translates to: "There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is His Prophet"
GMT +3 hours
+966
THIS WAS BREAKING NEWS
Jan 22, 2001
Saudi Arabian women are to be allowed to act as flight cabin attendants for the first time.
But they will have to be accompanied by a male guardian and will only be allowed to work in Saudi airspace.
The London-based Al Harat newspaper said that Saudi Airlines already employs female stewardesses, but all are non-Saudi citizens.
The newspaper said: "All future Saudi air stewardesses would have to be accompanied by a mehrem - a close male relative - and work solely in Saudi airspace."
Women's job prospects are restricted mostly to medicine or teaching because of the segregation rules in Saudia Arabia, where women are also not allowed to drive.
DO YOU WANT TO MARRY A SAUDI ~ WE'LL SEE AFTER YOU READ THIS
DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION IN THIS CIRCULAR RELATING TO THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN COUNTRIES IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN COUNSEL.
The following information has been prepared by our Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to assist American citizen women in understanding more fully the cultural and legal differences they may face if they are considering marrying a Saudi man.
Our Foreign Service posts in Saudi Arabia estimate that approximately 500 American women reside in the Kingdom with their Saudi husbands. Our Embassy is acutely conscious of the dual-national marriages which fail, monitoring approximately 40 child custody cases and instances of extreme marital discord and abuse. But American women who are both happily and unhappily involved in relationships with Saudi men admit to having been appallingly ignorant of the Kingdom and its culture prior to their betrothal. All the women interviewed strongly urged prospective wives of Saudi men to investigate the Kingdom and meet the Saudi in-laws before making a commitment to a culture antithetical to the one in which they were raised.
Survivors of dual-national marriages provide a checklist for American women to consider prior to making a commitment to living in the Kingdom. The stories of those whose marriages have failed underline the necessity of looking before leaping into the cultural chasm that separates Saudi husbands from their American wives.
The following advice and guidelines for women considering marriage to Saudi nationals were culled from interviews with women well known to our Embassy for their embattled relations with their Saudi spouses, from anecdotes from women whose husbands are well known to the Embassy because of their positions in government or business, as well as conversations with women happily or tolerably married to middle and lower class Saudis.
PROFILE OF AMERICAN CITIZEN SPOUSES OF SAUDI NATIONALS
First, the American citizen spouse of a Saudi national is with a handful of exceptions - always female. Saudi women are prohibited from marrying non-Arabs except with a special dispensation from the King. (A dispensation is also required before a Saudi woman may marry an Arab who is not a citizen of the Gulf Cooperation Council - i.e., Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates). The Embassy is only aware of four American men who are married to Saudis. A few daughters of Saudi diplomats, raised and educated abroad, are also known to have received Kingly dispensation for marriage to Europeans. Most Saudi women who are married to Westerners tend to reside abroad with their husbands.
American spouses fall into two broad categories: Those who are married to well-off, westernized Saudis, and those who are married to not well-off and non-westernized Saudis. Both meet their husbands when they are students in the U.S. The former tend to maintain homes in the Kingdom and in the West, they socialize with other dual-national couples, they send their children abroad for college education (sometimes high school), travel frequently, and while in the Kingdom have the luxuries of drivers, servants and villas separate from where the Saudi in-laws reside. Their husbands permit them to appear before men to whom they are not related, accept - if not encourage their desire to find employment and generally do not require them to veil fully (i.e., cover the fact with one or more layers of cloth) while in public. The women are allowed to travel separately with the dual national children. The women may or may not have converted to Islam; their conversion may or may not be sincere. These represent the minority of dual-national marriages.
Most American women fall in love with westernized Muslim traditionalists, leery of the West and its corrosive ways, and eager to prove their wives' conformity to Saudi standards. The husbands are not Arab Princes" of western folklore; rather, they are part of the vast majority of Saudis who "get along" with the help of extended family members and marginal expectations. Their American citizen wives are often from the South/Southwest (Where many Saudis prefer to study), they have virtually no knowledge of Saudi Arabia other than what their fiances have told them, and do not speak Arabic. When they arrive in the Kingdom, they take up residence in the family's home where family members greet them with varying degrees of enthusiasm and little English. Typically, their only driver will be their husband (or another male family member), their social circle with be the extended family, and they will not be permitted to work or appear uncovered among men to whom their husband is not related. Initially, the American citizen spouse will be almost entirely isolated from the large western community that resides in the Kingdom. Gradually, the spouses who survive, form a network with other American citizen women married to Saudis. The majority of American citizen spouses fall into this category.
THE MYTH OF THE WESTERNIZED SAUDI
Inevitably, American citizen spouses characterize their Saudi husbands during their school days in the United States as being completely "westernized"; drinking beer with the best of them, chasing after women and generally celebrating all the diversities and decadence of a secular society. Women married to Saudis who did not fit the stereotype of the partying, or playboy/prince, are careful to point out that their spouses nevertheless displayed a tolerance toward all of these diversions and, particularly, toward them. In other words, the Saudi-American relationship virtually always blossoms in the States, in a climate which allows dating, cohabitation, children out of wedlock, religious diversity, and a multitude of other Islamic sins which go unnoticed by Saudi relatives and religious leaders thousands of miles away.
American citizen wives swear that the transformation in their Saudi husbands occurs during the transatlantic flight to the Kingdom. There is the universal recollection of approaching Riyadh and witnessing the donning of the black abayas and face veils by the fashionably dressed Saudi women. For many women, the Saudi airport is the first time they see their husband in Arab dress (i.e., the thobe and ghutra). For those American women reluctant to wear an abaya (the all-encompassing black cloak) and for those Saudi husbands who did not make an issue of the abaya prior to arriving, the intense public scrutiny which starts at the airport - given to a western woman who is accompanying a Saudi male is usually the catalyst for the eventual covering up. Since the overwhelming majority of American citizen wives never travel to the Kingdom prior to their marriage, they are abruptly catapulted into Saudi society. When they arrive, their husband's traditional dress, speech, and responsibilities to his family re-emerge and the American citizen wife is left to cope with a new country, a new language, a new family, and a new husband. Whether a Saudi has spent one year or eight studying in the United States, each must return to the fold - grudgingly or with relief - to get along in Saudi society and within the family hierarchy that structures most social and business relations.
Social pressures on even the most liberal Saudi are daunting. Shame is brought upon the entire family for the acts of an American citizen wife who does not dress modestly (e.g., cover) in public, who is not Muslim, who associates with men other than her extended relatives. Silent disapprobation from family and friends is matched by virulent public disapproval by the Kingdom's religious proctors (Mutawwaiin) and vigilante enforcers of the faith. Several American wives, fearing the latest round of religious harassment, have started fully veiling; not to do so, they discovered, meant that public squabbles with the Mutawwaiin who vociferously oppose dual-national marriages. The experience of all dual-national couples is that voluntary and involuntary compromises are made or simply evolve. The sum of these compromises is quite often a life very different than the one imagined and speculated upon in the safety of the United States.
WHAT TO EXPECT AND CONSIDER
Quality of Life
Life in a desert Kingdom which prides itself on its conservative interpretation and application of the Quran (Koran) requires that couples talk about very basis lifestyle issues.
How cosmopolitan is the Saudi husband's family?
All American wives encourage prospective brides to meet the Saudi family before arriving in the Kingdom as a married woman. (Most Saudi families will travel to the U.S. during the course of their sons' studies, if only to attend graduation.) While it is no guarantee of acceptance, a family with regularly travels abroad or one in which the father has been stationed abroad is general more broad-minded when it comes to their son marrying a Westerner. It is the parents who can be the greatest source of pressure on a dual-national marriage and it is important to divine their opinions on what an American wife can and cannot do while living in the Kingdom.
With whom will you live?
Many newly married couples move in with the groom's parents, in a sprawling villa which may house several other siblings and their wives and families. Privacy is elusive and tensions with family members who for one reason or another resent the presence of an American wife often makes this living arrangement difficult. In a more affluent family, a couple may inhabit one of several homes which compromise a small family compound. Some Saudis live separately in villas or apartments. While that resolves the issue of privacy, many American wives find themselves completely isolated fearing the day, surrounded by neighbors who only speak Arabic, with no access to public or private transportation.
One tolerably married American citizen wife is not permitted to step out on the apartment porch since the risk is too great that an unrelated male would be able to see her.
The most western, but least common, housing arrangement would be an apartment or villa located in a western compound or on the Diplomatic Quarter. There, a semblance of western suburban life goes on behind high walls or, in the case of the Diplomatic Quarter, under the protective gaze of a multitude of Saudi police officers. However, most Saudi owners of western style compounds ban Saudi tenants since they fear western inhabitants would object. The very rare Saudi male who endorses this living arrangement is generally a naturalized Saudi, of Lebanese or Palestinian origin. For the average Saudi family, residence in a western compound would be an unnatural renunciation of Saudi culture and would make one culturally "suspect."
With whom will you socialize?
Saudis socialize within the family. Expatriates who have lived and worked for years in the Kingdom may never meet the wife of a close Saudi friend and, according to custom, should never so much as inquire about her health. For an American wife, a social live confined to her husband's family can be stultifying, particularly since few American wives speak, or learn to speak, Arabic. Whether the Saudi husband permits his wife to socialize with men to whom they are not related determines how "normal" (i.e. how western) a social live they will enjoy. Several American wives have difficulty even visiting the American Embassy for routine passport renewals since their husbands are opposed to their speaking to a male Foreign Service Officer. Because of the segregated society, Saudi men naturally spend much of their time together, separate from wives and family. (Even Saudi weddings are segregated affairs, often held on different evenings and in different locations.) Only the most westernized Saudi will commit to socializing with other dual national couples.
What freedom of movement will you enjoy?
Women are prohibited from driving, riding a motorcycle, pedaling a bicycle, or travelling by taxi, train or plane without an escort. All American wives were aware that they would not be able to drive while in the kingdom, but few comprehended just how restricted their movements would be. Only the relatively affluent Saudi family will have a driver on staff, most American women depend entirely upon their husbands and male relatives for transportation. While most expatriate western women routinely use taxis, an American spouse will be expected to have an escort - either another female relative or children - before entering the taxi of an unrelated male.
Will you be permitted to travel separately from your husband?
Travel by train or plane inside the kingdom requires the permission of the male spouse and the presence of a male family escort. Travel outside the Kingdom is even more restricted. Everyone leaving the Kingdom must have an exit visa. For an American spouse, this visa must be obtained by her Saudi husband. The Saudi spouse must accompany his wife to the airport to assure airport officials that he has given his permission for his wife to travel alone or with the children.
One American's marriage contract specified that "she stated that she shall never request to travel from Saudi Arabia with any one of her children unless with his prior consent."
Most American wives believe that the U.S. Embassy can issue exit visas in a pinch. This is not the case. The U.S. Embassy cannot obtain exit visas for American citizens. Passports issued by the Embassy are worthless as travel documents without the mandatory Saudi exit visa. While some more affluent American relatives offer to pay for the American wife to travel independently, this often meets with disapproval from the Saudi husband or family.
Will you be permitted to work?
There are two hurdles an American wife must overcome before finding work outside the home: The disapproval of the family and the paucity of employment opportunities.
Most husbands will not approve of a wife working outside the home if it entails contact with unrelated men. One American wife, who was a teacher in the U.S. during the entire five years of her courtship with her husband, was shocked when her husband threatened her with divorce when she requested to return to the U.S. to finish up one quarter of classes in order to qualify for a state pension. Now that she was married, the Saudi husband could not tolerate her being in the presence of other men. However, even if the husband is willing, the jobs are few. Employment is generally restricted to the fields of education (teaching women only) and medicine. Unfortunately, there is a tremendous social bias against the nursing profession and Saudi husbands would not approve of a wife working with patients, except in the position of a physician.
Will your husband take a second wife?
Among the younger generation, it is rare for a Saudi to have a second wife but it does occur. A man is legally entitled up to four wives, with the proviso that he is able to financially and emotionally accord them equal status. One American wife discovered that her Saudi husband had married her best friend, also and American, while he was on vacation in the U.S.
Religion
In principle, all Saudi men must marry Muslims or converts to Islam. In practice, many American women blur the issue; participating in a Sharia wedding ceremony but never actually converting.
The pressure to become a Muslim, or to be come a sincere Muslim, is enormous and never-ending. There is no separation of church and state in Saudi Arabia, and at the popular level there is simply no comprehension of religious freedom of the desire to remain Christian or undecided One American wife, who is approaching her tenth wedding anniversary has been terrorized by relatives who insist that the King has ordered that all women who don't see the light after ten years must be divorced and deported. For another, the pressure comes mainly from her children who are mercilessly teased at school for having a foreign, non-Muslim mother. (Half-hearted converts to Islam find that their children are ridiculed for having mothers who pray awkwardly or not at all.) One Saudi teacher informed the children of an American citizen mother, who has sincerely concreted to Islam, that their mother could never be a Muslim since "only Arabs can be Muslim." Women who don't convert must accept that their children, through hours of Islamic education a day at school and under the tutelage of the family, will be Muslim. Women who do convert must understand that their conversion, particularly in the aftermath of a divorce, will be suspect and their fidelity to Islam perceived to be less than their husband's.
Family
Saudi Arabia has one of the highest birthrates in the world and families with five or more children are the norm. The family is the basic unit of Saudi life and family members have must closer relations than in the United States. Every family member feels free to give an opinion on any facet of another family member's life. Siblings - particularly an older brother - are expected to financially aid each other and males must band together to guard the honor of their female relations. Children are not expected or encouraged to leave the nest; rather, extended adolescence can occur well into a man's early thirties.
What are the differences in child raising?
To a much greater degree than in the West, Saudi children are indulged. Little girls are dressed in miniature prom dresses, little boys wear the latest in western sport togs. Both wreak havoc. American wives must suffer silently when the children of various relations run riot through the house. One wife related the story of a brother-in-law's child who carefully doled out chocolate pudding on the brand new furniture. When she scolded the child, she was in turn scolded for making a fuss about something that could be cleaned.
On the other hand, the Saudi family is replete with baby sitters and children always have young and old playmates. with whom to mix. Because foreign labor is so cheap in Saudi Arabia, even lower middle class families will have an Indonesian or Filipina housemaid to help with the chores. Among the very affluent Saudi families and particularly within the royal family, each child will generate its own servant.
Many American mothers are frustrated by the dearth of things to do with their children. Absent a driver, mothers are cooped up at home with the children and, even with a driver, there are few venues to visit.
What will it be like to raise a daughter?
Cultural differences are never greater than when it comes to the role of women and raising a daughter is a challenge in any Saudi-American marriage. Growing up in the Kingdom, a young girl will naturally look forward to the day when she comes of age and can wear the abaya and cover her hair. She will naturally be very devout. She may be expected to marry a first cousin. While playing a central role in the family, a girl is nevertheless a statutory second class citizen who needs to be protected and whose word is worth only half of a man's.
For a Saudi girl, this is the natural state of affairs; for an American mother of a Saudi girl, it can be unsettling. Not surprisingly, most of our child custody cases in which a child has been kidnapped from the United States involve a Saudi father "saving" his daughter from a sinful" society and her "decadent" mother.
Since Saudi women are prohibited from marrying western men, an American mother must expect her daughter to integrate more tightly into Saudi society. This is not necessarily the case with sons who might be encouraged to study in the U.S. (Saudi girls are permitted to study in the U.S. only if they are chaperoned by a family member), who could freely travel to the West, whose business might facilitate travel between the two countries, and who might elect to marry an American woman. Several very liberal Saudi fathers and the American wives have been embarrassed by their more conservative daughters' decisions not to attend school in the United States in deference to the disapproval of their culture.
IF THE MARRIAGE FAILS
In the worst scenario, an American wife can find herself summarily divorced, deported, and deprived of any Light of visitation with her dual national children. Sharia law decidedly favors men in the dissolution of marriage. And the laws of Saudi Arabia require that all individuals be sponsored by a Saudi citizen in order to receive a visa, resident or otherwise. Therefore, once a marriage breaks up, the ex-wife must leave the Kingdom and may only return with the explicit permission and sponsorship of her ex-husband. (In cases where the Saudi husband attempts to prevent his spouse from leaving, the Embassy can call upon Saudi authorities to facilitate the American wife's departure. The Embassy cannot force a Saudi husband to relinquish the children.)
In one instance, an American who had undergone a bitter divorce and child custody battle with her Saudi husband, applied for and receive a visa to work with a company located in the Kingdom. Once the Saudi husband and the Saudi authorities discovered her presence, she was thrown into jail and ultimately forced to leave her position and the country.
What custody rights to women have under Sharia law?
Theoretically, a mother should maintain custody the children until the ages of 7-9, when their primary care would be transferred to their father. However, the ultimate objective of a Sharia court in the settlement of custody issues is that the child be raised a good Muslim. Whether a convert or not to Islam, an American woman will not overcome the prejudice against her upbringing and society. The Embassy has no knowledge of an American or any western woman ever winning custody of dual national children in a Sharia court.
Can an American mother flee the Kingdom with her dual national children?
It is impossible to legally leave the Kingdom with out the express permission of the Saudi husband. A woman who wishes to leave her husband but is pregnant at the time, can be required to wait until after the birth of the child. The same would hold true if the Saudi husband passed away - custody of the children and any unborn child would remain with the closest living Saudi male relative.
Can an American woman be denied visitation rights with her children?
A Saudi husband must giver explicit permission for a divorced wife to visit her children in the Kingdom. The Embassy has worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to create the "no-objection" visa. The ex-husband must be willing to sign a statement that he has no objection to his ex-wife visiting the Kingdom. In that statement, the ex-husband establishes how long he is willing to let his ex-wife remain in the country. The history of no-objection visas is mixed.
A husband often objects to the emotional disruption of a visit from the American wife. Often the husband's second wife becomes jealous, and the American mother finds that her visits are restricted in time and carried out in full view of the extended Saudi family.
Only one American wife has successfully made no-objection visits over the course of the last five years. She has been successful because she speaks Arabic (Dual national children quickly lose their Englis
• Marriage: Conditions of marriageCould you please explain the relative importance of practices of marriage and which of them are essential for the marriage contract and which are only recommended or voluntary?
Marriage itself is a Sunnah, which means that it is recommended, not obligatory to us. Therefore, if a Muslim does not marry throughout his life, he commits no sin, although he has chosen a course for his life different from that recommended by the Prophet, peace be upon him. The recommendation is made in the strongest of terms, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, says: "Marriage is my way, (i.e. Sunnah) and a person who disdains to follow my way does not belong to me." Yet the emphasis put on the recommendation is only to heighten its desirability. It is not to be understood from this Hadith that a person who remains unmarried throughout his life removes himself from the fold of Islam or even commits a sin.
Divorce on the other hand is permissible but described as unsavory or distasteful. It is permitted because of the need for it. In any society, a proportion of marriages are unsuccessful, due to a variety of reasons, the most common among which is the incompatibility between the characters of the husband and his wife. Therefore, a way out is provided for them through divorce.
The most essential aspect of the marriage contract is the commitment and acceptance. One party, normally the guardian of the bride, makes the commitment by stating that he marries away the woman on whose behalf he is acting to the prospective husband according to the Islamic way and for a specific dower. The bridegroom declares then his acceptance of that commitment and that he has married the woman according to the terms specified. That constitutes the marriage contract. Both commitment and acceptance must be done in the same session, and should not be separated by other matters.
Witnesses must be present at the time of the contract and a minimum of two is required for the purpose. The important aspect is that marriage must be publicized. The minimum publicity is provided by the presence of two witnesses. The witnesses must be present at the time when the commitment and acceptance is made, and they should be sane, adults and must hear the contract being made and understand that it means marriage. Therefore, if a child or a mad or deaf or drunken person witnesses the marriage contract being made, the contract is not valid. The presence of such persons is the same as their absence.
The guardian of the woman to be married should also be present. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says: "No marriage can be made without the presence of a guardian and two proper witnesses." (Related by Ad-Daraqutni). The woman's guardian is normally her father. If her father is present, no one other than him may act for her. If he is dead or absent, then one of her closest relatives should act as her guardian, such as her brother, grandfather or uncle.
The dower is also accessory in the marriage contract. It is a compensation paid to the bride and it becomes her own property and she disposes of it in the way she likes. Its amount is fixed by agreement between the two partners. If a marriage contract is made without the dower being specified, the contract is valid, but the woman does not forfeit her right to receive a dower. If her husband refuses to give her what she asks, then she can put the case to a Muslim judge who will rule that she must be given the equivalent of what is given by way of dower to women in her social status.
A dower can be a very little amount. At the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, a woman accepted a pair of shoes as her dower. The Prophet, peace be upon him, asked her whether it was her decision and whether she accepts. She answered in the affirmative and he endorsed the marriage. Another woman came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and declared that she makes a gift of that herself to the Prophet, peace be upon him. A man asked him to marry her to him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, asked him whether he had anything to give her by way of dower. The man said that he had nothing except his dress. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that if he were to give her his dress, he will have nothing to wear. The man tried to find something to give her but could come up with nothing. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, try to find even a ring of iron, but the man could not find anything. The Prophet, peace be upon him, asked him whether he memorized anything of the Qur'an, the man said he knew several surahs. The Prophet, peace be upon him, allowed the marriage to go through on the condition that the man would teach his wife the parts of the Qur'an he knew.
Another story from the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, which has been reported by Anas says that Abu Talha made a proposal to marry a woman called Umm Sulaim. She said: "You are a man whom no woman would refuse, but you are a non-Muslim while I am a Muslim. It is not permissible for me to marry you. If you were to become a Muslim I will accept that as my dower and I ask you for nothing else. " He declared that he has accepted the religion of Islam. That was the dower he gave to his wife. All these Hadiths show that it is permissible to give a small amount of money as a dower or even to pay it in the form of rendering a service, such as teaching one's wife some parts of the Qur'an.
Having said that, it may be made clear that there is no maximum limit to what a man may pay his wife by way of dower. The Prophet, peace be upon him, however, has strongly recommended us not to demand excessive dowers. He says: "The best of women are those with pretty faces and cheap dowers." There is a strong indication in that Hadith that the dower should never be related to looks. A woman is not a commodity which a man buys at a price which takes into consideration how pretty she looks. She is a life partner to him and she gives him a benefit for which she is entitled to have compensation.
When the marriage contract is made, it is recommended, (i.e. Sunnah) for someone, preferably the person who instructs the two parties what to say to make sure of the correctness of the contract, to say a few words, reminding the people who are present of Allah and the need to conduct one's life according to Islam. He may quote some verses of the Qur'an which are suitable for the occasion and remind that they should always remain God-fearing.
I have already said that it is important to publicize the marriage. The Prophet, peace be upon him, has also recommended that marriage should be celebrated with some singing. The Prophet, peace be upon him, is also quoted as saying: "The difference between what is legitimate and what is illegitimate is the sound of the tambourine." This again refers to publicity. When people arrange for singing and music they add to the publicity of the marriage, which confirms that the relationship between the man and the woman is a legitimate one. On the other hand, when they are secretive about the marriage, there may be something suspicious in that relationship which could take it into the realm of what is forbidden
Marriage: Dower & other payments
1. You have spoken earlier on dower and dowry stating that Islam approves only of the first which means a payment by the man to his prospective wife. May I say that, contrary to what you have implied, this is the practice followed in most parts of the Indian Sub-continent. May I also ask about the practice in a number of Arab countries where the dower is used by the wife or her family to buy furniture for the man's house? How far is this in line with Islamic practice? What is its effect on encouraging or discouraging early marriages?
2. May I ask what is the purpose of paying dower to one's prospective wife? We know that since it is an order of Islam, we must fulfill it without question. However, it is far better to know the purpose of what Islam requires of us.
3. You have mentioned in the past that a lady companion of the Prophet agreed to be married to Abu Talhah on the condition that he becomes a Muslim. She did not have any dower, but considered his acceptance of Islam as her dower. What I would like to know is whether people can be tempted to become Muslims just for the sake of marriage?
When a man and a woman get married, the new relationship imposes certain obligations on each one of them. When you try to evaluate these obligations against the rights that each of them will enjoy, you will find that, generally speaking, it is the man who stands to benefit more by the new relationship. Although Islam maintains equality between men and women and provides a system which helps each of them fulfill the roles for which they are best suited, on balance, the man has more to gain. He establishes a home and a family and is likely to have children and find a comfortable home when he comes back from work. Moreover, he has a partner with whom he may fulfill his natural desire in a legitimate way. In return for this extra benefit, he has to pay a dower to his prospective wife.
I have explained that this is a condition of Islamic marriage. The dower is payable in advance, or at the time of making the marriage contract. If it is specified at the time of the contract, then the amount mentioned is the dower which the woman gets. If it is unspecified, the contract is valid but the wife continues to be entitled to receive a dower. The man and his wife may agree on its amount after marriage. However, if they cannot agree on a specific amount, the woman may refer the matter to an Islamic court which will give her an amount equal to that normally received by women in her social standing when they get married. In other words, the court will consider how much has been given to her sisters and cousins and will order that she be paid an amount similar to them. If a dower is still not paid, it remains due for the wife. When she is divorced, she may claim it. When her husband dies, it is payable to her as a debt. As you know, the first payment out of the estate of any deceased person is the settlement of his debts.
To sum up, dower is paid by the man in return for the benefits he receives as a result of his marriage. Therefore, the dower must be of benefit to the woman herself. She has sole discretion over its usage. She may spend it on her own needs, invest it or keep it. Nobody may harass her either to forego it or to spend it in a particular manner. The benefit which a woman may receive as her dower need not be financial or material. That is the case mentioned with respect to marriage of Abu Talhah, the companion of the Prophet.
Perhaps I should explain here that Abu Talhah was a man of admirable character. This was clearly seen in the battle of Uhud as well as many other situations. In Uhud he was one of those who remained with the Prophet when the bulk of the Muslim army was in disarray. He defended the Prophet most courageously and helped protect him from the determined attack by the polytheists who had resolved to kill him. His was a shining character among the companions of the Prophet. When he proposed to a Muslim lady, she realized that he would make a very good husband. However, he was not a Muslim at that time. She told him that he was not one to be refused, but since he was not a Muslim she could not marry him. If he was ready to be a Muslim, she would not require him to pay her any dower. His embracing Islam was her dower.
There is no doubt that the lady in question has made a great benefit by his marriage. She won to Islam a man of high courage and integrity who was certain to appreciate the value of Islam, once he knew enough about its principles and practices. She certainly hoped for a great reward by Allah. If any woman finds herself in a similar situation and is certain of the character of the man who wants to marry her and follow the example of this lady companion of the Prophet, then her marriage may be blessed. As for tempting a woman to become Muslim in return for marriage, this should be looked at differently. The marriage of Abu Talhah ensured a benefit to the lady in the form of reward from Allah, but the benefit will be the man's when he offers marriage to a woman in return of her becoming a Muslim. The dower should be something which gives her a personal benefit.
Another example of moral benefit which may be considered a dower is the case provided by the Prophet when he was asked by one of his companions what to do when he had no money to give to the woman to whom he had proposed. The Prophet asked him whether he knew any surahs of the Qur'an. When he answered in the affirmative, he made it a condition of the marriage that the man would teach his wife the same surahs of the Qur'an. That was all the dower the man was required to pay. Again here there is a clear benefit to the woman because learning parts of the Qur'an will ensure reward from Allah.
What I mentioned about the system in the Indian sub-continent was that the dower is quite often a nominal sum or a formality which is part of the whole ritual. On the wedding night, the bride declares to her husband that she foregoes her right to the dower. She does this either because she is taught to do so, or as a result of the husband's pleading that he does not have the money. The first letter suggests that I have been misinformed. I might have been, but I go only by what I am told. [Added: No you are not misinformed. In some communities that is precisely the case.] I have received numerous letters from my readers over the years that for a girl to get married, her father or brother must go to the trouble of buying gold or some other stuff to tempt the bridegroom. The more she has, the better her chances of marrying well. I have also heard this from friends who come from that part of the world.
Now that you are mentioning that prevalent system is more in line with Islamic teachings, which makes the dower a condition of the validity of marriage and the amount is actually paid to the bride and she exercises her sole discretion over its usability, I am certainly glad to hear it. It may be the case, however, that both types exist in different parts of the subcontinent. Be that as it may, what we are concerned with here is the Islamic system, not the practice of any particular community.
What you have mentioned about the practice in some Arab countries is certainly true. The bridegroom pays a dower, but the family of the bride takes it and adds to it, probably an equivalent amount or even more and spend the money on the bride's costumes and furniture for the home of the new family. This is again something that is not encouraged by Islam. Islam promotes marriage and does not create difficulties for the prospective partners. Such financial requirements tend to discourage or delay marriages. It should be added, however, that the furniture remains the property of the woman for as long as the marriage continues. If it is dissolved, she takes it back. In certain Arab countries, when a marriage ends up in divorce, the court will assume that all the furniture in the family home belongs to the wife. The husband has to prove that he bought a certain article himself for the court to allow him to take it away. It should be stated, however, that this is not the sort of complication Islam encourages. Indeed, providing a furnished home for a family is the responsibility of the husband. When the wife refuses her dower to buy furniture, she is not making the best use of her dower, except in the sense that she is free to forgo any part of the dower for the husband. Here she is forgoing the usage of the furniture. In this case, tradition gets mixed up with Islamic teachings. I would prefer a clear-cut arrangement where the woman may get a smaller dower, but the husband provides the furniture.
• Men's dress: Islamic dress code for men
Is there any type of clothes or dress that we can describe as Islamic in as far as men are concerned? Is there any harm if a Muslim wears a shirt, tie and a pair of trousers?
All Muslim scholars agree that a Muslim man must always cover the part of his body which is described as "awrah". This term denotes "what is unbecoming, shameful or indecent to reveal." A substantial body of Muslim scholars are of the view that a man's awrah extends from the waistline down to the knees, with the knees not included.
However, other scholars are of the view that a man's awrah is limited to his genitals and back passage. This is perhaps the more accurate view, supported by the stronger evidence.
Any type of dress which covers the awrah proper and is not seen as something that could lead to indecent behavior and is not an imitation of clothing that is distinctive of non-believers is permissible to wear. Thus there is no harm in wearing the clothes you have described. Some rigid people claim at times that wearing a shirt and tie imitates non-believers. This is not true because such clothes are the normal dress for large communities in the Muslim world.
Muslims must also guard against wearing anything that is considered a mark of pride or arrogance. Whatever conveys an air of arrogance is forbidden to wear.
In countries of the Indian Subcontinent, there are two groups of Muslims who call themselves Wahabis and Sunnis. They are always engaged in vigorous arguments which may sometimes lead to fighting. Nevertheless, their worship is very similar. Could you please explain the difference between the two?
No group actually calls itself Wahabis. However, people may call some of those who express certain views as Wahabis, which is a name supposed to refer to the followers of Imam Muhammad ibn Abdulwahhab who was a great reformer and scholar. He lived in Najd over 200 years ago and worked hard to eradicate all innovations from Islamic worship. Such innovations had crept into the practices of Muslim communities due to ignorance and long periods of decline undergone by Muslim communities. He maintained that the example of the Prophet i.e. the Sunnah should be followed diligently. There is no disagreement among scholars that this is required of every Muslim. It is unfortunate that some of the practices which Imam Muhammad ibn Abdulwahhab spoke very strongly against still persist in some Muslim communities. These include such terrible practices as visiting the graves of supposedly saintly people and asking the dead to intervene with Allah on behalf of the visitor for any purpose. Such a practice Islam shuns, since it is a manifestation of associating partners with Allah.
Imam Muhammad ibn Abdulwahhab belonged to the Sunni Muslims who, by virtue of their name, should follow the Sunnah, or the example, set by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, with diligence. Hence, it is wrong to classify Muslims as Wahabis and Sunnis, since the followers of Imam Abdulwahhab belong to the Sunni group of Muslims.
The vigorous arguments and fighting you have spoken of are certainly deplorable. This happens, nevertheless, because people are sometimes too rigid in their views. Those who insist on following the Sunnah of the Prophet diligently should have the patience to teach their fellow Muslims, with respect and compassion, that some of their practices are unacceptable from the Muslim point of view. Had they done so, they would find better response by other Muslims.
Can a Muslim girl select or choose her husband? What are her rights, duties and responsibilities? What are the duties and responsibilities of parents in respect of selecting a husband for their daughter? What should parents do if the daughter insists on her own choice?
Islam has established that every marriage must be preceded by the consent of the woman who is to be married. Whether she is a virgin or a woman who had a previous marriage, her consent must be obtained before her father or guardian can act for her in any marriage contract. Indeed, when a marriage is conducted, the government registrar or other official must satisfy himself that it has the woman's full agreement. If someone is acting for her as her guardian, the government official will ask him to produce two witnesses who testify that she has authorized him to act for her in this marriage. Several are the Hadiths which tell us that "a previously married woman has more authority over herself than her guardian. A virgin must be asked concerning her marriage. Her consent may be given by keeping quiet" (Related by An-Nassaie and Ibn Majah). The distinction here between a previously married woman and a virgin is merely in the form of how consent is granted. A virgin may be too shy to state in words and she accepts to be married, while a previously married woman has learned practically that there is nothing to be shy about in marriage.
The idea of a woman being forced into a marriage against her own wishes is not acceptable from the Islamic point of view. A woman came to the Prophet and complained that her father had married her to his nephew without asking her consent first. She stated that the purpose of that marriage was that her father wanted his reputation enhanced through that marriage. The Prophet annulled that marriage. When he had done, and the woman was free again, she said to the Prophet: "Now I am free. I willingly consent to this marriage. I only wanted it to be known that men have no say over women in their marriages."
It is often thought that because a father acts for his daughter in marriage, he can marry her to whoever he likes, without seeking her consent. People who suggest that make a very superficial judgment. By requiring a father or a guardian to act for the woman in her marriage, Islam emphasizes the woman's honor. Marriage in Islam is the way to establish a family, and this is conducted through families. Therefore, the woman appears to have the consent of her family to her own marriage. She does not appear as the weaker party in a civil contract.
In the light of the foregoing, we can state without equivocation that if a woman is forced into a marriage, then that is totally unacceptable from the Islamic point of view. Since her consent is a prerequisite for the validity of her marriage, therefore it is acceptable that she chooses her future husband. What we have to understand is that there is no rigid process of choosing a husband. If a man proposes to a family seeking to marry one of their daughters, then he must have based his choice on either first hand knowledge or proper investigation. Similarly, if the approach is made by the woman's family, then it must be based on a good knowledge of the man and his character.
As we all know, Islam does not allow the sort of free mixing between the sexes which is known in Western societies. If some aspects of that social mixing is practiced among certain sections of society in Muslim countries, then that is something Islam disallows. I wish it to be understood that I am not speaking of this type of free mixing when I am giving this answer. I am simply explaining that if a woman chooses a man as her future husband and the marriage is based on her choice, this is acceptable. What we are considering here is that in a certain situation, a woman is able to know the character and nature of a man and she feels, on the basis of her knowledge, that he can make her a very good husband. It is perfectly conceivable that a woman can acquire such a knowledge of a man, either because he is her colleague at work, or because she has had a chance to see him acting in different situations. Such a knowledge would enable her to understand his character and to find out that he can be a good family man.
When a woman has known such a man and wishes to marry him, she should speak to her family about it. Her father or guardian will take over and speak to the man either directly or through intermediaries. All this is appropriate. What is not appropriate from the Islamic point of view is that the woman should try to get the man into a love relationship with her as it happens in films or in Western societies. As I have emphasized on several occasions, marriage is a means to establish a family, and the family figures very prominently in any marriage right from the beginning. In cases where the admiration is mutual, as may happen if the two are colleagues at work, the man goes to the woman's father and puts his proposal. She indicates her consent to her father and the process is carried through.
If a woman selects a man as her future husband and he is considered to be good for her from the social point of view, then the father is required to facilitate her marriage. He may have to go to the extent of offering his daughter to the man as a wife. If some people find this strange, let me remind them of the Hadith which is reported by Umar Ibn Al-Khattab: "Hafsah bint Umar (Umar's daughter) became a widow when her husband, Khunais ibn Huthafah, who was a companion of the Prophet, died in Madinah. I went to Usman ibn Affan and offered him Hafsah saying: 'If you wish, I will give you Hafsah as a wife.' He said: 'I will consider the matter.' I waited for a few days, then Usman met me and said: 'I have considered the matter and I do not wish to be married now'."
Umar goes on in his report: "I then met Abu Bakr and said: 'If you wish I will give you Hafsah in marriage.' Abu Bakr kept quiet and made no answer whatsoever. I felt more aggrieved with him than I was with Usman. After a few days, Allah's messenger proposed to marry Hafsah and I gave her away in marriage to him. I then met Abu Bakr, and he said: 'You might have felt something against me when you offered me Hafsah and I made no reply.' I answered in the affirmative. He said: 'What prevented me from answering your proposal is that I had learned that Allah's messenger had expressed his wish to marry her. I was not one to reveal the Prophet's secret."
All this makes absolutely clear that it is appropriate from the Islamic point of view that the marriage is initiated by the woman's family, either through her choice or that of her guardian.
My wife and I have recently become Muslims. On visiting Madinah recently, my wife was told by a door attendant at the Prophet's Mosque that she must cover her face. He quoted the Qur'anic verse which may be rendered in translation; "Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and believing women to wear their outer garments over themselves [Added: some Ulema in the Indo-Pak have translated as 'over their faces'.] " He told us that it was obligatory for a woman to cover her face. However, we read in a translation of a book written by M. N. Albani that for a woman to cover her face is preferable but not obligatory. Please comment.
Sheikh Albani is one of the leading authorities on Hadith in the Muslim world today. I know him personally and I can assure you that he does not hesitate to say what he believes to be the truth and to support it with evidence from the Qur'an and Hadith. Like every human being, he may make mistakes. In this particular instance, he is certainly right. He has written a book on the type of dress a Muslim woman should wear in particular. The book is well researched and the style is clear and easily understood.
As for what the door attendant told you, I am afraid he has given the Qur'anic verse, he quoted to you, a meaning to fit his own view. I have no doubt that he means well, and that he does not recognize his mistake. The verse he quotes demands Muslim women to lengthen their dresses so that they are distinguished from other women. The type of dress with which it is concerned is the normal dress a woman wears. That dress cannot be made to cover her head, her face and her body. What the Qur'anic verse tells Muslim women is not to have their dresses short. They should lengthen them so as to cover their legs right down to their ankles. I have often quoted the Hadith which states that Asma', the Prophet's sister-in-law, once entered his home wearing a dress made of transparent material. The Prophet said to her: "Asma' when a women attains puberty, nothing should be seen of her body except this and this ( pointing to his face and forearms)." The way this Hadith is phrased means that the face and forearms of a woman may be seen by others. This clearly means that it is not at all obligatory for Muslim women to cover their faces. No one may force a Muslim, woman or man, to do something Allah has not imposed.
• Women: Covering their head in public
Is it explicitly stated in the Qur'an that women must cover their hair in public? If so, in which surah and in what verse?
The simple answer is yes. Verse 31 of Surah 24, entitled "Light", or "An-Noor", deals specifically with how women should appear in public and which groups of relatives are exempted from the general rule that governs women's dress. They may reveal their adornment in the presence of their husbands, fathers, fathers-in-law, sons, sons-in-law, brothers, nephews, other women, etc. The same verse includes the order that women "must draw their head-covering which should be of ample length to be used to cover their bosom", in case her dress is of such style as to reveal a part of her bosom. If her dress or blouse covers her bosom and is not tight, then it is good enough. But that does not mean that a woman does not cover her hair in such a case. Your question is phrased in such a away that it suggests that unless you have a Qur'anic statement giving a specific order, you would not accept the ruling known to everyone in this particular case.
As you know, God's message has been conveyed to us by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the fact that we are Muslims means that we believe in the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as God's messenger. This is indeed the testimony we make when we declare that we are Muslims, believing that "there is no deity save God, and that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is God's messenger." God Himself defines the relationship of total obedience to Him. God says: "Take whatever the messenger gives you and refrain from whatever he forbids you." (59;7) There are several Hadiths which make it abundantly clear that a woman must cover her head when she goes out in public. If there was no Qur'anic statement to this effect, then these Hadiths are sufficient to make the order an obligation which must be fulfilled.
According to Islamic law, are women allowed to ride horses? If not, please explain why?
Horse riding is an activity encouraged by the Prophet. He has urged us to teach our children "good marksmanship, swimming and horse riding." His statement includes both sons and daughters. When a woman rides a horse, she must continue to observe Islamic standards of propriety. She may not wear clothes which are not acceptable from the Islamic point of view. The same applies to swimming. She may not wear a swimming costume which reveals her arms or legs in front of men. If she is wearing such a costume, she has to confine her swimming to an enclosed private swimming pool, where she is seen only by people who are allowed to see her in that condition.
• Marriage: Walima — the purpose of
It is customary in our country to hold a dinner the day following a wedding. However, people believe that this dinner party, to which all relatives and family friends are invited, is treated as permissible, or halal, if the marriage has been consummated, while it is forbidden, or haram, if it has not. Please comment.
The dinner following a wedding is called "walima". It is strongly recommended and indeed some scholars go as far as making it a duty, because the Prophet said to Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, one of his companions, when he told him that he has got married, to organize it and invite people. A person who is invited to a walima should answer it, unless there is a cause which justifies his absence, such as his knowledge that some sins are being committed at the place where the walima is held. Even if a person is fasting, he should go, but he may excuse himself from eating by explaining to his host that he is fasting. If it is voluntary fasting, he may discontinue his fast.
You are no doubt aware that publicity is an essential part of marriage. Indeed, an essential distinction between what is legitimate and what is illegitimate in relations between a man and a woman is publicity. The more a marriage is publicized, the better. The minimum publicity required by Islam is for two witnesses to be present at the time when a marriage contract is made. But when the wedding takes place, whether it is made a small family affair or a grand one, a walima is recommended to add to its publicity. Another purpose for the walima is to ensure that the local community shares in the happy occasion of the marriage of one of its members. What is important to publicize is the fact of the marriage and not its actual consummation. Therefore, the notion that walima is only lawful if the marriage has been consummated is absurd. No one other than the bride and bridegroom should concern themselves with the actual consummation of the marriage. Local traditions in different communities may have some other requirements, but these are not recommended by Islam.
• Marriage: Wedding ceremony — the significance ofI have had my marriage contract done, but my wife has not moved in with me in my house, because the wedding has not taken place. However, we started to go out shopping together and at times we have lunch or dinner in a restaurant. People have blamed me for this because they say that one ceremony is still short, and we cannot behave like man and wife until it is done. Please comment.
No, you have not done any wrong in taking your wife out shopping or to dinner. You have had your marriage contract made in the proper way, with witnesses present at the time when the contract was made. You have agreed upon the amount of dower, or mahr, to be paid. So you are legally married. It is true that you have not had a wedding, but a wedding does not have any legal significance. It is a celebration so that relatives, friends and neighbors, may participate in the joyous occasion. It helps to publicize the marriage, and no doubt publicity is required in marriage. But the publicity of the marriage contract is sufficient for the marriage to go through.
Some people decide not to have a wedding, which in some Muslim countries is called rukhsati, for any reason. Some may prefer not to incur the expense, which could be a burden, while others feel that it is better not to publicize one's joy if there has been some sad occasion in the family.
Whatever the reason, the omission of the wedding does not affect the validity of the marriage. So whoever tells you that you have done wrong does not really understand the function of each step in marriage
I found this information here:
It has some wonderful information ~ sometime take the time to read it
All questions listed alphabetically.
Click alphabet of choice in the Topical index
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| The founder of modern Saudi Arabia, Abd al-Aziz captured Riyadh in 1902 and defeated the Al Saud's long time rivals for control the the Najd, or Central Saudi Arabia, the Rashid clan. After uniting various Najdi tribes under the puritanical Wahhabi Islamic order, his bedouin army conquered the Hijaz and then the Asir region to unite the Kingdom. Abd al-Aziz subsequently cemented his ties to the various regions of the country through multiple marriages that produced 45 male children. After American petroleum engineers discovered oil in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province in 1932, Abd al-Aziz began to strengthen the Kingdom's relationship with the United States. In 1945, he met with Franklin Roosevelt aboard the USS Quincy in the Great Bitter lake. Since that time, Saudi Arabia has become an economic and strategic ally of the United States. The strength of this alliance was demonstrated during the 1991 Gulf Crisis, when the United States led the multinational effort to defend the kingdom and remove Iraqi forces from neigboring Kuwait. Abd al-Aziz was a member of the Abd al-Aziz, or Royal, line of the Saudi family that traces its heritage directly to King Abd al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman bin Faysal Al Saud. In official correspondence, he is referred to as "His Royal Highness". | |||||||||||||||
Notable Relatives:
| Kin | Name | Position | Organization |
| U | Abdallah bin Faysal | Amir | Najd |
| U | Saud bin Faysal | Amir | Riyadh Area |
| B | Musaid bin Abd al-Rahman | Minister | Finance Ministry |
| S | Abd al-Illah bin Abd al-Aziz | Governor | Jawf Province |
| S | Abd al-Majid bin Abd al-Aziz | Governor | Madinah Province |
| S | Abd al-Muhsin bin Abd al-Aziz | Governor | Madinah Province |
| S | Abd al-Rahman bin Abd al-Aziz | Minister | Defense Ministry (MODA) |
| S | Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz | Crown Prince | Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia |
| S | Ahmad bin Abd al-Aziz | Deputy Minister | Interior Ministry (MOI) |
| S | Badr (II) bin Abd al-Aziz | Deputy Commander | Saudi National Guard (SANG) |
| S | Fahd bin Abd al-Aziz | King | Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia |
| S | Fawwaz bin Abd al-Aziz | Governor | Mecca Province |
| S | Faysal bin Abd al-Aziz | King | Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia |
| S | Hammud bin Abd al-Aziz | Chairman | Franchise Development And Marketing |
| S | Hidhlul bin Abd al-Aziz | Director | Hilal Sports Club |
| S | Khalid bin Abd al-Aziz | King | Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia |
| S | Majid (II) bin Abd al-Aziz | Governor | Mecca Province |
| S | Mamduh bin Abd al-Aziz | Director | Institute For Strategic Studies |
| S | Mansur bin Abd al-Aziz | unknown position | Defense Ministry (MODA) |
| S | Mishal bin Abd al-Aziz | Governor | Mecca Province |
| S | Mitib bin Abd al-Aziz | Minister | Public Works Ministry |
| S | Muqrin bin Abd al-Aziz | Governor | Hail Province |
| S | Musaid bin Abd al-Aziz | former minister | Finance Ministry |
| S | Nayif bin Abd al-Aziz | Minister | Interior Ministry (MOI) |
| S | Salman bin Abd al-Aziz | Governor | Riyadh Province |
| S | Sattam bin Abd al-Aziz | Vice Governor | Riyadh Province |
| S | Saud bin Abd al-Aziz | King | Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia |
| S | Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz | Minister | Defense Ministry (MODA) |
| S | Talal (II) bin Abd al-Aziz | Ambassador | Saudi Mission To Unicef |
| S | Turki (II) bin Abd al-Aziz | Chairman | Arabian Cement Co. Ltd., Jeddah |
F=Father, FL=Father-in-Law, U=Uncle, H=Husband B=Brother, HB=Half
Brother, S=Son
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ONE WOMAN WRITES OF HER ADVENTURES IN SAUDI
Jaqui White, who lived in Saudi Arabia for years,
writes:
I can only mention the Saudi Arabian women with whom I
had contact, and to whose homes I was invited. Amazingly, to a western woman,
they all seemed extraordinarily happy, content, even if they were one of several
wives. First of all, the woman is absolute queen of the household. It is her
domain. The children, servants, and complete life within the home is hers. It is
true when they go out they must be with their husband or a male member of the
family - father or uncle. They must be completely covered with the black abaya,
including the face, and often wearing gloves. They seem to be so accustomed to
this, however, that they like it, they told me - they feel protected in the
anonymity it offers. When they remove the abaya after they enter their home,
they are usually clothed in the most elaborate of gowns, satin, beaded,
sequined, always long. We were in Abha, which is rather rural in the Asir
region. It may be that in Riyahd or Jeddah that the women wear more western
attire. They spend long hours with the children, watching television or movies
on the VCR, and in the evening they may have parties, with traditional dancing -
women only. These traditions vary according to the economic classes. In the
homes I visited there were always separate living rooms and dining rooms - since
the women and the men must be separate, unless they are related. The wealthier
classes travel to Europe, the States or South America during the holidays, and
usually the sons are sent away to universities approved by the government either
in Europe or the States. If there are multiple wives (four is the limit) the
husband must show absolute proof that he can furnish each wife with exactly the
same thing - each has her own home, or wing on the house, etc. Again, this seems
unspeakably stultifying to a western women, but since this is all they have ever
seen, they seem to be content. This is not to say that it is right, but it is
simply a different way of life, culture and tradition. Things are slowly
changing. Women are being allowed to continue their education. When I asked why
the women were not allowed to drive, the answer was that then they would be seen
by other men (not allowed) and if there were an accident and they had to go to
jail there were none for women.
Since my husband was an orthopaedic surgeon it was
almost impossible for him to examine a woman who came to his office. She would
be accompanied by every adult male in her family, and would sit on the opposite
side of the room. Since he was accustomed to having his patients, male and
female, don swim suits and walk around in the halls so that he could determine
what was wrong with them, he found this frustrating beyond belief. The nurses in
the hospitals were all from other countries - the majority from the Philippines,
some from Ireland. It was simply not appropriate for a Saudi woman to be working
with nor in the company of men, other than her family.
Again, all this may have changed - we left Saudi Arabia
ten years ago.
This is the hypertexted version of The English Translation Of The Holy Qur'an by Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
You can browse it chapter by chapter or you can search surah(s) containing certain topics (words) by seraching through The Topics Index.
