If there ever was a Saudi who deserved an award for standing up for what he believes in, then it is Al Zulfa. Al Zulfa is a history associate professor, graduated from Cambridge University, taught at King Saud University and currently a member of the Saudi Council. In February 2006, the Saudi Council was supposed to discuss the issues and problems concerning transportation, the conditions of our roads and the increasing number of car accidents. Al Zulfa took this opportunity to try to present a proposal to study lifting the ban from women driving. His proposal mysteriously failed to be distributed to council members and when he raised the issue during that session, it seems like he opened the doors of hell. The council members refused to even discuss the issue, stating that it was not their place or job to. And Al Zulfa was mobbed everywhere he went by muttawas, telling him how he was trying to make Saudis live like the infidels and attempting to guide him to the right path of Islam. Saudis called him on his private phone number to tell him that with this proposal he is going to turn all our women to prostitutes. They attacked him in newspapers, on TV and online. They spread rumours about him including a rumour that he had no daughters and that is why he doesn’t care about the modesty of Saudi women (actually he has two daughters).He was invited on shows all across the Middle East. He was even invited twice on conservative shows, only to have high-power sheikhs call up the show and affront him publicly. Even Royals got on the “hate Al Zulfa” bandwagon and made public statements about how he disappointed them. Someone even posted a Google Earth photo of Al Zulfa’s private residence in case anybody wanted to “counsel” him face to face. Al Zulfa stood his ground and to this day, he publicly supports women rights. Saudis either passionately despise him or loyally support him and you can get a feel for how conservative a Saudi is just by asking what he/she thinks of Al Zulfa.
Saudiwoman's Weblog 
I respect Dr. Al Zulfa but I think he sometimes put himself in places where he should not be. By doing that, he has disappointed many people, conservatives and liberals alike.
I think Dr. Al-Zulfa did a brave act. Women are suffering because they can’t drive. I’m one of them. I am very limited to the daily things I must do to live and survive in Saudi. I have had drivers license for more than 20 years and can drive safer and better than most of the men in the Kingdom–including the kids you often see behind the wheel of these cars. I own my own car, insure it, fuel it with petrol and maintain it, yet I am not trusted to drive my own vehicle.
At first I had to deal with 5 years of 120 degrees heat while waiting for taxis. Now I have a car and I thought it would be easier. I now have to deal with the aggrevation of foreign drivers–mixing with them, bad smells, sitting alone with them and literally taking care of them along with being at their mercy in order to get them to drive me to work, school, shopping and medical appointments-otherwise they might say no or just quit. In addition, it is costly and dispicable housing a grown foreign man in your home. I am forced to pay 1800SR monthy for a driver-way less than the cost of fueling my car weekly-which amounts to 25SR. This money could be used to feed my family and educate children.
I challenge any man in Saudi to endour what the women in Saudi have to suffer from–it’s torturous, unislamic and inhumane. The dear Prophet (peace be upon him) would frown on this society and the cultural practices that they use to control the women-robbing them of the rights that ALLAH- ta alah has given them and the hardships and inconveniences it is putting a women in. I commend Dr. Al Zulfa for his efforts despite the backward mindeness of most of the cowardly men who don’t want to see the society progress, let alone the women of Saudi. Dr Al Zulfa is a true man and a mouth piece for the women. It’s just so unfortunate that we don’t have more men like him in Saudi’s Society.
Dr. Mohammed Al Zulfa is a forward looking realistic man who is sincere to the fundamental teachings of Islam yet willing to listen to reasons within a bona fide frame of realities. The dynamic of Islamic politics is so fluid that it does not take a scholar like Dr. Al Zulfa to sometime contradict on some of the lesser Islamic issues. The pivotal concerns of each and every Muslim in the world must be to counter the incredible power and influence Zionists have gained through the control of mass media, entertainment and financial institutions. It is time that all Muslims start thinking of creating a network of Muslims around the world in general but particularly in the USA and UK to start investing and owning more mass media outlets along with entertainment network. Like the saying goes “in Rome do what the Romans do” and so should we in USA to cause serious changes in the minds of the masses where the power eminates from. Barak Obama may bring some changes or not, but at least there is a different kind of energy in the USA today. So lets take advantage and start networking to invest and expand in ownerships of mass media outlets instead of 5 star hotels and other vanity based real estates! We must wake up and embrace the realities less we are willing to keep on getting pushed around by our enemies.
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how fortunate we are in Britain to have had people like him over the centuries to have fought for the rights the British have today (and other nationalities who visit Britain )
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Is it possible to read this proposal? I am very interested in hearing his perspectives.
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Let those Saudis talk about zulfa now.
These Saudis should understand that a woman can be very decent or a pros whether she is allowed to drive and work or not,it is the fear of ALLAH that make a person not to do anything unlawful,right ?
Mutawwas infact have no deep knowledge of Islam that’s the serious problem