I carefully read all comments on this weblog and take them into consideration especially when writing new posts. However, I apologize if you happened to have asked a question that is yet to be answered. I am a mother of three, and I have a full-time job. So it is a stretch just maintaining a blog. I highly value and appreciate comments, but the comment section is just that, and not a discussion board.
Saudiwoman's Weblog 
Thoughts on this?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7797921.stm
You are right that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is the root of all the tension in the Middle East.
But Israel dismantled settlements and withdrew from Gaza, and how did Hamas respond? By firing rockets. If you fire rockets, you have to expect a massive retaliation.
Do you think if Yemen fired several thousand rockets at Saudi Arabia that the Saudis would just launch a “tit for tat” strike or two in response?
The Palestinians have a choice to make. They can have the reality of their own sovereign state — which even Israel wants them to have — or they can cling to their impossible dream of driving Israel into the sea. They cannot have both.
Firing rockets is an act of war. The people of Gaza have reaped what they have sown.
This man is clearly a troll or uninformed to the Palestinian issue. He needs to follow Younes Arar on Facebook. There he will have all the injustices the Zionist perpetuate on the Palestinians every day. If the West couldn’t accept an apartheid state in South Africa, and Jim Crow laws in America till the 1960s, they should not sit back and accept what is going on in Palestine today. It is inexcusable that the Palestinians, and muslims and general have become the new Jews. But that is what has happened because of strategic media cover up and using the Holocaust as carte blanche to do whatever they want in the world.
Well said Mark
“You are right that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is the root of all the tension in the Middle East”
dear Mark, you are wrong.
My opinion is, that ME conflict has many roots — but one is prominent.
It is not a discussion of few thousands sq kilometres, it is mix of religion and culture heritage of arab people.
If one side is not able to make compromises, thinks that you’ve found and ideal and eternal receipt for everything (islam & sharia = absence of critical thinking) and that you’ve an order from god to spread your ideology abroad… there can be no Peace.
The israel is not saint, but the glove is on your part of the ring.
Try to imagine that whole europe attacks the new islam province Kosovo and try to expel all of it’s citizens to see? Hard to imagine? Yeah, of course…
I admire you very much. I like the way you write, it is more informative than emotional. which is very convincing. I am a Saudi woman living in Jiddah. I have been married for eighteen years and my husband is abusive. Ten years ago when I tried to leave him, my family gave me a hard time so I had to stay. I like to write and I believe my writing is good and everyone around me has told me this. I have published a story for children and it is very touching. It is about a little girl who supports her friend who is going through cancer. My daughter is a cancer survivor. This is a miracle considering what I went through during her three years of chemotherapy treatment. My husband told me that he had gotten married a week after my daughter was diagnosed. I brushed the shock away and focused on my daughter. I couldn’t even afford to grieve at the time as my daughter needed all my support. I am considered a hero in her eyes but a witch in his. His calls me a criminal because I left my house and refused him. He says I am considered a Nashiz in Islam and therefore he is not obligated to give me any allowance. This doesn’t bother me as much as his not taking care of his daughter when she needed him the most. I told him that she tried to throw herself from the care once to get his attention but he called me a liar. I would like to write about my experience. I want to help other children and women like me by feeling that they are not alone. I have hope that I can help the men too. I don’t know where to write. I would appreciate your help. Thank you.
Dear Hanna,
Its really amazing what a women you are God bless you forever and you are not alone we are with you is to be my pleasure if I will do some thing, take care and Regards
Hanna, I am so sorry for what has been happening to you. I pray that you will be in better condition soon. I wish your family would understand and take care of you. Women are strong, not like men used to convince us. Please try to stay strong maybe you could find a job and get your freedom. Please write about your story I know lots of people will be interested in it and if you write it in English and have it printed in a international print house you will have more readers. My heart is with you. I hope I could help you more.
Dear Hanna ,
I admire your courage for withstanding all this difficulties in your life . Hope you are not abused by anyone around you now . Never think you are alone in this world . People all around the world will support you as a human not only because you are just a woman who lives in Saudi , that’s all about humanity .
hope you are doing better now
Hi there. What a wonderful, readable, useful blog.
I think I have read everything you wrote in like 2 days, stumbling upon it by chance. I will be joining my expat partner in Abu Dhabi starting later this year, and it would be my pleasure to invite you for a lunch should you be there. We (non-KSA, non-Muslims) know so little about what’s going on in KSA and why. Thanks for giving us your insights, in a very balanced way.
Kindly, dignify me with an answer. Why don’t you publish my comments? What did I do wrong?
I never recieved them and you are the second person to ask why I haven’t published comments that I’ve never recieved. I publish everything unless it’s particularly offensive. Maybe it’s a wordpress bug?!
I don’t know but i have also seen my comments “awaiting moderation” it seems that I am being censored.
yes u are. I don’t allow profanity and personal attacks.
But I never used profanity and other people attacked me much more personally that I attacked anyone else. Is it because you don’t agree with me? Or is it because I am Jewish???
You used the word fuck, you called me of a “preschool menial mind”. I have nothing against Jews. I’m against Zionists.
Hello Eman,
Any thoughts on the following issue?
Hoping to hear from you.
Hello Eman,
Any thoughts on this?
Hoping to hear from you.
Hi Miss. Eman,
I found really interesting your blog and I will appreciate if I can ask you something about a situation that concern KSA.
Thank you 🙂
Hi Eman. I was not too sure about writing to you and did it with 50/50% uncertainty about whether I should or not. Please forget my comments. And I am glad to know you exist. But I don’t think I should create such a stupid complication or put you in a difficult situation. Please write more on your blog when you can. But I have been reading things from other places where I can (including wikipedia or news as well, which some people do not like, but actually I think such information is better than to not know anything about it at all),
Take care, (you don’t have to reply).
good wishes.
Is there a way to subscribe to your blog?
I admire the rising tide of women’s voice in Saudi, I found this site by accident and It’s a very interesting read. I had a conversation with a cab in jeddah who asked me what it’s like to live in Canada, and as I was I describing the concepts of human rights, tolerance and freedoms, he quickly turned the subject to how do you control your daughter when wants to have a boyfriend? As if religion is no longer a set of beliefs and values that you are taught and choose to live your life by, but it’s rather a set of rules that are forced upon you that you may or may not understand. I could only answer him with a question, should your daughter follow religion because she wants to, or because she has to?
Hi Eman,
what a great, passionate blog.
It’s a shame that smart, bright women like you must undergo such a diminishing reality, where women are allowed to express themselves freely and safely.
There are – unfortunately – still many places like yours in the world, where women are not allowed doing the basics of normality, such as going out on their own, just without being controlled by anyone, and go wherever they want to.
I am a very independent woman, I know that you would be one as well, and I wanted to give you my whole support and understanding, together with my admiration for your courage and determination.
Thanks for existing, you’re the voice of a million women waiting for freedom in silence and remission.
Hi,
your blog is really interesting. I ask you just a short question, no matter if you don’t have time to answer, I’ll understand.
Do you think is safe for a not-married not-muslim european couple to come as tourist in KSA?
Thanks in advance for your answer.
Regards
Laura
If it was arranged by an official tourism agency, absolutely safe.
I suppose this means that we cannot just buy a flight, rent a car and booking hotels on our own, isn’t it?
Hi Eman,
my name is Lorena and I’m a 41 years old Italian woman. I found your site because the most important Italian newspaper had written about you and I was very interested to have news about your world direcly from a Saudi woman. I’m really impressed from your blog. Don’t give up.
Best regards
Good article. But then think of the clerics and the system which supports each other. It’s here that we have to change their mindsets.
Keep glowing and lets see more of you regularly.
I find your blog very interesting. I am always wondered how women in muslim countries think about they way they are treated compared to men. I have just read your last posts about abayas and “gender mixing”. I live in the United States and also have three children (all under 5). I find gender issues here in the United States sometimes to be frustrating as well. Most of our bills and important papers are in my husband’s name and have been left frustrated when wanting to simply change a cell phone plan or switch cable service. Yet I am responsible for running our household while he is at work. I feel very belittled I can’t even imagine how sufficating it must be for women to accomplish even the most mundane tasks in Sadia Arabia. I am glad that women in your country do have a voice and one day will gain some indenpendence and recongnittion (sp) of equality.
Katie, I’m in the U.S. also and every bill and important paperwork is in my name, not my husbands. That is a matter of choice between the couple and has nothing to do with politics or the government mandating it. If you don’t want it all in your husband’s name tell him so and insist that the bills be either in both your names or just yours since you handle them. Either way, a little assertion on your part would correct the issue.
You are performing a great work! A society that must be compelled in all things, is a weak society. As an American man who has spent a great deal of time in different Muslim countries, I must say that the current state of affairs for women in Saudi Arabia must change. The need for this kind of dialogue is crucial. The kind of oppression that Saudi women have been forced to endure, is worthy of a revolt. The Muslim women in Tunisia were not required to wear the Abaya and they do just fine. Your country has a long way to go before they can be concidered civilized. It is the same society that has arrested Christians for passing out Bibles and beheaded them. To take away peoples ability to think and act for themselves, is a corrupt way of doing things.
I wish you well as you continue to enlighten others.
“Your country has a long way to go before they can be concidered civilized.”
If I would be a Saudi I would never accept this kind of “sympathy” and patronizing.
Congratulations on a great website! I often look at the reality of the AE conflict and its spill over into the rest of the Muslum world and see nations and peoples who so sequestered themselves in tradition that progress is impossible and compromise is is considered unthinkable! It seems that most nations are stuck in a never ending cycle of intolerance that even those nations that have progressed are being pulled back into the cycle? Me thinks only for the pursuit of power.
Message Sent
Hello from a supporter in America. I lived in your country 30 years ago before you were born (i am speculating). Your country was quiet and beautiful but growing daily.
I had many debates with men (only because I never saw Saudi women in the Kingdom) regarding the very issues you address so passionate.
The illiteracy rate at the time was about 93% and nearly all of the workforce was imported. I remember speaking to a high ranking official, from Al – Soud family, off the record. He was complaining about the influence these expats had on his countrymen. He was generous enough to ask my opinion… and I unloaded. I explained that it was unrealistic to think that Saudi students, spending years abroad, would not return with a broader spectrum of ideas (presumably from the west). Nor was it odd that the huge population of imported talent (as I prefer to call them… even though I still remember a name tag of a worker at the airport that said simply “boy”) would not make their mark on the Saudi society with whom they blended. Additionally, it was hypocritical to complain about this polluting of the society when, at that time, most of the Saudis only wanted to be “businessmen” or “investors”. I pointed out that so long as your people (men) are not interested, or willing, to become engineers, scientists, technicians etc., you (the Saudis) are totally dependent upon foreigners (that bring their culture along with them). In otherwords, I said you all can not sit around managing your money you have to actually work in other fields so that eventually your reliance (on outsiders) will be radically reduced.
I have watch from afar for years and am very proud of your country’s success with progress yet retaining your values. Having said that, I believe people such as you are really forcing the stagnant elders to reevaluate old customs and consider new ideas. A very close, dear friend was one of the very first Kuwaitii women to work in the government. Thirty years ago Tahani was responsible for protocol for visiting dignitaries to Kuwait. She bravely faced (and weathered) a lot of criticism from many people but, with the support of her loving family and friends she has brilliantly succeeded. I am very proud of her. I see the same wonderful events occurring for women in your country. Never give up hope and pray, pray, pray. God will guide you. Keep up the wonderful work~~!!
A Big Fan,
Kathrine Kimcee Clark
Thank you Kathrine. I enjoyed reading your comment. You seem to have a balanced view of the situation. It’s not so bad for middle-class women from supportive and open-minded families like myself. However it is terrible for women with abusive men in their families. The current system supports this abuse and even in the worst cases you find many in government turn the other way rather than help.
Your perseverance and determination is admirable. Keep working hard for all the women without a voice (in those abusive environments), we must stick together as there is strength in numbers.
God will guide and protect you.
I don’t know much about KSA’s iron hold towards women but I would like to ask few question ! and I have few suggestions !
Question : Is it true that ISLAM i mean the quran and hadeeth doesn’t give any rights to women ?
Suggestion : If u have time pls write an article on how islam should give rights to woman ?
I read recently that women and men should lower their gaze but How come only sudi men can appear in TV but women can’t ?
Please include a search In ur blog!
Salam,
You have made an interesting site. Much open to the criticism as well as to appriciation of your culture.
I love Saudi Arabia, though i am not saudi. What ever happenes to women there in Saudi Arabia, is to be considered and managed by your leaders and as per in todays international politics shouldn’t be rediculed in front of world for the sake of a good repect outside.
One approach to a problem can be a serious achievement from other point of view for some one else who is not the well wisher.
Allah help you all and bring the best to you
Maas,salama
Saudiwoman,
Truly great writing. Wanted to compliment you on great work much earlier, but did not get a chance.
I would like to say though that there is a lot of discussion on each of one of the postings and really, you should not mind it. It is the only way you will get many perceptions in one place. It is the way people conclude on an issue.
Remarkable ya saudiwoman. Allah yitawwil 3umrik and bless your family. Mashallah.
Thank you Ali 🙂
“Comments are highly valued but the comment section is just that, and not a discussion board”
Too bad, but I hoped to recieve some kind of feed back on my comments 🙂 You have a very interesting blog, keep up the good work.
Hi Eman “Saudiwoman” I found your blog through Twitter (I’m @Boudicca007) and I am really pleased to have found you ! I really appreciate you sharing your experiences, thoughts and ideas with us and the fact that you are encouraging an open minded debate to help to develop a better understanding of the issues . All too often people talk about women in Saudi and the related issues in a way can be uninformed, so it is really good to hear the voice of a Saudi Woman. I am sitting here reading a number of your articles and watched some of your excellent Israel / Palestine documentary (is there a link to share it?) even though it is past 2am in the UK ! Really should go to bed ! I have a strong interest in the Middle East, in Islamic issues and in developing a better understanding of Islam in the West. My fiancee and many of my friends are Muslim and we often debate the issues that you have highlighted. So I will continue to follow and read your work with interest. Take Care and Warm Regards, Diana 🙂 .
Saudi Woman
I am Native American and I think that you are proud beautiful and fiery. Racism or sexism. Its all bull.
Don’t give up. It might take years but the struggle will overcome stupidity.
I’d love to talk to you.
Nassaki Bineshe
I have just come back from tarawee prayers …. I cant get of your blog 😦 it will be time for sohoor and i’m still here…IT’S A FANTASTIC BLOG…
And a woman that is a wife has 3 children, Studies and works…….YOU ARE GREAT……would love to spend some time to talk with you and share some views……
May all your Salat, Saum and Do’aa be accepted by Allah especially in the lovely month of Ramadan….
Yousef Stylianou
PS…so you want me to buy you a book…where do i send it to….!!!!!!!
Thank you! you just made my day! 🙂
By the way Mrs Al Nafjan
Please support this book…
It is a photo book of different masjids including Al Aqsa المسجد الأقصى and Dom of the rock مسجد قبة الصخرة
Containing photos of the well of souls…Bir el- Arweh, Sakhrah and various other Masjids. All the profits from this book will got to charities.
It will be available at all book shops and online stores such as Amazon and Barns & Noble, Waterston’s and for ipad and iphone and pdf to download within 4 weeks.
The book will be called “Photos of Islam” and the ISBN is 978-1-4461-6383-2
sorry to take up your web space with this
Yousef
Hello! Excellent work!
best regards from your polish reader 😉
I am an indian staying in saudi ,my parents wish to marry me to a girl here. But the problem is that my father in law is going for exit his iqama has been expired 5 months back and his sponser is in no mood to renew. My QUEStion is
can i marry her in the Kingdom before they depart the problem is her iqama is expired.I want to know if i can do nikah here and transfer her to my iqama as am a proffesional and eligible for family status.Thank you in advance, looking forward for your earliest reply
I am an indian staying in saudi ,my parents wish to marry me to a pakistani girl here. But the problem is that my father in law is going for exit his iqama has been expired 5 months back and his sponser is in no mood to renew. My QUEStion is
can i marry her in the Kingdom before they depart the problem is her iqama is expired.I want to know if i can do nikah here and transfer her to my iqama as am a proffesional and eligible for family status.Thank you in advance, looking forward for your earliest reply…..
Cultural differences always will arise to misunderstanding. But simple truths have a chance. My background is an experience of colonialism, racism and institutionalized dependency – and my people’s struggle against that. I am Native American and I am very proud of that.
Your struggle is similar and this is just one of the reasons I felt your cause. I also simply fell in love with all of you as human beings through your tweets and blogs.
I want to thank you for allowing my profanity in my post. I wish I could take it back and rewrite it. I have a tendency to get carried away. Just delete it.
Dear Mrs.EMAN AL NAFJAN,
I am a beginning member of international media GLOBAL VOICES .
I was moved by the sories of women from Saudi Arabia.I would like to translate your Saudi Women’s Weblog for GLOBAL VOICES POLSKA which is a Polish addition of citizen media Global Voices .I hope you know Global Voices. Global Voices is a citizenmedia based upon blogging which brings international and internal affairs of a country to the wider public .Global Voices Polska is a Polish addition of Global Voices.Translation of your blog would bring stories from Saudi Arabian women to the Polish speakers.
Global Voices is a Polish addition of Global Voices which would bring your Saudi Women’s Weblog to Polish speakers.
I would like my compatriots to be moved with your stories.
yours faithfully
Eman
This is just the beginning. Next womens rights.
Loving your blog. 🙂
I am a Mother of five and a Grandmother of six — and the peaceful (well except for Libya sadly) and profoundly brave revolution sweeping the Middle East and northern Africa has me completely transfixed. I have always told my children that there is nothing new under the sun. Clearly I was wrong. This inexorable push for dignity, human rights, and self determination is a NEW and WONDERFUL thing on the face of the earth. Bless you all.
Praying and hoping for your continuing success.
Ok we will follow your policy in the comment
You write beautifuuly.
And, most if your readers are literate, even if I cannot agree with some of their opinions.
You may find this article of interest.
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/03/the-corpus-in-the-court-like-lexis-on-steroids/72054/
Why are you Saudis so cruel with the poor maids that come from India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Phillipines? The kind of atrocities that you mete out to them is the kind that one sees in horror films. You Saudis are very nice to the White folks, though.
Salaam, I am showing the women of Arabia my support. The Prophet {SAW} last words were that men should be good to their women. This does not mean give them what material they want but it means treat them well, make them happy, clearly the women of arabia are unhappy. I shed tears for the women of the world. I wish i could help. My dua is with allah {swt} and inshallah the mahdi will solve all of your problems. i wish you all the best my sisters. one day allah will provide me with an arabic bride whom will be an example to the men of the arab world. i will show them that we fear no man. it is such a beautiful thing when a woman is happy. why take it away. it angers my heart. our women should not be treated this way. the wife of the beloved of allah, she was a trader/merchant. that shuld be more then enough proof alone that the women of arabia can do. no one is saying that they will step over they’re boundries. astaghfirullah,may allah forgive us all.
INSHALLAH
I enjoy reading your frank, no-nonsense blog – thank you!
Regarding the current unrest and violence sweeping the Middle East, although I am an Israeli (or Zionist as you call us), I am concerned that protests in KSA will be met with violence. You write that change is bound to come in time, and I hope you are right. I wish you and all like minded KSA citizens success, and hope you achieve the rights and freedoms you deserve, without making use of violence, as soon as possible. The news from Libya and Syria regarding the price payed for change should council citizens of nations in similar situations to much caution. Like you, I have 3 children under the age of 8, and the thought of harm befalling them or my wife and I is unbearable.
Good blog and high quality writing.
What is astounding is that a well educated and traveled person such as you is blind the useful propaganda that KSA and other Governments push to avoid scrutiny of their clearly self centered objectives.
Using Palestinians, Israelis, women and Americans as demons distracts people from the real problem that Governments need to be established for the people and not for the small group of so called Royalty and Presidents for Life. Why not focus on all the freedom we enjoy in the West (Equality for women comes to mind) and that the only Arabs who vote in free and fair elections are in Israel and you will soon see the moral bankruptcy in all the kleptomania-cal regimes in the Middle East.
Who gave KSA’s oil to the ruling family. Why does the Emir of Qatar own all the gas in that country and why do Arabs tolerate having no free press?
That is what I can never understand. Maybe they are allowed to vent about Israel as a distraction from all the many things that should concern them in their own countries.
Keep travelling but look at how we enjoy Freedom in every way.
Hi,
I am a New Media manager here at the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, based in Washington DC, and we focus on social media, where the topic of women driving was a very popular topic on Twitter and on Facebook. We are shooting a program about this topic, and we were wondering if you’d like to participate in the discussion in this social media show, via a Skype interview (I totally understand if you have privacy concerns, we can discuss it). We would really appreciate having you on board as your blog is very well written and well-respected. Let me know, and we can discuss further. And if not, thank you for writing your blog and being an active member of the social media world, I really enjoy reading it and it’s extremely informative.
Sincerely,
Maha
وجاء التدخل الكافر . هذا اسلوبهم دائما , التظاهر بالبرائة والحرية والدعوة للخير !! .لان الامريكي خصوصا يعتقد ان كل ما يفعله للدول الاخرى هو خير دائما , وكل قيمة يدعمها فهي ايجابية حتما, ولا يقبل حتى النقاش فيها , ولا الانشغال بمشاكله عنها . هذا مرض (السيلف رايتشيسنيس ) الذي يعاني منه الغربيون عموما والامريكيون على وجه الخصوص .الهدف من هذا الذي تدعو اليه مها هو مناقشة موضوع قيادة المراة لاستخلاص افضل طريقة للكفار الامريكيين كي يتدخلوا . دعوة صريحة للكفر .
الخبيثة مها تعمل في مؤسسة اعلامية حكومية امريكية تعنى بما يسمونه الشرق الاوسط , وهذه لا ينفصل ما يطرح فيها عن سياسات واشنطن.
extremely dishonest blog — full of distortions and pseudo intellectualism…
have you heard the saying: birds of feather flock together.
Micheal:I am glad you approve of dlilring for oil in Alaska, this is what is needed in the short and medium term as we prepare to find alternatives which do not appear out of thin air.By stating that we could cut and run from Iraq, you suggest that the whole war is about oil. You are conveniently forgetting the issue of terrorism. Also, we are not intimidating Iran they are attacking our soldiers.You make some good point about Health Care, but as good as freedom is, as a Conservative, I believe that we need to guard against anarchy also. You can call us an Empire if you wish, but the kind of cuts you recommend to our military will leave us vulnerable. Socialism, not militarism, is our real problem.OHIO JOE
Save the money. Do not hire foreign drivers, who take away your the financial resources of your families. If not allowed to drive, then request bus service in every city only for women and children (white and green).
Let men use another bus service (blue and white).
yeah, kick out all the expats from Saudi arabia and other countries do the same kick out all saudi fool who come to learn english , french and medicine + engineering at our universities….
nice solution Lefranse…..loooks like you are drinking too much cheap french wine.
vous tromper un peu le français
est ce blog français
je ne sais pa
Mon captain Saudi Analyst:
Je crois que tu est feu. I was an expat in Riyadh. I am not saying to remove all expats, au contraire. Hire expats to teach young Saudis people skills, languages, technical skills, drilling, etc. There are plenty of jobs in Saudi Arabia to satisfy all Saudis, including women. Fermez la question ici!!
hire expats to teach, phew, who are kidding dubious frenchmen…. if you were living and working in saudi arabia then you know for a fact:
1- saudis are lazy
check any government institutions
– they come late and leave early
– they work very slow as they have some sort of cognitive disease,
– they disappear from work ( if the work is for 8 hours, come ONE hour late and leave 2 hours early so you are working 5 hours, then in this 5 hours , the guy has to go for lunch, nap, salah prayers and what not… so he is actually working 2 or 3 hours )
Look, mr. french looks like you had a rotten croissant in your breakfast…. otherwise, you would not have been mocking the reality.
* Why do Saudi Businessmen hire non-saudis ?
* Why do Saudi Women not sit in Taxis operated by Saudis ?
* Why are there so many prisoners who stay in in Jail for years without trial because the judge doesn’t have time or is overloaded or not enough trained judges…etc… ( the issue is not that but lazy saudis )
But with all my harsh criticism i must admit and say, the Country has made 1000% progression. From 0 ( Zero sifar nich ditto ) they are alteast something. 20 years ago, there was no saudi doctor and today you have few saudi doctors …..
So, I am not really against Aal Saud or Saudis rather i like to point out sheer hypocrisy and ignorance and pseudo intellectualism by the likes of the owner of this blog or blue-dummy-abaya finnish heretic who is mocking religious institutions.
Saudi Arabia has made a great progress….and Saudis are improving but they still have a lot to do more…..inshallah they will lead the Muslim Ummah after several thousand years. This cannot happen overnight.
What Manal al-Sharif regardless of what tribe she belongs to or if she original saudi or not who really cares, ( does the blogger saudi jeans have any iota of brain ?? ) called for
I repeat MANAL AL-SHARIF CALLED for
* chaoas
* disunity
* disruption
* rebellion
for which she should have been punished really harsh 3 to 5 years at the least in hard labour would have been the sentence, but she should thank God then the Government that she was lucky to be released in 10 days. I am pretty sure she got little fat, because of eating mandi and other superb 5 star food at the prison ( islahiyya = correctional facility aka Jail )
Imagine if all the foolish women started driving cars chased by young saudis … had accidents where is the infrastructure ?
* does saudi arabia have women police ?
* does saudi arabia have women jail ?? ( not prison or correctional facility which is different than jail = custody , hold up until proven guilty to be transferred to prison )
* does saudi arabia have women paramedics ?
* does saudi arabia have insurance policy for women ?
* does saudi arabia have women lawyers ?
so what manal was calling for was totally irrational , and by the way, she is out on BAIL which means she could be called any moment back to prison…… prosecuted and could have a 3 to 5 year sentence…
*** Saudi Analyst ***
I understand where you’re coming from but your analysis and perception is corrupted by illogic (which cannot be self-serving when it masks your eyes to truth). Rather than counter the flaws in your arguments (but of course I could and would, at your request), I’m rather curious to hear what your mother has to say about the issue.
How does your mother feel about women’s rights? Does she feel oppressed or would it be safe to say she sees things the way you do?
If you feel the same way, who felt that way first?
Too bad that most humans are blind. A wonderful world awaits.
It is very sad that most of us only open our eyes to our own selfish desires.
C ‘est la vie! Here or there, everywhere is the same!
Hi
I followed up the. comments above with a question about Saudi people marrying their first cousins. The post received one reply (saying that India did so as well). I made the comment as a follow up to one above decrying the lack of capacity of Saudi’s to perform their jobs properly. The reference was from a Wikipedia extract. Can you please advise if this post was deleted as it no longer shows above?
Thanks
PS….. What I want to know is if it is true that Saudi’s marry their first cousins?
so what if they marry first cousins or second cousins. Have you heard of Mormons in the US ? they are not Saudis …………
They marry their own sisters and mothers……incest is okay in the western countries……
Marrying one’s first cousin is legal in several of the 50 states in the US. It used to be a far more common practice but now is rare. I have known MANY Saudi’s that married first cousins.
FYI Albert Einstien and Charles Darwin married first cousins. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt were only slightly more distant cousins.
Mormons do NOT marry their mothers and sisters- and never have.
so what if they marry first cousins or second cousins. Have you heard of Mormons in the US ? they are not Saudis …………
They marry their own sisters and mothers……
Khaled, your post is wrong. There is not a single ‘Western’ country that I know of where any form of incense is practiced, allowed or legal. Mormons certainly do not marry their mothers or sisters. Some Mormons (members of an illegal fringe off-shoot) do practice polygamy but they are prosecuted for this all over the USA where polygamy is illegal (and Australia, UK, France etc etc).
You also write “so what if they marry their cousins”. Today we have a more complete understanding of the proven science of genetics and can determine the risks to future generations that result from cousins marrying. The result of these marriages is children who suffer from a range of diseases and also achieve less academically (because their IQ’s are lower).
In answer to your point about “Indians”, if we include Pakistanis I can report that according to the BBC, Pakistani inbreeding is thought to explain the probability that a British Pakistani family is more than 13 times as likely to have children with recessive genetic disorders. While Pakistanis are responsible for three percent of the births in the UK, they account for 33% of children with genetic birth defects.
Statistics don’t lie.
Please consider the issue and don’t make silly comments that are baseless.
Mark:
Saudis do not marry their cousins. That’s an old practice. They normally marry someone from their own tribe or sometimes from another tribe. The lines of being blurred with the passing of older generations. Saudis love and marry many foreign women to increase the national gene pool.
While driving this morning, I was listening to The Current and I heard these comments by a Saudi man which, summarised in my own words was, “if we allow women to drive, it will lead to corruption. First they will start driving, then they will show off their faces, then they will meet men and our women will become just like Western women.” I would like to ask this gentleman is why is it that Saudi men have not yet been corrupted by driving? I would also like to say that if Saudi women will start meeting men on their own terms, maybe they will be able to find someone they love and not marry someone because of force. That would be a good thing.
Thanks,
Farida Hannan
What inane thinking makes some Saudi men think that women driving leads to corruption. They drive to Bahrain, Qatar, and UAE to have fun and games. But women are simply asking for a basic necessity. The real shame is having foreign drivers who not mahram (male relatives) driving Saudi women around and, sometimes, making them wait to be picked up (leaving them exposed to other men on the street or at the mall). Ignorance breeds mayhem.
Driving is symbolic almost everywhere of freedom and expanding horizons. Who, male or female, anywhere in the world, does not remember how liberating were those first times behind the wheel. It is interesting that the phrase ‘days of rage’ has been adopted – the first I heard of it was from Jo Franklin’s film “Days of Rage: the Young Palestinians”, which was as explosive then as now, as is her new e-book The Wing of the Falcon, a fictional account of Saudi women that has to be so close to the truth.
I want to tell you that many now knew that you are NOT a saudi and everybody will soon know
You are JORDANIAN
you lived in there and then now disguise as a saudi .And you repudiated to the country where you lived and built your self between its kind people
contrary the regulations in it. and moreover trade for anti Islam attidudes.. and you attack the habits and morals of the tribal society of saudi arabia.. you try deadly to destabalize the security and stability.
Be sure that you are on a big Iniquity .. thats if you believe in the judjment day infront of Allah the greatest
on that time you will remeber all what you are doing and reeeally regret it .. because you and the arab migrants in the kingdom with you are living a big lie .. which will Not last for long
I want to say at last that I am with woman driving car.. but since senior Moslim Scholars decided a Fatwa which was applied by officials into law based on the interest of the Kingdom as the particularity of this country because of the Holy land of Mekka and Madina. Everybody should respect this and apply it.
If this would be changed it surely have to come by original saudis Ok 😉
Sure you want publish my comment or u would edit half of it but the important is that you read 😉
Yes I am a Saudi and I’m from Qaseem where my family has been for centuries. Your comment is so funny and baseless.
Ur jordanian or saudi or an alien but u do not represent my religion or women of saudi. ur a fake western zionist paid blogger to mock islam n saudi
First to the science. Based on Western Insurance data women are safer drivers than men using any measure. This is just another example where we in the West look at Saudis and think you are always finding ways to Ron your society of opportunity.
Now on to the religion bit. How can a whole country have firm rules that were laid down during the Bronze Age and still follow them without updating the philosophy to account for development over the past 1500 years?
Does all this ancient thinking do the world any good? I would love to know how.
http://fr0schwabi.blogspot.com/p/regeln-wie-im-mittelalter.html
Have a look at this, it is german
http://fr0schwabi.blogspot.com/p/regeln-wie-im-mittelalter.html
I read your english translation of the sterm piece with interest. In it you say that school girls attend school and have to be completely covered without even an eye-slit. I presume therefore that the face is in fact completely open but they have to wear niqaabs with full-face veiling layers instead of a standerd niqaab with eye slit, (I saw this style one day when I was doing my hajj!) or is it a niqaab with a meshed over eye-slit. After all they would not be able to see their way into school after being dropped off by their fathers,brothers,etc.! Or are they indeed blind as “training” for their lives as they become women!? I would be interested in your reply in due course, insha allah.Maasalaama, sr. Amelia
Saudiwoman:
Have you thought of putting up a debate section so blog topics aren’t high jacked. I noticed American Beau does this. Don’t know if you could move the off topic items into the debate area or not. By the way, I guilty of it. I actually thought by now you would have thrown me off. Of course you may have found it amusing. Just a suggestion.
Saudiwoman:
Oh. I find your articles very insightful as well.
Thanks, and here hoping for your right to chose your path.
Too many Islamophobes on this blog. But filth attracts filth.
May Allah guide you towards Islaam and help you in forsaking feminism.
Seeing what you are doing on your blog to promote the rights of Saudi women is so inspiring. The world needs many more courageous people like you. I send you all of my blessings.
This is not a reply. It is a comment that must be said. That you are all heroes! I am, by the accident of birth, born a free man able to voice my opinions, practice my faith and recognize these facts. I know that speaking out should be a right of all people and that many do not have that right! I do not know if I would have your courage to do what you are doing or if I could face the penalties that others are made to pay. You are a hero!!
Saudi women stand up for your rights you deserve to drive, go to school and work.
My request to the designer, Please Understand that Saudi Flag is not just a flag, it contains the most sacred verse and words of Allah. Kindly do not distort or make a collage of the flag specially with a woman face on it. PLEASE remove it ASAP. thank you.
AssalamoAlaikum!
first of all i really appreciate the efforts being done by you young people everywhere in saudi arabia..now lets come to the point which i really face there in KSA
i am Sultan from Pakistan..i worked there for 2 and half years at GIS specialist..i respect the terms and condition the rules regulations and law of KSA but personally i don’t know what was my mistake that i was being deported from KSA only the big mistake that i was going for UMRA with a legal documents and they captured me at check point and harass in the prison for one night and after that ban me…i know every country has its was own foreign policy but there no reason with them to deport me and many like facing such problems….your comments will be really appreciated…thanks
Assalamualaikum Sultan, Can you please explain the reason why you have deported i thing there should be some reason
I am Amar Azad a Saudi studying in England, I’m doing a extended project qualification of the rights of Saudi’s under King Abdullah. I’d be very grateful if you could fill out my Saudi two surveys below. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N6GBTXL http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NP7Y6TV Thank you for your considerations Yours Faithfully Amar Azad
No consigo la traducción más por si acaso:la policía tiene q velar pq los asesinos y violadores de mujeres y niñas estén pudriendose en la cárcel
La mentalidad de la sociedad saudi me deja en choque la gente como puede
Ser indiferente a un acto de cobardía????.en mi país tuve colegas de universidad árabes y tenían dos problemas uno la mano suelta con las mujeres y otro,me callo !!! !luego se integran fácil,siempre en discotecas
curtiendo el clima de descontracción q se encuentra en discotecas del caribe ,entonces no entiendo como se restringen en sus países????
Por algún lugar escuché de crear una casa museo dedicado a las mujeres
Víctimas del fundamentalismo religioso o cultural. Yo siempre he estado pensando en como ayudar .
I am concerned about your website. I check it so often for interesting updates and I have noticed a lack of new information. Have you had government pressure not to participate with your fresh ideas? I hope that you have only been busy and not that narrow minded people have silenced you. Remember the world is watching and notices your absence. All of the women of Saudi are in our prayers for progress regardless of the God we all pray to.
بإمكانك أن تشارك مع شريكك في برنامج عبر الانترنت عن الأسرة والحب والتقاليد بمناسبة شهر رمضان
info@olivetreeproductions.tvأرسل لنا صورة لك ولشريكك إضافة على سيرة قصيرة عنكما إلى
!واحصلا على فرصة لتكونا جزء من هذه التجربة الفريدة
أضف في الرسالة مدينة إيقامتكم و جنسيتكم
الموعد النهائي لتقديم هو يوم الخميس ١٣ من حزيران ٢٠١٣
I just could not go away your web site prior to suggesting
that I extremely enjoyed the standard information a person
provide on your guests? Is gonna be back steadily to check
up on new posts
I’ve stumbled upon your blog by mistake, it is very interesting. Please, allow me a question: have you ever considered the idea that Islam could be a religion unable to move past the culture where it started? All the precepts and teaching of islam are perfect, for a society of camel herders of the sixth century. Have you ever thought about converting to Christianity? It’s not a perfect religion, but it stopped burning women at the stake 500 years ago. Islam will take about 500 years to get to that stage, probably longer.
Don, in case you didn’t know, punishment with fire is forbidden in Islam. There are plenty of Muslims living in the US and Canada who have adapted to the mostly halal (halal is the islamic equivalent of kosher) aspects of western culture here (including myself.) To give an example just look up “Maniac Muslim” or Hamzah Moin, a semi-famous canadian satirist. And also about what you mentioned about camel herders, don’t you think there are just as many (false) stereotypes about western culture in the mid east and vice versa? There are plenty of people who understand both sides but in a book I finished a few months ago called ‘Come back to Afghanistan’ the main character described that his cousin’s view of America was as if the Las Vegas strip, the haram (forbidden) capital of the world; had been somehow spread across all 50 states. I was raised catholic (I have no intention of going back to christianity) and I know that isn’t entirely true. Saudi culture is based on Islam, but all over the Islamic world there are entirely different cultures. Apparently there was some kind of survey (I forget the name) on what was the best example of an Islamic country. Apparently Malaysia placed first (where women do not suffer from discrimination) and its neighbor, Indonesia – the largest muslim-majority country on the planet, placed second. So I personaly believe that Islam is compatible with any aspect of any culture given it doesn’t conflict with Islam.
Danyl, thank you for what you wrote to Don. He really stirred my Irish up and I didn’t know how to address it. Also I appreciate some of the info you included. I love this site because it helps me learn more about my Saudi sisters and the progress they are making. I heartily agree that if anyone thinks the USA is at all like the strip in Las Vegas that is such a sad representation of my American family.
There is enough room in the world for all of us to love God, our families, and to raise our children in a safe environment regardless if they are male or female.
Well, Danyl, if living that way is your choice I hope you enjoy it. I live in the UK and I see with my eyes what your “culture” is doing to that beautiful country: hordes of fanatical middle Eastern living on crime and benefits and trying to impose their laws on everyone else, with the silent approval of the saner muslims. Are you still sure that 20th century culture is compatible with islam?
MizLiz, I am not sure that “There is enough room in the world for all of us to love God, our families, and to raise our children in a safe environment”. There are a lot of people that feel entitled to impose their laws and customs on everyone else just because they have read the “verse of the sword” in a book from the sixth century.
Don, if we stop believing that all mankind can live in peace and equality what do we have. It has to begin with small steps in the right direction and what I see are hopeful steps. I read the news from many sources and one day I stumbled upon this website a while ago and began following it. I have learned so much. Much of this belief comes from my age and having seen amazing changes in the world.
What is different now from the sixth century you are hearing the voice of women being heard even though it is very limited from Saudi. I believe that voice will become stronger and changes will be made. When it comes to safety of the family those women will begin to find their strength like they did in my country and they did in Europe. It takes time and self confidence. It didn’t happen over night. The internet is an amazing media that will speed this along.
Everyone has the right to the religion of their choice. What I question and can’t understand is why are the Saudi women held in such strictness while the Muslim women in the other countries have such freedom? As I have traveled the world and have met people of different ages it seems to be where they are as to how they dress and what country they are from. It is confusing for westerners because the women dress in western clothes when they leave their home countries if they have strict rule.
Don, I always enjoy your observations.
MizLiz
I failed to mention this in my previous comment. If you ask any mother in the world what she wants she will respond “an education for her child, especially her girls if it is not offered”. That becomes equality between men and women. It is interesting that in the past only the upper classes in all cultures were allowed to read.
I usually do not leave many remarks, but i did a few searching and wound
up here Comments Policy | Saudiwoman’s Weblog. And I do have some questions for you if you don’t mind.
Could it be only me or does it give the impression like some of these
responses look as if they are written by brain dead people?
😛 And, if you are writing on additional online sites,
I’d like to keep up with anything fresh you have to post. Could you list of the complete urls of all your social sites like your twitter feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile?
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal and his wife Princess Ameerah were shown in a photo I saw this weekend. Since I read this blog all the time I hope someone will explain to me why she does not wear the traditional Saudi dress. The article also said that he hires women in his companies and even as his pilots. Is this true that a member of the Saudi royal family would be this forward thinking while other women in his country cannot even get the basic right to drive? I thought the best place for an honest answer would be to come to this website. Is the Prince helping with the womens issues in Saudi Arabia?
This was my mistake for not reading the list of the list of the Best Saudis because I would have seen Princess Ameerah on there. I did further research and I loved her speech given in May. The link is here. It is truly amazing what she is saying. I have so much respect for this great Lady of Saudi Arabia. http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-princess-says-men-are-too-afraid-allow-women-s-rights-503045.html#.Ugp3pCso6M9
Salamalaikum
Firstly let me express the fact that I am not Saudi, however I lived there for 3 years, therefore I feel that I have a right to make a comment on the blog. Unfortunately, these are sad times, that the ummah of the Prophet Muhammad is facing. Its so sad to see muslim women speaking out and defaming Islam. We too have become victims of this fake liberlst ideas, imposed on us by the west. We don’t even know what freedom is anymore. We have become so selfish that we impose our thoughts on others without even realising. FEAR ALLAH. These were the words that make someone shake to their core, but they mean nothing today.
Having read these blogs, I found it necessary to comment, that I lived in saudi, and I met some of the most happiest families in the world. Families that have a sense of morality. Familes that were happy to be muslim, and happy to live their life. Families that truly felt liberated and free from all the social and economic slavery. And families that would never leave saudi arabia. Its a shame, that we no longer feel united as an ummah, we just want to curse our religion and mock it. Hiw will we answer Allah, but we don’t even care about that. the reality is, for most of these women who make these remarks, they internally miss Saudi, and they find it hard. They are fed with so much nonsense from western media, that they feel its liberation to do what you want. But I am a muslim, and I Alhamdulillah, Allah has made it my responsibility to llok after my mum and sister. I would not let any harm come to them. My religion makes that obligation on us as men. When I see my muslim sisters have no respect and honour for themselves. I see them going out with these youth who are just there to use them, it saddens me. My religion taught me to respevt women but we have forgotten what this religion means. I just have one suggestion. When you create these blogs, please write that these are virws of a small minority of women. Because the majority, are happy in Saudi, and are happy living their lives under the flag of Laaillaha Illallah. Saudi has many mistakes, but the government will have to answer to Allah for that.
too bad there r islam bashers like her working in saudi universities and also you do not represent all the saudi women or the women of our ummah. you are a westernized woman who is shoving her euro feminist liberal thoughts down the throats of gullible muslim women
Marhaba Saudi Woman. I am neither Saudi nor Woman, but enjoy your blog immensely. Possible topic for discussion – ijtihad. Died out in the 8th Century I think, but could be worth a revisit.
مرحبا هل سياسة المدونة تمكن من نشر تدوينات ليست من إدارة المدونة
لدي تدوينة قصيلرة تحتاج ترجمة وأود نشرها في SaudiWoman
هذه التدوينة http://ur97.blogspot.com/2013/11/blog-post.html
However, even if the mix isn’t going to go in, it does not affect what you would like them to get a clue.
What’s up, every time i used to check blog posts here
in the early hours in the break of day, because i enjoy to find out more and more.
Hi everyone not sure its right or not but can anyone guide me to the saudi website where i can file for an online application for Khula and take it to the court, i tried a lot but not able to find anything and i am frustrated, unfortunately i am working in saudi but not a saudi national and dont know arabic.
yeah …make peace
http://www.artwoxs.com
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people knowledge, well, keep up the good work fellows.
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wonderful issues altogether, you just received a new reader.
What would you recommend in regards to your post that you made some days in the past?
Any sure?
Data given by you reveals that Saudi women incur a lot of money due to restriction over driving. As i know most of the women do not earn and all expenses have to be borne by men, then why men are not with women so that they can save money?
Thanks.ni am an extrapaet working in Saudi. I want a mysyar marriage and hope it will be better for me. Can you help me where to get the details
Je voulais laisser un petit commentaire pour vous soutenir et vous souhaite une bonne continuation. Je vous souhaite bonne chance pour tous vos efforts de blogs.
comment choisir friteuse sans huile
من الواضح أن هذا الرجل متصيد أو غير مطلع على القضية الفلسطينية. يحتاج لمتابعة يونس عرار على الفيسبوك. هناك سيكون لديه كل المظالم التي يمارسها الصهيوني على الفلسطينيين كل يوم. إذا لم يستطع الغرب قبول دولة فصل عنصري في جنوب إفريقيا ، وقوانين جيم كرو في أمريكا حتى الستينيات ، فلا يجب عليهم الجلوس وقبول ما يجري في فلسطين اليوم. لا يغتفر أن يصبح الفلسطينيون والمسلمون والعامة يهود جدد. لكن هذا ما حدث بسبب التستر الإعلامي الاستراتيجي واستخدام الهولوكوست كتفويض مطلق لفعل ما يريدون في العالم.