Saudi Arabia has witnessed immense progress on the social strata within the country, much of it that began when the late King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz ascended the throne in 2005. In the field of women's rights, he is today remembered as a champion who broke through layers of tradition-engineered barriers and allowed more freedom to flourish. His reform measures are the legacy of his reign. It was during his rule that women were first appointed to senior government positions and joined the Saudi Shura Council, the Kingdom's consultative body for recommending new laws.
He started the King Abdullah scholarship program, sending hundreds of thousands of young Saudis abroad to study and understand other cultures. In September 2011, King Abdullah approved the right of Saudi women to vote in the 2015 municipal council elections, and also stated that women would become eligible to be part of the Shura Council.
Against opposition from religious groups, King Abdullah promoted the construction and inauguration of the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (Kaust), the country's only co-ed institution for advanced scientific research. King Abdullah encouraged inter-faith dialogue and in November 2007, he visited Pope Benedict XVI in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope, located in Vatican City. He was the first Saudi monarch to do so. In March 2008, he called for a "brotherly and sincere dialogue between believers from all religions".
The list goes on and on, but what is generally agreed is that in his relatively short rule, King Abdullah succeeded in transforming minds and eliminating many of the obstacles to a progressive society. Yet, the mindset of people does not always change so swiftly. Especially those individuals who are so heavily steeped in their own interpretations of religious beliefs and traditions and for whom change is a bitter pill to swallow. While the youth in general may be quick to embrace progressive changes, that is not always the case with the rest of the populace. An interchange between those who adopted the new direction and those who were alarmed by the easing of rules sometimes leads to bizarre confrontations.
My 15-year-old niece was recently relating an event that she happened to witness first-hand at a mall in Riyadh. She was walking around with a friend, when she came across a girl, possibly in her late teens or early 20s, being closely followed by a lady fully covered in Niqab and even gloves to go with it. Just as the girl got a few steps away from my niece, the lady following her caught her attention by said rather loudly: "Excuse me sister. Can I talk to you?" When the girl turned around and faced the lady with a questioning look on her face, the lady said: "Young sister. You have a beautiful face, and you are certainly very attractive. But your face is uncovered, and that is not the right thing to do. It is not religious and attracts needless attention from strangers, and that is very inappropriate, especially with so many males around."
She continued, "You must veil your face completely when you are out in public. Your beauty is your property, and not for others to see. Even your hands must be gloved to minimise any unwarranted attention. That is the Islamic thing to do." The girl, who, until this moment was quiet and staring at this heavily-veiled lady rather quizzically, then politely responded: "Thank you sister for your concern, and God bless you. But I need to see your face to know who you are."
"No, that is of no concern. Accept my words as advice from one who is older and more learned in the ways of our religion, culture and traditions," replied the lady. "But I have to see you. I know that voice, and it is very familiar. I must see your face. I have heard this voice before, and I know it. I must know whom it belongs to. I must, I must." The lady in the niqab was quiet for a few moments. Furtively looking around to make sure there weren't any curious males around and apparently satisfied that she was safe, she slowly unveiled her face to the girl. "Well, if you insist ... but you don't know me."
Barely did she finish her sentence did her veil come off and the young girl spat forcefully on her and roared: "Don't you or your kind ever bother me again with your sermons and intrusions." And she was off, leaving behind a dejected-looking lady with a stream of slobber running down her cheeks and two bewildered teenagers shocked at what had just transpired. Upon hearing this incident, I wondered if such an incident was reflective of the bipolar disorder that has afflicted a segment of our society. The wheels of progress have been set in motion and for many there is no going back.
The writer is a Saudi socio-political commentator
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