Arab News carries a peculiar item about the way women—and their camera-enabled mobile phones—are being treated at the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina. The writer spells out the ways that the ban and the way it’s implemented are confusing, insulting, and not at all what should be happening at a religious site.

Banning Mobile Cameras at Prophet’s Mosque
Nourah Abdul Aziz Al-Khereiji, noraaalkheriji@hotmail.com

Many Saudi columnists including myself have written about the harsh treatment of women at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah in general and at the Roudha Shareef in particular. Unfortunately, the authorities have not take any action to improve the situation. We have also not seen any official response to such concerns.

I am now writing about the same issue again. Let me tell you first about the problems women face at the entrance of the mosque and the humiliating way some guards at the entry points treat them.

Some touch their bodies and check their personal possessions in a highly irritating and embarrassing manner. All in the name of security.
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