Christian Science Monitor carries an article by Riyadh-based correspondent Caryle Murphy on Saudi reactions to the recent announcement that a 14-year-old ban on cats and dogs is to be enforced. ‘Derision’ seems to be the main theme of Saudi opinion.
In dog-walking, Saudi virtue police see vice
Caryle MurphyRIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – A complaint about the “phenomenon” of dog-walking recently landed on the desk of Prince Sattam bin Abdul Aziz.
This practice was “becoming more and more acceptable and … being taken advantage of by some young men in a way that conflicts with the rules and regulations of Islam,” according to the protest from Othman al-Othman, head of Riyadh’s religious police.
The young men, it seems, were being young men. They were “using cats and dogs to make passes at women and pester families,” Mr. Othman told Al Hayat newspaper.
Prince Sattam, acting governor of Riyadh Province, responded by ordering city officials to begin enforcing a 1994 religious edict banning the sale of dogs and cats, because the prophet Muhammad had encouraged Muslims to refrain from trading in the animals, according to an officially circulated memo.
Although the ban does not prohibit walking your dog or owning a pet, Al Othman told Al Hayat that “if a man is caught with a pet, the pet will be immediately confiscated. And the man will be forced to sign a document pledging not to repeat the act.”
For days after, the no-pet-in-public ban – consistent with the often heavy-handed efforts by the Saudi religious police to control the lives of ordinary people – was mocked in newspapers and blogs around the world.
…
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
August:12:2008 - 22:09
Let’s get real here. The religious vice cops see the dogs as a threat to their own existence. They won’t be able to harrass people or kick down their door without getting their ass bitten up.
August:13:2008 - 05:53
even though its not good for muslim to have a dog for no reason but there have always been dogs and cats for sale.
August:13:2008 - 10:35
Ghadir if it is not good for Muslims, why were the people in the cave in the Quran sleeping in the cave with a dog.
If I am not mistaken, they were fleeing an unjust ruler and society and they didn’t leave their dog behind in that unjust society. They also rescued it. The dog was fine for those pious individuals to hang with as Allah mentions in the Quran. Who are you or anyone else to say differently. It is all about control. Don’t you people get it?
Are muttawa afraid people are going to have sexual relations with their pets or what? I am not getting it.
August:13:2008 - 11:23
Furthermore, I am on a roll now. O.K. “no reason”. Are you or anyone else the “reason police”? Did Allah desigate you as such or anyone else because teacher says they are failing.
Should I have a list of reasons posted on my head or front door?
Reasons why I have a canine other than that they are cute and fuzzy:
1. If you come stepping on my territory, my dog is going to rip YOU to pieces, or my pussy is going scratch you good
GOOD ENOUGH REASON!!!!
August:17:2008 - 03:33
i’m cool with Dogs…but seriously…Cats?!?!?!
Common what should i do to my cats?!?!
i can’t leave them just like that?
August:17:2008 - 11:05
Abs Yasin…why are you cool with dogs? They save lives, protect good people like police officers who are apprehending criminals and sniff drugs. They do so many great things. You should research further. They have saved families from burgulars and fires etc.
Just keep loving your cats…
August:17:2008 - 11:24
Cats are the best! They treat you like dirt, eat you out of hearth and home, puke on your shoes when offended, and pretend to be asleep when called on to kill the odd rodent.
How would we humans remember our lowly status if it were not for our feline overlords?
August:17:2008 - 11:37
I was attacked by a Siamese cat who lived at King Faisal Hospital for the longest time like twelve years. I agreed to baby-sit him for while his newer owner was in America. I was lying in bed and he would sniff my hair and then salivate. I let Max (his name) do it once… I got all slobbered on and got the creepies like when the hair raises. He tried doing it again while I was lying in the bed in the dark of the night and I shooed him away and he bit and scratched the hell out of my arm leaving a gaping wound. Although he was a quote unquote domestic cat he escaped into my yard and patrolled the walls and kicked out all the alley cats. That cat was psycho. He definitely was the overlord in the house. I called the vet everybody knows in Riyadh and apparently Max was a patient of his. The Vet may have overstepped his patient doctor privileges because although he did tell me Max had all his shots…he also told me that Max was the attack cat. The King’s grandson happened to be at my house that day…(the sweetest boy ever) and he gave me a look of compassion when I said, “Damn ever the male cats in Saudi Arabia attack me”
August:26:2008 - 04:38
Im from riyadh an expat and I have a pet dog, since I heard this news and their reason to impose it, I think it is not right to ban the selling of dogs and catz. What they should do is to arrest the people who are using their dogs to harras other people.