Marriages between Saudi men and non-Saudi women is an issue that has Saudi society in turmoil. This piece from Saudi Gazette reports on how many Saudis see these international marriages as destructive to Saudi society and culture. The article doesn’t do a particularly deep study of just why Saudi men look for foreign wives, though, focusing primarily on the marriages of older Saudi men looking to escape their own domestic problems. I think there are at least several PhD theses to be written on the subject, so it’s not surprising that a newspaper article doesn’t quite manage the topic.
Many Saudis marry abroad to escape ‘bossy’ wives at home
Zein ‘AnbarJEDDAH – The Shoura Council’s recommendation to oblige Saudi men married to foreign women to assume responsibilities for their dependents and offspring has met with opposition from those who would like to see greater restrictions on marriages between nationalities.
The Shoura Council recommended that in cases where the Saudi husband and father cannot provide for his dependents, they be referred to the Charitable Society for the Care of Saudi Families Abroad.
Some Saudis would like to see the practice of marriage to foreign women banned altogether. They point to increasing rates of spinsterhood as one of its detrimental effects on society at large, and the fact that it takes up extra funds while the Saudi wife and children at home are neglected.
Amal Abdullah says many homes experience fragile stability after a man marries a foreign woman. She describes the motives as due to “elderly adolescence” and says that the existence of a foreign wife and children creates a rift in relations between the father and his children.
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November:17:2008 - 02:12
The many Saudis who see international marriages as destructive to Saudi society and culture presumably do not employ foreign domestic staff.
November:17:2008 - 03:54
I see the article as vastly disappointing and lacking substance and making too many generalities. And I also find it sad that one has to appeal to ones government for the marriage to be “sanctioned” in the first place.
It should also be pointed out that a Saudi is not prohibited per se from being able to marry anyone of his choosing, whether Saudi or not… but if a Saudi man chooses to marry a non-Saudi and wishes to have this wife with him in the Kingdom, then approval is required from the government so the man can be her mahrem and have her with him legally in the Kingdom.
Perhaps the increase in spinsterhood among Saudi women can be attributed to flaws within the Saudi society and culture. If a Saudi woman wants to be a doctor and is serious about her career choice, this in turn to society can make her less desirable as a candidate for a wife. Why? Because the perception is that she will not have the same time and devotion to her husband due to her career choice. Or perhaps a woman’s parents are elderly or the father is widowed, he may not wish to have his daughter marry instead expecting her to remain with him and care for him. The list can go on and on.
However for those foreign wives who do have a Saudi husband, because of the culture, traditions and complex legalities of life in Saudi Arabia, do not expect it to be a “bed of roses.” Have your eyes open…do your research!