The Riyadh Book Fair seems particularly boisterous this year. Here’s a piece from Arab News on how either members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice or their imitators have sought to impose a novel interpretation of Islamic practice on the Fair.
Frustrating experience
Walaa Hawari & Shiekha Al-Dosary | Arab NewsRIYADH: Charms, tokens, enigmatic drawings and other items seized by the vice cops were displayed prominently in one of the largest booths at this year’s Riyadh International Book Fair. Instead of books, a television displayed how the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice reverses magical spells.
“What was in the commission’s booth showed clearly what they thought of the book fair and what they think of books,” one Saudi writer and intellectual told Arab News yesterday.
The book fair, which ends on Friday, has been marked with controversy once again — with liberal and literary minded people complaining of harassment by the commission. For their part, religious authorities have complained, not just about the mingling of men and women at the fair or how women are dressed, but also about how they claim their voices are being quelled by the visitors. Like last year, it was also often difficult to differentiate between official members of the commission and men who simply dress like them.
…
Ahmed, at Riyadh Book Fair ‘09“>Saudi Jeans, hints that the Commission’s presence at the Fair was the result of a political compromise. I recommend that next year, there be no compromise. The Commission clearly doesn’t understand what book fairs are about and thus have nothing useful to add. Perhaps if they publish a book or two, they might have reason to be there. They could certainly benefit by reading more about Islam, however…
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March:11:2009 - 12:16
I am curious and would like to see this movie on how the Commission reverses magical spells, preferably with English subtitles. Is it something like this lecture from the Grand Mufti?
March:11:2009 - 12:30
That would be an interesting film. Get the director for ‘Watchmen’ and it might even be amusing!
March:11:2009 - 20:19
Fortunately the Information Ministry does a lot of scrubbing to insure the content of all the books are commission safe. Otherwise these guys would have a Book Burning party to go along with their Witch Hunting activities.
March:11:2009 - 21:14
“Perhaps if they publish a book or two, they might have reason to be there. ”
The commission qualifies as it had published 2 books in the 1960′s, which have been a required reading for members:
1: “The top 50 ways to be an A##hole”
2: “How to be an A##Hole for Dummies” This was an illustrated version of the first book aimed at the 70% commission members who had not made it past the 9th grade.
March:11:2009 - 23:03
The Commission does have something useful to add. Their actions show them to be the seventh century thugs that they really are. So, it’s useful to know who opposes new information, thought, intelligence, enlightenment, societal advancement and open mindedness. Now the KSA knows who will be left behind when the ship leaves.
March:12:2009 - 08:56
I think you might be libeling the 7th C. here. It appears to me that many of the CPVPV’s actions are far more restrictive than the actual practices of the 7th C. Then, women could work on their own in the souks and marketplaces, for example, or ride the fastest conveyances without male escorts. A woman could talk with a man in a public space without getting the moral police in her face…
March:12:2009 - 08:57
I doubt that those books would have much of a market. They discuss innate qualities that take no teaching.
March:12:2009 - 17:23
I bet the muttawa wouldn’t like any books on the book fair anyway.
Besides Saudi in US is quite wrong , the original title of the book he means is: How to use black markers and make sure men go to prayer.
Subtiteld: And how to harass all women: there is always something wrong with them.
March:12:2009 - 17:37
[...] Burgess at Crossroads Arabia picks up on Ahmed's point about a compromise, and says: I recommend that next year, there be no compromise. The Commission [the religious police] clearly [...]
March:14:2009 - 03:03
Ahh this reminds me of the good old days, when churches in France labeled book printers devil apostles and went on a witch hunt. When the church kept knowledge to its self and chained its books. History repeats it’s self when extremist grasp of religion grabs hold of a country.
March:15:2009 - 12:18
Islam And The West Accelerated Links…
Crossroads Arabia with a book fair being held in Riyadh….
March:16:2009 - 10:14
Unfortunately, Ahmed is wrong. The Exhibition center is a public building and the religious police have every right to be there if they so wished, no backroom compromise took place.
March:20:2009 - 09:45
[...] Burgess di Crossroads Arabia mencermati poin Ahmed tentang persetujuan, dan berkata: Saya sarankan tahun depan, tidak usah pakai persetujuan. Komisi [polisi keagamaan] jelas tidak [...]