Comments on: ‘Thou Shalt Not Suffer…’

By: Sparky

Sparky — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:08:42 +0000

When normal knowledge is suppressed, the forbidden and hidden knowledge becomes so much more attractive.

Concerning the example of Jane Doe, how unprofessional! Professing or asking one’s religion is irrelevant. People should be more concerned about whether the person is incompetent and uncorruptable two things that even “special” Saudi Muslims aren’t immune to.

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:41:27 +0000

I’m not aware of any books that address it specifically, but if you go back to writers like the 19th C. Richard Burton, they address it among their other observations. Their ‘other observations’, frequently about sexual practices, however, tends to keep those books on the top shelf and out of a lot of public libraries.

Burton’s translation of 1001 Nights, for instance, does talk about beliefs in witchcraft, but they’re scattered among the 16 volumes of the text, mostly in footnotes.

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:37:42 +0000

In this particular instance–perhaps uniquely–this clown was on TV and in other media boasting of his prowess. Sex, magic, whatever… the lesson seems to be don’t go on TV about it!

As for the typical sorcery case in the Kingdom, I basically agree with you. Add in the con man aspect, taking advantage of people’s constant desire to find outside sources for their problems, and the law as now (un)written is just a catch-all.

By: NielsC

NielsC — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:46:43 +0000

Has anyone written about he history of witchcraft in Saudi Arabia or in the Gulf ?
The literature on european witchcraft is extensive, and one of the main points is that the decline in witch trials is following the growth of empirical based knowledge and decision making.
It’s beautiful illustrated in Gustav Henningsen The Witches’ Advocate: Basque Witchcraft and the Spanish Inquisition (1609-1614.

By: Chiara

Chiara — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:42:47 +0000

When I think of witches being condemned I think of how many epileptics were killed for being “possessed” in the Middle Ages, the power of false rumour and collective hysteria in the Salem Witch Trials, how easy it is to malign someone one doesn’t like for whatever reason and organize a public condemnation of them, and of the number of Wiccans among certain social segments today.

This is an area where the Saudi judiciary definitely needs to make progress.