Arab News translates an article from the Arabic daily Al-Watan in which the writer points to the selective application of Islamic principles when it comes to marriage. She’s particularly unhappy with the way some people discover a religious prohibition against Saudi women marrying non-Saudis, Muslim though they may be. The current practice—and government policy—she argues, lead to patent injustice.
Saudi Arabia makes it complicated for a Saudi male to marry a foreign woman. It’s even harder for a Saudi woman to marry a foreign man. The process and its application need to be re-examined.
Facilitate marriage of Saudi women to non-Saudis
AMAL ZAHID | AL-WATANWhy did we make polygamy a solution to the problem of spinsterhood and not the facilitation of marriages of Saudi women to non-Saudi men whether they are Muslim Arabs or non-Arab Muslims? Why is it that some of our men flex their muscles and ask women to accept polygamy and not to object to being a second wife? Why do they enter into doubtful marriage unions of misyar and misfar while turning a blind eye to the marriages that are legitimate and not forbidden by religion?
Paradoxically, these people bend religion to suit their personal whims. Some men will pretend to follow the directives of religion when it comes to polygamy and underage marriage while completely ignoring the teachings of Islam when it comes to a Saudi woman marrying a Muslim foreigner! The irony is that these people are very well aware that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked Muslims not to refuse to marry their women to Muslim men with good manners.
The Prophet (pbuh) made piety and good manners the parameter of preferences among Muslims, but the rotten teachings of racism and the laws of tribalism do not bother with Islam or its teachings when it comes to women! The universe will crumble if a Saudi woman dares to think of marrying a man from another nationality, but a Saudi man can marry up to four women regardless of nationality. His parents will not care about the background of his wife and will not be concerned about her personal qualifications or her respect to the norms and traditions.
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March:15:2010 - 15:19
[...] male to marry a foreign woman. It’s even harder for a Saudi woman to marry a foreign man,” writes John Burgess at Crossroads Arabia. Cancel this [...]
March:16:2010 - 08:25
Please the word misyar makes me want to go hunting for weenies to chop off.
Yes, it is more dignified to have a real marriage than a misyar heading for misery!
Man if I were a Saudi woman with my mindset I don’t think I would have made it long.
It about high time Saudi women start kicking some as_. You know.
March:16:2010 - 11:55
This is not a question of Islam vs tribal laws. There are many tribal laws which are incorporated into Islam and vice versa, though two are not completely identical categories. There is a need for the Saudi State to understand that women are as much human beings as men and the State should grant them as much life to live with dignity as the men of the country have. If the State doesn’t ensure it, this State doesn’t have any legitimacy – it should not have any legitimacy. This is regardless of whatever Islam allows or doesn’t allow.
March:16:2010 - 12:20
This absolutely has to do with Islam and tribal laws. Islam is the cloak behind which tribal laws often function. As long as enough people are convinced that something is Islamically correct, you cannot change it. You need to create the distinction.
March:16:2010 - 14:19
[...] Il est encore plus difficile pour une femme saoudienne de se marier avec un homme étranger,” écrit [en anglais] John Burgess sur le blog Crossroads [...]
March:17:2010 - 08:04
Sandy–I would agree, especially as any religion is often itself combined with cultural factors, and at various points in history may be deliberately refashioned to suit a new social purpose. During the French Revolution Jesus was portrayed as a social revolutionary, which was part of his mission, but only part, and only one way to frame it. Through the ages his portrayal, verbal and pictorial mirrors the themes important to the era, just as during a specific era his story reframed to suit the purposes of a specific group, eg the teacher, the most pious, the social reformer, the loving son, of Mary or of God, etc. This most often is a legitimate emphasis but sometimes is a major distortion.
The same is true of the historical and contemporary uses of Islam.
March:17:2010 - 18:33
Chaiara you are right.
Our religion is used to support the authoritarian purposes of the clerical establishment.
This should not be.
Our religion is used by powerful humans to support their goals for more power and wealth.
It would be far better for our religion if it were to be isolated from governmental power and all the corruptions that come with such power.
Many have come to associate the teachings of the Rasulullah with a form of totalitarianism. Such an association, though incorrect, is understandable due to the actions of the clerics.
Piety ought not to be promulgated through the muzzle of a firearm.