Local press - facilitate marriage of Saudi women to non-Saudis

By AMAL ZAHID | AL-WATAN

Why 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.

Hell will break loose if a Saudi woman considers marrying a Muslim foreigner who is religious and good mannered. The male members of the family will try their best to foil this marriage. They will use the woman as an element of tribal fanaticism.

If the Saudi woman is able to overcome all hurdles to obtain government permission to marry a foreigner, her new husband will not easily obtain a residence permit. Her children from the non-Saudi man will never obtain Saudi citizenship. Therefore if the family has mercy on her and approves her marriage to a foreigner, government regulations will take a toll on her through red tape and complications. The Saudi woman who marries a non-Saudi man will be looked down upon while the non-Saudi wife will easily obtain a residence permit the moment the marriage contract is made; the doors for obtaining Saudi citizenship will be open to her. The husband will have no problem getting the state to recognize his children as Saudi citizens and embracing them even if they were born in the Comoros!

Arab News reporter, Hassna’a Mokhtar wrote a painful article, bidding farewell to her country while migrating to Canada to join her Arab-Canadian husband. She had to leave her home country after bureaucracy stood firmly in her face. Her husband was twice deported from the country because his Iqama (residency permit) expired and she was unable to renew it for him. She went through humiliations because she married a non-Saudi. There was nothing for her to do but leave her country after all doors were closed for her and her husband.

Comments

AHMAD AL-S

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There is no such thing as nationalism in Islam.. All Muslims are equal and brothers.. NATIONALISM IS COMPLETELY FORBIDDEN IN ISLAM (7aram)..
I also don't agree to these UN-ISLAMIC laws in KSA. A lot of things need to be changed here in KSA and it is also NOT the concern of the government or any other person if any saudi marries a non- saudi

NISHTHAR IDROOS

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I personally see this as a leadership issue, plain and simple. A great injustice has been meted out to the Saudi women and they have patiently and painfully endured for a long time. The relevant authorities along with the ulama must deliberate upon with keen leadership provided by some prince or similar personage. This malaise if not arrested now, can easily lead to racial undertones later on; this can have ramifications to both Islam and Saudi Arabia.

RHU

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Is her husband an Arab-Canadian? From what I understood in her letter...he only embraced!!!

XIDIG

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There are matters that u can not avoid anymore. Arabs and especially Sauds should bend little bit their culture to entertain those disgracfull inhuman stigma. No one comeback hero after a long battle of trying to know what a woman life was..My oppinion 'khilwa etc is one way road...Find a solution where a hockey could be a game and teath could be saved...ITS TIME.

AMERICAN MUSLIM

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Well said and couldn't agree more....please tell me where in Islam it is perfectly fine to 1) only accept outrageously high dowries, 2) turn suitors away based on the color of skin or the prestige of the tribe, or 3) force women to marry only within their country? Can I find this in a hadith? Is it written in the Qur'an? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Then, when a Saudi woman turns 25 or older her chances of getting married go way down because a Saudi man wants a woman younger....ummm...it doesn't take a genius to realize the society will have SERIOUS issues. Look at how many Saudi women are unmarried now??? This is not fair to them at all. There are countless stories of our noble predecessors marrying outside of tribes and regardless of skin color...of course....they led their lives by Islam 100%...not 80%...not 57%...100%. May Allah guide us all and may He make things easy for Saudi sisters.
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