Al-Riyadh’s recent investigation into the suffering of Saudi women produced some remarkable stories. A woman is beaten by her husband and there is no one to protect her and her children. A child is beaten by his father and is afraid to speak out for fear that he will be beaten again. A woman wants to provide security for her children but she does not know how or where she can find protection.
The woman has left her own family; no longer a child, she cannot be a perfect wife and feels that she has no dignity, rights or protection.
We can see from these stories that injustice has reached a high level with some of our women.
A girl’s cousin prevents her from marrying the man she has chosen, not because he wants to marry her himself but because he wants payment for his permission.
I do not ask if such a man is human. But I do ask this: Where are the institutions that can protect this woman from such blatant injustice?
Another woman is refused her legal inheritance by her brother. Who is going to see that she gets her rights? Are these Muslim men unaware that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) actively involved women in decision-making?
Officials should look closely into the legal aspects of the Al-Riyadh investigation. It could be the first step toward establishing an institution that protects women’s legal rights according to God’s law.
The investigation has raised the curtain on the problems of Saudi women. These problems are a result of social custom and tradition; they are not the result of Islamic rules or Islamic law.
Women must feel free to talk about their problems. If they are not addressed and solved, they will not only get worse but also lead to new and more serious problems both inside and outside the family.
We must search for the reasons behind the increase in domestic violence in Saudi Arabia. It is not possible for a mother to raise a good child when her dignity has been sacrificed, her husband beats her and when people ask her if she got her husband’s permission to go out.
I would not expect a child to love his family when he sees his father beat his mother until she bleeds. I would not be surprised if the child himself went astray and committed serious crimes. The child’s father, after all, has destroyed his offspring’s sense of love and security.
The investigations should lead to establishing a national committee responsible for women and children with the authority to enforce Shariah law for their benefit. Women must be informed and educated about their rights and where they can seek help.
Until this is done and the committee is formed, we must ask the police and justice system in the Kingdom to concern themselves with women’s problems. Women need help now.
Arab News From the Local Press 22 February 2003
