Some liberals insist on giving bizarre explanations of the specifics that distinguish our country from other nations. They say we use our special status as a weapon against others, or as a stick with which to beat the advocates of development and progress.
Our special status is forever being associated with the situation of women, which some are trying to make into the most serious issue on earth. They say the women issue is bound up with segregation of the sexes, the hijab, freedom of expression and other matters that some writers portray in a way that suggests the whole country is in a catastrophic state because of women.
It is surprising to see how these people have resorted to sensationalism and exaggeration to explain things that are already as clear as daylight and that should have never been thrown into doubt and confusion.
Why should some people try to dissociate themselves from our special status as if it were a contagious disease? What is it that makes so many go on the rampage whenever the issue comes up for discussion? Every country in the world has its own special characteristics that make it different from others. That being the case, why single out our country and subject it to all this attack?
From discussions with the rejectionists of both sexes who object to our special status, I have come to the conclusion that these people are completely ignorant of the real meaning of the expression. One lady rejectionist once asked me if our special status means the Saudis are the only people on earth who know Islam, the Qur’an and the holy sites. Such shallow questions reveal how uninformed these individuals are.
Nor is this kind of understanding confined to the young, but is widespread among intellectuals including academics.
Who said it was the kind of things the lady raised that make up the special status of this country? Saudi Arabia’s special status is determined by its political, cultural, social and geographical circumstances as well as its education system and media. So why do some people get upset whenever the issue comes up?
Veiled women have built successful careers in various professions as educators, doctors, businesswomen and others. They do a great job and their hijab does not get in the way. I still remember how my mother, who took care of us after our father’s death, had to deal with a number of different bodies without her hijab or the prevailing social conditions preventing her from fulfilling her duty.
It is true that mistakes are made and violations are committed. Many women continue to suffer injustice, and many men continue to suffer because of their women. Are we to solve these and other problems by abolishing the distinctive status of women in this country?
