Dear Council members...
Established in 1992 as a consultative council composed of appointed members, we have witnessed the Shoura Council’s growth today to a 150-strong body of intellectuals, businessmen, clerics, educators, and retired security personnel. And along with the growing numbers, we have also noted that the council has drawn its members from various regions of the country to allow a fair representation of all the citizens.
The council now has powers to legislate new laws and introduce changes to existing laws without seeking permission from any quarters. It can pass any law and send it for the government’s approval. As Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, former deputy chairman of the Shoura Council recently stated, “This is a healthy sign. For example, when the Shoura was formed 10 years ago, Shoura members had to seek the permission of the king to introduce or change a law. Now they don’t need that approval. You can pass any law and present it to the government.”
And some have likened the Saudi consultative council as equal to parliaments in other countries in terms of objectives, composition and organization. When King Fahd inaugurated the new council recently, he said Saudi Arabia would go ahead with political and economic reforms. His theme also touched upon foreign policy, economic liberalization, privatization programs and women’s employment.
And Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid, the council’s chairman added: “I am sure that the coming sessions of the Shoura will witness qualitative changes in terms of responsibilities, powers, structure and mode of work.”
With these changes, the citizens of this country are paying more attention to the role of this council in their daily affairs and beginning to demand more of this council. And when Shoura Council member Dr. Muhammad Al-Zulfa brought up the issue of women driving and stated in the press that he intended to present the Shoura Council a paper with 18 points for discussion on the subject, there was a sigh of relief from many quarters around the country. Finally, we were about to confront this abnormal custom within our midst. But to our dismay, we are witnessing some backpedaling from other council members in the face of an onslaught from some extremist segments.
Extremists went so far as to accuse Dr. Al-Zulfa of “straying from the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah”. In fact, as reported recently in the press, Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, a member of the Supreme Ulema Council, condemned Dr. Al-Zulfa’s intention of tabling this issue. It was deemed highly “un-Islamic”. With most other Shoura members taking the safe route and remaining noncommittal in the face of this onslaught, Dr. Al-Zulfa stands alone to brave personal attacks on his character and theological beliefs from fanatics of the worst kind. But Dr. Al-Zulfa has taken it upon himself to sponsor what a lot of us believe in.
It is now that we, the people, demand that the Shoura Council display its true character and make a stand on behalf of all the citizens of this country. The council should give consideration to the papers that were to be presented by Dr. Al-Zulfa and review and debate the points for merit, and for what is good for the entire country.
The council should soundly reject any accusations of “un-Islamism” from extremists or any other source against any of its members for tabling any issues dealing with reforms for women.
We cannot allow ourselves to be pushed back a millennium or two, when the government itself is embarking on far-reaching reforms for the benefit of its citizens. The council should not be held hostage by “a holier than thou” stance spewing forth from some quarters. That stance does not in any form represent all of us.
