MAKKAH: A leading Saudi jurist has said many judges seek jobs in other countries because of the volume of work and poor salary in the Saudi court system.
“The total number of judges in the Kingdom is less than 900 while even a tiny country such as Kuwait employs more than 1,000 judges. Under the pressure of accumulating workload and poor remuneration, many judges have left the country,” Muhammad Al-Nujaimi, professor at the Saudi Higher Institute of Law and member of the American Academy for Shariah Scholars, told Arab News.
“Judges are offered high salaries in foreign countries. Working as private legal professionals is also highly lucrative. That is why most of the legal firms in the Kingdom are run by former judges,” he added.
Speaking about the increasing incidents of family violence in Muslim communities Al-Nujaimi said society should take a firm stand against family violence.
“Muslim countries should enact laws allowing authorities to take immediate legal action against husbands or fathers who abuse their women and children,” he said. “The number of protection centers for victims of family violence is limited and action taken against the perpetrators is not effective in the Gulf region.”
While demanding summary action against family abusers, the jurist recommended that abuse of a wife should be considered a valid ground for the annulment of marriage contract.
“If it is established that the cause of violence against children or women is drug addiction or mental illness of a father or husband, then their guardianship should be taken away from the man,” he added.
Al-Nujaimi, who is also a consultant at the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, urged the Muslims world over to cooperate in implementing the decisions of the fiqh conference that concluded in Sharjah recently.
On the topic of Al-Quds, the jurist said he believed Muslim scholars failed in taking appropriate measures against the “Judization” of the third holiest city of Muslims.
Elaborating on the failures of scholars, Al-Nujaimi said the Fiqh Academy and other religious organizations should have held joint and separate special sessions to devise strategies to stop the affronts against the holy city. “Any unanimous decision taken by the scholars at such meetings should have made a impact on the world public opinion,” he said.
