Very Best Regards
Abdul Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Abdul Rahman ibn Abdul lateef Al Shaikh
'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Abdillah āl ash-Shaikh
"The world is manufacturing airplanes and we are still telling a woman 'leave the mall' because you've got nail polish on your fingers." Sheik Abdullatiff Abdel Aziz al-SheikhNow that is amazing, refreshing, cause for hope for the future of Saudi Arabian women. Sheik Sheikh is said to be a moderate - hardly reflected in his garb and appearance, but nonetheless - recently appointed by King Abdullah to head Saudi Arabia's religious police.
A woman who has not been identified was confronted at a shopping mall by the religious police, tasked with maintaining public order and decorum. This woman obviously challenged both decorum and public order because she had the effrontery to have painted her nails. The wearing of nail polish is an affront to those afflicted with Islamism, obviously.
The fast-thinking woman, incensed at the encounter, thought to film the resulting argument she experienced protesting to the police that she was engaged in nothing amiss, had merely done what most women everywhere do; ornamented herself most fetchingly. Which did not appear to appease the outraged police.
She then posted her three-and-a-half minute video on YouTube. Its reflection of police telling her to "get out" of the shopping mall, appears to have found universal favour. It has attracted over a million hits. Doubtless, people fascinated at the absurd spectacle that it represented.
Sheik Sheikh has since issued an order prohibiting the religious police from "harassing people". And just to drive his directive home without any room for doubt, he has threatened "decisive measures against violators."
About time, but as the wise old saying goes, better late than not at all. It's a toehold in the door leading to eventual recognition of women as independent, resourceful, intelligent and equal in that most conservative of Middle East nations.
Labels: Saudi Arabia, Sexism, Social-Cultural Deviations
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, June 06, 2012
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