SaudiSphere

Saudi Wahhabi Shaikh: Using Women for Pleasure is Permitted

Although I should know better, I am still baffled when I read about Fatwas by so-called Salafi-Wahhabi shaiks permitting the use and abuse of women for men's pleasure (reinforcing the prevalent concept of women as disposable objects) . Al-Watan newspaper is reporting a session by a Shikh called Al-Mutlak, who is a member of the committee of senior scholars in Saudi Arabia, where he addressed Saudi students who are about to leave for school abroad and gave them a bunch of religious advice (Arabic). So, among other things, this guy sanctioned marriage with the intention of divorce. And it doesn't stop here, according to Al-Mutlak, these men don't have to inform the women they choose for their sexual pleasures of this intention.

What does that mean?

Simple: Young Saudi men (who obviously have uncontrollable needs) can get married to women who they meet abroad and stay with them until they are done with school and after that, all they have to do is say the magic words: You are divorced.

How convenient.

This, mind you, is coming from a Sunni Salafi scholar, who, in his own tradition, considers Zawaj Al-Mutaa (Temporary marriage allowed in Shiitism) to be a sign of all that is evil (zina -extramarital sex) and use this difference between the two sects as a way to tarnish Shiites.

So, Shikh whatever your name is, what about me, a woman studying in the US, am I allowed to get married with the intention of divorce? Or is this newly acquired right reserved only for men as everything else in your customs?

[Via the Saudi Liberal Network]

Australian Muslims say No to Saudi Money

I don’t know when, and if, Saudi wahhabis will realize that most of the Muslims beyond the borders of the holy kingdom (and even many within) look down upon their teachings and consider them to be radicals who don’t represent their religion. I have heard many stories here in the US about Saudi funded Imams who preach the very much despised version of Islam and the revolt against them from other Muslims. Here is a story from Australia about breaking the hegemony of wahhabi teaching's in some mosques:

CANBERRA'S peak Islamic body has appointed a new imam for the capital amid claims the Saudi Arabian Government is dividing the local Muslim community through controversial payments to religious leaders… more. [Via Saudi Liberal Network-Arabic]

Juhaiman 2.0

Officials in Saudi caught a man attempting to smuggle weapons into the Grand Mosque in Mecca (and for an extra dramatization, he also wore a fake suicide belt). Although the identity of this person has not been revealed yet, this incident is definitely sounding like a Juhaiman type of an attempt to take over the grand mosque and cause bloodshed and great harm. Who is behind this? And seriously, have these Islamists/Wahhabi/Salafi/Jihadi groups (or whatever you want to call them) completely lost their minds?

Riot on Stage

When the lights dimmed signaling the beginning of the play “Centrist without a Center” at Al Yamammah’s college theater in Riyadh, something unexpected happened.

Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, a number of the audience started shouting.

Confusion.

The lights are back. 

Audiences were surprised to find bearded men storming the stage, smashing the theatrical equipment and quarreling with organizers and security forces.