Women Driving in Saudi Arabia
This essay is a argumentative essay which is based on a debatable topic “Are Women allowed to drive a car in Saudi Arab”. The thesis statement is that “Should driving be allowed to Women in Saudi Arabia”. This paper will support the thesis statement that women must be allowed driving. The points in favor of this topic will be presented along with the counter arguments to reach a conclusion. The women are forbidden to drive in Saudi Arab. The punishment may be different from the penalty for driving a man without proper qualifications to present a spanking (Shmuluvitz). Besides the ban of female driving in Saudi cannot travel without the permission of the men do not have to deal with males that doesn’t include their relatives or in-laws (Farmer). Also, women cannot hold high political office. Male guardian can prohibit a woman to get a job or open a bank account. The proposal to allow the fair sex drive experts estimate as cautious initiative of King Abdullah to provide all women more rights. Among the residents of Saudi Arabia has long been talk of lifting the ban but very rarely the problem raised by officials (Shmuluvitz). Now even religious leaders recognize: a ban on driving imposed because of Sharia law and because of the fact that such steps may violate public morality.
In order to support the female to drive , Women in Saudi Arabia appealed to the king to allow them to drive cars. In UAE the only country where women are forbidden to drive is Saudi Arab, violators are usually sentenced to flogging (Shmuluvitz). To the King of Saudi Arab Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud asked members of the Shura Council for permission to drive women living in the kingdom. Women in council included only in the beginning of this year. Their initiative, believe there will help to equalize the rights of the sexes in the country. Shura Council member Hanan al-Ahmad said that the issue of the driving and the rights of Women was raised during the discussion of the Ministry of Transport (Shmuluvitz). Men and women, members of the board, consider this ban burden for women, as they have no other options but to use public transport, the words Hanan Al-Ahmadi, The Guardian (Yamani). Her colleague Latif al-Shaalan offered to prepare a recommendation to the Ministry of Transport. Now the Shura Council must finally decide whether to offer these recommendations to the Ministry of Transport. If the Ministry rejects them, the matter would be put to a separate discussion of the Board. In April, a woman in Saudi Arabia was allowed to ride bikes and buggies (SUV to drive on the sand) (Shmuluvitz). However, during the journey they must be accompanied by a relative or a security guard, and themselves traveler should be modestly dressed and as reported women can use the bikes and buggies only for recreation, not for commuting (Beyer). Most recently, in early October, the women of Saudi Arabia have another indulgence the right to work and the lawyers to represent the interests of the accused in court on October, authorities issued the first four women lawyers’ licenses. Until now, Females are permitted only to work in the role of legal advisers; they could not defend their clients in court (Beyer).
The laws in Saudi Arab are strict for Women and it restricts the females to drive. However, they cannot qualify for a driver’s license. Activists who defend the rights of Females in the kingdom of Saudi, October call to campaign against the ban (Beyer). Namely the women sit behind the wheel of cars. Activists are asking families to support their relatives who will take part in the action. Previous campaign, which was held in 2011, ended with the arrest of participants (Shmuluvitz). Then dozens of Saudi women have posted their photos at the wheel on the social networks. It is known that one of the detainees was released after sign an undertaking that no longer sit behind the wheel. Another participant punished with 10 lashes (Beyer). However, over the enforcement of the sentence go contradictory rumors; In particular, a Saudi princess said that the conviction was overturned (Yamani). Why women are punished by flogging for driving? After all the wives of the Prophet Muhammad could ride on camels and horses then said one of the activists. Shura Council is an advisory body whose members are appointed by the king. The Council may make different recommendations, which often lay the basis for reform. Prior to the beginning of this year, the council consisted only of men (Beyer). However, in January, the king signed a decree, that in the council of 150 people should be at least 30 women (Farmer).These restrictions are due to the strict Islamic laws in Arabia. Women must have to wear hijab and they are totally dependent on men. However, since the culture is changing the mind of people is becoming broader and females are getting stronger. They know about their rights so they are fighting for it. They went to the King Shah Abdul Aziz to allow women to drive a car. The women also won elections which resulted in the odds in their favor. Thus, in the future they will be allowed to drive a car and will be independent.
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdel-Aziz al-Sheikh said that the laws of the kingdom, forbidding women to drive a car are designed to protect the public from harm. He urged Saudi nationals not to focus on the issue, said the site Al-Hayat. About what is evil in question, the mufti is not explained. Speaking at the University of Taiba in Medina, the mufti also urged the students to resist evil in the media (Beyer). According to him, some elements are willing to denigrate the state and its achievements in the service of Islam and Muslims. Mufti stressed the need to unite in defense of religion and society in the period of conflicting views and a lot of trouble (Yamani). The females are restricted from driving in Saudi. In the kingdom grows public campaign in support of the abolition of the rule. Among its activists have men (Beyer). On October, dozens of women held a demonstration against the ban sat behind the wheel. In support of the existing order are the conservative circles of the clergy. So, theologian, Sheikh Salah Bin Saad Al-Luhaydan said in an interview with a Saudi websites that women often drive a car, deformed pelvis; in addition, a stay at the wheel damages the ovaries. According to Sheikh, the harm has been established in the course of special medical research (Beyer). As stressed by Salah al-Luhaydan, women who constantly drive cars, have children with disabilities, suffering from various diseases. With opinion sheikh about religious prohibitions do not agree morality police chief of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdel-Latif al-Sheikh. He said that Sharia forbids women to drive cars. Al-Sheikh said that after he took the moral police, the police stopped detain women driving (Shmuluvitz).
Scientists from Saudi Arabia to explain why women should not be allowed behind the wheel; In their opinion, corrupts women driving a car (Shmuluvitz). Actions under King Saudi Shura -the council of elders was developed a list of criteria, while meeting women can admit to driving (Shmuluvitz). Under the proposed regulations, use a driver’s license can ladies older than 30 years, while they would be allowed to travel by car only during daylight hours and the absence of facial cosmetics. Everything else, to driving the women of Saudi Arabia will need to obtain permission of the father or husband, and if they are absent a son or brother (Shmuluvitz). During a trip outside the major settlements women drivers must necessarily comprise of a relative that is a men. Also in the council of elders decided to think about the female traffic control. The employees of this service should be to provide assistance to women at the wheel in the event that their car will break down or there will be other difficulties, and supervision of their operation will be carried out religious control (Shmuluvitz). The recommendations are not mandatory Shura to perform them the government of the kingdom. On the territory of Saudi Arabia has no formal direct prohibition for women to ensure that they drove the car. But local laws permitted to drive only the owners of the rights that have been issued by the authorities of the Kingdom, with women such rights are not issued (Doumato). Accordingly, even those residents of the kingdom, which received overseas license, cannot legally drive a car (Yamani).
In short, considering all these facts and counter arguments, I support the thesis statement that the female and the women must be given access to drive and can get a license in Kingdom of Saudi. It is worth noting the sole country which restrict driving and given access to women to gain license is Kingdom of Saudi Where not legally permitted to female sex drive car . In relation to women living in the kingdom and also has a large number of other restrictions (Shmuluvitz). For example, not all women can marry with the citizens of other countries and on travel, employment, education or surgery they need to obtain special permission for men. In addition, Saudi Arabia only in 2011, women won the right to vote and be elected in local elections (Shmuluvitz). The world is changing and has turned into a global village. Those of a conservative thinking are left behind and can’t progress. Islam promotes that both the women and the men are equal; so, why should women be left behind. They can drive and on the other hand can follow the principle of Islam i.e. do hijab and wear burqa; allowing them to drive is their right and this way they will be independent as they don’t have to rely on the males. The women are fighting for their rights as there is no harm in not letting them drive. Islam doesn’t restricts women to drive but women have to follow the principles of Islam when driving.
Work Cited
Beyer, Lisa. “The women of Islam.” Time 3 (2001): 50-9: EBSCO Publishing
Doumato, Eleanor Abdella. “Women and work in Saudi Arabia: how flexible are Islamic margins?.” The Middle East Journal (1999): 568-583.
Shmuluvitz, Shoshana. “The Saudi Women2Drive Campaign: Just Another Protest in the Arab Spring?.” Tel Aviv Notes 5 (2011): 14.
Yamani, Mai. Changed identities: The challenge of the new generation in Saudi Arabia. London: Royal Institute of International Affairs, 2000.
Farmer, Lesley. ‘Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA)2008200 Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA) . Ipswich, MA: EBSCO Publishing Last Visited January 2008. Gratis URL: Www.Libraryresearch.Com’. Reference Reviews 22.5 (2008): 10-10. Web.
