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Tuesday, 09 February 2010  -  24 Safar 1431 H
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Saudi girls must stay chaste, says Grand Mufti
RIYADH – Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti on Monday called on Saudi girls to remain chaste in the face of liberal forces which want to deviate women from the right Islamic path so as to satisfy their ulterior motives which have nothing to with Islam.
Speaking at a seminar organized by the law club at the Faculty of Systems and Political Science at King Saud University here, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Aal Al-Sheikh, who is also Chairman of the Board of Senior Ulema, said Islam has honored women and preventing them from traveling without being accompanied by legal guardians (Mehram).
He urged females who might be subjected to any form of blackmail to resist the trend and report such deviation to the authorities concerned.
He slammed the advocates of immoral trends, saying they intend to corrupt the society.
“ They want her to go unveiled, moving about and traveling on her own, getting involved in relationships with whoever she wants, and calling whoever she wants to start up friendships with whoever she wants,” the Grand Mufti said.
He said the education system needs teachers who have conservative morals at the heart of their agenda. “Those who teach in universities must adopt the desirable quality of the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice,” he said.
The Grand Mufti warned of the use of mobile phones and messaging to break the moral fiber.
Addressing Saudi girls, he said: “Muslim girl, there are so many people who want to lure girls by contacting them on the phone, and oh how much they wish women would finally fall victim – and there are many women who have believed them.”
He said the legal marriage is the right way of protecting the youth from committing sins.
“All should cooperate to protect Islamic values,” he said. – SPA

31 Comments have been posted. Post Your Comments
» | ? posted...
As a young muslim woman, I am sick and tired of Islamic authorities always talking about the responsibilities of the women in Islam in a patronizing manner. I am yet to hear about the authorities urging men to AT LEAST control their gaze.
» Grand Mufti's message is an urgent need of today. | israrul Haque posted...
A very timely message, when the entire world is applying its new social engineering to transform the traditional and conservative saudi social fabric which is keeping up to some extent the values of islamic scial system of hijab and segregation of genders. These are the two main value components which can keep the society more chaste and safe from all social anarchy.Islam wants sex discipline in the society,if these two values are applied neutrally world will see a strong knitted social fabric.
» Hellow | Khalil Wasfi ALHaj Darwish posted...
'All should cooperate to protect Islamic values ', yes it's the way ,it should be . Amman - Jordan .
» Islam is the only correct way of life....if we ALL followed it rightly | Mrs. M A Sheikh posted...
I fell upon this article in my search for a truly Islamic newspaper and this article was so refreshing and such a welcome contrast to the news I read here(U.A.E)in the Gulf News! Being a Muslim and living in an Islamic country it's truly sad when I read Islamic principles labelled as 'orthodox and tribal values'.It's even sadder as I realize that 'the liberal forces' include our own Muslim brothers and sisters who are forgetting that the Prophet's way of life is the true Islamic way of life.
» The Verdict! | Saleh Al-Qahtani posted...
Well yes,it is our duty to protect our sisters and daughters from all devilish patterns, either its education or fashion or media. But, I feel sorry to say, that in our current situation, the biggest devils our own Muslim young men - specially Young Arab/Saudi Men. Who gang raped that Filipino women this week? Does these muftis forget that? Everynow and then we hear a maid, trying to kill herself. Does any body asks why? How many times she has been raped by her employer? Saudi men are wolves!
» Corrupt the women and you bring down the society. | Mahmoud posted...
Well it does seem that the Muslim world is under attack by outside forces who seem to want to change Saudi. While change is needed in the Muslim world, we need to be careful about what change we strive for as change can be for the better or the worst. The type of change the West want is not the change that will benefit any society, they do not want Muslim countries to change and become equal in education, technology, military and politics they want the Muslim world to abandon their social values
» Corrupt the women and you ruin the society. | Mahmoud posted...
Through mass advertising, movies and sitcoms the west try to force their way of life onto the Muslim world. Yet 99% of what is show shows only 1% of western life. Muslim women do not believe the lie of the west, women here are raped, robbed, treated like dirt, used and abused and left with 5 children by different fathers that they do not see. I agree with the Mufti about women remaining chaste, but then same applies to men. The rules prohibiting premarital sexual relations applies to both gender
» Ulemah are not being patronizing | Sajid al-Hindi posted...
As salaamu alaykum sister,

If you read again, you will find that the Mufti hafidhahullah is not being patronizing to women. He is just forbidding the wrong and enjoining the good. He is refuting the so-called 'liberals'. Ofcourse it is important for men to lower their gaze and also for women to lower the gaze as comes in the Quran. But a Muslim woman's wearing the jilbab is not conditional upon the men's lowering the gaze just as a man's lowering the gaze is not conditional upon woman's dress
» To the sister | Asif Iqbal posted...
Respected Sister, a true muslim never question the commands of Allah, there are lot of Fitnah in and around all of us, do not let yourself go astray. If you see others who are around you, you may tempt to do or do not feel anything wrong in doing sin since practiced by majority. But truth is the truth right is the right. Wrong cannot change to right if more in number.
» Men??? | Offended woman posted...
Instead of placing the burden on women alone, surely men should learn how to control themselves and not behave like dumb animals?
» Chastity of course ! | Haja Abu Bucker posted...
The grand mufti's advice is highly appreciated while it should be noted that 'Chastity' does not and should not only apply to 'Women' but also to 'Men'. Most of Saudi girls themselves are at risk from Saudi youths only and not from others due to the same language bridge they enjoy. It's well said that the danger approaches these group of girls through mobile phones only as they are generally used as a medium for such shadowy activities !
» | shana badawi posted...
Why not teach boys and men how to respect and treat girls and women? If the males knew how to properly behave around females, there would not be all of these problems of social disfunction in KSA. Boys in KSA are taught from a young age that they are the controllers of the females in their family. They treat their sisters like they are their daughters. You cannot force morals onto someone. People either have morals or not. It is not something that can be beat into them whether male or female.
» | Beefy23 posted...
All well and done but shouldn't the men be urged to do the same as well. What right thinking woman wants to marry a dog who has caught whatever disease because he can't keep his 'britches' up?
» » Grand Mufti's message is an urgent need of today | Proud2BAMuslimah posted...
I saw nothing patronizing in this article. As Muslims we know that both Men and Women are told to lower their gaze. I found this article to be good advise. The reminder benefits the believer.
» Very Ignorant and Patronising | Leila posted...
Why is the behaviour of women used to judge society's morals? Why not men? Why do the sheikhs not speak about important issues such as treatment of foreign workers.
» sick of these statements | Maha Al-Khareiji posted...
let me tell all those foreign muslims who wrongly think that saudi society is pure and perfect: as a saudi woman i have no rights, no respect, no standing in this sick and discriminating society. Our values are not islamic at all; islam has been used by everyone in my country to enslave, control, and manipulate females. These imams are not angels; many of them are violent with their wives, daughers and sisters. many commit marital rape and think its their right
» | Maha Al-Kheiriji posted...
(continued)
i know this because its been almost four and half decades since i have been living in this country and as a psychological counseller, i have many female patients who suffer from severe depression because of childhood marriages, marital rape, domestic violence and even ashamed to say incest. If it were just an exception, i would swallow it, but our hypocritical and unforgiving society and culture severely victimizes our females in every instance. these clerics cannot swallow the idea
» | Maha Al-Kheiriji posted...
(continued) that we saudi females may one day soon be allowed to drive, travel abroad without male permission, appear uncovered on TV, and be allowed to marry foreign males if we want to. i am so sick of these "wise,religious" men lecturing us saudi females about how to live a "chaste" and "pure" life---what about men? i know many of my female patients who complain their men openly cheat while abroad and then shamelessly brag about it--yet i know many females here who have been killed just on
» | Maha Al-Kheiriji posted...
(continued) the suspicion that they talked or even looked at or smiled at some non-mahrem male. No wonder we have so many spinisters here not to mention many females who dont know anything about sex on their wedding night and suffer from trauma and many psychological problems but i am sure these self righteous mufti and imams can conveniently turn a blind eye to such oppression since in their eyes, a good muslim woman must be blindly obedient to their hubbies no matter how oppressive they are!
» An outside opinon.... | James_in_America posted...
Im not a muslim nor saudi but i am a person who has faith in his god and creator. But it seems to me that if you want to promote a strong society and faith that locking the outside world and its dangers away is a mistake.
Threw challenges and hardships we grow in wisdom as well as in self discipline and will. To run from these challenges means never meeting them and never realy grow to be what i think god wants of us.
» continued... | James_in_America posted...
If you restrain a dog with a leash who keeps trying to attack then claim that it has mastered its fear or anger which causes its violence are you not then just lying?

Muhmoud.
Yes its true that women in america are raped, beaten, abused and all the others. This is horrible and no self respecting man or women in america should ever accept it and the vast magority of them dont. Those that do if they are found are procecuted and punished. We are not perfect we claimed to be.
» Maha Kheiriji's comments | Tariq A. Al-Maeena posted...
Maha, your comments deserve more follow up. I would like to write up a column on the subject. Would you drop me a line on talmaeena@yahoo.com. Regards, Tariq
» | Doug posted...
What is unIslamic about a woman marrying the man of her choice? Surely as long as she remains chaste before marriage and faithful afterwards, that is acceptable? And why should a woman not have friendships with whoever she chooses, as long as those friendships remain chaste?
» | american muslimah posted...
Both men and women need to be virgins at the time of their marriage, not just women. Men and women need to be sex segregated so they don't fall into fitnah and commit zina. Bukhari and Muslim reported from Ibn 'Abbas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
"A woman should not travel save and except with a mahram." [Muslim]
» | american muslimah posted...
For a person to be considered a mahram, he must meet four conditions: he should be a Muslim, over the age of puberty, of sound mind, and male as per the hadith narrated by Abu Sa'eed al Khudri (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
"No woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day should travel a distance of three days' journey or more unless her father, son, husband, brother or other mahram is with her." [Muslim]
Yet, in another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
"It is not perm
» | american muslimah posted...
I have family in Saudi. My mother-in-law, nieces, and sister-in-laws are all respected by their sons/brothers/fathers. I can't wait to go to Saudi Arabia and live there. Women in Saudi are catered to over there. Single men can't do anything in Saudi without a female mahram escorting them! Everything is for families in Saudi to protect the women. The women in my husband's family are happy with the way things are. They don't mind not being allowed to drive.
» Thank you Maha Al-Kheiriji | fatima posted...
i share the same opinion , men is the source of many social problems in saudi arabia , treating a woman like a piece of furniture , or a possession . A woman in saudi is never considered a true partner and often her husband will make decisions , important ones without her knowing as if she does not exist. I would hate to live in saudi honestly .
» to Maha Al-Kheirji | beezer posted...
(stands and claps). Nice job, lady. You need a blog of your own to share your insight with the world. The Mufti could have commented on all of what you state, but decided to focus on "girls" instead. He thinks they hold Saudi society together and should bear all the responsibility for it. But, when these girls turn out to be women they get no liberty to shape Saudi society. They are boxed up and kept quiet. They get all of the responsibility and none of the liberty. beezer@mail2world.com
» phsycologically damged | Wahine posted...
I cannot believe women who live in an Islamic country are not phsychologically damaged by the overwhelming restrictions they have to obey. I wouldn't even call it a life - just another form of enslavement by weak men who cannot control themselves and must blame others for their own incapacities.

Kiha Kaha (stand strong) women of Saudi Arabia someday you will be free. We are with you in thought and mind.
» Unthinking | Natalie Sandberg posted...
This article truly stunned me! How about a piece on the chastity of Saudi boys? Why is the Grand Mufti so concerned with the sexuality of girls, yet mentions nothing about the young men and their ways? I teach young Saudi girls and it is no doubt why so many of them are suffering phsychologically;shame on you for distorting such beautiful minds! Think before you speak!
» Fear of Allah tala is lacking | ayyaz posted...
Read these books Men should read this book and ask forgiveness from their wives. http://www.khanqah.org/books/download/rights-of-women/book.pdf Men should also read this book about guarding their gazes. http://blog.khanqah.org/book-14-harms-of-casting-evil-glances/136.html available in English and Arabic
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