Good news for social change in Saudi Arabia today:
the kingdom’s mufti, Sheik Abdul-Aziz al-Sheik, issued a statement saying that coercing women to marry was “un-Islamic” and “a major injustice.”
this from the CBC
There is always all this talk that in order to bring democracy and “freedom” to a country, one has to rise up against the establishment and demand elections on a massive scale. But reform can also come through less visible channels, such as religion. Social issues like women having the right to marry whoever they chose are just as important, if not more, in empowering the people and giving them more basic freedom.
Given that the clergy and government/royals in SA are intertwined, it will be interesting to see if this moderation of religious and social practice will be refected in the political scene as well.
Whatever happens, today is a good day for freedom in Saudi Arabia.