Fatimah Al-Bakili
The number of people demanding that Saudi women should be allowed to drive has increased lately and the demands have become more aggressive. People all over the world want Saudi women to be able to drive and to move around without the need for a guardian’s consent. To understand these demands, we have to be aware of the concept of freedom. We should remember also that moderation is an important value in Islam. There is no harm in keeping up with other people as long as our advancement and development do not compromise our religious values. In other words, our advancement should not be at the expense of religion.
I have been reading extensively about the advocates of Saudi women’s rights. Apparently, there are two groups among them - the first one adopts a moderate position and demands that women should be given more freedom and rights without compromising the values of Islam. This group believes that there is no harm if women are allowed to drive a car or travel alone without a guardian as long as they observe the Islamic dress code and rules.
The second group believes that women should be given the same rights as Western women. The ideas those advocates call for are dangerous to religion and society. They are as dangerous as those who have extreme religious thoughts and ideologies. I do not see any difference between them. They want Saudi women to adopt Western values and culture despite the stark differences between our religious values and theirs. They also call for separating religion from life.
I want to ask the second group these questions: Why are Saudi women depicted as enslaved and deprived of their rights in Saudi society? Does demanding rights entail that Saudi women throw away their traditions and religious values and adopt Western ones? Why does the issue of women’s rights continue to be blown out of proportion? Why do those advocates focus on women driving and guardianship and leave out other equally important issues?
