Albatool Turki
Al Bilad
I WANT to discuss an issue that remains unresolved and on account of which many generations have suffered and are suffering. Saudi women still struggle on account of some laws that marginalize their civil rights, such as if they have children from a non-Saudi husband. In such scenarios they enjoy no civil rights, and this remains the situation regardless of whether they are still married to the person, divorced or widowed. The situation remains the same as long as the children of a Saudi woman remain in her custody.
Many of these children were born in the Kingdom and grew up here. They have studied in our schools, speak our language, adapted to our culture and traditions, love the Kingdom and are loyal citizens. Why then do such rules still exist? These children do not have the same rights because their fathers are not Saudi.
On the other hand, if a Saudi man marries a non-Saudi woman and his children are born outside the Kingdom, speak that country’s language, adapt to the traditions and culture of that country, and do not know anything about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, they are still considered to be Saudi because of the Saudi passport that they hold.
The law gives men rights that are not given to women. This remains the case in spite of Allah Most High saying in Surah Al-Ahzab: “Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.”
We are female citizens in a country that is home to the two Holy Mosques, a country that is known to defend and protect Islam. There is a need to present to the relevant authorities the suffering, weeping and tears of mothers who pray and ask Allah that their children not be taken away to their fathers’ countries. Their children are dealt with the same way that expatriates are treated. They are not allowed to study in the Kingdom’s universities even though they do not know any other country. Some laws are created by humans and can be suitable for a particular time, but then they lose their relevance. I, therefore, ask the authorities not to let these strict laws hurt these mothers.
