Canada and the World
Current Events with a Canadian Perspective
Last update
19 November 2010
Child Marriage in Saudi Arabia
The marriage of a 60-
girl of eight created an unwelcome controversy
for Saudi Arabia’s conservative government
Most of the people of Saudi Arabia practice a particularly austere form of Islam called Wahhabism. According to the PBS newsmagazine Frontline (broadcast November 2001) “Strict Wahhabis believe that all those who don't practice their form of Islam are heathens and enemies. Critics say that Wahhabism’s rigidity has led it to misinterpret and distort Islam, pointing to extremists such as Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.”
Women Have few Rights
Saudi women are not allowed to drive. They can’t vote. They are not allowed to travel or have surgery unless they have a man’s permission.
Women are not allowed to be in the company of a man to whom they are not related;
the penalty for this can be harsh as reported by CNN (March 2009): “A Saudi Arabian
court has sentenced a 75-
An even worse punishment was meted out to a 19-
“The couple was sitting in a car when a group of seven men kidnapped them and raped them both, lawyers in the case told Arab News, a Saudi newspaper. The woman and the former boyfriend were originally sentenced to 90 lashes each for being together in private…”
The attackers got sentences ranging from 80 to 1,000 lashes each and between 10 months and five years in jail.
The Selling of Child Brides
And, women and even children can be sold into marriage by their families.
That seems to be how an eight-
According to a BBC News report (April 2009) “Local press reports say the case seems to be an example of how some Saudi families sell their daughters for money.
“Correspondents say the girl’s father appeared to have sought the dowry from the groom to pay off debts.”
Girl’s Mother Goes to Court
The mother of the girl petitioned a court to have the marriage annulled. The BBC reported that, “The judge said he had tried to persuade the husband to accept a divorce, but the man refused.
“The girl is still with her family and there is no suggestion that she will live with her husband until much older.
“The judge said that once she reached puberty, she could ask for a divorce.”
The court then upheld the marriage on condition the 60-
Saudi Arabia’s Justice Minister, Muhammad Issa, said his ministry wanted to regulate the business of families selling off child brides. However, as the BBC reported, “he did not suggest the practice would be abolished.”
Image credit
Retlaw Snellac
Sources
“Saudi Time Bomb.” PBS, November 2001.
“Opposition to Women Driving.”Salem Salman, Asharq Alawsat, September 19, 2010.
“Saudis Order 40 Lashes for Elderly Woman for Mingling.” Mohammed Jamjoom and Saad, CNN, March 9, 2009.
“Ruling Jolts Even Saudis: 200 Lashes for Rape Victim.” Rasheed Abou-
“Saudis ‘to regulate’ Child Brides.” BBC News, April 15, 2010.
© Canada and the World, September 2010
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“...there are around 740,000 chauffeurs working in Saudi Arabia, as numerous Saudi families rely upon a foreign chauffeur [to drive the women of the family], especially in many cases where the head of the household is busy at work.
Salem Salman, Asharq Alawsat, September 19, 2010
Saudi Islamic clerics justify child marriages “on the grounds of what Mohammed did. After all, Mohammed married a child himself and for many Islamic clerics in Saudi Arabia this means that child marriage is sanctioned.”
Lee Jay Walker, Islam in its Own Words, February 4, 2010