Driving While Woman

(Khobar, Saudi Arabia) Last Sunday, female activist Manal Al Sharef, 32, was arrested for driving in Saudi Arabia, stoking debate about the ban on women being allowed to drive.

The nation is sharply divided on the issue of women driving.

The ultra-conservatives have come out in full force against Manal.

Sheikh Nasser Al Omer gave a sermon on the matter of women driving. At the beginning of the video he claims that he read in an American newspaper about an American expert who says that the USA is drawing up plans to occupy Saudi oil fields, and that the Iranian TV channels are also making threats. So that raising the issue of women driving is not about rights or whether or not it’s prohibited by Islam; it is a conspiracy against the country, started by Shia who are supported by liberals, secularists, Jews and the West. His argument is that the women driving issue always gets heated when the country is under threat, referring back to the 1990 women driving protest during the Gulf war and now.[…]

On the other hand, you have sheikhs who have come out in support of Manal and lifting the driving ban.

Shiekh Dr. Eissa Al Ghaith, a judge, posted an article on his Facebook page in support of women driving. Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al Ahmari was very outspoken in his support for Manal and lifting the ban on driving. And in the recent past you had several sheikhs including the highly respected Albani who laughed at the suggestion that women driving should be prohibited in Islam. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Baz also supports women driving and says that his father’s original decree banning it is no longer relevant.

In any event, Manal was supposed to be released from jail today but an inside information source asserts that her detention will be extended for ten days.