Over the last week, several items in the world news have highlighted the problem of Saudi Arabia, a supposed ally in the War on Terror, funding mosques which promote the same extremism and calls for jihad which create terror. There is a certain hypocrisy about the Saudis exporting any form of Islam abroad, as the undemocratic kingdom prohibits any symbols of other faiths from being imported. Crucifixes, Bibles are forbidden. Guest workers proliferate in the kingdom, but if any of these attempt to hold Christian prayer and worship, they are jailed.
Saudi Arabia is listed by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom as one of the "countries of particular concern", for its violations. Under the terms of the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), Saudi Arabia is placed on a watch list by the US State Department. In September 2005, Eritrea became the first nation to be given sanctions under the terms of the IRFA yet Saudi Arabia, whose repression equals Eritrea, was given a 180 day "waiver", to allow it time for "continuation of discussions leading to progress on important religious freedom issues."
Even for Muslims in Saudi Arabia, strict Wahhabism denies people basic rights. A Salafist doctrine, it was originated in 1744 by Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703-1792), who used violent enforcers called muttawa, mutawi or mutawi'oon to ensure obedience. Nowadays these muttawa, or religious policemen, enact the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice. The muttawa are draconian, causing 15 schoolgirls to die on Monday, March 11, 2002. A fire broke out at a girl's school dormitory. Several girls tried to escape the burning building, but were met my members of the muttawa. They found the girls were not dressed in appropriate attire, and beating the girls to send them back into the flames. The muttawa also prevented fireman from approaching to deal with the conflagration
The muttawa's powers were slightly reduced in May 2006, but their repression continues. On June 6, 2006 a 70-year old Saudi woman was placed in jail because she went into a shop where only a male shopkeeper was present. The elderly and disabled woman was arrested by muttawa because she had been "In close proximity to a man" (Khalwat).
The muttawa are involved in destroying national monuments which had survived since the time of Mohammed, lest they become places of pilgrimage. In 1998, the grave of Amina bint Wahb (Mohammed's mother) was destroyed. The house of Khadija, Mohammed's first wife, has been replaced with lavatories. Only 20 structures from the time of Islam's prophet now remain.
Saudi Wahabbism evolved with the expansionist ambitions of the al-Saud tribe, who now comprise the Saudi "Royal" family, and hold all the important positions in the so-called government. Were in not for Saudi oil reserves, the kingdom would be written off as a tin-pot dictatorship of the worst order. Yet this repressive apology for a nation, where the victim of a gang-rape was subjected to a punishment of 90 lashes in Adrian Morgan is a British bas
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