Post date: Nov 10, 2016 9:59:35 PM
This article is about a Saudi women’s rights activist by the name of Souad al-Shammary, a once Salafi Muslim who is now a “walking challenge to taboos” in Saudi Arabia. Growing up in Ha’il, Riyad, al-Shammary was raised practicing Salafi - which takes quite literal interpretations of Sharia. However, after a financially convenient marriage fell apart, resulting in divorce, she lost custody over her first born (due to the fact that she was a woman). This event sparked her journey to activism. When the court took her daughter, they claimed it was “allah’s will” and that “this is Islam.” In order to combat the judge's ruling, al-Shammary began using her knowledge of Sharia (which she had studied in university), to provide alternative interpretations in Islam to support her claim to her daughter. One of her primarily interpretations was on how Islam sees people, including women, as born equal and free. Despite this, the ruling against her became official. This did not discourage her however, and her activism persisted. Gradually she became one of the most vocal and high-profile women’s rights activists within Saudi Arabia, demanding an end to “male guardianship” laws that treat women as minors. Since then, her activism has cost her three months in prison without due trial for “agitating public opinions,” she has been barred from traveling abroad by the government, and has also been publicly disowned by her father. Despite all this, she continues to communicate her messages via twitter to her more than 207,000 followers, ever increasing the force behind her call to end the “male-guardianship” law.
This article can be related back to the course primarily through “hadara,” as was presented in Deeb’s book “An Enchanted Modern.” This term, meaning “modern,” is centered around making efforts to leave behind material underdevelopment, but especially spiritual ignorance. The process by which this is accomplished is through education and critical analysis of Islamic texts and practices. We can see this in regards to al-Shammary’s interpretations of Islam, which challenge traditional interpretations under Sharia Law. Through her interpretations, she attempts to abolish traditional Sharia practices that she claims are the result of centuries of “selective interpretation.” We can also relate this article back to Spadola’s book “The Calls of Islam.” Technologization in Saudi Arabia is what has allowed al-Shammary to accomplish feats such as extending her call to over 207,000 twitter followers, or by submitting a petition to King Salman that hosted over 14,700 signatures, many of which were collected online. Her use of technologization to push forward Hadara has extended her message to thousands, and, can hopefully bring about positive change regarding the rights of women in Saudi Arabia.