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By Nicole Gaouette and Elise Labott, CNN
Washington (CNN) Saudi Arabia is easing restrictions on women driving, finally allowing almost half its population to get behind the wheel.
A royal decree has been issued that will allow women in the country to drive, the Saudi Foreign ministry said Tuesday on its official Twitter account. A committee has been formed to implement the ruling and it will present recommendations within 30 days. Then the government will have until June 24, 2018, to implement the new decree.
State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said the US “would certainly welcome that” news.
“This is a historic big day in our kingdom,” Prince Khaled bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, said Tuesday in a briefing with reporters.
The move to ease restrictions on women has huge implications for the Saudi economy and women’s ability to work. It is just the latest in a series of changes that have been rippling through Saudi Arabia since the rise of 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Categories: Muslim Women's Right, Rights of Women, The Muslim Times, Women, Women In islam, Women Rights, Women's right
Truly a historic day for the women who reside in Saudi Arabia, sad really that they had to be kept from this experience. Although I have to mention here that this law of State had no Muslim base whatsoever, and was a decision of the political party in power. I’m a Muslim and I’ve been driving since I was 16.
Good news! Hopefully the beginning of further reform to give women equality to men and justice generally.
Muslims really need to reform ancient Islamic laws!!
Finally step by step Saudi Arabia leave the ancient Arab tradition. Why did Saudi Arabia clerics not allow women to drive car? Because they said Prophet’s wives did not drive the car, those Muslims do not follow the sunnah is good Muslim. A good Muslim have to follow the sunnah completely.
We can imagine how happy Saudi Arabia’s women are today. Government and clerics give a little bit of freedom to women. Million Women need more freedom, freedom of wearing cloth, freedom of choosing husband, etc
Too late to reform, but it is cool than nothing.
Again, please do not mix-up local Arab tribal laws with Islamic laws.
I must say, it will be a really big achievement for them. There is no any logic or religious point to keep them away from this. In Islam there is no any law which is forbidding muslim women to drive, it’s just a law made by government of that country.
I agree with you, Somi Tempu. Reform and progress is a necessity for all institutions and religions. The world is constantly changing and humans need to adjust accordingly, having been blessed with intelligence to do so, and not live in a permanent bubble.
The members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community are fortunate to have their Khalifa, who is able to interpret all of the Qur’an and Hadith and Sunna in light of current events. Just make sure you listen to his sermons regularly on http://www.mta.tv ! and you will find no contradictions and problems. (I wish Somi would…)
In Islam there is no law that forbids women from driving. There is no reason women should be kept away from this experience. This decision to not let women drive is not a religious point but is something the government has chosen.
Somi which Hadith mentions to prohibit women from driving? Please do not deviate from topic. Islamic law or sunnah or Hadith, no of them mention forbidding women from driving and that’s what the article is about
How could there be a law in Islam that forbids women from driving, when motor vehicles did not exist at that time? It seems that all Muslims are happy to adopt modern technology on the one hand and wanting to live in the past on the other. ‘You can’t have your cake and eat it’, as the saying goes. Reform and progress is essential!
The real reason for permitting Saudi Women to drive:
https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.814634