Saudis order 40 lashes for elderly woman for mingling

**crayon** · 03-09-2009

A Saudi Arabian court has sentenced a 75-year-old Syrian woman to 40 lashes, four months imprisonment and deportation from the kingdom for having two unrelated men in her house, according to local media reports.

According to the Saudi daily newspaper Al-Watan, troubles for the woman, Khamisa Mohammed Sawadi, began last year when a member of the religious police entered her house in the city of Al-Chamli and found her with two unrelated men, "Fahd" and "Hadian."

Fahd told the policeman that he had the right to be there, because Sawadi had breast-fed him as a baby and was therefore considered to be a son to her in Islam, according to Al-Watan. Fahd, 24, added that his friend Hadian was escorting him as he delivered bread for the elderly woman. The policeman then arrested both men.

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam called *******sm and punishes unrelated men and women who are caught mingling.

The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, feared by many Saudis, is made up of several thousand religious policemen charged with duties such as enforcing dress codes, prayer times and segregation of the sexes. Under Saudi law, women face many restrictions, including a strict dress code and a ban on driving. Women also need to have a man's permission to travel.

Al Watan obtained the court's verdict and reported that it was partly based on the testimony of the religious police. In his ruling, the judge said it had been proved that Fahd is not the Sawadi's son through breastfeeding.

The court also doled out punishment to the two men. Fahd was sentenced to four months in prison and 40 lashes; Hadian was sentenced to six months in prison and 60 lashes. In a phone call with Al Watan, the judge declined to comment and suggested the newspaper review the case with the Ministry of Justice.

Sawadi told the newspaper that she will appeal, adding that Fahd is indeed her son through breastfeeding.

The case has sparked anger in Saudi Arabia.

"It's made everybody angry because this is like a grandmother," Saudi women's rights activist Wajeha Al-Huwaider told CNN. "Forty lashes -- how can she handle that pain? You cannot justify it."

source

Got to love "shari'ah".
I'm not even going to comment any further on this because if I start, I will rage.

**Ansariyah** · 03-09-2009

When is the saudi royals family going to get their lashes? I'm sure a lot more happens in their Harams/palaces then in that 70 year old womans home.

Aren't the elders exempt from this type of ruthless punishment?

**doorster** · 03-09-2009

(if the story is true then) She must have been broke (cash poor) otherwise she would have even been able to buy her way out of a REAL crime.

**Uthman** · 03-09-2009

If they are so bothered about implementing the "Shariah", then why don't they get rid of their monarchy?

**Al-Zaara** · 03-09-2009

SubhanAllah! I'm waiting for the day they'll get their lashes. It'll be 'fun' to watch justice then.

**doorster** · 03-09-2009

Originally Posted by Osman

If they are so bothered about implementing the "Shariah", then why don't they get rid of their monarchy?

they cant because they are part of the religious movement that brought them in to power in the first place and followers of that movement still back them and issue fatwas against any critics of the regime

**Ibn Abi Ahmed** · 03-09-2009

Originally Posted by doorster

they cant because they are part of the religious movement that brought them in to power in the first place and followers of that movement still back them and issue fatwas against any critics of the regime

Not all of them. I think it's wrong to just write out blanket statements. Sure there has been a 'marriage' of sorts between the ruling class and religious clergy there each legitimizing the other, but I think it's wrong to say all are like that on either side. Some scholars who might want change and want to speak out are probably just to powerless to do anything because they'll just get jailed or worse. That's what it's like living in a locked kingdom. I've had reliable people tell me that they're scared to criticize the national phone company for fear of being arrested. There needs to be grassroots change for the monarchy to change.

**doorster** · 03-09-2009

Originally Posted by Abu Sayyad

Not all of them. I think it's wrong to just write out blanket statements. Sure there has been a 'marriage' of sorts between the ruling class and religious clergy there each legitimizing the other, but I think it's wrong to say all are like that on either side. Some scholars who might want change and want to speak out are probably just to powerless to do anything because they'll just get jailed or worse. That's what it's like living in a locked kingdom. I've had reliable people tell me that they're scared to criticize the national phone company for fear of being arrested. There needs to be grassroots change for the monarchy to change.

I stand corrected

and have no problem making this part of it my own

I accept this as valid: Some scholars who might want change and want to speak out are probably just to powerless to do anything because they'll just get jailed or worse (then become unable to do any little bit that they can at present).

I've had reliable people tell me that they're scared to criticize the national phone company for fear of being arrested. There needs to be grassroots change for the monarchy to change.

I can attest to that too

**noorahmad** · 03-09-2009

hard rock is spreading among the youths in saudi, and they can't do anything against that, they have a monarchy, they help the US financially knowing the US is waging war in Iraq and Afghanisthan, knowing US is helping Israel, and they dare speak of morality and virtue!!!

**Whatsthepoint** · 03-09-2009

Is 40 leashes the proper islamic punishment for mingling?

**Whatsthepoint** · 03-09-2009

Originally Posted by doorster

read the rest of the posts, still if you fail to get the Islamic stance go back to wherever the mockers come from

All I can find is Saudis this Saudis that, no one's clearly said the punishment itself is unislamic.

**aamirsaab** · 03-09-2009

Originally Posted by Whatsthepoint

All I can find is Saudis this Saudis that, no one's clearly said the punishment itself is unislamic.

There is no sharia punishment for mingling - it is not a punishable crime. Unless the members in question were comitting adultery or fornication (which is not mentioned in the article), there is no crime being comitted.

To be honest, this is quite possibly the most ridiculous case I have ever heard of.

**Pomak** · 03-10-2009

Originally Posted by Abu Sayyad

Not all of them. I think it's wrong to just write out blanket statements. Sure there has been a 'marriage' of sorts between the ruling class and religious clergy there each legitimizing the other, but I think it's wrong to say all are like that on either side. Some scholars who might want change and want to speak out are probably just to powerless to do anything because they'll just get jailed or worse. That's what it's like living in a locked kingdom. I've had reliable people tell me that they're scared to criticize the national phone company for fear of being arrested. There needs to be grassroots change for the monarchy to change.

Reminds me of a hadith, "Change it with you hands and if you can't, then change it with your mouth and if you can't then change it with your heart. For that is the weakest level of faith."

PS. i remember my gypo friends talking about this shaykh who basically told off Mubarak at Mubarak's own birthday party.
So its do-able, i mean you can usually get away with more in KSA than in Egypt, because of the anti-ksa attitude some people have.

**-Elle-** · 03-10-2009

How can a person read something like this and not get angered??? I don't believe this is condoned in Islam, I mean come on, use you're logic. Islam is a just religion, where is the justice in this?

and to all those who mentioned that the responsibles should get lashes; don't worry, Allah is Just, and will give them as they deserve, whether in this world or the Hereafter.

Allahu Akbar.

**Dawud_uk** · 03-10-2009

Originally Posted by aamirsaab

There is no sharia punishment for mingling - it is not a punishable crime. Unless the members in question were comitting adultery or fornication (which is not mentioned in the article), there is no crime being comitted.

To be honest, this is quite possibly the most ridiculous case I have ever heard of.

i agree, this is totally weird and strange, arent woman over a certain age excluded from wearing hijab and the preventions of free mixing?

also, she was his mother, subhanallah where was their proof she wasnt, the burden of proof was on them not her.

may Allah swt guide the ignorant who do nothing but bring embarressment and shame to those who really want the shariah, not this mock shariah practiced in saudia.

**mazhar_majhu** · 03-10-2009

Allah have mercy on these three and all who are a victim of such issues...........
Allah will do justice here or live here after...........

**Cabdullahi** · 03-10-2009

the saudi court thinking out of its ass again! this is stupendous what about the young and old emir's who spend all their money gambling or hanging out with hugh heffner and co when will they get their lashes or what about the many torture dungeons they run to inflict torture on innocent human beings.

Ive also noticed something especially in the middle east there's this sort of hate against foreigner workers who migrate to the country,.. these ppl work their butts of to boost the country's economy and despite that they're easy targets

**aamirsaab** · 03-10-2009

Originally Posted by Dawud_uk

i agree, this is totally weird and strange, arent woman over a certain age excluded from wearing hijab and the preventions of free mixing?

I don't know about that. Maybe it is, but even if it isn't, free mixing/mingling is NOT a punishable crime in Sharia.

may Allah swt guide the ignorant who do nothing but bring embarressment and shame to those who really want the shariah, not this mock shariah practiced in saudia.

Ameen to that!

**nocturne** · 03-10-2009

Just wait for a western journalist to pick up this news...

And it will be the same old Islam opresses Women yet again. Islamic law is against woman..bla...bla..bla..

I cant understand for the world how much worse women are off with western world than in the Islamic world.

**Chuck** · 03-10-2009

Originally Posted by Whatsthepoint

Is 40 leashes the proper islamic punishment for mingling?

Nope as said by others... this is one of the most ridiculous case. On the other hand, there are lashes for false accusations of this nature. Accusation without a proof is serious offense in sharia, which religious police seems to be ignoring in this case.