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ãÞÇáÉ ÕÍÝíÉ áÜ : Reem Al-Faisal
A few weeks ago a friend
called to tell me about the latest cultural storm
brewing in Saudi society: A book entitled “Banat
Al-Riyadh” (The Girls of Riyadh) by Rajaa Al-Sanea. My
friend wanted to know my opinion of the book.
Discovering I hadn’t read the novel yet, he began
informing me enthusiastically of the groundbreaking
subjects the book has tackled, such as gender issues,
and class and regional differences. My friend applauded
the writer’s courage in challenging the social taboos of
Saudi society and exposing many of its dark secrets,
which the society has refused to confront to this very
minute.
My friend objected to the harsh and unjust criticism
that the writer has received in the Kingdom. At the end
of the telephone conversation with my friend I too was
enthused and eager to read the book. I took the
opportunity to buy the book, banned in Saudi Arabia,
when I was traveling outside of the country.
I started to read the book enthusiastically, eager to
discover this writer that has shaken the foundations of
our society. I proceeded to acquaint myself with the
five young women of the book. (Yes, there are five
women, not four; everyone seems to forget the narrator.)
At first I felt interest and some sympathy for the
difficulties these women faced, knowing full well that
the writer is only using these young and superficial
girls to go deeper into the ills of our society and
delve into the dark heart of Arabia. However, as I read
about one flirt after another, and young women facing
their first broken heart, abuse, betrayal, and even
divorce, I realized that what the book was addressing
was not so much the problems unique to Saudi culture,
but issues that confront all rich, pampered kids
everywhere in the world. Several pages later and I began
to dislike these young girls with their superficial
intellect and slight souls.
We do get a spattering here and there of the
difficulties hidden in Saudi society, such as the
simmering dislike and contempt between the different
regions, especially among the western Hejazis and the
central Najdis; the long-suffering of the Shiite
minority inflicted upon them by the rest of society.
She also exposes some of the problems faced by most
Saudi women as being nothing more than chattel, victims
to the whims of their male masters — they like to call
them guardians but we know better. If the male who
controls your destiny is God-fearing and knows Islam
well then you are fine, but if he is a limited man
taking tradition and Islam to mean one thing then your
life is a tragedy and you have limited room for
maneuvering.
The young women of the book do face certain
difficulties, but these are tempered by the many
opportunities and luxuries they have. They can basically
do everything a girl of her class in the world can do.
Many of the women outside of Arabia would cut their arm
off to have the so-called limited luxury these women
enjoy. How many Saudi women have the choice to go and
spend a few weeks in London all expenses paid after a
divorce, or are sent to study in San Francisco to mend a
broken heart? How many women not just here but in the
rest of the world get this kind of family support?
Anyone who feels for these poor girls should go tell
that to the woman living in a small town in the south of
Arabia; the woman whose husband just divorced her to
marry his third younger wife; leaving the woman with
three small children to take care of, forcing her to
move back in with her father, who, for his part, isn’t
too happy to see her return with four more mouths to
feed; and her ex-husband doesn’t really care about the
kids or her and there isn’t a way to force him to live
up to his responsibility; and she can’t find a job since
90 percent of women of working age can’t find a decent
job anyhow.
So forgive me if I don’t cry my heart out for these
women whose greatest tragedy in life is that they
haven’t received red roses on Valentine’s Day.
This is an amusing book, no more, no less. The immense
controversy the book has caused is its best quality.
I write this article because I’m disappointed in the
book. I read it expecting it to be more than it is and I
hoped that finally a writer dared to speak out for the
oppression of the Shiites, or the abuse of women, or of
simply the little injustices and mundane cruelties we
observe in our daily life and just pass them by with an
aching heart and a silent tongue.
Saudi Arabia is not a utopia even though we insist
obtusely that it is. Oh, how I wish my land was a utopia
of happy citizens, but I would settle now for a society
that faces its ills with dignity and tries to correct
them.
As for those clueless girls in Riyadh: You don’t know
how lucky you are.
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