Religious Police, A Invention (bidaah) ?
Religious ploice (Commission for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice) is created in Saudi Arabia with the ‘responsibility & authority’ of keeping the people of Saudi Arabia on ‘right track’ of Islam. Before discussing on religious police I would like to explian what is the religious ‘responsibility & authority’. The supreme charter of Islam is Quran & Sunnah. And for some higher issues like Haram & Halal, inheritance,etc only Quran. Even prophets are not even allowed to make any thing haram or halal. (it needs another blog in detail whats haram & halal, I will discuss later on).
Regarding ‘Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice’, Allah Karim said in Quran ‘there should be some people in you, who ‘advice/order’ the people for virtue and ‘stop’ from vice/bad things’. Now what is the ‘responsibility & authority’ ?. Nobody in Islam is granted any ‘authority’ to forcefully order or stop the people. Even in one ayah (verse) of Quran Allah Karim said to Prophet Mohammad (ASW) that ‘we didn’t sent you as caretaker/police man’. If Allah Karim neither give any authority to his beloved prophet (ASW) and Prophet Mohammad (ASW) also not created any ‘religious force’ then whats the justification of this Religious force (Commission for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice) in Saudi Arabia. Allah Karim says in Quran ‘there is no force/Compulsion (jabr) in religion’. So on what basis this commission is created ?, infact this religious force is un-religious & bidaa on the the name of religion.
Regarding this murder by the commision member, its totally against the teaching of Islam & basic human rights. Its neither mentioned in Quran that ‘spy’ people, broke into homes without permission and beating some one without any evidance. Infact this so called religious police is humilating, harassing, torturing and now killing innocent people on the name of Islam & Prevention of Vice.
Islam doesn’t allow spying
Islam doesn’t allow enter anyone home without permission
Islam doesn’t allow to beat anyone without any proper evidance & case.
Once Caliph Umar (RTA) came to know that a man was drinking alcohol in his home. He broke through in his home by wall and caught him red handed with alcohol. Then the case is presented in court. That person said I did1 crime of drinking alcohol but Umar (RTA) did 3 crimes, first spying, second jumping into my home from wall (not from door) and last without permission. The judge dismiss the case and Caliph Umar (RTA) apologized for that. This is the true Islam.
I my self saw this religious police are hiting womens with wooden sticks in shooping malls (Faisalia). What they want to show & prove to world that Islam is enforced and spread by stick & sword ?. This harsh and rigid attitude born extreamism & Talibnization. For God sake…… don’t try to be above then prophets. Our prophet (ASW) never enforced religion, never hit anyone even never said bad to anyone.
What we are doing ?
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Great first article, Ali. It actually scares me that these “religious police” are spreading throughout Arab countries… we are seeing more of them here in Bahrain and I fear them very much, knowing that they would never shy away from using violence to enforce their (un-Islamic!) opinions/beliefs on others.
Ali.. as you and Esra’a mentioned, these (religious police) force people into doing what they ask not because they actually believe in it but because they are afraid.
I cover my face sometimes when I see one approaching me just to avoid his sharp and loud remarks, the moment he turns away I remove the cover.. is that what they want? I don’t think that is even close to Islamic behavior!
That was rather interesting,
as I also live in an Islamic country, I can totally understand what Ali is saying, but I have a question for you Ali: how do you think thay managed [your government] to stay up to now? you know what I think? (I say this because this is exactly what is happening here!) they trick people (mostly uneducated people) that they are doing what “Real Islam” has recommended, they buy people and also they show that they have the upper hand: they are those who have the authority to hit women! but did you know over 60% of people (at least in our country) doesn’t have a clue about what really Islam says?! Islam is theoretically flawless, but is it possible to apply the laws as they did 1400 years ago? no we can’t! we have to adapt them with current situation, it’s not impossible! most people say they’ve read holy Quran and they know all about Sunnah, but it needs explanation, it’s not as easy as reading a story book!
why don’t they start Islam with the fact that it doesn’t allow corrupted people in the government? the fact that it doesn’t force you to be a muslim to live in an Islamic country? with the fact that every person has the right to have his/her own political point of views? I sometimes wonder did they have large prisons 1400 years ago to hold political prisoners?
I’m not trying to approve Islam, what I’m trying to say is that you have to read and know about something before judging it!
Pouyan,
The government handed those religious group all the power and authority as you mentioned, they provided them new cars, jobs.. etc, in return they would have all the support. But lately the government actually us citizens have been paying the price for all the power this group has which has become (wahabism).
Many wahabi/fundamentalists stood against our government and that’s when 9/11 started and all the bombings here in Saudi Arabia took place, I think that is when the government knew they had made a mistake by empowering them but it was too late.
Even the issue of women driving.. for instance.. I know that many high rank figures in the government support women driving but because of these fundamentalists position we are unable to until this day.
We used to live in an isolated bubble many years back.. but the moment that bubble burst, the rest of the world became much closer through t.v, newspapers, internet, travelling.. etc. and the saudi society became divided.. some want their rights and freedom while many others believe that all we ask for is to be westernised which is against Islam. They think we should be content in the way we live as our ancestors did hundreds of years ago.
the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice comes from the people
not from (paid) illeterate individuals, and not by this way or manner
I can’t imagine that I call for virtue and prevent vice and get a salary
this is rather funny
a salary?? it is not a job
and by the way
90% of those people are prisoners who were released and promissed to have this (job)
most of them were/are drug addicts alcoholic or theifs who announced Tawbah and then join this(police)
now you can have an idea of their level of education or background
Agreed totally. It is very alarming, and very hypocritical/ironic!
They don’t really want to show real Islam they are just going to destroy it and make people hate it,that’s their job and I should say they have done it perfectly.
Rasha,
Actually these religious police want to enforce their own brand of Islam on every one. You never find this kind of religious police in any other Islamic country, excluding Iran and both are extremist countries.
I don’t wanna go in debate that covering of face is Islamic or un-Islamic but nobody has right to order, force, insult, humilate and even beat for this, bcoz there is no compulsion/force in Islam for anything. Religion is always a personal matter. Even no certain dress-code is mentioned in Islam for male & females.
Really people are facing lot of difficultuies & problems in Saudia bcoz of this so called Men of God. This is the second time they directly committed a murder, first they murder innocent school girls on the name of veil in Makkah school fire. These are the people who believe women is source of all evils and their ONLY objective is to giving birth……..rather than believing she is human being like us, equal to man and also have feelings & heart………
Is it really that easy? they just announced Tawbah, and BAM! they are men of god? god must be very easy on them if they are men of his army!
In Iran, whoever wants easy money would join such groups, it’s easy, your given a lot of power, you can study in public school without takin the national enterance exam (called Concoor), they’ll buy you any car you’d like and so on. no pain and all gain!
I remember they used to have a price on each person they arrest.. the more they arrested people the more money they would get.. what an incentive!
I wonder if they still do it now though!
I remember a girl in Saudi, the daughter of one of my mother’s friends, having cerebral palsy, used crutches and while she waited for her parents at the ticket counter in the airport that some of the mutawa came and began spraypainting her legs. How appalling is that!
Try getting into the Muttawa’ and see who they allow in.
Most of this article is obviously quoting ‘facts’ that may have been read off another site or heard from the friend of a friend…
To join the Mutawwa’ you must have studied Islam and Tawheed for a number of years to begin with. They are very strict in who they let in, its probably harder to join the Mutawwa’ than the royal family.
When the Islamic state is established and Shari’ah is in place, it is possible then to carry out hudood (punishments) have courts to deal with cases and command punishments etc, and also establish a force to monitor and control certain things. Whilst KSA is not perfect by far, and it is not truly ruled by Shari’ah, it does have many aspects of this in place. They are not telling people what is Haraam that Allah has said was Halaal, nor are they making Halaal what Allah said was Haraam. They are simply enforcing what Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala has made clear in His Shari’ah.
If a Mutawwee tells a woman to cover, it is because Allah has commanded this, if he chastises a shabaab (youth) for chatting to a non-Mahram girl, it is because Allah does not wish this for the shabaab, if a Mutawwee catches a theif stealing (without need) and reports him to the courts, this is because Allah has commanded that the theif be punished for such crimes.
I am so pleased to see this posting, because it shows the idiocity of the religious police. It shows the propaganda they believe to justify their cause. And it shows the extent to which we Muslims who are for democracy must go to be victorious in our campaign for justice.
“If a Mutawwee tells a woman to cover, it is because Allah has commanded this, if he chastises a shabaab (youth) for chatting to a non-Mahram girl, it is because Allah does not wish this for the shabaab, if a Mutawwee catches a theif stealing (without need) and reports him to the courts, this is because Allah has commanded that the theif be punished for such crimes.”
No one has commanded anyone, becuase Allah does not command. Religion cannot be commanded! There is no crime in humanity for a youth chatting with a non Muslim youth. There is no religious police authority against what one wears in public. No, sir, you are wrong. Your days are numbered, because Allah’s real servants will bring about a day of democratic Islamic tradition, no compusion, simply reason and respect. The Saudi experiment is a total failure, and it is up to the Worldwide Muslim community to assist and support out Saudi brothers and sisters who seek a day of peace and justice in the land of the Kabbah.
Ali
What I like about the Calif is that he changes his attitude but people of today do not! They insist what they do is exactly what should be done and nothing less than that. I hope a bit of Umar’s flexibility was adopted by the authorities of my country …
What sort of things fall under the heading of “Propagation of Virtue”? We hear lots about their activities to punish bad behavior, but their name implies they also work to encourage good behavior. How do they do that?
MyTwoCents,
They do that in a way one would forget about doing some thing good again
I am Indian working in Riyadh, and I am not a muslim. although what Ali is saying is true, there is a another side of the story. What I have observed in this country is that the traditions are followed, and importance is given to family life. If you are Saudi guy you can reasonably expect to get a good women to marry, unlike in many other countries. The religios police is actually helping the Saudi community to maintain these values by force. Although it may appear to be unacceptable, it does good to the community….
hello i’m a iraniyan girl 21 years old . i hope to help me and help you.thank you.