A Most Masculine State Gender, Politics, and Religion in Saudi Arabia

Transcription

1 A Most Masculine State Gender, Politics, and Religion in Saudi Arabia Saudi women are often described as either victims of patriarchal religion and society or successful survivors of discrimination imposed on them by others. goes beyond these images to explore the historical, political, and religious forces that made them enjoy far fewer rights than their counterparts in other parts of the Muslim world. Under the patronage of the state and its religious nationalism, women became hostage to political projects in which they must represent contradictory expectations. As symbols of both piety and modernity, women s emancipation is delayed and thwarted. Drawing on state documents, media sources, and women s voices, Al-Rasheed explores persistent gender inequality in what many Saudis and outsiders consider a unique situation. She examines the intersection between gender, religion, and politics that perpetuates women s exclusion. The author unveils projects initiated by the state, social controversies, religious rulings, and vibrant debates that dominate discussions of the woman question. While women s struggle for greater recognition and equality has already started, the author sees light at the end of the tunnel. is Professor of Anthropology of Religion at King s College, University of London. She specialises in Saudi history, politics, and society. Her publications include Contesting the Saudi State (2007), Kingdom Without Borders (2009), and A History of Saudi Arabia (2010).

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3 Cambridge Middle East Studies Editorial Board Charles Tripp (general editor) Julia Clancy-Smith F. Gregory Gause Yezid Sayigh Avi Shlaim Judith E. Tucker Cambridge Middle East Studies has been established to publish books on the nineteenth- to twenty-first-century Middle East and North Africa. The series offers new and original interpretations of aspects of Middle Eastern societies and their histories. To achieve disciplinary diversity, books are solicited from authors writing in a wide range of fields including history, sociology, anthropology, political science, and political economy. The emphasis is on producing books affording an original approach along theoretical and empirical lines. The series is intended for students and academics, but the more accessible and wide-ranging studies will also appeal to the interested general reader. A list of books in the series can be found after the index.

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5 AMostMasculineState Gender, Politics, and Religion in Saudi Arabia MADAWI AL-RASHEED King s College, University of London

6 cambridge university press Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi, Mexico City Cambridge University Press 32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, ny , usa Information on this title: / C 2013 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 2013 Printed in the United States of America A catalog record for this publication is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Al-Rasheed, Madawi. A most masculine state : gender, politics, and religion in Saudi Arabia /. p. cm. (Cambridge Middle East studies ; 43) Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn (hbk.) isbn (pbk.) 1. Women Saudi Arabia Social conditions. 2. Muslim women Saudi Arabia Social conditions. 3. Feminism Saudi Arabia. 4. Feminism Religious aspects Islam. 5. Women and religion Saudi Arabia. 6. Sex role Saudi Arabia. 7. Women s rights Saudi Arabia. I. Title. hq1730.a dc isbn Hardback isbn Paperback Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of urls for external or third-party Internet Web sites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Web sites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

7 To Zyad and Loulwa

8 The essential ambiguity of the state derives in part from the fact that in its very structure, with the opposition between financial ministries and spending ministries, between its paternalist, familialist, protective right hand, and its socially oriented left hand, it reproduces the archetypal division between male and female, with women being linked to the left hand as its administrators and as the main recipients of benefits and services. Pierre Bourdieu, Masculine Domination

9 Contents Acknowledgments page xi Introduction: The Woman Question in Saudi Arabia 1 1 From Religious Revival to Religious Nationalism 43 2 Schooling Women: The State as Benevolent Educator 77 3 Symbols of Piety: Fatwas on Women in the 1980s The Quest for Cosmopolitan Modernity Women in Search of Themselves Celebrity Women Novelists and the Cosmopolitan Fantasy Guarding Self and Nation: Women Preachers and Activists 244 Conclusion: Light at the End of the Tunnel 280 Glossary 297 Bibliography 303 Index 315 ix

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11 Acknowledgments I am greatly indebted to the Leverhulme Trust for a two-year Research Fellowship that allowed me to research and write this book. The support of my department at King s College London, in particular Paul Janz, has been great. Many Saudi men and women were supportive of this project. I benefited from discussions and correspondence with Ahmad al-wasil, Badriya al-bishr, Fawziya Abu Khalid, and Umayma al-khamis. Their insight, critical voices, and writing illuminated many of the discussions in this book. Others kept me informed about rapid changes and alerted me to new sources and developments in Saudi Arabia. Their regular s and YouTube video clips narrowed distances and bridged the gap. Mishael sent me official documents, letters, and sensitive stories that allowed me a glimpse of the restrictions imposed on women in Saudi Arabia. Muhammad s regular s, photos, and YouTube clips were a flood of enthusiasm and perseverance. Bloggers drew my attention to their regular commentaries. To all those, I express my appreciation and gratitude. My colleague Marat Shterin has been a source of tremendous support and encouragement. He had to bear the burden of running seminars and teaching classes during my two-year fellowship. Our discussions about state and religion were of great value. He offered insights on religion and gender drawn from his expertise in Christianity, Judaism, and new religious movements in the West. My colleagues at the Middle East Study Group offered great feedback and constructive criticism on seminar papers and oral presentations of the material in this book. Special thanks are due to Professor Sami Zubaida, Nelida Fuccaro, and Nadja al-ali. xi

12 xii Acknowledgments I am also grateful to Deniz Kandiyoti for her valuable comments and Arshin Adib-Moghaddam for insights on a paper presented at a British Academy event. At Cambridge University Press, Marigold Acland has been a source of encouragement and support. I have worked with her for more than a decade; her enthusiasm and professionalism are always exemplary. Mary Starkey was more than a copy editor. Her meticulous attention to detail and style, in addition to her comparative perspective that occasionally alerts me to insights from South Africa, are always appreciated. Finally, my sister Loulwa was a source of great support and intellectual stimulation. She kept me informed about publications in France and read chapters of the manuscript. Her zero tolerance for obscurantism added a touch of rationality in a world whose inner logic may have escaped many observers. My daughter, also called Loulwa, offered a comparative perspective, drawing on her interest in English literature, feminism, and history. She patiently listened to stories and anecdotes with an appreciated calm and serenity. My son, Zyad, commented on my ideas in his usual argumentative style. His occasional dismissal of ad hominuim and ad feminum remarks inserted the wit of a young personality in endless days of working and reworking manuscripts. My husband offered most valuable distractions at times when writing a book often turns into a full-time obsession. Without their help and encouragement, this book would not have seen the light.