Do you realize how odd your question is in global perspective?No, you didn’t get the question. What I’m saying is...
Would a woman need permission if she’s on her way to work, school, college or hospital?
Would a woman need permission if she’s gonna dine with her friends and she’s married?
When you talk about her asking permission about something, you need to give example.
Permission to dine with friends if married? Really? Informing the spouse of their plans and planning it in a way to suit both parties, I get. But permissions? pft.
What you are describing has been part of many cultures due to shared roots or due to invasion and colonization by cultures with such values. They got over it or getting over it. More than feminism, it's simply result of modern lifestyle and economic realities.OK. I'll answer your question, but it's gonna be a long answer.
Why it took 131 or so years? Because the Saudis are (I even said that to Lightbringer, but I'll have to repeat myself) the Saudis are tribal ethnicity. Each tribe their ancestors go back to Prophet Muhammad's companion. My tribe the same case too.
Now you would be like? What Muhammad has to do with this? lol
I say, everything. You see? Generation after generation, we've been taught to preserve our habits, our way of living in Islam and our traditions. Thoughts, deeds and believes been carried on for over 1300 years. Memes you may wanna call them.
Jealousy, I mean utterly and highly over protective on our women. Because my sister, my daughter, my granddaughter will marry soon. So we have to raise her the right way. Teach her. Educate her. Prepare her to become a good housewife. Secure her virginity until she get married.
We care about our ways of living and keep our heritage and Islamic heritage forever, generation after another. We care about our reputation and keep a good face at public. There is an old Arabic proverb "The home, but not the shame" meaning we are willingly prepared to lose our home, but we won't let our reputation to be tainted. We prefer to die an honorable death over living with shame.
We've been living this way for over 1300 years. Islam taught us to take care of our women. Provide them their needs. Preserve their rights. King Abdullaziz (founder of 3rd Saudi Nation) managed to open Riyadh on year 1902 AD. That was the beginning of the 3rd Saudi Nation. Oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia in year 1938 AD.
Do you know how many tribes are there in Saudi Arabia? If we go to the roots, there are somewhat 49 tribe, and each one has under it somewhat 100s of tribes. Do the math. Probably 4900 tribe, but highly it could be over 5000 tribe, and all of them are allies of Al Saud (the royal family) since King Abdullaziz and his ancestors.
We entrusted Al Saud to rule the nation based on Quran and sunah and to preserve our way of living forever. The royal family know better than any political influence outside Saudi Arabia what kind of people we are.
Now, life keeps on changing, cities get crowded more and more. The man's responsibilities keep getting more and more and get more harder than before. It was time, long long ago since I believe King Fahd (probably before 40 years ago) females were allowed to go to school and get their education, Saudi females became teachers, doctors, etc etc. It took time since King Fahd. After King Fahd died, came after him King Abdullah. During his era, the issue of allowing women to drive came on the table of negotiation, but King Abdullah said "Not yet. When the time comes." The Saudi government has a vision, it just needs time and time for the Saudi people specially men to accept these changes that are coming over time, because for Saudi Arabia to move forward, people need to change, not to a bad way, but to a good way. A married Saudi man can't do all his duties towards his family everyday.
- Take the kids and wife to school/work
- Go to work
- Buy stuff for the house
- Take wife and kids to family visit
- Go shopping with family
It became obvious to this generation of husbands that they can't keep up with the changes of life, specially if their wives have jobs. So they started to hire maids watching after kids, cleaning house. Little by little, and driving cars was allowed for women. I believe it was June 23, 2017.
There is no infrastructure when it comes to transportation like sub ways. We were depending on hiring foreigners as drivers for our families. Hardly the father hang out with his children and his wife. This is no way of living if a father doesn't spend time with his family, but there you go. Somehow they manage.
Women started to work in Uber. The Saudi government plans to decrease the number of foreigners by increasing their cost of living in Saudi Arabia.
The point is, we Saudis are so so so sensitive. We get so worried if a wife, a sister or a daughter left the house.
Too much passion destroys one soul.