Jihad, Fundamentalist Islam, and the West

Dear Blue Abaya readers, the following is a guest post written by Alex Bint Eisa. I recommend her article especially for the non-Muslim readers to learn a thing or two about Jihad that you might not have known before.
If you think you've got what it takes to write for Blue Abaya, your writing is factual, beneficial to the readers and as a bonus spiced with a dash of humor, feel free to contact me and send your article through for evaluation. The article MUST be related to Saudi Arabia, and/or Islam, ME, or fall within the interests of Blue Abaya. Contact me at blueabaya at gmail.com.

"Jihad, Fundamentalist Islam, and the West"

Much in the same way that radicals have hijacked the public persona of Islam throughout the West, Western media has failed to maintain objectivity in its portrayal of Islam. The interpretation of the term 'Jihad' in contemporary Islam is one of the most common misconceptions, as well as points of debate, inside and outside the Arab world.

The different types of Jihad, its interpretations and the role it plays in the contemporary understanding of Islam are subjects of constant debate in the post- 9/11 globalized world. Even more so after the fundamentalist Islamic groups skyrocketed to international stardom. Jihad is the daily struggle to do what is halal and to avoid what is haraam. The Jihads in Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq, Chechnya, and Kashmir have provided a vivid and uniting consciousness for Muslims around the world.

When translated literally from Arabic, Jihad means effort or struggle.

What exactly Muslims are struggling against, however, depends on the type of Jihad one is referring to.  There are technically four types Jihad: of the heart, the tongue, the hand, and the sword.

Jihad is often more simply categorized as either greater or lesser, although there is some debate as to whether or not war/armed battle constitutes the lesser Jihad according to the Prophet’s teachings.

Greater Jihad, Jihad of the heart, is the daily struggle against ones evil desires, which the devil uses in order to tempt man.  Jihad of the tongue is the struggle to proselytize the word of God (Allah) to those who do not know it and bring to them knowledge of the one true faith, Islam.  Directly related to Jihad of the heart is that of the hand, or the compulsion to fulfill ones duties within society and especially to ones family. Lastly, Jihad of the sword, lesser Jihad, involves the defense of a Muslim’s faith and person if being attacked.

The term “holy war” when referring to Jihad of the sword dates back to the days of Saladin and the liberation of the Holy Land from the infidels.  It is important to keep the holy wars within their 11th to 13th century context.

When Catholic Pope Urban II called for Christians to aid in defending the Byzantine Empire from the Turkish invasion, Europe was engulfed by a series of endless territorial battles. The Pope saw the Crusades as an opportunity to unite Christians against a common enemy as well as satisfy the seemingly endless European lust for battle. After the arrival of the French and Italian Crusaders to Constantinople, they pledged to restore territories to the Byzantine Empire that had been seized by the Turks, which would eventually lead to the first siege of Jerusalem. As was the practice of the times, the Christian Crusaders pillaged the town, murdering its Jewish and Muslim civilian inhabitants, destroying their places of worship and eventually, the city itself.

The reinterpretations of Islam by ideological leaders like Hassan Al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood in early 20th century Egypt, Mawlana Mawdudi created the foundation upon which modern Islamic fundamentalists have based their interpretations of Islam and therefore the familiar clamoring for Jihad.

The resurgence of powerful Islamic ideological and political societies, the eventual demise of Western Colonialism in the region along with the independence of countries like Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Pakistan has opened up the debate over the implementation of Shariah law. Newly liberated colonies with Muslim-majority populations adopted constitutions that were similar to those of their ex-colonizers. The failure to implement Shariah law in newly established majority-Muslim countries helped drive a new wave of Islamic fundamentalism, which had been brewing under the West’s radar until the Iranian Revolution in the 1970s.

Suddenly the West became very aware of a seemingly backwards revolution where the people of a country chose to fight against modernization instead of for it. Within the next decade, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the American support of any and all opposing forces created a figurative perfect storm.  The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan gave the fundamentalists a very real Jihad to fight, the first of such in centuries.

In the latter half of the twentieth century, Jihad became the struggle to defend Islam and the umma, or community of Islamic faithful, against the West’s perceived cultural imperialism. With the perceived corruption of Islamic societies throughout the Arabic world and beyond, fundamentalist leaders are calling for a return to a purer and more authentic Islam, similar to that of the Prophet Mohammed.

The ability to apply itself within evolving social contexts is what allows Islam to remain relevant in modern times. The struggle against those of our internal longings that are haraam is the greatest of Jihads. However the vast majority of people in the West have no idea that Jihad constitutes anything beyond a war against the freedoms of secular societies. Today Muslims living in the West face many of the same challenges that other minority groups, long since assimilated into mainstream society, once faced in the past."

Alex Bint Eisa is a freelance writer currently based in Doha, Qatar. She is the first Cuban-American student at the University of Qatar's Gulf Studies Program.

You can contact her at alexbinteisa@gmail.com

Works Cited:
Amir, Ali. "Jihad Explained." The Deen Show ~ It's a Way of Life. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://thedeenshow.com/nonmuslims.php?id=166>.
Esposito, John L. . Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002. Print.
Gould, Mark. "Understanding Jihad." Hoover Institution. 1 Feb. 2005. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://www.hoover.org/publications/policy-review/article/6964>.
Halsall, Paul. "Medieval Sourcebook: Urban II: Speech at Council of Clermont, 1095, According to Fulcherof Chartres." FORDHAM.EDU. Fordham University, Dec. 1997. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/urban2-5vers.html#Fulcher>.
Ibrahim, I. A. A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam. New Delhi: Goodword, 1997. Print.
Lapidus, Ira M. A History of Islamic Societies. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2008. Print.
Price, Nelson L. "Jihad: What Is It?" Welcome. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.nelsonprice.com/index.php/?p=48>.
Yusufali, Abdullah, and A. A. Razwy. The Qurʼan: Translation. Elmhurst, NY: Tahrike Tarsile Qurʼan, 2000. Print.

Hijab And Youth: A Modern Look At Modest Dress In Saudi Arabia

I have the pleasure to share with Blue Abaya readers another article from "Anonymous Saudi Man". It's always interesting to read his view points as we hardly ever hear the Saudi men's side to common issues in the Kingdom. This time he is discussing the hijab and what he feels has been lost from its original meaning. Read also these posts from him: Saudi Punks and Thoughts on Tribalism Love and Marriage

HIJAB AND YOUTH: A MODERN LOOK AT MODEST DRESS IN SAUDI ARABIA

Islam requires its faithful to dress modestly and I know many Muslims who apply this tradition to their daily lives. I believe there are several important and positive reasons for modest dress. One reason is modesty stops the poor from feeling any shame for their lack of wealth, and it reminds the wealthy that their money is to be spent wisely and shared with those less fortunate. Another reason is modest dress helps build a friendly, comfortable society. Modest dress also invites creativity, and encourages people - both men and women - to express their individuality in artful and beautiful styles. Modest dress does not mean boring clothing!

For years Saudi women have been wearing the Hijab, Saudi men limit wearing gold and other forms of jewelry or adornment for religious reasons without really understanding the wisdom and implications of their actions.

I believe the spirit and interpretation of the Hijab is currently lost among modern Saudi youth. Perhaps they’ve been following religious leaders blindly without digging deeper into the legislations. Maybe they are simply confused, as I would assume everyone who studies religion in Saudi is. This might sound like a “Soufi” approach to the Hijab. However, I am not associated with any Soufi groups.

Modest Dress in Other World Cultures

Many world cultures have religions that strive to dress modestly. Some notable examples include the Amish Christian sect in the United States, other world-wide Christian sects (including the Roman Catholics), the Jewish settlers in Israel, secular and religious Shinto or Buddhists in Japan, and Muslims from both the Sunna and Shiaa sects in Saudi Arabia and Iran. I also see modest clothing popping up in non-religious societies like in China. I have also witnessed a revival of modesty among feminists in Western societies. It seems to me that the original meaning of modest dress in the Islamic religious tradition is much better understood in other parts of the world that by Muslims themselves.

Taking Back Modesty - Women

Modesty is also important for men. I find that people are easily impressed of other men in the workplace by the cars they drive or by the suits or accessories they wear. That is why I personally wear modest plaid shirts and a pair of simple jeans and sneakers at meetings or other work-related events. When more formal attire is required, I select a simple thobe with simple plain colored pair of sneakers. This doesn’t mean I do not wear clothing that is more fashionable, personalized, or artsy; I do wear what pleases me, just as I prescribed for women. However, I stay away from any excessive display of wealth through clothing.

Plain, simple, and equal clothing allows people to receive credit and respect for something they worked for rather than something they are given at birth. I believe this is so much more satisfying and healthy for a person's ego and tends to help level the playing field among all people in this life.

Modesty in the Saudi Youth

As I stated earlier, it seems the original meaning of modest dress has turned into a modern phobic reaction against sex. I see the original reason for the Hijab has changed into clothing that people preach about, something that protects women from sexual threats. The Hijab is now designed to cover a young woman's “check lists” of body parts that could arouse men's sexuality. This makes the Hijab seem more like a punishment to young Saudi women and a reaction to men's inability to control their sexuality.

What’s interesting is how there’s no mention in the Saudi justification of wearing hijab on how it’s supposed to limit the vanity of a woman and help keep excessive display of wealth under control. I feel the current interpretation of the Hijab has left out limiting the exposure of brand-name handbags, expensive shoes, or expensive jewelry. Those items are flaunted everywhere. The spirit of the Hijab I believe is now ignored through these displays of excess wealth. I also see this with young Saudi men. The Saudi men drive expensive German cars, wear expensive vanity accessories, brand-name watches, carry the latest cell phones, wear fashionable sunglasses, expensive jeans, designer thobes and gold threaded Bishts (Meshlah or Robes) although Muslim men are forbidden to wear gold. Sadly, I see many religious people tempted by this showing off, and some do indulge themselves in displays of wealth. They justify their actions through religious texts and opinions.

Art and Beauty Does Not Mean Expensive

Beauty does not need to be expensive. This is something that I try to live by. I don’t have to buy expensive accessories and brand names to look fashionable and artistic. In reality, most art and beautiful accessories are very personal and are not sold in stores, nor do they need to be made out of expensive materials. One might debate that expensive name brands and purchased “kitsch” actually diminishes the beauty and artistic value of an accessory or piece of clothing. Bring back modest dress in your life, and stop the excessive display of wealth. Men, you can still look elegant, smell nice, and look professional in inexpensive and modest clothing. Women, if you elect to wear the Hijab, do it for the right reasons. Spread the positive energy of modest dress through art and creativity.

-Anonymous Saudi Man

What do you think? Do you agree with his observations?

Horror Zoo Update- Saudi Contempt For Animals

Humans, the most civilized of all living beings, created by God to rule, take care of and have responsibility over the lower beings, animals. Humans are a degree higher than animals because we have intelligence, we are able to feel empathy and sympathy and we have morals. Or do we?

The Zoo of Horrors in Riyadh is proof that this statement is not always true. Read my original post on the atrocities and torture of animals that goes on at "Hadiqa Abu Jarrah" in Fantasy Land Riyadh here.

A month has passed since I wrote that post and it has been circulating on the internet and also the media, here's a quick update:
France 24 Observers ran a story about the zoo quoting my article, they contacted me for a quick interview and a week later I appeared on their TV show. ParisMatch featured a story titled "Zoo Shame" calling the zoo a "sinister deathtrap". The article has been forwarded on Facebook over 3000 times.
Only one local Saudi media, Sabq.org has mentioned the zoo. They quoted the France 24 article, but failed to provide a link to the petition. How typical. My husband tried to post the link to the petition on the comments section many times, but they would not allow it to be published (among 59 published comments).
Currently 3600 people have signed the petition, my YouTube videos of the zoo have over 60,000 views and lots of people around the world have been tweeting and forwarding the petition. Bloggers Americanbedu, Miss Hijabi and Arabyja Saudyjska have also written about my article on the zoo.

Despite all this, not enough has happened to change anything at the zoo and the animals continue to dwell in misery. My friend went to the zoo last week, only to realize the status of the animals was the same, if not worse. Here's a video clip from last Thursday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUPzeWVtHBc&feature=share

More signatures are needed, the target is 5000. And above all, SAUDIS themselves need to react. The response I am seeing from Saudis is sadly very minimal. The vast majority of the signatures are coming in from non-Saudis. Why is this?

The lack of response from Saudis really bothers and angers me. Aren't they at least ashamed of what is going on in their country? Why don't people seem to care? What is the big deal in signing the petition, doing a retweet on twitter, forwarding the petition on Facebook or anything else that would only take a few seconds to accomplish? Why the indifference? Are animal rights seen as insignificant? What about their duty as Muslims to offer help to suffering animals?

I have heard all kinds of ridiculous excuses why not to sign or care about the zoo, like look at what's going on in Syria, how can you not care about that? As if caring about a cause means automatically you don't care about anything else.
Some Saudis have even commented on the various sites that the animals look fine, some even joking that the little monkey is sad because it doesn't have a girlfriend.

Believe it or not, the owner Abu Jarrah has received numerous AWARDS for his "zoo". This is as absurd as Bashar Assaad getting recognition for his evil doings. Equally disgusting, unbelievable, inhumane and outrageous. What is happening in Syria is naturally a thousand times worse and more horrific, but that doesn't make this less of a cause. 



Just because atrocities are happening to innocent people, Muslims, children, in Syria and other countries as we speak, that does not mean we can just brush off everything else as insignificant does it? I hear people saying "this zoo is nothing compared to what is happening in Syria". Of course it's not! But how does that take away from the rights of these animals? How does that make for an excuse not to sign and spread the petition for example?

I find this shocking. Why don't Saudis care? How can they be so cold and unsympathetic? What is the big deal in signing the petition, what are people afraid of? There are now over 60,000 views on the YouTube videos of the zoo. Many Saudis have commented on the videos condemning them, making comments on how this is against Islam and wondering why some people don't fear Allah.

Why haven't they not all also signed the petition? This is typical, people just nag and complain yet do nothing but sit on their butts watching TV and complaining about Syria or alcohol found in Bebsi cola whatever else is offensive to Muslims at the current time. If it's not Syria it's Palestine, Iran, Afghanistan, U.S, the Jews or the Shiia. People whine but take no actions. If all those whiners did something today then there could actually be change in the world.

Saudis enjoying a tour of the Zoo of Horrors.

Even though I'm on holiday, I've been thinking about the animals and what could be done every single day and I've been working on this post for two weeks now. I've tried to contact Saudi bloggers and journalists, to no avail. Only few reacted. It has made me extremely sad and disappointed at the same time. I just don't understand what the big deal is? Why not try to help? I've written to numerous international organizations and groups that rally for animal rights but did not get any response from there either. I contacted Abu Dhabi Wildlife Center if they would have any possibility to take the animals (if they somehow could be released form their jail) and they were shocked to hear about the zoo and the initial response was positive.

After I saw the images my friend had taken from the zoo last week I've had several dreams about it. In one dream I had returned to the Zoo Of Horrors. There was a new owner, strangely it was a British man. The zoo was now a mere narrow and dark corridor. I was allowed to take a tour and proceeded into the damp pathway. Only a haunting silence could be heard and the corridor was filled with a murky smell of death. The animals were like shadows in the cages, with no signs of life. The last animal in the corridor was the grizzly bear. It was now in a cage so small its skin was touching the bars and it was not able to move. The body was thin as paper, transparent and I could see through him. Only the bears big yellow eyes were moving, turning to me with a look of horror and fear in them. I woke up to the sudden scream of the bear which it had let out without even opening its mouth.

My friend was deeply disturbed by the zoo as well. She said some animals were missing (probably taken to another circus), the male lion was limping as can be seen on the video clip, there were new animals brought in and many people were in the zoo teasing the animals. Some of the cages had incense burning on them to mask the stench, now much worse because of the soaring temperatures. 

She told me how appalling it was that children had been hissing and shouting at the animals, frightening them. And what did the parents do? They LAUGHED. This is again typical behavior in Saudi. Parents actually encourage this disrespectful, laughable behavior and teach their kids contempt of animals.

I wish these people one day will get what is coming at them. What goes around comes around. How can any humanbeing laugh at another souls sad fate and misery? Who is really the higher being?

Surprisingly, the owner of the zoo, Abu Jarrah, had also been present that evening. He had been walking around the amusement park with a chimpanzee dressed in a skirt. A crowd had followed like he was the emperor of Prussia parading a golden horse. Of course they had laughed at the monkey which was scared and jumping all over the place.

I also found out the real name of the owner is Fahad Alshowaiyer. Saudi-Arabia is apparently proud of people like Abu Jarrah. By consulting Google I found that Alriyadh and other local media have written numerous praising articles about this zoo throughout the years. It looks like the torture of these animals has been going on for many more years than I thought. 

It's said to be the largest mobile zoo in the ME. In other words it's a circus show. That is actually illegal in KSA.
BTW, did you know the word Hadiqa, as Fahad Al Showaiyer likes to call his dungeon, means garden in Arabic? I thought gardens are green and pleasant places? There is nothing pleasant let alone green in this place. To call it a garden is just a mockery.

Here is proof he has a circus from 2008 when he showed off his animals at local festivals, which he proudly admits to: http://www.alriyadh.com/2008/10/02/article377822.html Another article dating back to 2006 where it's mentioned the zoo has an "African tiger"(anybody ever heard?) as well as a Siberian tiger, an Alaskan wolf and an Arabian Lynx among other ENDANGERED species:
http://www.alriyadh.com/2006/07/14/article171162.html
In these pics from an Eid festival you can also see a tiger and two caracals. Abu Jarrah himself is posing with army officials and police all the while he is happily BREAKING THE LAW.
http://www.saisra.com/vb/showthread.php?p=122280

In the Alriyadh article the governor of Unaizah is handing out an AWARD to Mr. Alshowaiyar as recognition for the zoo. The governor is quoted saying: "The truth is that what we saw tonight is a wealth of science, I hope sincerely for the opportunity for all visitors to the festival to visit the park and take advantage of this treasure and make the most at the hands of the brother Fahad for his efforts in collecting such rare animals and also on his participation in the festival, which was deemed a distinguished addition".

Can you believe this? Is this a bad joke? It gets even better. 

Listen to what Alshowaiyer himself has to say:

I love fishing, animals, and when I began to understand life into the advanced stages of my life, generated the desire to own animals. I have received a number of science courses in parenting and feeding and quite a few Veterinary Medicine courses. I became the caretaker myself of these animals and it generated our friendship (I bet the animals love him to death)and intimacy. This may be difficult for the average person to observe, but it is necessary to control such a large number of animals."

He pointed out that he toured many countries of the world, east and west for the collection (smuggling?) of these animals and being fluent in many languages, especially English, had facilitated the task of knowing where these animals live in their countries of origin (like the European lion?). He had found in collaboration officials with all the support and appreciation (wasta anyone) so easy for him to bring animals here, and said honestly, I deal with these animals in all seriousness there is time to sleep and a time for food that can not be changed no matter what happens. Taking into account the safety aspect of visitors and animals alike to take an important aspect of follow-up because we are dealing with wild animals and we must be careful always. He concluded by emphasizing of the process of expanding the park and adding other animals. He said that my intention to do a similar tour in other cities in this beloved country."

Oh dear God I don't know what to say to this. He took courses in veterinary medicine and feeding? How come his animals then are sick and not receiving proper food and all other care and facilities, not even the basics? I have so many issues with his statements I will not even begin to go there. 

Most shocking I find that someone, in fact many people would think of "Hadiqa Abu Jarrah" as something praiseworthy. Apparently many Saudis think this is quite a fine way to treat animals. Actually, it's worth giving him an AWARD and RECOGNITION for this marvelous achievement. Just check out his award cabinet on display at the zoo:

This is Saudi-Arabia and animal rights for you.
Seeing and hearing all this makes me feel depressed and frustrated. I feel nothing will ever happen for the better for these animals. Too many people think this is OK. Not enough are doing something.

I will leave you with a few comments to the France24 "Zoo of Horrors" article:

Saudi contempt for animals and for God's teachings

"What an absolute disgrace. Is Saudi Arabia a civilised country? Do Saudi's have any feelings of any kind either for humans or animals, or are all Gods creatures treated in this same inhumane way? This zoo speaks volumes for the contempt that must be endemic in Saudi for any living creature. I can see now how Osma Bin Laden came to have the views he had on his fellow human beings.

Saudi Arabia may be the richest nation on earth, but it most certainly is one of the poorest nations when it comes to empathy.
Let's hope that God will be more merciful to the Saudi's than they are to animals."

Wretched, Inhumane treatment at Riyadh zoo
"These photos are horrifying! They show absolute lack of knowledge of animal needs and rights and no degree of caring. What can be done? (Saudi Arabia is a country which lacks respect for women, demonstrated in many forms. Can we expect more concern for the needs, rights, and feelings of animals?)"

I think these are very thought provoking, to the point comments Indeed, if Saudis scorn and sneer at animals this way, then they are also holding God's teachings in contempt. Where are the feelings of empathy and kindness?
What can we really expect from a country and people who view women as cattle in some circumstances?

I hope too, that God will be merciful to all the Saudis out there who don't care about what's allowed to happen in their country, to those who mock these animals in their suffering, and those who rather ignore than actually do something to help.

If you are not one of those Saudis, then prove to the world there are those of you who DO care and who DO live in accordance to Islamic teachings by signing and forwarding the petition NOW.
Here is the link: http://www.change.org/petitions/minister-of-wildlife-hrh-prince-bandar-and-riyadh-city-municipality-shut-down-fantasyland-zoo-relocate-and-treat-the-rescued-animals

If you still think this is not worth your time then all I can say is FEAR ALLAH.

I also have to mention another gross animal rights violation from Jeddah, the infamous "Fayfa bear" which has been living in a cage in a pet shop for YEARS. There is an ongoing petition which you can sign here: http://www.change.org/petitions/release-bear-at-fayfa-pet-shop-jeddah-saudi-arabia-to-a-zoo-in-the-uk
Surprisingly, ArabNews has even written an article about the bear (not a praising article) so I guess there is some hope for animals in the Kingdom of Saudi-Arabia. http://www.arabnews.com/caged-bear-riles-animal-rights-group

The Zoo of Horrors

Ever since I heard about a zoo called "Hadiqa Abu Jarrah" in Riyadh where animals are horribly mistreated it has deeply disturbed me. When we finally got the chance to go check the place out it became apparent the zoo was much worse than I had imagined. I've actually never seen animals being treated so bad in my life. Keeping in mind I've lived in the deepest most rural parts of Africa and never saw anything pertaining to treatment of animals that was comparable to this misery. And here we are in Saudi-Arabia, one of the richest countries in the world, a land where people are supposed to hold up to Islamic teachings. 

Places like this zoo and the Muslims who are responsible for it might give some unknowing people the impression that Islam in fact, enforces torture and evil acts toward animals. In reality Islam teaches kindness toward all living beings including animals. There are numerous Hadith teaching good treatment and respect toward animals. Here is one which clearly indicates animal rights are an important issue in Islam and that punishment will follow for animal rights offenders: 

"A lady was punished because of a cat which she had imprisoned till it died. She entered the (Hell) Fire because of it, for she neither gave it food nor water as she had imprisoned it, nor set it free to eat from the vermin of the earth." (Bukhari Vol.4, Book 56, #689) 

The five basic rights of animals according to Islam: http://www.openpaws.org/fly/rights_of_animals.pdf

The actual "zoo" which is in reality only a few small metal cages placed next to each other, is located inside the Fantasy Land amusement park on Thumamah Road. The animals have absolutely nothing in the cages, they can see and hear the others at all times. There were many ill looking, poorly animals there as well. The cages are outside in a hall with no air-conditioning or heating. Most shockingly they had large animals such as a grizzly bear and adult lions in tiny cages. The animals are never let out of the cages and there is only one zoo keeper taking care of them all.

These animals are in urgent need of help! Seeing the the zoo in all its horror and the animals there looking like they lived in hell on earth made me extremely, extremely MAD. There are not many things in this world that upset me as much as mistreatment of animals, children and women. So I decided to write this post to spread awareness of the appalling conditions of the animals held at Hadiqa Abu Jarrah.

We can try and find a solution for these animals and all you readers out there can help to get these animals out of there to a safer and more humane environment. They will always be captive that's for sure, but at least they deserve proper food and places to sleep in, places to walk around in, sleep in peace and shelter from hot and cold. No living being should be imprisoned in this way and kept in inhumane conditions. Read what YOU can do at the end of this post.

The entrance to the zoo shows pictures of the owner "Abu Jarrah" posing next to these animals. From the images we get the impression the animals are there just to show them off. The rest of the time they are forgotten and maintained by a single zoo keeper who we talked to.

The man pictured owns these animals and apparently few years back he decided to set up this zoo and the animals were brought there and placed into the small torture cells for people to come look at for a fee of 20 SAR. Previously the animals had been on the mans farm. There was no information about where or how he had gotten most of these animals but there is clear indication most must have been brought into the country illegally.

The man has had this grizzly bear for 10 years. We were told it was smuggled in as a baby from the U.S. Wouldn't that be an offense punishable by a jail sentence in the States, to smuggle out an endangered species? Saudi-Arabia does not have animal protection laws and the law banning trafficking of endangered animals is clearly not enforced whatsoever, which can be seen by going into any petshop in the Kingdom.

The tigers or the pumas in the pictures were currently not in the zoo. We were told by the zookeeper that the owner regularly takes some of the animals around the Kingdom to display them. The tigers are supposedly on display in Medinah at the moment.
Placing a huge wild animal such as a tiger in a 3x3m cage is utterly disgusting.

This is the male lion which looked like it needed immediate veterinarian attention when we saw it.

His son pictured inside the hyenas cage, WHILE the hyena is having its dinner. Hyenas are such peaceful, mindful eaters right? Anyone who ever watched National Geographic channel hyena programs showing how these ferocious predators normally eat their food and react to potential threats to their meal would know just how foolish and potentially dangerous this actually is.

Back to the grizzly. This must be the world's saddest, most depressed bear. He looks into the eyes of the visitor with such plea it is simply heart wrenching to watch.
The bear never got out of his prison, if you don't count the photo sessions with "Abu Jarrah". The zoo keeper was too afraid to even think of opening its cage in fear of his life. Grizzlies like all bears need to roam around extensively, have activities, social contacts and they also hibernate. I doubt this bear ever had the chance to have any of those things.

I guess this informative sign speaks for itself about the expertise and knowledge of the wild animals kept there.

The zoo also has domestic dogs in one cage.

 The sickly lion didn't have energy to move at all during our visit.

The sign says "do not feed the animals". The zoo keeper told us he feeds the animals every other day. Most of the more active hunting predators such as this coyote were pacing around the cages endlessly in the same monotonous way.

The animals eat, sleep and eliminate in the same space.

A beautiful lioness dreaming of Africa perhaps..The man working there told us he had let some of the lions out to an area in the back of the zoo. I pleaded him to let them out while we were there and to show us this place. He told me absolutely no, that he once had a female reporter there and the lion had tried to attack her wounding her badly. The zookeeper said getting the lion back inside the cage is almost impossible. Wonder why?
Here is a link to the news article of this very incident which happened to a female reporter named Asmahan Al-Ghamdi, a female editor working at the national Saudi newspaper, Al-Riyadh. http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/female-saudi-journalist-attacked-by-lions-2011-07-17-1.408180
http://womensenews.org/story/media-stories/110724/lion-attack-shocker-saudi-reporter-was-woman  


The man also showed me video footage from his phone which had a clip of one of the lions suddenly getting up and attacking the zookeepers friend from behind. He manages to escape the attack barely.

The young male lion seemed fond of his keeper but apparently they are aggressive toward humans.

The zookeeper seemed to genuinely like the animals and his job is surely a tough one. After all, he is only doing his job with the means given to him. He tried to play with the bear but it was not interested and kept looking to the ground.

A few fans were placed here and there around the hall. During Saudi winters the night time temperatures drop near 0 Celcius(32F) and in the summer temperatures soar to the high 40s daily reaching even 53C(127C). This places the animals in great risk of hypothermia or heat stroke and dehydration.

A baby monkey which was placed next to the bear looked pretty much frightened out of his mind and despite being locked up inside the cage had a rope tied to one of its legs.

Here is a video clip I took when I visited the zoo. You can see the following animals: A grizzly, a lioness, a coyote, baboons, hedgehogs or porcupines, eagles and other birds, a male lion, domestic dogs, another fox or coyote, two more lions, hyenas and wild dogs.

Here you can see the two hyenas, very agitated pacing around the cage as if they had gone mad.

                                        
The zoo of horrors has been haunting me. I contacted a Facebook group I knew that rallies for animal rights in the Kingdom. Er7amni Animal Rights Group has been working to help these animals. Some letters were sent out to the Ministry of Agriculture. We have been waiting for results but it seems no change has happened and the animals still remain in their misery. Something more needs to be done, so I decided to write this post and that is why I'm reaching out for YOUR help!

I'm sure many reading this are upset and know that animals just like humans can sense pain and even emotions such as boredom, excitement, joy, frustration and fear. The only thing animals can't do is speak out and tell us. We need to give them our voices.
Certainly people out there like me are worried for the well-being of these poor animals and feel a deep sadness about their current state. The animals are the innocent victims of men who seek only money and fame from them.
No soul deserves such a fate.

PLEASE help these animals by doing one or all of the following:

1. Share this post with your friends inside and outside Saudi-Arabia
2. Sign this petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/minister-of-wildlife-hrh-prince-bandar-and-riyadh-city-municipality-shut-down-abu-jarrah-s-zoo-relocate-and-treat-the-rescued-animals
Then share it!
3.Write an email to the following addresses telling them about the zoo and cruel treatment of animals there:
National Wildlife Conservation, Mohammed Malki: bandar@ncwcd-permits.org
fawaz_albaroudi@ncwcd-permits.org
info@swc.gov.sa

4. Send a letter addressed to Dr. Fahad Balghonaim Ministry of Agriculture, P.O Box 2639, Riyadh 11195, Saudi-Arabia. Tel 401-2777 
You can use the photos from this post and explain how you are worried about the animals in this zoo and wish to see them relocated to a better and safer place.

Some useful links about protection of animal rights in the Kingdom:

Sign also this petition asking for laws to be set up to stop animal cruelty in KSA:
 http://www.thepetitionsite.com/325/618/503/stop-animal-cruelty-in-saudi-arabia/
SPESA Society for the Protection of Endangered Animals in Saudi-Arabia: http://www.facebook.com/groups/165592253458342/

Facebook Group "Saudi Society for the Mercy of Animals" http://www.facebook.com/groups/Er7amni/

Er7amni Animal Rights group in Saudi webpage: http://www.er7amni.org/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=62 

OpenPaws organization helping animals in Riyadh: http://www.openpaws.org/

Thank you,

The Invisible Women

Few weeks ago at a friend's house we were watching a program that discusses social issues in Saudi-Arabia. I had actually never watched the program before since my understanding of Arabic is not that good to follow the whole discussion.

So the program called MBC 8pm (aired from Riyadh) has experts in their field come over to share their views on each episode's topic. I was surprised to see a woman with an uncovered face on the show sitting next to the men, participating in the discussion. How did they allow this mingling on Saudi TV?

We'd been watching for a while and then suddenly someone said, "you all realize there's five people sitting around the table right?" Wait, what? Where? OMG is there someone sitting in the far left corner?

A woman in all black was indeed there. She hadn't said anything or even moved and they had placed her in front of the black background to make her literally invisible. At first it seemed really funny and comical and everyone (including Saudis) laughed. Why would they even bother to have her on the show if she was not going to speak? And how about placing her in another seat to make her more visible? It was almost as if the director was making fun of her appearance.
Especially when they were picturing the stern and concerned expressions on the other participant's faces while listening to the audience calling in and they showed her "expression" too.

This image reminds me more of a character in Star Wars than of a human being. The form doesn't have much human resemblance to it. Maybe it was a dummy since there was no movement?

Ironically perhaps they were discussing women's rights, this time in case of divorce and this woman was supposed to be the representative of the women's rights organization. Who does she in fact represent? The invisible, silent or silenced women out there? The ones who are all good with their rights been taken away by patriarchal legal systems such as the Saudi one? Women who think they should remain silent, patient and accepting of everything because the woman's word is not as important as the man's? Women who think their voices are too enticing for men to hear them? Or perhaps those women out there that sincerely believe (or were brainwashed to believe) that men were created a level better than them?

 The show also brought out these two very different approaches or interpretations of the Islamic women's dress code. The all black approach to me personally seems very extreme and unnecessary. The woman is literally handicapped by her outfit. She cannot see clearly, her hearing has been impaired by all those thick layers of cloth, her breathing has been restricted and her voice muffled. The gloves on her hands inhibit her sense of touch. Even moving around in this attire is difficult. Every sense in her body has been hindered. It is as if her dress places her in disadvantage not only as a participant in this program but also in public life in general.

Honestly is this really what God in all His wisdom wanted women to look like in public, 'black crows' as some clerics have put it? Would God really be so evil that He wanted women to suffer so much under those black layers while men can just strut around in shorts and go topless in public in the +50c heat? How can a human being even interact normally with all these obstructions? Would He make women cover every inch of their bodies and be deprived of fresh air, oxygen and the health benefits of the suns rays on their skin resulting in not only the woman's illness but her offspring as well? If this were what God intended for all women then how would women be able to wear this in the jungle or in the savanna where so many women live and work without even a hope of air-conditioning? They would die of heat stroke or dehydration in no time!

Now I believe in freedom of speech and dress but what bothers me about extremes like this is how it goes against the teachings of Islam. Extremism in any form or way always has a negative influence on humans. Going to extremes in any aspect of life is never good. And if this is not overly extreme, then what is?

Also disturbing is the fact that many truly believe this is what all Muslim women should look like and anything else is basically, going to hell. They think it's best women remain unrecognizable and hidden, without a trace of what is normally apparent from humans. Many women do choose this type of dress but others might be forced to cover so drastically by their families. Unfortunately some of those women who choose from their own free will, (including some western converts) tend to be very judgmental and even hostile toward those Muslim women who don't cover as much as they do. As if the more layers you hide yourself underneath, the better Muslim you become. The more invisible, silent and submissive a woman is in all aspects, the better.

I just don't believe God intended half the world's population to be invisible shadows. That just doesn't make any sense.

"Children of Adam, take your adornment / pleasantness to every Mosque." (Qur'an 7:31)

This verse addresses both women and men describing them as having a pleasant appearance and adornment. 

"(People), do you not see how God has made what is in the heavens and the earth useful to you, and has lavished His blessings on you both outwardly and inwardly?" (Qur'an 31:20)

This verse tells us how God made both women and men attractive inside and out. Why does only the other gender have to cover it all? Men can be outwardly beautiful and alluring to women as well as vice versa. Why would there be so many so called heart-throbs and top 100 lists of handsome men out there if women didn't find them attractive? If women were really ordered to cover every single inch of visible skin because they are attractive to men then by the same mentality, why shouldn't men cover from women's "lustful" eyes? Both should be modest equally, there is no differentiation here.

The verses in the Quran that speak about women and modesty have always been highly debated. There are many different translations and interpretations of verse 24:31 in the Quran which speaks specifically of men then women and modesty, here are few examples of the part for the women:

"Tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts, and that they shall not flaunt their beauty except for what appears (naturally) from it, and let them put forth their covers over their cleavage" 

"And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment "

"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and protect their private parts and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands, or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.) and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment"

So basically the one and only body part which is specifically mentioned by name that women are guided to cover here are the chest/bosom/breasts. Private parts should be guarded which I guess would come naturally. All the other versions of this are mere interpretations of the different meanings of words such as khimaar and Juyubihinna which is why there are so many varying views on what is the proper dress code for women. Everything in those brackets has been added by humans (misogynist men).

Personally I think the verse being ambigous and vague has much wisdom to it. This way it gives a certain degree of variability and freedom of choice because women live in such different climates and under many circumstances which all require different types of dress. The point is to maintain modesty and make sure your breasts are not popping out, that's it. 

Women were not created to be mere shadows of humans. 

Does Saudi-Arabia Need Sex Education?

A while ago I wrote about Saudi men and the cultural pressure society brings on them to perform in the bedroom. Check it out here: http://blueabaya.blogspot.com/2011/09/saudi-men-and-pressure-to-perform.html

In the article you can read how some young Saudi men are not able to consummate their marriages due to performance anxiety. A study of newly married Saudi couples found the prevalence of so called "Honeymoon impotence" to be as high as 17%. The same study concluded that 63% of marriages were not consummated because of the severe anxiety of the woman leading to a condition called vaginismus. Other reasons were erectile dysfunction, not knowing coital technique and low sexual desire.
One of the underlying factors to the problem is lack of sex education for young girls and boys.
Most of these cases of unconsummated marriages could have been prevented if they had been educated and aware of their bodies and its functions.

There is an alarmingly high rate of divorces among newlyweds in the Kingdom. Most divorces occur within the first year of marriage. Unconsummated marriage is one of the top reasons for young couples to seek divorce. Proper sex education could significantly help to lower the divorce rate.

Because of the lack of sex education in Saudi-Arabia the young are left to find out for themselves. This can naturally result in some horribly wrong ideas and lead to unrealistic expectations and create extreme anxiety and fears. Girls and boys won't learn from their parents either since everything sexual is viewed as "a'eib" (forbidden and shameful). The best sources for the girls are other peers at school and the maids! Now how much do the uneducated maids really know and how much are superstitions coming from their cultures?

Why is there no sex ed in Saudi? Does Islam forbid talking about sex?
No. But like many things in Saudi, true Islamic teachings and what is actually happening around here are two completely different things. Islam does not frown upon talking about sex and educating young people. Sexual relations between married couples are seen as normal part of life and nothing to be ashamed about. However the strong influence some sheikhs have on public opinion is one reason why Saudis cringe at the idea of their kids having sex education. All talk about sex is a taboo.

The message sent by some religious fanatics is that sex ed is bad and causes harm. These people think young men and especially women might get some perverted ideas in their heads if they are taught about sex. If you teach them about anatomy of the opposite sex and show how it's "done" they will become sex crazed and go and have premarital relations. Some even say showing pics of male and female sexual organs is a form of western conspiracy. Or that talking about sex will make women promiscuous. Sometimes I wonder what sort of dirty minds come up with this anyways?

You would think that in this day and age the internet would provide at least some sort of info on the subject. The problem of self educating about marital relations is that many of the sites remain censored from Saudi and there is just all sorts of wrong information available. Also internet time for the youth (especially the girls!) will be restricted or they are not allowed to use the internet at all. This leads to young couples getting married without having a clue of basic anatomy of the other half and no knowledge of how babies are made.

So I will conclude by telling you a real life example of how badly sex education is needed here.
A newly married couple came to the infertility clinic for check up. They had been trying for over a year to conceive without any luck. The doctors ran some tests and everything came back normal. The couple was sent back home to keep trying and praying for a child.
Another year went by and the couple started to get very frustrated and came back to the clinic. As the doctor discussed their options he thought of asking a few questions of their "technique" to rule out any issues there.

The man explained how they had marital relations always in the same position and how it was usually very painful for the wife. The doctor started to suspect there really was something wrong with their technique and showed them a picture of the anatomy of female sexual organs asking the husband to show which area they used during intercourse. He very shyly pointed to the "back door".

Problem solved. The couple conceived shortly after the quick sex ed by the doctor.

So if this Saudi man was not able to locate the correct passage for two years then I can't imagine what else is out there?

So what do you think? Would Saudi-Arabia benefit from sex ed?