Passion and Pain

Week Six: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia For to you it has been granted for Christ‘s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake (Philippians 1:29).

Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy in which Islam is both the official and the only religion tolerated. All of its 15 million citizens, therefore, must be Muslims. Moreover, ―Wahhabism‖ is the only interpretation of Islamic teaching that is permitted in Saudi Arabia. State-mandated Wahhabism alone is tolerated, and all other types of teachings are prohibited.

Recent international attention has focused on the immense financial support given by the Saudi Government to promote Wahhabism in other countries. This raises troubling questions about the Saudi Government‘s role in exporting religious intolerance throughout the world.

In addition to restricting the religious freedom of its own citizens, of the 7 million foreigners who reside in Saudi Arabia, those who profess a faith other than Wahhabi Islam live in grave danger, as practice of any other religious faith is strictly prohibited. Foreign missionaries are not permitted in Saudi Arabia. Proselytizing and distribution of any religious literature other than that of Wahhabi Islam is illegal, and foreigners accused of sharing their faith have been arrested, tortured, and deported. Although the Government claims to permit ―private‖ worship, Christians worshipping in their homes have been harassed, arrested, imprisoned, tortured, lashed, and deported by Saudi authorities.

Saudi Arabia‘s religious police, known as the ―Mutawaa,‖ frequently raid Christian services in private homes. They have also harassed, detained, and ―punished‖ individuals who stray from what they deem ―appropriate‖ dress. For example, while protecting Saudi Arabians during the Gulf War, American Chaplains in the US Armed Services were forbidden to wear crosses and other symbols of their faith.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops estimates that there are five hundred thousand to one million Catholics living in Saudi Arabia. Many are of Filipino descent, and have faced persecution on account of their faith. Two Filipino Catholics were arrested and imprisoned in early 2002 for conducting a prayer-meeting in their home. These two were later sentenced to 150 lashes, imprisoned for 30 days, and afterwards deported. In contrast, two Filipino Christians were beheaded in 1997 for proselytizing.

Saudi Arabia‘s legal system is based on strict Islamic law called Shari’a, by which every person accused of a criminal offence is subject to its often brutal punishments. Conversion to Christianity by a Muslim is punishable by death, and unless the convert recants, he will be executed by Saudi authorities.

Women in Saudi Arabia are considered the property of their male Muslim owners. Muslim men are permitted to marry four women, and may take as many ―Al-Mesyar‖ wives as they like. Al-Mesyar ―marriages,‖ much like the Siqeh marriages in Iran, are entered into for the sole purpose of satisfying the Muslim man‘s sexual desires, and can last for as short as 30 minutes. The man has no legal responsibility to provide for any children born of such unions. All children born to a Muslim man are automatically designated as Muslims, regardless of the mother‘s religious beliefs or the country in which the child was born or