SAUDI women have come a long way in their quest for equality but little progress has been made in their fight to play a more active role in the country's judicial system. Shoura Council member Hamad Alqadi proposed that women's sections be opened in the Presidency of Religious Research so women's issues can be studied, according to a report in the Arabic paper. According to a survey of 50 women, 96 percent agreed with Alqadi's proposal. About 40 percent of respondents referred to a lack of proper training and opportunities in the field as the main reason why women are reluctant to join the field. When asked if they would follow a fatwa issued by a woman, 74 percent answered yes but only if the fatwa has been checked by male judicial experts and 26 percent said they would trust a fatwa issued by a woman. About 74 percent of the respondents were of the view that women should have a voice in all matters and not just women-related issues while 26 percent were of the view that women should deal with matters that concern them. Dr. Suhaila Zain Al-Abideen, a member of the executive board of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), said women's presence in the field of Islamic jurisdiction is nothing new. “Women from the period of Rashidun Caliphs, such as Ayesha Bint Abu Bakr and Maymouna Bin Al-Harith (may All be pleased with them) have been Islamic consultants to the rulers. However, women should confine themselves to issues that matter to them, said Al-Abideen. There is a difference between a preacher and mufti, said Dr. Muhammad Al-Nujaimi. “Preachers do not have the authority or knowledge to issue a religious fatwa. A mufti, on the other hand, is someone who has studied the edicts and fatwas of Islam and knows how to issue one in relation to the context. So far, there have been less than five females in this field. I hope to see one day more and more qualified and knowledgeable women muftis,” he said. Dr. Manal Alsomali, a psychologist, said society is not used to having a woman dealing with religious matters and jurisdictions. “For a society that depends on its traditions, we will never progress unless we learn how to view things from a very transparent point of view and accept the growing role of women in society,” said Alsomali. Dr. Mohammad Basha, a psychologist, was in agreement with Alsomali and said that in fact society needs to accept women in the field of Islamic jurisdiction just as it has accepted women as teachers, doctors and engineers.
