Exposition:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, also know as KSA, is an Islamic country in the southwest region of the continent Asia. KSA is prominent with regards to its position in the Middle East, its oil-rich lands, and its connection with Islam. It is also called the ‘Land of Prophets’ with an eminent position in the Muslim world as this land had been home to countless prophets according to Muslim narrations. It is the place where many holy places of Muslims are present; The Holy Ka’ba, the tombs of various revered personalities of the Muslim community. The first Saudi State was established in 1727; Muhammad Bin Saud as the tribal chief building an alliance with a renowned religious personality of his time, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. This duo ruled over the kingdom up until 1818 when Muhammad Ali Pasha, the ruler of Egypt, forming an alliance with the Ottoman Empire, started the Ottoman–Saudi war to bring down the rule of Muhammad Bin Saud. The Ottomans succeeded in bringing down the hold of Muhammad Bin Saud. From 1818 to 1891, the Second Saudi State remained in power. The lovers of Abd al-Wahhab ruled during this period. In 1891, internal conflicts lf House of Saud and a pressure from the surrounding tribes forced Rulers of Second Saudi State to flee.
Struggle for Power Continues:
After abolishment of the Second Saudi State, the House of Saud vied for power up until 1932 when, under the leadership of King Abdul Aziz, The current Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was formed. King Abdul Aziz kept imposed a strong law of Sharia and made sure that every citizen of the newly unified state follows the law of the state. Quran and Sunnah were given the status of ‘State’s Constitution’ with everyone abiding by them.
A State of Islam:
When King Abdul Aziz overtook the reins of power, he imposed strict laws to maintain his control and deal with the country affairs as per Islamic Sharia. No political parties were given permission to run for election. Hijab (covering of head with a scarf) was ruled as mandatory and women were not allowed to go out alone unless in the emergency. Alcohol was also banned in the country as per injunctions of Islam. A strict ban on Gambling was imposed. A certain dress code was given along with a ban on cinemas and Female sports. At that time, the interpretation of Islam, given by Muhammad Abd al–Wahhab, was being followed.
The Scary Case of Mishaal bint Fahd Al Saud:
There are number of instances where the Saudi rulers executed individuals as per Islamic Shari’a. The thieves would have their hands cut, those bachelors who did adultery were given the punishment of flogging, those married individuals who did fornication were executed with stoning (An Islamic way of punishment for married fornicators). These rules were not just limited to the people, but to the kith and kin of Al-Saud also. Mishaal bint Fahad was the daughter of Saudi king Fahd bin Muhammad. She was prosecuted for the crime of adultery and was executed in 1977 by the decrees of her own father and grandfather. This execution was a staunch reminder that how much they followed the rules and regulations they made for people.
Enters MBS Out of Nowhere
Saudi Arabia had leaders that held an authoritative rule and imposition of Sharia, but then entered Muhammad Bin Salman, the current crown prince of KSA. He was born in 1985 to King Salman (Current king and Prime Minister of KSA). He is the favorite son of King Salman. In 2015, his father appointed him as the minister of defence and secretary general of the Royal Court of Al-Saud. With the passage of time, he was given the position of the minister of state. In 2017, the turmoil within the House of Saud led to the removal of Muhammad bin Nayef as the crown prince of the state instead, Muhammad bin Salman was appointed the crown prince by his father.
MBS: The Harbinger of Modernity:
When Muhammad bin Salman ascended the position of crown prince, he started making changes towards modernity. The dynamics of Saudi Arabia, consolidated there for centuries, started changing. He provided relaxations by modifying the strict laws enacted for women. MBS himself said that he would pave the way for Saudi Arabia to achieve modernity and make its place in the modern world
Driving Rights given to Women
Up until 2018, no woman was allowed to drive the automobile in KSA. MBS is the first ruler that gave permission to women to drive the vehicles. Before that, if any woman was seen driving, she would receive 10 lashes as per country’s rule. It was a great change for the people of Saudi Arabia who were not expecting such relaxation from the absolute monarchs.
Weakening Male Dominance
Before MBS, the law of Saudi Arabia bounded the female individuals to travel abroad only if they are accompanied by a male. Divorce petition was not an option for Saudi females as they were not allowed to go to court for divorce. Mothers were not allowed to be the legal guardian of a child. This all changed in August of 2019 when a ‘royal decree’ by MBS lifted all these curbs and gave women the right to file for divorce and be legal guardians of their respective children. With these rights, other curbs were also waived off such as modelling was permitted in 2021, female singers were given a platform, a Bollywood concert in 2021, and permission to women to enter the stadiums of different sports.
Conclusion:
Although Saudi Arabia remains a staunch state who adheres to the injunctions of Islam, with time fleeting it is obvious that change is taking place within the country. On 1st of August, 2022, Saudi Arabia expressed its interest in hosting the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup of Football. This type of inclination indicates how much change MBS wants in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Vision 2030 is a project introduced by MBS to enhance the development of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. At the end, it can be inferred that today’s Saudi Arabia is not what it had been a few centuries back, with Muhammad bin Salman as the showrunner, the country is not far when it will be completely changed into a secular state.
