Academics, lawyers reject fatwa allowing Saudi women to work as maids, By MUHAMMAD AL-SULAMI

They said Saudi people in general opposed the idea when Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi issued a decision two years ago allowing Saudi women to work as house managers and servants.

Speaking to Islamonline. net, Suhaila Zainul Abideen, a member of the National Society for Human Rights, expressed her surprise at Al-Laheedan’s fatwa or religious edict. She strongly opposed the idea of Saudi women working as maids.

She said the state is responsible for taking care of women if they are in need of financial assistance. “Where is social insurance?” she asked. She also wondered why scholars were not applying the principle of preventing the reason (Sadd Al-Dharai) in this issue in the same way that it is applied in other issues such as women driving and mingling with the opposite sex.

Sheikh Al-Laheedan said it is permissible for Saudi women to work as maids if they cannot find other jobs, if they are over 50 and accompanied by a mehram (a close male relative). Suhaila asked whether any family would allow their womenfolk to work along with their mehrams.

Suhaila urged the concerned authorities to take up the matter with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who she said is sure would not accept the humiliation of Saudi women. She said Al-Laheedan should have instead asked the authorities to make monthly payments to poor Saudi women.

Fahd Al-Johani, dean of students affairs at Taif University, opposed the idea, saying working as maids would force women to violate certain Islamic principles. He said Al-Laheedan should have considered the present condition of maids before giving his fatwa.

Ibrahim Al-Saqhabi, a Saudi, said it is shameful for the ministry and Al-Laheedan to allow Saudi women to work as maids. “Saudi Arabia has the financial ability to support its poor women by paying them monthly salaries, instead of allowing them to work as maids,” he said.