TV satire angers religious Saudis

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, November 15, 2003

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi actor Nasser al-Qasabi scanned Web site comments castigating him for appearing in a TV satire about an Islamic religious edict that bans Saudi women from going almost anywhere without a male guardian. One branded him an "ignorant clown."

"I’ve become immune to the attacks," al-Qasabi said. "It’s just a sign of how limited the people who write this stuff are."

The program that drew the criticism was an episode of the popular comedy program "Tash Ma Tash," which roughly translates as "Confusion." A fatwa, or religious edict, called unsuccessfully for its banning three years ago.

In the past, few have challenged the edicts of religious scholars. But now more Saudis, like al-Qasabi, are daring to speak out. They say they aren’t criticizing Islam but fear some people are misusing the faith to block criticism and political reforms desired by many Saudis.

"Those who oppose the program have a problem with people who do not think the way they do," he said. "They always believe they’re right and the other is wrong, and they refuse to talk. … They want to drag us to the Stone Age."

The offensive episode was called "Without a Mahram," the male guardian who must be the woman’s father, brother, son or husband under the conservative Wahhabi Islamic philosophy applied in Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi woman needs a mahram to go to a government office or a restaurant or to go anywhere in a car. Saudi women are not allowed to drive, and if they are caught in a vehicle with a man other than a mahram or a professional driver, they can be jailed.

The episode showed the troubles suffered by the women in one family — a mother, sister, wife and daughter — when the only man in the house has to go away for six months.

The sister could not go to work, the wife couldn’t go out shopping and the daughter was without her beloved videos because women are not allowed in video stores. When a policeman came to investigate a theft at the house, he refused to enter because there was no mahram. Al-Qasabi played the part of the cop.

"It doesn’t make sense that this ignorant clown insults the inheritors of the prophets," one of the Web site critics wrote.

"The program aims at spreading decadence and corruption," said another. "It should not be watched."

Abdulrahman al-Wabily, the American-educated writer of the episode, said he based the story on the difficulties faced by his wife and daughters when he is away.

"What’s practiced against women here is the same racism that was practiced against blacks in South Africa," al-Wabily said.

Abeer Mishkhas, a columnist for the daily Arab News, said the "heavy artillery" directed at the program shows that "we are not used to criticism and cannot take it when it comes."

Al-Qasabi said those calling for a ban on "Tash Ma Tash" are a "product of a sick mind, a narrow education. They have built a concrete wall around them to protect their scary culture."

Copyright ©2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.