Muttawa

Anyone even remotely connected to Saudi Arabia knows about the Muttawa. For those that don’t they are the basically the religious policemen here. Most Westerners will experience them in shopping malls as they walk around asking the women to cover their hair and generally make sure they properly dressed in public places and ensuring that local business close whenever its Salat (prayer) time.

You can tell a Muttawa by the way they dress. Their throbes are shorter than normal by about 3 inches and only go down to their ankles. In addition they don’t wear an iqal (that’s the black round band that holds the ghutra (headscalf) in place). They also carry stick which they don’t mind using to tap or hit people they are shouting at.

There are some sinister stories about them and the way they treat Western women but in my first experience with one this week he was so polite I was actually unsure about whether he was Muttawa or just a fuss-pot. I went into the local Panda supermarket to get some bread and milk to take home to flat in Bahrain when the Muttawa came over to talk to me.

His English was reasonable and he explained politely that I couldn’t go into the supermarket because it was a time reserved for families only and therefore no single men were allowed. Had the Muttawa not been there, the supermarket would have let me in. I was struck by how polite he was. Normally the Muttawa just shout intimidatingly at their victims and get handy with their sticks!

One story I recently heard involved a group of western women who went to Bata to do some shopping. Sometimes Bata is not the sort of place that western women should go to alone. Whilst they were there a group of guys groped them.
The Muttawa witnessed what happened and stopped both the men and the women. They then gave the women their sticks and invited them to beat the men who groped them.

Unfortunately they didn’t avail themselves of the opportunity.

Another recent story I heard was that American women's society met over a restaurant in Riyadh. It was a women-only affair; they ate a little dinner and had a few stalls to buy trinkets from.

The Muttawa arrived and told the ladies that they all had to leave. Their reason? too many ladies together in one place!

The Muttawa are going through difficult times right now. In the past they were paid a salary by the government to go around ordering people about. In recent years though the government has stopped paying them, so now all Muttawa have to fund themselves. Consequently, I understand that the Muttawa are a much rarer sight on the streets than before. Is this evidence of the Kings desire to bring about change in the Kingdom?

They will be letting the women drive next!!!!!!