Saudi Arabia: Segregation on the blogroll?

It is well known that segregation of the sexes in Saudi Arabia exists in everyday life – but what about online? Can the names of male and female bloggers exist together on a blogroll? One Saudi blogger is amused at the thought.

Entropy.MAX, a female blogger, paints the picture:

حدثنا بعض شيوخ المدونين و المدونات السعوديين منهم و السعوديات عن تحريم الاختلاط في صفحات الانترنت بين روابط مواقع المدونين ومواقع المدونات، وضرورة وجود حاجز ساتر يفصل بينهم للبعد عن الشبهات و درءا لما قد يجره الخلط على صدر صفحات المدونات من مفسدات. فالشيطان يجري في الساحات وقد يوقع في قلوب العذارى أو العانسات، أو لا سمح الله المتزوجات الافتتان بأسماء المدونين، خاصة المستقيمين،

فيحصل ما لا يحمد عقباه من المنكرات. عليه فقد قام بعض الإخوة مشكورين بفصل الروابط ووضعها في موقعين منفصلين لا يوصل بينهما نهر ولا بحرين، حماية لأخلاق المدونين و صيانة لشرف بنات المسلمين. إلا أنه لايزال بعض المدونين واللذين نشك في إصابة قلوبهم والعياذ بالله بمرض الليبرالية اللعين، لا يزالون يخلطون المواقع في قائمة واحدة غير آبهين بما قد يجره هذا الفعل من الويلات على مجتمع المدونين والمدونات، غير مبالين بخصوصية السعوديين ولا بطبيعة مجتمع المتنطعين، و بعد ذلك يطلعون علينا مستغربين من رغبتنا في وضع ضوابط للتدوين!!

Some of the elders of the Saudi blogosphere, including some women, are calling for segregating the blogrolls on blogs for the links of female and male Saudi bloggers. They are calling for a barrier between them to thwart any misdeeds and harm. Satan exists online and could make virgins, spinsters and even married women fall for the names of male bloggers, especially the righteous ones.

This may result in unexpected consequences. This is why a number of bloggers have separated the blogrolls and posted them in separate blogs, with no connections between them, in a bid to protect the morals of bloggers and maintain the chastity of Muslim girls. However, there are a few bloggers, who have been infected with the wretched liberal streak, who still mix up the sexes and have one blogroll. Those are inconsiderate to the dire side effects on society of male and female bloggers and have no consideration for the special characteristics of the Saudi blogosphere. And after all this, they are surprised that we need a code of conduct for blogging!!

3 comments

  • Seriously!… I as much as I respect and love Islam with all its teachings and messages, I grow suspicious of all these religious figures making up “Fatwa” and recommendation that makes no sense other than imposing a certain aspect of control over Moslems. If this recommendation (the segregation) is to serve anything, is that it will only make those targeted individuals more curious and anxious to break those rules and seek a “peek”. I my humble opinion, the main issue is not in blogs or forums, it is the bloggers and readers themselves. I mean if reading a name or a title can produce a “sexual” feeling and stimulation, then something is terribly wrong with this society. I know for a fact that if you impose certain rules on a society this way without make them take that choice, they wont do it out of recognition, but rather of fear. With all do respect to all good Saudis, look at the 1000s that go on vacations every year! The things they do outside the Kingdom is the things they are not allowed to do inside, which means they are not obeying those rules because they believe in them.

  • Oh for the love of God. Enough with the stupidity. We have too many problems we need to deal with other than whimsically issued fatwas.

  • […] idea, suggested by some leading Saudi bloggers, to “segregate the blogrolls on blogs for the links of female and male Saudi bloggers”, is a sign of religious insanity. […]

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