FINAL PAPER

Extending across most of the northern and central Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia is a young country that is heir to a rich history. Most of that history is religious based everything from how the country was formed. Its political system, the economy, and it's even present in Saudi Arabian culture. This paper will examine how religion affects each aspect of Saudi Arabia.

The region of the world that Saudi Arabia is in has an ancient and religious history. Saudi Arabia has been in three major states. The first state was formed in 1744 when Muhammad bin Saud and Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab basically decided they wanted to form a new political and religious entity (AKA a new country).(1) they realized that each of them wanted to see the same thing. They wanted to see all Arab people brought back to Islam, likely for religious reasons. The pact that these two men have has lasted to this day even through many political and cultural changes. (1) Unfortunately in 1818 the Ottoman Empire re-conquered the area. After a rebuilding period the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, referred to as the House of Saud, returned to power by re-establishing their authority in the city of Nejd.(2) This historical hiccup was the formation of the second Saudi state. The second Saudi state was smaller in land compared to the first. Leaders were less concerned with territorial expansion due to conflicts within the royal Saudi family. The end of the second Saudi state is marked by the battle of Mulayda in 1891. The Third and current Saudi state was founded by the late King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia. In its present state The Kingdom occupies about 80 percent of the Arabian Peninsula. A significant length of the country's southern borders with the United Arab Emirates and Oman are not precisely defined or marked, so the exact size of the country remains unknown. It is however commonly listed as the 14th largest country. (3)

The political system in Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy which means there is a king that is both head of state and head of government. This is vastly different form the democracy that we have in the USA. Despite there being a single ruler many of the decisions are made by consulting the senior princes with the king having a final say. Saudi Arabia has declared the Qur’an as its official constitution. This type of constitution makes it hard for the country to adopt new rules the way amendments do for our constitution. Saudi Arabia had no history of electoral government until February 2005, when, in an election open only to male voters age 21 and older, Saudi citizens cast votes to select one-half the members of the municipal councils. This was the first time in Saudi history that a public vote was held. It represented a huge step away from the monarchy that the country has. Nevertheless, out of a population of nearly 27 million, only about 3 million (males only) are eligible to vote. Women do not yet have the right to vote. (4) The voting however is different than it would be here because political parties are illegal in Saudi Arabia instead they have distinct political divisions. The ulama, a large and powerful group of religious leaders, perhaps numbering 10,000, ensure that the king observes Islamic law over all else. This ensures that the king does not get out of line with his powers. (5) Recently in February of last year the current Abdullah appointed the first woman to a ministerial post. Norah al-Fayez was named the new deputy education minister for women's education.

"This is a successful step. We've always suffered from having a man occupy the position" overseeing women's education, the English-language Arab News newspaper quoted her as saying…A woman knows what problems and challenges her peers face. It's a change for the better," she said.

Saudi Arabia’s culture has hampered the promotion of women to top jobs in the kingdom. Offices and businesses, such as banks, are required to have completely separate facilities for female workers. So Fayez's appointment to the job is widely seen as a major breakthrough. (6)

Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government control over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 25% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, and ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum. About one third of the countries budget revenue comes from oil. Oil is also their main export it accounts for 90% of the country’s trade goods. (7) During the seventies Saudi Arabia’s economy was growing extremely rapidly due to the oil boom that was being experienced around the world. They saw a GDP (gross domestic product) increase of almost 2000%! However this economic bubble was unsustainable and in the eighties the country’s GDP shrank by more than half. The countries ability to get its economy to become less dependent on oil has given new life to their economy. Non-oil manufacturing now contributes around 10% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP. Through 5-year plans the country has tried to turn its oil-based economy into that of a modern industrial state while maintaining the kingdom's traditional Islamic values and customs. Saudi Arabia is currently constructing six “economic cities” the most known of which is King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). (8) These cities are meant to diversify the country and are expected to increase the per capita income. KAEC has announced that the per capita income is forecast, to rise from $15,000 in 2006 to $33,500 in 2020. (8) Despite the economic growth a significant amount of the work force in Saudi Arabia is still foreign workers.

The cultural setting of Saudi Arabia is Arab and Muslim. Many proscriptions of behavior and dress are enforced. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited, for example. Saudi Arabian dress is very strict it follows the Islamic principle of modesty known as Hijab. The garments are generally loose and flowing which make them suitable for the desert climate. Women are required to wear modest covering clothing when in public. (9) The women’s role in Saudi society differs substantially from that of men. For example, all women, regardless of age, are required to have a male guardian. (10) All women, regardless of age, are required to have a male guardian. In some cases the guardian is a younger brother sometimes even under the age of twenty who is responsible for the decision making of a female with a PhD. Women cannot vote or be elected to high political positions. It is the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving. The World Economic Forum 2009 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Saudi Arabia 130th out of 134 countries for gender parity. It was the only country to score a zero in the category of political empowerment. (11) Women's rights in Saudi Arabia are defined by Islam and tribal customs. Islamic law is based on the Qur'an and teachings of Muhammad. In Saudi culture, Islamic law is interpreted very strictly. The law is mostly unwritten, leaving judges with significant discretionary power which they usually exercise in favor of tribal customs. The variation of interpretation often leads to controversy. (12) Things like driving are not mentioned in the Qur’an so officials tend to lead towards modesty when confronted with issues like this Hence the driving ban for women. There is evidence that many women in Saudi Arabia do not want radical change. Even many advocates of reform reject Western critics, for "failing to understand the uniqueness of Saudi society.” Journalist Maha Akeel is a frequent critic of her country's patriarchal customs. Nonetheless, she agrees that Westerners criticize what they do not understand. "Look, we are not asking for ... women's rights according to Western values or lifestyles ... We want things according to what Islam says. Look at our history, our role models.”

The people of Saudi Arabia are very traditional and eat the same foods they have eaten for centuries. The average meal of nomads who remain in Saudi Arabia is much simpler than that of the urban Saudis who make up the majority of Saudi Arabia's population. However, the basic ingredients are the same: fava beans, wheat, rice, yogurt, dates, and chicken are common foods for all Saudis. Saudi Arabia has over 18 million date palms that produce 600 million pounds of dates each year. They are also the largest consumer of broiler chickens. (13) Saudis are strict Muslims and, following Islamic law, do not eat pork or drink alcohol. According to Islamic law, animals must be butchered in a particular way and blessed before they can be eaten, so Saudi Arabia is the world's largest importer of live sheep. (13) Flat bread is also commonly included in a meal and can even be used as a sort of edible utensil for scooping the food. Most Saudi holiday meals include thick soups, stuffed vegetables, bean salads or tabbouleh (a salad made with bulgur wheat), hummus, rice, and the flat bread. Dates, raisins, and nuts are served as appetizers or snacks, and sweet desserts finish off the meal. Rugs are laid out on the floor and dishes of food are placed on them. People sit cross-legged on the floor around the rugs and eat with their fingers or the flat bread. Following Islamic law, only the right hand is used for eating, as the left hand is considered "unclean" because it is used for personal hygiene. All the food is shared rather than each person have a dish to themselves. Before the meal hands are ritually washed, in accordance with Islamic law. This ritualistic washing is then repeated when the meal is finished. (13)
Sports in Saudi Arabia in Asia include traditional as well as modern sports. Football in Saudi Arabia is very popular. It is now considered to be the national game of the country. From 1984 Football in Saudi Arabia became much more popular. The national football team participated in the Olympics for the first time. After this there was no looking back. The national football team qualified for the Asia cup five times. The team’s greatest achievement was their participation in the FIFA World Cup In 1994. (14) They placed second in their group and tied Belgium in points but were passed up because they had allowed more goals. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation had formed the National Football Team. (14) The Saudi Arabian football fans have nicknamed the team 'Sons of the Desert' or the 'Green Falcons'. The highest scoring national player is Majed Abdullah. Their goalkeeper, Mohamed Al-Deayea, is a record holder for the most number of international appearances by a male player. Soccer has now become common in all parts of Saudi Arabia. Apart from Football in Saudi Arabia another modern game that has found popularity is Golf. Traditional games of Saudi Arabia are also played. Camel Racing is a unique and spectacular sport. Falconry is practiced by some.

It seems hard to realize that a country that we hear so much about in the news has such a rich and divers background with almost every part of the countries politics culture and lifestyle steaming from a deeply sacred religious background. It is so vastly different from the separation of church and state that we have in the US. It helps to clarify why Saudi customs are they way they are. It’s amazing how the same core values can be held onto for such a long time.