Fatwa of the top religious leader: Saudi women do not have to wear a burqa!

The Dhaka Times Desk That fatwa again. A top religious leader gave a fatwa that there is no such thing as Saudi women having to wear 'abaya' or burqa!

That fatwa again. A top religious leader in Saudi Arabia has said that there is no point in women having to wear the 'abaya' or burqa in the country. Girls should dress modestly, but that doesn't mean they have to wear an abaya.

Commonly seen, Saudi girls cover the entire body up to the feet or use a loose covering, called an abaya. Fewer women are seen going out there without wearing abaya. It is also legally mandatory to wear it there. However, Sheikh Abdullah Al Mutlaq, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars of Saudi Arabia, the most senior religious thinker, said that there is no need for it.

A top religious leader issued such a religious fatwa at a time when various reforms were being attempted in Saudi society. Sheikh Abdullah Al Mutlaq said last Friday, "At least 90 percent of women in the Muslim world do not wear 'Abaya'. That's why we shouldn't force girls to wear it either.'

This is the first time such a high-ranking religious leader has heard such words in Saudi Arabia. His comments have already sparked heated debates and discussions online. Many have spoken out in support of him. Many people are also opposing it. One person on Twitter wrote, 'Abaya is a tradition of our region. This is not a religious matter.'

However, another strongly opposed and wrote, 'Even if a hundred fatwas are issued, I will not leave my abaya. Not even if you die. O girls, do not listen to this fatwa.'

When girls go out without an abaya in Saudi Arabia, they are often reprimanded by the religious police. In 2016, police arrested a woman after she took off her abaya on the streets of Riyadh. However, in recent years, women in Saudi Arabia have been seen wearing a variety of bright colored abayas instead of just the black abaya. Wearing open abaya with long skirts or jeans is also becoming quite popular among modern girls.

The wind of change is blowing in recent times in Saudi Arabia. Last year, the ban on commercial films was lifted there. The first cinema hall is said to open there in March this year. Last December, a female music artist sang in the first ever music concert there. Saudi authorities have also allowed girls to go to stadiums in Saudi Arabia to watch games.