Saudi cleric Sheikh Saad Al-Hijri has caused outrage after claiming women should not drive because their brains shrink to a quarter the size of a man’s when they go shopping.
The cleric, who is head of fatwas (legal opinions) was banned on Thursday from preaching, leading prayers and other religious activities following his comments.
RT reports:
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Al-Hijri made his brain-numbing remarks at a lecture aptly titled, “The evils of women driving.” Women are banned from driving altogether in the notoriously conservative country, with many jailed for attempting to.
According to the cleric, women only have half a brain to begin with, but, when they attempt to factor shopping into their feeble minds, that halves again and they “end up with only a quarter,” as cited by the Jerusalem Post.
A video of Al-Hijri’s sexist musings was circulated online, provoking a backlash from many in the kingdom who used the hashtag “Al-Hijri says women have a quarter of a brain” to voice their anger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL_EARUGHg0
“She became pregnant with him, gave birth to him, raised him, spent sleepless nights for him until he grew up and now he calls her a woman with a quarter of a brain. He and his like must be banned from appearing anywhere,” wrote one irate user.
“I swear to God those who have a quarter of a brain are you and your likes who handed you platforms to deliver hardline views. It is the woman who raises man and she is the core of success,” said another.
Saudi Arabia, an absolutist monarchy which controversially has seats on the UN Human Rights Council and the Women’s Rights Commission, has long been criticized for the treatment of the kingdom’s female population.
Not to worry though, in an apparent move to rectify this the government established a ‘girl’s council’ consisting solely of men who know better.
Vital element is actually missing: #Saudi Arabia’s ‘girls council’ launches with all male event https://t.co/vkb3gM5C1C
— RT (@RT_com) March 14, 2017
Niamh Harris
I don’t like muslims.. but you have to give credit where credit is due.. This fellow is correct in what he says.. He obviously is a rather learned and well grounded individual… Women are what they are,.. we have to accept that and show leniency toward them as they are the lesser of the human species…. They brought that on themselves with Eve’s betrayal in the garden.. she chose to eat that apple and women forever were destined to suffer the consequences….. Periods were part of that consequence.. It is what it is.. and we just have to accept that truth…