A Brave Arab Woman

Ok well that depends on your idea of "brave".Whilst I support all she has asked for, As a Muslimah I find her words " "wasting time on learning quotations" very disturbing.Did she actually say this? I am all for progress and justice between sexes but so was our Prophet and so are the divine texts when taken in it's actual form, without distortion and extremism. And I will never find reciting the Quran and studying the hadiths to be a waste of time! Audubillah...rather what she should say is alongside with learning the religion we need other educational reforms as well. Historically the Sahabiah and wives of the Prophet were known to be learned women. They studied Islam as well as geography, literature etc. They were scholars in their own right whereby even the great men of that era would go to them for lessons and advises.
And compared to some religions, Islam actually makes even divorce very easy even for women and I know this for a fact. Perhaps certain lawmakers misuse the religion but again it's not the texts that are blameworthy but those applying them.
And hence as a Muslimah I fail to see wisdom in her words(again IF she actually said them) for surely a person can do both..study your religion and educate yourself for worldly affairs as well.

Jazakhallah khair habibthy. Now it makes much more sense...yes. And I do hope the authorities realize this as well. Problem is it's not as much as religion for these lawmakers as much as it's also to do with their culture and traditions. As it has been proven time and again via the various texts Islamicly, women had so much power and admiration back then. They contributed much to the countries reforms, politics etc and as for them going out without male chaperons, yes they did that too and they even rode animals themselves, which was very much to them what driving a vehicle is today.
That said we can still hope for the better. What with the allowance of women to vote and get into politics itself, Saudia is showing signs of improving. Perhaps soon we will see better times, but I hope along with all this the rights of Muslims to practice their religion at freewill will also stay in tact.