"The mutawas, the dreaded religious police of Saudi Arabia, consider
themselves the supreme guardians of public morality. They are keepers of
their faith… the way they see it. They have the backing of the Kingdom
and they are watching you - everywhere, all the time.

And, they are ruthless with anybody who does not conform to their concept of what is right and wrong.

They will come for you if you drink. If you grow your hair long.
If you are seen with a female who is not a blood relative. If you are a
female and don’t wear the abaya or expose your hair or face or legs. If
you are a female and drive a car. If you worship your own God in the
privacy of your home or carry any symbol at all of your faith. Or if you
are a Muslim and miss even one of your ritual prayers.

They will target you if you are a Shia, Ahmadiya or a Sufi or
even a liberal Sunni or, for that matter, a Muslim from any other
Islamic sect different from theirs - for they believe they are the
ultimate upholders of pristine Islam.

They are the bane of all expatriates in Saudi Arabia but you
need to be doubly careful if you are a Hindu, a Sikh or a Christian. In
which case, they will use every opportunity to coerce, cajole and bribe
you to convert to their faith."


JOY C. RAPHAEL is a senior journalist who has worked in Saudi Arabia for over 14 years. He has also worked with a number of Indian publications, like Onlooker, Probe India and Current. He has done over 600 numerous investigative stories and features while working in India. His last book was Mutawas: Saudi Arabias Dreaded Religious Police.