Saudi nationals are restricted from marrying non-nationals
http://www.arabnews.com:80/?artid=120078
Arab News has reported this week that a Saudi woman who gave birth to a baby boy in Bahrain International Airport has had her marriage annulled by the Saudi authorities. Additionally the government is barring her from returning to the Kingdom. The woman, Mariam al-Shoaibi, is married to an Ethiopian who works in Qatar. In this case, the issue is not whether her family allows the marriage, which has been posted previously, but that in order to marry a non-Saudi a Saudi must receive special permission from the Ministry of Interior, a process which can take many years.
What is particularly interesting about this case is one must wonder about the religion of the husband. Many Ethiopians are Christian. While Saudi men may marry Christians or Jews, a Saudi woman may only marry a Muslim. Is this a factor in the refusal of the Saudi authorities to allow the mother entrance back into the Kingdom? If the husband has converted to Islam, it still takes years to obtain the proper papers. In the meantime, what are people to do if they want to move forward and get married? It presents a dilemma. At the heart of the matter is who may be declared a Saudi national. Tribal thinking is still strong and xenophobia prevails when there is a possibility of bringing in outside influences. This case shows that Saudi policy still resists the impact of globalization and the nuanced changes it brings with it.
