The members of the Commission for The Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV) are officially called Hai'a. The Saudi religious police more commonly known as muttawa can be spotted in the malls from few distinguishable factors. Their thobes will be short, above the ankle length. They don't wear the egal (black rope ring) on top of their headscarves and usually will have long beards. The "boss" will be wearing a black robe (bisht) with golden lining on top of his thobe.
The muttawa can be seen patrolling the malls in groups of two or three, sometimes accompanied by a police or security officer looking for exposed faces or hair of women, too much make-up on Saudi women, men in shorts, young single men without female relatives, too long hair on men, lack of food court segregation screens, and other "vices".
Usually we say things like, "Hey you guys, get a life," but this is Saudi Arabia and I don't usually go looking for trouble.
ReplyDeleteKaren-LOL I would like to see the expression on their faces if a woman went up to them to say that :D
ReplyDeleteShouldn't they get women to correct the women, and men to correct the men,if they are so concerned about gender segregation. I feel it is unislamic to force people to wear a certain type of cloth,you should give them advice if they are dressed inapropraitly(but that shouldn't be your job description), but if they don't want listen,it's between them and Allah.
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