According to ArabNews.com, this came after a member of the Council of Senior Scholars issued a "fatwa" (edict) prohibiting women from visiting male doctors without having male guardians present.
Qais Al-Mubarak, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars said:
"Islamic law does not permit women to visit their doctors without male guardians. Women are prohibited from exposing body parts to male doctors in Islamic law, especially during childbirth. This does not include medical emergencies. Islamic jurisprudence makes exceptions,"Al-Mubarak also said male doctors could conduct medical examinations on female patients only if female physicians are unavailable and only if male guardians accompany them. "Unaccompanied visits to male doctors can have negative implications,"
Male guardians can only be the next of kin in Islam. They are sons, grandsons, husbands, brothers, fathers or uncles.
Meanwhile, many women have opposed this decision, saying their male relatives are not available to accompany them on a weekly basis. Muneera Dawood, a stay-at-home mother cried out:
"This is going to be a huge burden for us. Many of us don't have male guardians. Those of us who do, can't depend on them, as they have work and travel commitments. Does this mean that I have to wait for my husband to be free to go on my weekly checkup? This is a serious matter. Going to the doctor is not a luxury like going to the hair salon."
Women are also not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia.
