Fortunately in Jeddah you are less likely to see or have a muttawa encounter than if you wree in Riyadh or Qassim. I hope you get to make it to Riyadh. I’ve written several posts on the distinctions between Riyadh and Jeddah and Jeddah is so much like a different country in many ways let alone a different city!

Regards,
Carol

I encourage everyone to read Mahrahm’s Muttawa experience. The question I have is if this had happened today, in light of the Starbuck’s incident, what do you (Mahrahm) think you might have done differently? Should this have been reported to the HR commission? Or because as you said, you were visiting at the time it needed to be kept as a quiet incident?

Very interesting and enlightening read on the skewered mindset of the muttwawa and what they believe they can “rightfully” get away with…

LOL!LOL!

Peace & Blessings!

I’m glad everyone is appreciative of the guidelines and insights. In regards to whether they speak English, the American women whom I know who were approaching in Hayat Mall and ordered to cover their heads were encountered by a muttawa accompanied by a police officer. They advised that the muttawa was well-groomed, UNBEARDED (which is quite unusual) and spoke flawless English.

Obviously there are a lot of “behind-the-scenes” politics in regards to why the muttawa still exist and under the present regime. In KSA, change will take place but always at Saudi time. Therefore (in my view at least) any reigning King cannot just unilaterally say “halas, the muttawa will be no more.” To do so would literally create a revolt among the religious conservative here that the government cannot afford. However I still do not understand nor have an answer explaining why the muttawa have doubled in force since King Abdullah has come to reign.

In the UK too there has been (OK we don’t have the Muttawa) incidents of people posing as police officers complete with flashing lights and uniform or plain clothes, who pose a danger to women.