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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/23/saudi-cleric-saad-al-hijri-banned-woman-driving-cars-quarter-brain
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Saudi cleric banned for saying women's brains 'a quarter the size' of men's | Saudi cleric banned for saying women's brains 'a quarter the size' of men's |
| (4 months later) | |
| Saad al-Hijri suspended from all religious activity for saying women should not drive because their brains shrink after shopping | |
| Nadia Khomami and agencies | |
| Sat 23 Sep 2017 12.42 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 25 Sep 2017 09.59 BST | |
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| A Saudi cleric who said women should not drive because their brains shrink to a quarter the size of a man’s when they go shopping has been banned from preaching. | A Saudi cleric who said women should not drive because their brains shrink to a quarter the size of a man’s when they go shopping has been banned from preaching. |
| Saad al-Hijri, head of fatwas (legal opinions) in Saudi Arabia’s Assir governorate, was suspended from all religious activity after advising against allowing women to drive in a speech that contained comments “diminishing human value”, a spokesman for the governor of Asir province said. | Saad al-Hijri, head of fatwas (legal opinions) in Saudi Arabia’s Assir governorate, was suspended from all religious activity after advising against allowing women to drive in a speech that contained comments “diminishing human value”, a spokesman for the governor of Asir province said. |
| Women remain banned from driving in Saudi Arabia despite ambitious government targets to increase their public role, especially in the workforce. | Women remain banned from driving in Saudi Arabia despite ambitious government targets to increase their public role, especially in the workforce. |
| The ultra-conservative kingdom has some of the world’s tightest restrictions for women. They are also bound by law to wear long robes and a headscarf and require the consent of a male guardian for most legal actions, including study, travel and other activities. | The ultra-conservative kingdom has some of the world’s tightest restrictions for women. They are also bound by law to wear long robes and a headscarf and require the consent of a male guardian for most legal actions, including study, travel and other activities. |
| In a video this week, Hijri asked what the traffic department would do it if it discovered a man with only half a brain. “Would it give him a licence or not? It would not. So how can it give it to a woman when she has only half?” he said. | In a video this week, Hijri asked what the traffic department would do it if it discovered a man with only half a brain. “Would it give him a licence or not? It would not. So how can it give it to a woman when she has only half?” he said. |
| “If she goes to the market she loses another half. What is left? A quarter ... We demand the traffic department check because she is not suitable to drive and she has only a quarter.” | “If she goes to the market she loses another half. What is left? A quarter ... We demand the traffic department check because she is not suitable to drive and she has only a quarter.” |
| The comments sparked outrage on social media, which is hugely popular in the kingdom. | The comments sparked outrage on social media, which is hugely popular in the kingdom. |
| Twitter users shared the video, many criticising it and making jokes about his remarks, under the Arabic hashtag “Al-Hijri-women-quarter-brain”. | Twitter users shared the video, many criticising it and making jokes about his remarks, under the Arabic hashtag “Al-Hijri-women-quarter-brain”. |
| The hashtag was used 119,000 times in just 24 hours. | The hashtag was used 119,000 times in just 24 hours. |
| Some users posted pictures of Saudi female scientists and academics in response and questioned Hijri’s own intellectual capacities. | Some users posted pictures of Saudi female scientists and academics in response and questioned Hijri’s own intellectual capacities. |
| But there were many others who supported the cleric, and the hashtag “Al-Hijri is with the woman, not against her” was used on 20,000 tweets in the same time period. | But there were many others who supported the cleric, and the hashtag “Al-Hijri is with the woman, not against her” was used on 20,000 tweets in the same time period. |
| Hijri’s suspension, ordered by the provincial governor, was aimed at preventing the spread of views that spark controversy and do not serve the national interest, the provincial spokesman said. | Hijri’s suspension, ordered by the provincial governor, was aimed at preventing the spread of views that spark controversy and do not serve the national interest, the provincial spokesman said. |
| The Saudi government’s modernising reforms, backed by Saudi Arabia’s business class, have sparked tensions with influential clerics upon whose support the ruling family relies. | The Saudi government’s modernising reforms, backed by Saudi Arabia’s business class, have sparked tensions with influential clerics upon whose support the ruling family relies. |
| Some clerics have millions of followers on social media. | Some clerics have millions of followers on social media. |
| Saudi Arabia | |
| Middle East and North Africa | |
| Women | |
| news | |
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