In Saudi Arabia, religious law prohibits drinking, adultery, and gambling. But according to Ali al-Hakami, a member of the Saudi Council for Senior Scholars, there’s another offense to add to the list: flashing your emergency lights to warn other drivers of upcoming speed cameras.
In Saudi Arabia, a traffic accident occurs almost every minute, and a traffic-related death occurs almost every hour. Overall, the per capita death rate on Saudi roads is more than twice that of the United States. The government has tried mandatory seatbelt use and traffic cameras, but traffic casualties remain frustratingly high. So the government has called in the big guns: the clerics.
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia issued a fatwa that banned covering license plates with duct tape so that the speed cameras can’t read it. He also declared that vandalizing traffic cameras is sinful. The General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Religious Opinions rules that running a red light and speeding are both sinful acts, because they put the speeder’s life and those of others in danger.
But clerical support is a double-edged sword. Another member of the Council of Senior Scholars, Mohammed al-Shinqiti, argued not only that warning other drivers of traffic cameras garners rewards from God, but also that hiding traffic cameras behind trees is a sin.
Even when leading clerics show unity, the public does not always follow. One contributing factor is a widespread belief among Saudis that abiding by traffic laws represents a lack of faith—that what happens on the road is up to God.
This piece is a part of Mezze, a monthly short article series spotlighting societal trends across the region. It originally appeared in the Middle East Program's monthly newsletter, Middle East Notes and Comment. For more information and to receive our mailings, please contact the Middle East Program.