| Saudi clerics across the kingdom led worshippers in prayers for rain on Thursday, blaming a minor drought on a catalogue of sins, including the increasing openness of women who may unveil or mingle with men. Addressing hundreds of worshippers in Mecca, Grand Mosque cleric Abdel Rahman bin Abdel Aziz al-Sudeis said Muslims should purify their hearts of âenvy, jealousy, hatred, breaking off (relations), quarrels and enmity for trivial reasonsâ, and ask for Godâs forgiveness to end the drought. âThere is no sin without misfortune, and there is no lifting of punishments without repentance; the sins are dangerous because whenever they exist, destruction follows,â al-Sudeis said. He singled out women, saying their sins included âbedecking, unveiling, mingling (with men), being indifferent with hijab (veil)â. Khaled al-Maeena, editor of the English daily Arab News, worried that some listeners could wrongly interpret al-Sudeisâ comments. âIt is not a healthy sign, as we want women to play their role and to be active in the society,â he said. |