Christmas trees and glittery ornaments are for sale at a Saudi gift shop, a once unthinkable sight in the cradle of Islam where all public non-Muslim worship is banned.
In recent years, festive sales have gradually crept into the capital Riyadh, a sign of loosening social restrictions after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged to steer the conservative Gulf kingdom towards an “open, moderate Islam”.
“I didn’t ever imagine I’d see this” in Saudi Arabia, a Riyadh resident told AFP at the shop selling trees, Santa Claus outfits as well as tinsel, baubles and other ornaments.
“I am surprised,” said the resident, declining to be identified.
Until barely three years ago, it was almost impossible to sell such items openly in Saudi Arabia, but authorities have been clipping the powers of the clerical establishment long notorious for enforcing Islamic traditions.
For decades, Christmas sales were largely underground, and Christians from the Philippines, Lebanon and other countries celebrated behind closed doors or in expat enclaves.
“It was very difficult to find such” Christmas items in the kingdom, said Mary, a Lebanese expat based in Riyadh who preferred to be identified by her first name.
“Many of my friends used to buy them from Lebanon or Syria and sneak them into the country,” she said.
Changing times
But in a sign of the changing times, the Riyadh shop manager, Omar, who declined to provide his surname, said his store sold not just Christmas items but also outfits for Halloween — widely seen by arch-conservatives as an American tradition that is a deviation from Islam.
Saudi Arabia is the custodian of Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest sites.
The Arab kingdom has long been accused of exporting its ultra-conservative Wahhabist Sunni doctrine around the world but has been slowly pushing for inter-religious exchange.
It has even hosted officials linked to the Vatican as well as Jewish figures in recent years.
Local officials say school textbooks, once well-known for denigrating Jews and other non-Muslims as “swines” and “apes”, are undergoing revision as part of Prince Mohammed’s campaign to combat extremism in education.
The heir to the Saudi throne has curbed the influence of the once-powerful religious police, as he permits mixed-gender music concerts, cinemas and other entertainment, but temples and churches are still forbidden.
Earlier this month, the United States reconfirmed Saudi Arabia’s place among a list of countries on a religious freedom blacklist.
The countries are accused of engaging in or tolerating “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom”, according to the US State Department.
Last month, Prince Mohammed pledged to strike extremists with an “iron fist”, after a bombing against a gathering of Western diplomats at a non-Muslim cemetery in the Red Sea city of Jeddah that was claimed by the Islamic State group.
447123 730442i would have to make far more christmas cards becuase next month is december already- 126484
577412 325032Wonderful post man, maintain the nice work, just shared this with the friendz 89994
511008 763938Thank you for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our location library but I believe I learned much more clear from this post. Im extremely glad to see such outstanding details being shared freely out there. 608169
804520 52185Hi there, just became aware of your blog via Google, and discovered that its genuinely informative. Im gonna watch out for brussels. Ill be grateful in the event you continue this in future. A lot of folks will be benefited from your writing. Cheers! 622195
902729 567325Conveyancing […]we like to honor other internet sites on the internet, even if they arent related to us, by linking to them. Below are some websites worth checking out[…] 610574
257970 562034I like this post, enjoyed this 1 appreciate it for putting up. 569026
168007 124004Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the pictures on this blog loading? Im trying to figure out if its a difficulty on my end or if its the weblog. Any responses would be greatly appreciated. 419324
414403 398990Im having a small problem. Im unable to subscribe to your rss feed for some reason. Im making use of google reader by the way. 36736
636776 287465I genuinely like your writing style, good information , thankyou for putting up : D. 488425
703522 369859I genuinely prize your function , Wonderful post. 146319
577648 744729I dont feel Ive read anything like this before. So great to locate somebody with some original thoughts on this subject. thank for starting this up. This site is something that is necessary on the internet, someone with just a little originality. Excellent job for bringing something new towards the internet! 849915
849941 797390Wow post thanks! We think your articles are wonderful and want far more soon. We love anything to do with word games/word play. 373599
123462 907226Yours can be a prime example of informative writing. I think my students could learn a great deal from your writing style and your content material. I may possibly share this write-up with them. 434516
843042 258522I like this web website extremely much, Its a really good post to read and get information . 189479
501602 562802Hey very nice website!!Guy .. Excellent .. Superb. 54835
101952 691907Real instructive and wonderful anatomical structure of articles , now thats user pleasant (:. 874350
797799 436550I think this really is one of the most significant info for me. And im glad reading your post. But want to remark on some common points, The web site style is perfect, the articles is really wonderful : D. Great job, cheers 616522
115147 962829I adore meeting utile information, this post has got me even more information! . 210882
898179 462353very nice put up, i surely adore this internet internet site, carry on it 931495
774133 270269 There are some fascinating points in time in this post but I dont know if I see all of them center to heart. There is some validity but I will take hold opinion until I appear into it further. Excellent article , thanks and we want more! Added to FeedBurner as well 315316
207896 718264Some truly good and utilitarian details on this web web site , likewise I feel the style and style holds great attributes. 296092
688352 999554This is a good subject to speak about. Sometimes I fav stuff like this on Redit. This write-up probably wont do well with that crowd. I will likely be sure to submit something else though. 613810
740246 556025Dead written articles , Really enjoyed reading . 75879
78599 491936Just wanna remark that you have a extremely good internet website , I enjoy the layout it truly stands out. 743069
636002 553910Im not that considerably of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs actually nice, maintain it up! Ill go ahead and bookmark your site to come back in the future. All the best 791689
320948 96183I do not have a bank account how can I location the order? 949717
where buy cheap clomiphene without prescription where to buy cheap clomiphene pill how to buy cheap clomid no prescription how can i get generic clomiphene price can i order generic clomid for sale get cheap clomid without a prescription can i buy generic clomid no prescription
I am in truth enchant‚e ‘ to glitter at this blog posts which consists of tons of of use facts, thanks representing providing such data.
With thanks. Loads of expertise!
121949 595881Cpr KIts very fantastic read you know alot about this topic i see! 942166
buy generic semaglutide online – semaglutide for sale order periactin 4mg for sale
motilium 10mg without prescription – buy domperidone 10mg cyclobenzaprine price
brand augmentin 1000mg – https://atbioinfo.com/ acillin generic
buy nexium online – https://anexamate.com/ order nexium 20mg pill
purchase warfarin without prescription – https://coumamide.com/ losartan oral
order mobic 7.5mg generic – tenderness mobic 15mg over the counter
deltasone 10mg without prescription – https://apreplson.com/ purchase prednisone online cheap
top ed pills – https://fastedtotake.com/ how to buy ed pills
cheap amoxil pill – comba moxi purchase amoxil sale
680790 231937 There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you created certain good points in attributes also. 520935
forcan where to buy – on this site buy diflucan online
order cenforce 100mg online – https://cenforcers.com/ cenforce 50mg generic
centurion laboratories tadalafil review – pharmacy 365 cialis cialis alternative over the counter
cialis online overnight shipping – https://strongtadafl.com/# cialis 20mg side effects
order ranitidine 300mg sale – order ranitidine without prescription order generic zantac 150mg
safe buy generic viagra online – https://strongvpls.com/# sildenafil 100
More posts like this would make the blogosphere more useful. comprar kamagra en tenerife
Good blog you have here.. It’s obdurate to espy high status writing like yours these days. I really comprehend individuals like you! Go through mindfulness!! https://buyfastonl.com/furosemide.html
More content pieces like this would make the web better. https://ursxdol.com/propecia-tablets-online/
Palatable blog you be undergoing here.. It’s hard to espy great quality writing like yours these days. I honestly recognize individuals like you! Go through vigilance!! https://prohnrg.com/product/acyclovir-pills/
465668 166134Highest quality fella toasts, or toasts. will most definitely be given birth to product or service ? from the party therefore supposed to become surprising, humorous coupled with enlightening likewise. finest man speaches 846308
The thoroughness in this section is noteworthy. qu’est que c’est fildena
This is the type of post I find helpful. https://ondactone.com/simvastatin/
… [Trackback]
[…] Information to that Topic: famousreporters.com/rare-christmas-sales-in-saudi-arabia/ […]
Palatable blog you possess here.. It’s severely to find elevated calibre article like yours these days. I really appreciate individuals like you! Take vigilance!!
https://doxycyclinege.com/pro/ranitidine/