The king also appoints the 150 members of the Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Council), who serve in an advisory capacity, for four-year terms. The cabinet, which is appointed by the king, passes legislation that becomes law once ratified by royal decree. The 1992 Basic Law declares that the Koran and the Sunna (the guidance set by the deeds and sayings of the prophet Muhammad) are the country’s constitution. The religious police had faced public criticism for abusive behavior in recent years.
In a modest reform in April, the government announced that the religious police no longer had the authority to pursue or detain civilians, and that they could operate only during business hours, reporting violations to the civil police.
Despite its poor record, Saudi Arabia was reelected to its seat on the UN Human Rights Council in October. In June, a Saudi court sentenced 14 Shiites to death for alleged attacks on security personnel during the same wave of protests, which the regime characterized as terrorism.Īs in previous years, Saudi human rights and political activists were systematically persecuted and imprisoned in 2016. Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, the cleric’s nephew, remained on death row for his participation as a teenager in 2011 protests that led to clashes with security forces. In January, the authorities executed a prominent Shiite cleric and outspoken critic of the regime, Nimr al-Nimr. Saudi internal security forces continued their oppression of the Shiite religious minority. Saudi leaders maintained that the Houthis, who sometimes launched raids or missile attacks across Saudi Arabia’s southern border, were proxies for Shiite-ruled Iran, the kingdom’s regional rival. With significant logistical and political support from the United States and Britain, Saudi Arabia continued its destructive military campaign in neighboring Yemen, where groups loyal to Saudi-backed president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi were locked in a civil war against Houthi rebels and allied forces linked to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Meanwhile, Saudi officials in November agreed to an oil production cut by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the first in eight years, as part of a bid to shore up prices. The plan did not address political reform or offer to expand heavily restricted political rights and civil liberties. In April, the prince mapped out an ambitious economic strategy called Saudi Vision 2030 that aimed to overhaul the country’s economy, including by “Saudiizing” the labor force to reduce unemployment among citizens, diversifying away from oil, privatizing more of the state-controlled economy, and cutting state spending and subsidies. In January, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud, son of King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, announced that the state was planning to privatize a minority stake in the national oil company subsequent statements indicated that the sale would be held by 2018.
#Islamic calendar 2017 saudi arabia full
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Beleaguered by a second full year of low oil prices, Saudi Arabia’s leaders struggled to manage a weak economy in 2016. Window.FB.Event.subscribe('xfbml.render', function() (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')) Expand your knowledge and deep dive into a religion that aims to promote peace. You can be part of this observance by learning more about the faith and talking to your Muslim friends. This whole month starting from the Hijri New Year’s Day and the holy month of Muharram is significant for Muslims across the globe. Sunni Muslims observe Muharram as a time to usher in the new with prayer and introspection. This is observed by mourning ceremonies and many Shia Muslims participate in a “matam” parade, where men come to the streets and partake in a chest-beating ritual. It marks the death anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein. This day is also typically celebrated on the first day of Muharram, a sacred month of remembrance for Muslims across the world. This event sought rights for Muslims and holds great importance, making it sacred. The Prophet Muhammad and his followers decided to emigrate to Medina, which came to be known as the Hijra. when Muslims, unfortunately, faced religious persecution. This event dates back to the 7th century A.D. This results in a difference of a couple of days while celebrating. Some Islamic organizations mark the day with local sightings of the moon, whereas many other Islamic institutions and countries follow an astronomical calculation to determine the dates of the Islamic calendar. The date of this event changes every year and can even vary in different countries. Hijri New Year’s Day marks the Islamic New Year and is celebrated by Muslims across the world.