JEDDAH — As many as 627 Saudi women in various regions of the Kingdom have filed lawsuits against their male guardians accusing them of preventing them from getting married. The lawsuits were filed between the end of October 2014 and mid July this year, according to local newspapers. The women are requesting the courts transfer their guardianship to other males in the family, including uncles or brothers. Makkah saw the highest number of lawsuits, with 229 over the period, while Riyadh had the second highest number at 154 cases. Preventing a female relative from getting married — a practice known as Adl — is prohibited by Islam, but some male guardians still do so, alleging tribal incompatibility, or out of a desire to keep the woman's salary, inheritance and properties for themselves.
