Mursal, an advisor to the Minister of Islamic Affairs and a committee member of the “Al-Munasaha” terrorist rehabilitation program, has said there is “not a single extremist woman in our country”, citing negligible extremism in women when compared to the numbers of males detained over terrorist acts. “There might exist, and has existed, a form of extremism in female circles but in my opinion it is very limited, and that is due in general to the nature of women, but particularly due to the nature of our society,” Al-Mursal said. “Women have an important role in confronting extremism and extremists,” he said, while attributing extremism in women to a “lack of knowledge and ignoring scholars, uncontrolled fervor and inflamed emotion unchecked by Shariah, and undue influence from others, especially relatives such as fathers, brothers or husbands and sons”. Al-Mursal said that women who go on the internet and particularly those who enter extremist websites, are the “most vulnerable to getting caught up in extremism”. He added that “the many means of recruitment are the same for both men and women”, and cited studies showing that the “most notable means of recruitment used by extremists is the internet, which is used by all extremist groups without exception”. “This means has not been handled as it should be,” he said. He also noted that “audio and visual recordings and written publications, photographs and video recordings, and friends that have extremist ideologies are sources of extremism and influence especially in female circles”. “Despite attempts to recruit them into extremism,” Al-Mursal added, “there has been no great response from women due to their nature and the nature of Saudi's conservative society.” According to Al-Mursal, who is also the head of the Intellectual and Scientific Awareness at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the best way to fight extremism is through raising awareness. “People need to realize the danger of extremism and its effects in this world and the next, as prevention is better than cure,” he said. Last Saturday Saudi Gazette reported Bayyinah Al-Milhim, a Saudi writer and researcher on intellectual and security affairs, warning of the dangers of “hard-line and extremist” mothers at the “heart of society”. Al-Milhim said the issue was of particular concern in Saudi society where “mothers form the nucleus of the family and therefore exert considerable influence on the way their children think” “Islamic Shariah teaches balance and moderation and not becoming too overtly pious or strict in religious appearance and conduct. People with extremist views cannot properly interact or communicate with others,” she said.
