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Saudi Youth Question Traditional Approach to Islam

Saudi youth are seeking Islamic guidance that speaks to the issues they face in their lives, writes Caryle Murphy.
Grooms take part in a mass wedding ceremony in Tabuk, 1500 km (932 miles) from Riyadh, May 2, 2012. Governor of Tabuk Prince Fahad Bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz and a local group organised the mass wedding for about 1600 couples to help youths who are unable to afford expensive ceremonies because of the rising cost of living. REUTERS/Mohamed Alhwaity   (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: SOCIETY) - RTR31J79

On March 30, 2012, a little-noticed but remarkable document from young Saudis was posted online.

Beneath its cumbersome title — “Statement of Saudi Youth Regarding the Guarantee of Freedoms and Ethics of Diversity” — it challenged a central tenet of the kingdom’s ultraconservative religious establishment: That it has the right to impose its strict interpretation of Islam on all Saudis.

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