'Imminent Domain': Father Holds Son’s House Hostage

If Islam isn't a mental illness, can someone please explain this?

A young Saudi man did the right thing: Before marrying his betrothed, he rolled up his sleeves and built a house. But according to yesterday’s Okaz daily, the father of the man decided to take family liberties by claiming the house for his second wife. The problem started when the father decided to marry a second woman, but his first wife simply refused to allow the woman to live with her under the same roof. Seeing this shiny new house nearby that his son had built, he decided to claim it for his second wife. When the son expressed his opposition to his father’s claim to imminent domain, the father told his son he had two choices: Postpone his marriage or convince his mom to let the new mother-in-law live under the same roof. With his dreams for a summer marriage shattered, the son decided he would do both: Postpone his marriage and spend this year trying to convince his mom to take in the new wife.

Good luck with that.

Speaking of insanity, the Saudi vice police are out enforcing the ban on cats and dogs.

Yes, really.

“The ban was based on the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) saying that it’s forbidden to give or accept any money related to the selling or buying of dogs,” said Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, head of the commission in Makkah province.

“It’s also prohibited to keep a dog inside home. A dog can be owned for purposes of hunting, police duties, guarding houses and property, and by farmers for herding cattle and sheep,” he added.

But how will people find dogs that can be used for security or hunting purposes? “Like they used to in the old days,” said Al-Ghamdi after a pause.

Laith, a 25-year old pet owner, said he bought a new cat two days ago at a famous pet store in Jeddah. “Nothing has changed. All pet stores are still selling cats and dogs. It’s just one of those regulations that are issued, yet never implemented,” he said.

Muslims are discouraged from keeping dogs inside their homes because they are not considered clean animals. However, in two separate Hadiths narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), which means the cat-loving companion, the Prophet (pbuh) told his companions of the virtue of saving the life of a dog by quenching its thirst.

He referred to a man whom Allah blessed for giving water to a thirsty dog. And the other was a prostitute who filled her shoe with water and gave it to a thirsty dog. For this deed she was granted the eternal paradise.

I guess that really is the world's oldest profession.