Rania Al-Baz Saga Finally Ends

I read an article about Rania Al-Baz in the ArabNews in April last year. Little did I know her story was going to last almost a year. Anyway, its finally over and for those who didn't know about Rania, heres the scoop.

Rania Al-Baz is a presenter on Channel 1, Saudi TV. She was brutally attacked by her husband, Muhammad Al-Fallatta, an out-of-work singer. According to Rania’s mother, Al-Fallatta was angered that his wife answered the telephone and proceeded to beat her. “Rania told me that when he saw her on the telephone he looked angry and was coming to hit her like he had done so many times before”. “She begged him not to hit her. His reply was: ‘Hit you? I’m not going to hit you, I am going to kill you.’

I don't want to be graphic but, according to Rania and her maid, Al-Fallatta knocked Rania down to her knees, then sat on her thighs so that her legs were bent behind her. He then began choking her while punching her in the face, nose, eyes and mouth. He then grabbed a handful of her hair and started banging her head on the floor. When she got up to run, he grabbed her from behind and began smashing her face on the wall until she lost consciousness.


Rania- Before and After

He left her unconscious for a couple of hours while he showered and changed then bundled her up in a sheet and put her in the family van. When Rania regained consciousness, she found herself in the van and thought he was taking her to Obhur (beach) to bury her. When he heard her moaning and trying to speak, he panicked and pulled into Bugshan Hospital. He dumped her at the emergency room entrance at 2:30 in the morning, telling nurses that she was the victim of a car accident and was dead. He then left quickly saying he was going to bring other victims of the accident.

Doctors said she sustained 13 fractures to her face and stood a 70% chance of a full recovery but needed numerous operations. In one operation, cartilage was removed from her ear and transplanted into her nose to replace the cartilage that was shattered there during the attack. A nail was drilled into her skull through her nose to keep it open and allow her to breathe.

Reading about incidents such as this, makes my blood boil. I don't want to sound all feminist but for those who don't know, this is a very big problem in Saudi Arabia which had never been discussed openly in the Kingdom until now. Since Rania has come out publicly with her story initiatives are now taken to solve the problem. I don't expect much from the Saudi government though.


Muhammad Al-Fallatta

By the end of April Al-Fallatta, who was charged with attempted murder, surrendered to the police. But the charge was later reduced to wife 'battery'.

Rania says that she didn't want to leave her husband because she was afraid she wouldn't get custody of her children if she got divorced. (In Islam, children are in father's custody but if the circumstances are different, the mother might keep her children).

Rania said she stayed with her husband despite his history of violence because she was afraid she would be denied custody of her two boys. When she attempted to leave him, he abducted the children and kept her from seeing them for two months.

Al-Fallatta was sentenced to six months in jail and 300 lashes (I know it sounds barbaric, but it is according to Shariah Law). He was later released from jail, serving only half of his sentence, after Rania pardoned him (In my opinion she shouldn't have done that). He refused to grant Rania a divorce which made the case a bit complicated because the Judge would now have to revoke the marriage contract.

Later, Rania decided to return to her husband. He said he beat his wife for 'specific reasons' which he didn't want to make public. Al-Fallatta was confident about his reunion with Rania. He said that the next time he would punish his wife by marrying another woman (What a jerk!).

Al-Fallatta didn't show up at the hearing thrice. He was brought in by an official of the area where he lived. Last week the judge ordered him to divorce Rania and her divorce will be finalised after Hajj.

I don't want people to use this story as another excuse that Islam isn't perfect. Islam is a very clear-cut religion and has answers for every problem. The problem arises when people inject their customs and traditions in Islam.