Call Us "Primitive," Get 275 Lashes

A minor religious debate in Saudi Arabia has, perhaps not surprisingly, gotten out of control, with whips and Crown Prince Abdullah thrown into the mix.

Dr. Hamza al-Mizeini, an Arabic language professor at King Saud University, wrote on article in Al-Watan ("The Nation") newspaper calling the method for determining the beginning of Ramadan and Eid “primitive”. He was promptly sentenced by a Saudi Sharia court to 275 lashes and 4 months in prison. Now isn't that a primitive reaction?! (The authors of this blog would prefer not to get whipped.)

The sentence was later overturned when Crown Prince Abullah interceded. Read more about al-Mizeini's critique of the Saudi higher education system here.

NOTE: Another Saudi columnist laments "Our Dying Universities."