Saudi scholar's tweet sparks controversy

A Saudi Islamic scholar triggered controversy in the conservative Gulf kingdom when he issued a fatwa (religious edict) permitting women to uncover their face in public.

Sheikh Suleiman Al Tareefi, a preacher at the Saudi Islamic Affairs Ministry, was replying to a question on his Twitter page on whether women can take their veil off.

“Sayings of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) indicate that women should uncover their face, not vice-versa,” he said. “Women who want to cover their faces, can do so.”

Newspapers in Saudi Arabia said Tareefi’s remark sparked controversy among scholars and drew immediate criticism from readers.