A university in Saudi Arabia has issued a warning to its female students, threatening immediate dismissal for adopting haircuts and outfits that resemble those of men. The Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh sent these warnings on Monday, according to a report from the local newspaper Okaz.
The decision, which will be enforced starting next month, specifically targets women with very short haircuts, which conservative Muslims view as sinful for imitating men. Students who violate this rule will face immediate suspension, according to Xinhua news agency’s coverage of the report.
Saudi Arabia practices strict gender segregation in all areas of life, including education. Female students attend separate buildings from male students at all educational levels. They are taught by female teachers, except in universities where male teachers may instruct them from behind partitions or with students fully covered.
In a related historical incident, in 2002, 15 girls died in a school fire in Makkah. The religious police prevented them from leaving the building because they were not wearing proper Islamic dress.
