Lebanese Shiite Scholar Sami Khadra: I Apologize for the “Bad Image” of Lebanese Women as Revealed in Protests

Lebanese Shiite Scholar Sheikh Sami Khadra responded to a viewer’s question on a religious TV show aired on Iranian Kawthar TV on November 20, 2019, about vetting online dating candidates. Khadra said that many people across the Arab world want to marry Lebanese women because Lebanon is the land of Jihad and Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah. However, he recommends that these men “take their time.” He wondered whether they were familiar with Lebanese women, “their mentality, their views, their clothes, their habits, their customs,” as revealed in the recent protests. Khadra continued to apologize to the Arabs and Muslims “for the bad image of Lebanese women”. He said that the entire Lebanese society was portrayed badly in the protests, especially the women, “their expressions, their clothes, their movements, their absurdity…” This video, which was also posted on Khadra’s Twitter account, generated angry reactions in Lebanon. Following the backlash, Khadra posted a video, in which he said that this did not apply to 95% of Lebanese women.

Sami Khadra: We are experiencing a certain problem. Many brothers from across the Arab world call me to express their fascination with Lebanese women.

Interviewer: There is a certain general perspective…

Sami Khadra: Perhaps the reason is that Lebanon is the country of Jihad and resistance, the country of Hassan Nasrallah, and they see the mujahideen and so on… So they call and say that they want to marry a Lebanese woman. I get many such messages. If anyone starts a matchmaking office, he is bound to make good business. There is nothing to prevent them from getting married, but I tell them to take their time. I ask if they are familiar with Lebanese women’s mentality, their views, their clothes, their habits, their customs, their demands, their conduct… The way they mix with men in public… In Lebanon, we have many problems in this respect.

Interviewer: Right.

Sami Khadra: What exposed us the most is what happened in the past 10 days – the so-called Lebanese protest. I am very sad to say…

Interviewer: The image of women that was revealed…

Sami Khadra: I apologize to all the Arabs and Muslims for the bad image of Lebanese women portrayed during the demonstrations. Lebanese society as a whole was portrayed badly, and especially Lebanese women: Their expressions, their clothes, their movements, their absurdity…

Interviewer: Indeed, this was a comic play…

Sami Khadra: It was very shameful.