Mutawa (Noun)
Meaning
Religious police in Saudi Arabia whose duty is to ensure strict adherence to established codes of conduct; offenders may be detained indefinitely; foreigners are not excluded.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The mutawa patrolled the streets of Riyadh, searching for anyone who dared to break the strict rules of Sharia law.
- Tourists were warned to be mindful of the mutawa, who were known to detain foreigners for even minor infractions.
- As a woman, she was particularly vulnerable to the mutawa, who enforced the strict dress code and segregation of the sexes.
- The mutawa burst into the coffee shop, arresting several men for playing cards and violating the ban on games of chance.
- After being detained by the mutawa for several days, the foreign businessman was finally released with a warning and a hefty fine.