Many westerners are familiar with the very conservative views and practices of Saudi Arabia. The nation has banned the sale of alcohol and pork, requires a man to sign off on anything a woman might think of doing, and public beheadings are relatively common. When people talk of how oppressive Islamic states and the Middle East are, it is likely they have Saudi Arabia firmly in mind.
Saudi Arabia practices a very conservative branch of Islam known as Wahhabism. Wahhabism is a revivalist movement hearkening back to old-school Islam, and can roughly be compared to fundamentalist movements in Christianity. However, even within the seemingly strict confines of Wahhabism, there is wiggle room.
For instance, look at Qatar. Qatar is the 'other' Wahhabi state. Qatar is also filthy rich, and employs many foreign workers to keep the economy running. Because Qatar's population is more foreign than native, its laws are more flexible to reflect that. Qatar does not impose bans of pork or alcohol on non-Muslim residents, its women have the right to vote and hold public office, and it embraces western culture. They do this partly for political reasons; Qatar is a very small nation, and relies on international trade and support to maintain its wealth and status. However, the example of Qatar shows that Islam is far from monolithic. Even within the same conservative branch, there is wide variety.
http://www.eurasiareview.com/30012013-qatars-challenge-to-saudi-arabia-an-alternative-view-of-wahhabism-analysis/
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