"The move is apparently an attempt to ensure that fatwas issued by authorised scholars are given prominence." Yes, no more crackpottery, eh wot? The site will feature rulings from the late Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baz, whose fair and responsible rulings have gained him worldwide posthumous respect.

Witness [1] this Toronto Muslim website (thanks to [2] Kathy Shaidle) which reproduces the great Sheikh's ruling on this question: "Is it allowed for a father to force his daughter to marry a specific man that she does not want to mary [sic]?" Sheikh bin Baz responds:

...The father must seek her permission if she is nine years of age or above. Similarly, her other guardians may not marry her off except by her permission. This is obligatory upon all of them. If o­ne is married without permission, then the marriage is not valid. This is because o­ne of the conditions of the marriage is that both partners accept the marriage. If she is married without her permission, by threat or coercion, then the marriage is not valid. The o­nly exception is in the case of the father and his daughter who is less than nine years of age. There is no harm if he gets her married while she is less than nine years old, according to the correct opinion. This is based o­n the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) marrying Aisha without her consent when she was less than nine years old, as is stated in authentic Hadith. However, if she is nine years old or more, she cannot be married, even by her father, except with her consent....

Wait a minute. I thought only venomous Islamophobes believed that [3] Aisha was six when Muhammad married her and nine when he consummated the marriage. Is the House of Saud aware that it is featuring an Islamophobe on its fatwa website?

"Official Saudi website for fatwas," from the [4] BBC (thanks to all who sent this in):

Saudi Arabia has launched an official website to publish Islamic legal rulings, or fatwas.

The move is apparently an attempt to ensure that fatwas issued by authorised scholars are given prominence.

Visitors to the new website will be able to ask questions on various topics and get replies from the Council of Senior Ulema (Islamic scholars).

Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy governed according to a conservative interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

'Fatwa chaos'

A section of the Saudi site is devoted to the former head of the council, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baz.

Sheikh bin Baz, who died in 1999, was known for issuing controversial religious rulings.

In 1991, he issued a fatwa prohibiting women from driving cars.