A Saudi university on Tuesday sent a warning to its female students of immediate dismissal for imitating men in haircuts and outfits, a media report said on Tuesday. The Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh sent the warning messages, while the decision will be enforced staring April. The university stressed that anyone who violates the rule would be suspended immediately without previous warning. “The decision covers women with very short haircuts as such styles are considered by conservative Muslims as a sin for imitating men,’’ it noted.

Report says Saudi Arabia follows gender segregation in all walks in life, including education and female students in different education levels study in separate buildings from males. They are also taught by females, except at universities, while in case of male teachers they are either teach behind partitions or the students should be fully covered.

In 2002, fifteen girls killed in a fire at their school in Mecca when religious police stopped the females from leaving the building because they were not wearing correct Islamic dress.

Source: The Nation