The ideal Muslim woman in the Saudi novel: idealism, counter-idealism, realism

What is it about?

This article explores how Saudi novels portray the “ideal Muslim woman” and how this image has changed over time. By reading a range of novels written by Saudi authors, I look at how women are expected to behave, dress, and interact with men in stories set in Saudi society. I demonstrate that earlier novels frequently portrayed a conservative image of the ideal woman—modest, obedient, and devoted to her family. However, in more recent literature, writers have challenged this image, presenting more complex and independent female characters who question social norms and strive for personal freedom. The article helps readers understand how literature reflects deeper debates in Saudi society about gender roles, religion, and modernity.

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Photo by yasara hansani on Unsplash

Photo by yasara hansani on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This article offers a rare look into how Saudi writers—especially women—use fiction to reflect and challenge deeply rooted ideas about gender and religious identity. At a time when Saudi Arabia is undergoing rapid social and legal changes, including reforms affecting women’s rights, literature becomes an important space where these transformations are questioned, negotiated, or resisted. What makes this work unique is that it goes beyond official narratives or media portrayals and focuses instead on how Saudis themselves imagine and reimagine the role of women through storytelling. By analysing these fictional voices, the article contributes to a more nuanced understanding of gender debates in the Arab world and the shifting boundaries of tradition and modernity in the Gulf.