Petroleum Data, Reports, Analysis, Surveys See more data › Updated Data Series Survey Forms, Changes & Announcements Petroleum surveys › See more analysis & projections › Upcoming Releases Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update: 5:00 p.m. See all upcoming ›
Welcome To The API Website Sharia To Arabic-speaking people, sharia (shariah, shari'a, sharīʿah; Arabic: شريعة šarīʿah, IPA: [ʃaˈriːʕa], "legislation"),[1] also known as Islāmī qānūn (اسلامی قانون), means the moral code and religious law of a prophetic religion.[2][3] In English usage, the term "sharia" has been largely identified with Islam.[4] Sharia deals with many topics addressed by secular law, including crime, politics, and economics, as well as personal matters such as sexual intercourse, hygiene, diet, prayer, everyday etiquette and fasting. Though interpretations of sharia vary between cultures, in its strictest and most historically coherent definition it is considered the infallible law of God—as opposed to the human interpretation of the laws (fiqh).[5] However, historically, much of Sharia has been implemented in its strictest understanding. Etymology and origins[edit] History[edit] The Umayyads initiated the office of appointing qadis, or Islamic judges. Definitions and descriptions[edit]
Saudi Arabia by the Numbers The very concept of public opinion in highly secretive Saudi Arabia is almost an oxymoron. Hard data are difficult to come by, and even rarer is information about controversial and strategically critical current issues: views about military action against Iran, corruption and the state of civil liberties within the kingdom, religious extremism and al Qaeda, and donations to other mujahideen. Yet I was able to obtain exactly this kind of data by working with the new Princeton, N.J. The results are eye-opening. Most intriguing of all, however, is that none of these hot-button issues ranks very high on the public's agenda compared with economic concerns. Gathering the data to draw these conclusions was a unique challenge, but not insurmountable. Occasionally the transition from one topic to the next can be a bit awkward, but it works. Telephone polls, while temptingly easy to organize, are widely viewed with suspicion in the Middle East. BILAL QABALAN/AFP/Getty Images
Hundreds detained in Saudi Arabia over protests {*style:<b> <b> Hundreds detained in Saudi Arabia over protests </b> </b>*} {*style:<b><b> <b> Saudi authorities detained hundreds of demonstrators on Friday in Jeddah who gathered to protest against poor infrastructure after deadly floods swept through Saudi Arabia's second biggest city, police and witnesses said. </b> </b></b>*} {*style:<b><b>- </b> Saudi Oil Production - read Minister Al-Naimi's small print Yesterday the Saudi Arabian oil Minister, Ali Al-Naimi, commented that the days of easy oil are not over, and that there remain at least 88 billion barrels in the Saudi oilfield of Ghawar, let alone the rest of the fields in that country. Well before that sends you out to buy a fleet of Hummers, you might want to take a wee bit closer look at some of the other things that he said, or did not say. For the future is not quite as rosy as his remarks might, at first, make you think. Let’s start with the “days of easy oil are not over.” Last week at the ASPO-USA Conference Michael Klare commented on the amount of money that this will bring to the nations that produce oil much cheaper than the global price (which KSA is happy to keep at around $80 bbl) but to keep that price it relies on the make-up oil that is not “easy” at all. Now let me turn to some of the more worrisome part of what he said. Why is this? Manifa is a heavy, sour (i.e. high sulfur), vanadium contaminated deposit.
Saudi Arabia country profile 28 March 2014Last updated at 12:27 ET One of the most insular countries in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has emerged from being an underdeveloped desert kingdom to become one of the wealthiest nations in the region thanks to vast oil resources. But its rulers face the delicate task of responding to pressure for reform while combating extremist violence. Named after the ruling Al Saud family, which came to power in the 18th century, the country includes the Hijaz region - the birthplace of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad and the cradle of Islam. Saudi women live under a wide range of restrictions, from dress to driving Saudi Arabia was established in 1932 by King Abd-al-Aziz - known as the Lion of Najd - who took over Hijaz from the Hashemite family and united the country under his family's rule. The Al Saud dynasty's monopoly of power meant that during the 20th century successive kings were able to concentrate on modernisation and on developing the country's role as a regional power.
Saudi Arabia country profile The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the main players in the Arab world. Its stature is built on its geographical size (twice that of France and Germany combined), its prestige as the custodian of the birthplace of Islam and its colossus status as an oil producer - with a quarter of the world's proven reserves under its deserts. Its importance as an oil exporting nation has made economic interdependence with the West - where the main consumer demand is found - a necessity. This, in turn, has led to strong political and military relationships that at times have been a source of awkwardness for both sides. It stands out for its espousal of a puritan version of Sunni Islam, including harsh punishments such as public beheadings, and its restrictions on women. Population 32 million Area 2.24 million sq km (864,869 sq miles) Major language Arabic Major religion Islam Life expectancy 73 years (men), 76 years (women) Currency Riyal Getty Images Image copyright Getty Images
OPEC OPEC (/ˈoʊpɛk/ OH-pek) (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is an oil cartel whose mission is to coordinate the policies of the oil-producing countries. The goal is to secure a steady income to the member states and to secure supply of oil to consumers.[2] OPEC is an intergovernmental organization that was created at the Baghdad Conference on 10–14 September 1960, by Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Later it was joined by nine more governments: Libya, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Algeria, Nigeria, Ecuador, Angola, and Gabon. In the 1970s, OPEC began to gain influence and steeply raised oil prices during the 1973 oil crisis in response to US aid to Israel during the Yom Kippur War.[6] It lasted until March 1974.[7] OPEC added to its goals the selling of oil for socio-economic growth of the poorer member nations, and membership grew to 13 by 1975.[3] A few member countries became centrally planned economies.[3] History[edit] 1973 oil embargo[edit]
Rageless in Riyadh Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia’s opposition bloggers and Facebook users called for a “day of rage” to be held on Friday, March 11, modeled after those in neighboring Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen. There was no reason to think that Saudi Arabia would be immune to the protest contagion. After all, the problems facing Saudi Arabia are similar in kind (if not extent) to those of the other Arab states. Saudi Arabia has a demographic youth bulge. But the calls for a “day of rage” met with almost no response except for a few relatively small protests in Shiite-majority areas of the Eastern Province. Perhaps we should not have been so surprised. The Saudi King's Speech - Zawya The Saudi King's speech had 21 royal orders but very little to comfort reformists. It appears that the authorities have used its biggest political crisis to launch an economic bailout. The Saudi King has spoken, and it appears that instead of talking of reforms he has stepped back into his comfort zone: using oil wealth and backing the original power base of conservatives. To be sure, there were $93-billion of benefits offered, his most generous yet, but we will let other analysts dissect that. Also Read: Saudi Arabia's 21 Royal Orders As John Sfakianakis, chief economist, Banque Saudi Fransi notes: "The initiatives announced on Friday appear to target a comprehensive range of concerns among Saudi citizens and lend support particularly to those in lower income brackets who would benefit tremendously from an expansion in social security benefits and housing. "The government must continue to make targeted efforts to entice and support those most in need of assistance. © AlifArabia 2011
Saudi Arabia's 21 Royal Orders 19 March 2011Here are the 21 orders announced by the Saudi authorities on March 18, 2011. - Payment of two-month salary to all government civil and military personnel - Payment of two-month bursary to all government higher education male and female students - Payment of SR2000 per month for job-seekers at the public and private sectors. The above royal orders should be carried out by the concerned authorities in the Kingdom with immediate effect, the royal court's statement said. © AlifArabia 2011 © Copyright Zawya. Trouble in the Kingdom Crown Prince Abdullah cut an impressive figure when he arrived in Crawford, Texas, in late April to meet with President George W. Bush. The man who has ruled Saudi Arabia ever since his half brother, King Fahd, suffered a stroke in 1995, Abdullah managed to present himself as both firm and conciliatory, establishing a productive dialogue with the American president and improving a relationship that had been badly frayed by September 11 and the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. While pressuring Bush to take a more active role in the Arab-Israeli peace process, Abdullah also mollified the Americans by promising to keep Saudi oil flowing and by promoting his own groundbreaking solution to the conflict in the Middle East. Abdullah's performance abroad, however, obscured the fact that the prince's power at home -- and indeed, the health of his nation -- has eroded significantly. Although Westerners may not have anticipated the current crisis, it came as no surprise to Abdullah. Register
The Middle East: U.S.-Saudi Relations and the Oil Crises of the 1980s In the next five to ten years, the industrial world's demand for oil from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is likely to catch up with the amounts that OPEC countries will be able or willing to make available for export. The leading oil exporter, with more than a fourth of the world total, is Saudi Arabia; the world's largest consumer of oil - and since the lifting of import quotas in the spring of 1973 its leading importer - has been the United States. At what exact point the ascending curves of global demand for oil imports and of available OPEC exports will intersect will therefore depend in large measure on policies adopted by the United States in the next year or two, and by Saudi Arabia in the next five to ten. The third major variable will be the rate of the industrial world's recovery from its 1973-75 recession, itself partly dependent on American and Saudi policies from year to year. To continue reading, please log in. Don't have an account? Register