Why are the Saudi authorities going to end the ban on alcohol after the murder of the diplomat?

 

Why are the Saudi authorities going to end the ban on alcohol after the murder of the diplomat?

It was on November 16, 1951, when Cyril Osman, the British ambassador based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, organized a function at his house.

 

Apart from other people invited to the event, among the guests was Mashri bin Abdulaziz, the 19-year-old son of Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud. British diplomat Cyril Usman lived in Saudi Arabia from 1929, initially he came to work as an engineer but later he was made British Vice-Consul in Jeddah.

 

During this event, alcohol was also arranged for the guests and the sons of Shah Abdulaziz were also among the drinkers. Mashri bin Abdul Aziz had completed his prescribed limit of drinking, but he was adamant that another drink (jam) should be made for him. However, British diplomat Cyril Osman refused to jam them further.

 

On this refusal, Mashri bin Abdulaziz left the diplomat's house, but after a while he returned to the same house with a pistol. A drunken thief, Mashri bin Abdul Aziz, opened fire on the British diplomat, killing him, in response to his refusal to give more jam.

 

Mishri bin Abdulaziz was tried for murder and the charge was proved, but because of his connection with Al Saud, he was sentenced to life imprisonment instead of death sentence and he was released during the reign of King Saud.

 

This incident of murder took place in 1951. A year after this incident, in the year 1952, King Abdulaziz banned alcohol throughout Saudi Arabia.

 

Remember that alcohol is prohibited in Islam. It was also prohibited in Saudi Arabia, but before the murder and the strict ban on alcohol, the Saudi authorities used to ignore the issue of alcohol.