General Supervisor

that occurred in the Saudi community have had an important effect on the
form and functions of the family, which lost many of its traditional functions.
The family is no more a productive economic unit, but a consumptive unit
importing most of its needs from outside the Kingdom. What distinguishes
this era is the multiplicity of institutions that compete with the family, and
play an important role in socially upbringing children such as the school, the
mosque, the mass media, and the circle of friends. The family is no more the
only unit responsible for the education of children. Schools from kindergarten
to junior high school up to university educate children and provide them with
various kinds of knowledge, science, and skills. The family no more inculcates
religious values in the individual, but schools, mass media, and mosques
greatly contribute to inculcating religious values in our children’s minds. The
protection of the individual is no more the family’s responsibility only, but
this responsibility is also incumbent to all the state’s bodies. The family is no
more responsible for means of entertainment but TV and satellite channels
occupy most of our free time, and each individual is seeking for pleasure and
entertainment in his or her own way.
System of values
Values in the Kingdom are drawn from two main sources: the teachings of the
Islamic Law and tribal values. The teachings of the Islamic Law appear in the
various walks of life of the Saudi community. A Saudi individual is a Muslim by
nature, which can be observed in individuals’ behaviors, speech, perseverance
in doing their prayers at their set times, the Saudi outfit, closing shops in times
of prayer, transactions with others, the religious expressions available in most
offices, hospitals, and public places.
The rapid consecutives changes that occurred in the Saudi community and
openness on other countries have led to a change in the system of values.
The most important values that have emerged in the contemporary Saudi
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community are dependence and negativity among the youth of both sexes.
Individualism and selfishness have dominated individuals, and materialism
has overruled values. Individuals are valued for what property they own not
for what the principles and values they believe in, and the principle of gain
and loss has controlled the minds of individuals and their relations.
Conclusion
The Saudi community has witnessed tremendous changes in a very short time. The
community has been faced not only with internal factors of change that consist
in the unification of the Kingdom under the leadership of late King Abdulaziz, and
the discovery of oil and ensuing economic boom, but also with external factors
that consist in globalization, tremendous scientific and technological progress
that have led to the openness of the Saudi community on various cultures.
These factors have led to the emergence of several changes in the community.
The rate of change at the material level such as the road infrastructure,
urban development, establishments, buildings, houses, furniture, has been
following a quick pace while at the non-material level such as the conception
of marriage, giving birth to children, and the relations between husband and
wife, has followed a slower pace.
The rapid and sudden change in the community has also led to a nonstandard
situation, estrangement, and lack of clear vision and objectives among
many individuals, which led to the emergence of some problems that were
unknown to the traditional Saudi community such as unemployment, feeling
of deprivation, shrinking of the middle class, divorce, increase in the rate of
perversion and crime, emergence of some types of marriages such as almisyar
and al-misyaf, and other problems that affect the Saudi community
negatively and threaten its stability and cohesion.
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