Saudi woman 'barred from marrying man who played musical instrument'
[ad_1] Image copyright AFP Image caption The oud is an ancient Middle Eastern stringed instrument A Saudi woman has reportedly lost a legal battle to marry the man of her choice after her family objected because he played a musical instrument. Relatives of the woman, a bank manager, refused to allow her to wed the man, a teacher, saying his oud (lute) playing made them "religiously incompatible". A lower court backed that view, and its verdict has now been confirmed at appeal, a lawyer and local media say. Some people in the conservative Muslim state say music is "haram" (forbidden). Despite that, Saudi Arabia has a distinctive musical tradition - in which the oud features - and public concerts by Arab and Western artists are permitted. The case of the bank manager and teacher came to light over ...