A Fatal Shooting Changed the Kingdom’s Policy Forever
Saudi Arabia’s strict ban on alcohol isn’t based only on religion — it was shaped by a violent incident involving the royal family in the early 1950s.
Though Islam prohibits alcohol, the modern legal ban began after one event that shook the kingdom’s leadership and its relations with foreign powers.
The Incident in 1951 That Changed Everything
In 1951, at the home of the British Vice-Consul Cyril Ousman in Jeddah, a young Saudi prince got drunk and caused trouble. That prince was Mishari bin Abdulaziz, only 19 at the time.
That evening, Mishari was drinking heavily and made unwelcome advances toward a woman at the gathering. When Ousman cut him off and asked him to leave, the prince left in anger.
The next day, still intoxicated, Mishari returned demanding more alcohol and the woman. When Ousman refused again, Mishari drew a pistol and shot and killed the British vice-consul, badly wounding Ousman’s wife as well.
News of the killing shocked the kingdom. It was not just a crime — it became a diplomatic scandal and a blow to the royal family’s reputation. This violent act showed the dangers of alcohol in elite circles, even where it was unofficially tolerated.
King Abdulaziz Takes Action
King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, Saudi Arabia’s founder, was enraged by his son’s actions. He ordered Mishari’s arrest and initially offered the bereaved widow the right to decide the prince’s fate, even suggesting his head might be displayed on a pike outside the British embassy — a symbolic gesture meant to show how seriously the crime was viewed.
The widow declined that option, instead accepting financial compensation of $70,000. Over time, the punishment for Mishari was changed to imprisonment and a schedule of lashes each month.
King Abdulaziz concluded that part of the problem lay in “foreign habits” — especially drinking — that had crept into elite circles. Within a year — by late 1952 — he issued a wide prohibition decree banning the import, sale and consumption of alcohol throughout Saudi Arabia.
As a result, supplies of gin, beer and other alcohol quickly disappeared from public access. Even oil company workers were limited to a very small ration for a short time, marking the start of the kingdom’s long teetotal regime.
Alcohol Existed Before — But Not Widely
Contrary to some belief, alcohol was not completely unknown in the region before the ban. In pre-Islamic Arabia, wine and drinking were part of urban life and are referenced in historical writings and poetry.
After the advent of Islam, Quranic teachings against intoxicants became central to religious practice, though enforcement varied by time and place. In the early 20th century, alcohol showed up again in certain diplomatic, expatriate and oil-work circles, even if Muslims generally avoided it due to religious rules.
Life Under a Strict Ban
From the early 1950s until the present, Saudi Arabia enforced one of the strictest alcohol prohibitions in the world. Public or private consumption, sale, import or possession of alcohol was forbidden. Penalties included imprisonment and lashes for Saudi citizens, while foreigners could face deportation.
Despite this, a black market persisted. Alcohol was smuggled or home-brewed, and diplomats once brought supplies through official channels. Saudi Arabia even shut down a loophole in 2024 that had allowed unlimited embassy imports, tightening control even as other reforms were introduced.
Recent Shifts Under Vision 2030
While Saudi Arabia’s strict alcohol ban remains in place for citizens and Muslims, selective exceptions have begun under the Vision 2030 modernization plan.
In January 2024, the kingdom opened its first liquor store in over 70 years, located in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, where non-Muslim diplomats could legally buy alcohol under strict rules.
The rules were later expanded to allow high-income, non-Muslim residents with premium residency — a limited category of foreign professionals and investors — to purchase alcohol under tight controls.
Controlled sales are also planned for specific tourist zones ahead of major events such as Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup, though alcohol remains illegal for the general public.
These changes reflect a carefully managed evolution, rather than a reversal of the original ban — which still influences Saudi law and society today.
