A preacher thinks Saudi women shouldn't drive ... here's his explanation

A viral video of a Saudi preacher, Abu Zaqm, claiming that if women were allowed to drive they would come home late and drunk is receiving intense backlash on social media in the kingdom, Gulf News reported. 

Even though the video was shot during an address Abu Zaqm had made to young people in the Red Sea city of Jeddah in 2011, it re-emerged on Sunday and sparked an outcry, Saudi daily Okaz reported. 

In the video, Abu Zaqm is heard saying that “if allowed to drive, a woman will come home late while her husband will be up, just waiting for her. She will most probably be drunk.”

“If the husband asks her to prepare something to eat, she will argue with him and when she eventually does it, she will end up hosting him in their neighbor's home,” he adds. 

Thousands have taken to social media to express their outrage after the video re-emerged, with some even calling on authorities to arrest Abu Zaqm over the comments. 

"His flawed rhetoric regarding what would happen if a woman were to drive, is a reflection of his subconscious thoughts and his lack of knowledge and education."  

"Don't give ignorant people platforms to speak." 

"You're free to believe what you want and free to object, but choose your words wisely... drinking and reckless driving? Do you really believe that that's all a woman cares about doing?" 

"The way he preaches is unacceptable! He uses a language that we no longer should speak."

"He's ignorant." 

"When are we going to stop demanding jail time for people whose opinions we oppose?" 

"While we demand that he's banned from preaching, no one has the right to demand his arrest."  

"Why arrest and jail him? Just don't give him an opportunity or a platform to preach his ignorance."  

The outrage over Abu Zaqm's rhetoric and comments on women comes at a time when the kingdom is making major improvements in laws that concern women's rights. 

Just a week ago, a royal decree announced that women will no longer need their male guardian's consent when applying for government services. 

And Saudi's Shoura council is expected to debate a motion to allow Saudi women to obtain driving licenses on Tuesday.