Saudi Arabia opens first liquor store after 70 years Saudi Arabia has open its first liquor store in over 70 years, marking a significant shift for the traditionally restrictive Islamic country. Alcohol consumption has long been prohibited (haram) in Islam, and Saudi Arabia was among the few nations, like Kuwait and Sharjah (UAE), where the sale of alcohol was strictly banned. Back in 1951, King Abdulaziz, the monarch who founded Saudi Arabia, implemented the ban on alcohol sales after a tragic incident involving his son Prince Mishari and the British vice-consul...