Lift the Niqab Ban

Category: Featured, Life & Society Topics: Hijab (Head Cover), Veil (Burqa), Women Channel: Opinion Views: 13143
13143

In many nations, Niqab has been banned. And there is a growing apprehension in some others that it should be banned, citing various reasons - ranging from a security threat to women's oppression. They look over it condescendingly, misconstruing that it oppresses women. Islamic teachings dictate that Muslim women must wear Hijab (headscarf) and cover her entire body with the exception of her face and hands when they are around strangers, away from their loved ones, or exposed to unrelated men. There is a difference of opinion on this matter, and many Islamic scholars stipulate that covering the face (Niqab) is also required.

Muslim women wearing the Niqab do so to obey the Creator, to protect their beauty for their spouses, and to guard themselves against the undue advances of the men. If the women want to wear Niqab in order to fulfill their religious obligation that emanates from their faith, they should be welcome to do so.

Some claim that one can commit a crime and get away with that because of wearing Niqab. Well, criminals can wear any kind of clothing to evade the security system, including but not limited to, large colored sunglasses, fake mustaches and beards, wigs, etc. Are we going to ban all these apparels? In fact, the bigger question should be as to how many Muslim women wearing Niqab committed crimes or were caught as criminals? And if any (or many) committed any crime, what should be done to ensure security?

The security concern may be dealt with by checking their identification or applying other technological means to deter any future crime. When there is a need to identify, the Muslim women can show their faces in a private area, preferably to other women. That serves the purpose of an identification check. But, outright banning religious attire punishes everyone without any sound reasoning. And that is certainly not justice.

A nation cannot claim to promote freedom of expression, yet practice blatant religious discrimination. It is not in the interest of any community, nation, and the world to curtail these rights that are enshrined in the constitution of a civilized nation. Such missteps impede the efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

As Thomas Jefferson aptly made his point:

"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression."

The point is this is women's prerogative to wear what they want to. Wearing the Niqab is the choice of the Muslim women themselves. It is their right to practice their faith the way they see it right. It cannot be forced upon them. Since it is their choice to wear it, exercising the choice doesn't amount to their oppression per se. It would be ludicrous to suggest otherwise.

Not responding to this concern may jeopardize other civil liberties that we seem to have taken for granted. Where would this wave of Islamophobia stop? How would it stop when we refuse to act constructively? Freedoms were achieved after tremendous sacrifices. How could we lose them so cheaply? And more importantly, in this time of huge unemployment, recession, budget deficits, not to mention many other societal ills, should this really be our priority?

We should not let this happen. We should set an excellent example for our fellow human beings and our generations to come. Let us act in the positive direction....

*****

Asad Latif has an engineering background and is a writer based in Toronto, Canada. He writes on diverse issues - social, political, economic, religious, and technological. He can be reached at alatif2002yahoo.ca.


  Category: Featured, Life & Society
  Topics: Hijab (Head Cover), Veil (Burqa), Women  Channel: Opinion
Views: 13143

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Older Comments:
JEAN MICHEL FROM FRANCE said:
Je suis pour tous les sortes de voiles islamiques, car les femmes sont
si belles et respectueuses en tant voiles...
Moi-mme, il m'arrive de porter le Niqab et sittar avec le jilbab
intgral...car j'aime, bien qu'tant un homme ressentir le grand
plaisir d'tre voil aussi..;
Vive le niqab !
2012-12-28

L FROM CANADA said:
Thank-You for this . People only need to be educated. My forefathers build the foundation of /canada itself and I am a 19 year Muslim convert. I wear hijab for 19 years and Niqab for two. Yes, I bear scrutiny until they hear my Canadian voice or see my celtic blue eyes!

I prefer to cover, by choice.
2012-02-15

JAMES FROM USA said:
It is well to cover one's face if it is the law of the land one lives in. However, in a Western Society everyone is going to stare at that woman, is that what she wants?
2012-02-11

IBRAHIM FROM USA said:
I dont really care about whether a woman wears niqab or not though I
do think it cuts off dawah efforts in a non muslim society since
they cant even relate to you as a human being with a face. What I
do take issue with is ENGINEERS such as this writer always giving
their opinions on things Islamic. We have had the opinions of TOO
MANY engineers on Islamic things for far too long. Go do your
engineering and let the social aspects of niqab use actually be
discussed by people of real knowledge...not engineers who see
everything as a 1 or a 0. This isn't black and white and I find
engineers commenting on this stuff throughout the muslim community
to be sickening.
2012-02-11

FAHIONPSQ FROM CHINA said:
That will to be rightful must be reasonable
2012-02-10

ABDUL HANNAN SHAIKH FROM INDIA said:
Why r the crusaders more interested in banning naqaab! Are they blind to the fact that nudity in bikinis n open body exposure of the female should also b banned.... Are they elevating or degrading the female status. Why no propaganda to stop all these ills.. Would anybody like to see his sister, wife, daughter ,mother etc be exposed in such nude way..
2012-02-10

T.G. FROM U.S.A. said:
Religious freedoms end where it intersects national security interests. The inability to identify entire swaths of people inside our own country out on the city streets is a clear and present danger to the safety of the greater population. We can't have a bunch of people running around wearing ski masks either.
2012-02-10

TOM FROM USA said:
This is all our leaders have to worry now days? War, famine, plagues, the economy etc. But this is a REAL issue? HA. I saw a woman the other day at the store and she had a Niqab on. Now at first i did a double take only because i am not used to seeing it. ( Born and raised in the USA ). I am sure she was going to rob the store of all the M&M 's and Jolly Ranchers since i could see it in her eyes. HAHA! Again this is another example of taking a non issue to keep your mind off the REAL issues as mentioned above. Salaam Alakium .
2012-02-09

PARVEZ FROM INDIA said:
When will the west STOP applying double standards? Why does no one amongst them, lift a fingure to STOP the NUNS from wearing the scarf?
The western society has gone so lopsidded that humanity is completely ignored, what remains foremost in their mind is how to STOP the propogation of ISLAM. I invite all westerners to come with an open mind and see what ISLAM(THE RELIGION OF ONE GOD, PREACHED BY JESUS (ISSA
ALAI SALAM - PBUH), HAS TO OFFER FOR MANKIND. ISLAM was the first in liberating slaves, and drawing up prisoners rights. Why does the west choose to ignore this and what will they acheive by this double standard?
2012-02-07