France has officially passed a law banning the Niqab in public places. Which means it becomes illegal for a Woman to wear the veil in France and if you are caught doing so, you will be fined.

As someone who wears the Niqab and is very passionate about it I've gotten into a lot of discussions/arguments on the Veil since some European and Arab Countries started passing laws which prevent Muslim Women from covering their faces.

I'm firmly against the Niqab Ban, maybe because I myself am a Munaqaba [Someone who wears the face-veil]. But regardless, there is so much hypocrisy and discrimination involved in these bans that I've felt a need to express myself. The reasons cited by the French government range from 'giving Muslim Women rights', 'removing the degrading veil', to 'this goes against French culture'. 


Some have even gone to give reasons why the face-veil is worn or what it represents without having any knowledge about Islam or the Niqab. An example would be this.

 According to Legislator Berengere Poletti, of Sarkozy's party, face-covering veils "are a prison for women, they are the sign of their submission to their husbands, brothers or fathers."

Surprisingly the amount of Muslim Women who wear the Niqab in France range from about 600 to 2000. Within European Countries, Women who wear the Niqab are a minority. Which makes me wonder if France, or Belgium for that matter, do not have other major issues to deal with. If we're looking at Womens' rights specifically, which France and other Countries usually cite for the ban, isn't the prostitution industry a much larger problematic issue than a few Women covering their faces? Isn't the way Women are exploited as Sex objects to sell products much more degrading to Women? Belgium, for example, has a very large human trafficking industry.

Belgium is a destination and transit country for men, women, and girls trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation. Women and girls are trafficked to Belgium for sexual exploitation primarily from Nigeria, Russia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and through Belgium to other European countries, such as the United Kingdom. Male victims are trafficked to Belgium for labor exploitation in restaurants, bars, sweatshops, horticulture, fruit farms, and construction sites.   - U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2009   [full country report]


I find it hypocritical that those issues are not being dealt with in the same severe manner as the Niqab as. Almost as if the Niqab is more of a threat to the World compared to the above. Not to mention, Islamophobia is very much evident in the way this issue is being addressed.

Let us not stop with looking just at European Countries. Our Arab neighbours, some even being Muslim Countries have resorted to ban the Niqab in some instances. Egypts former Imam Al-Azhar Tantawi banned  Niqab in Universities and in the process degraded and insulted a girl who was wearing the Niqab. Recently Syria banned teachers from wearing the Niqab in Schools but at least had the courtesy of giving them other jobs.[Read DubaiJazz's blog post for an interesting discussion] Kuwait bans Women from driving with the Niqab on.

I've always wondered if any of the people who call for the ban have dealt or spoken to a Niqabi. If they've actually had a conversation with them. We're as normal as other Women who don't veil.

Other criticisms often brought up are of driving and identification. I've always driven with my Niqab on and it does not, in any circumstances cause any peripheral vision problems. Secondly, if I had to choose between showing my face for identification purposes as compared to a complete ban, I and I'm sure other Munaqabat out there, would choose the former. I've also noticed that feminists who usually jump in to appeal or protest for any violations against Women are surprisingly silent on the Niqab Ban. Which to me, is hypocritical. Aside from a few, the mass remains silent.

I've come to the conclusion that the Niqab and Women who wear the Niqab are very widely misunderstood. The media has not helped. Rare cases of Women who abuse the Niqab are splashed and spread. The Niqab is rarely shown in a positive light. Women who wear Niqab are not asked their thoughts and opinions. There is no real factual information presented about the Niqab. And banning of Niqab has done nothing but made it a 'criminal' piece of clothing.

I've been wearing the Niqab for nearly four years now. Four years of not showing my face to a Non-Mehram Man. To me it has become like second skin and I love it and believe it to be a religious duty. How I came to wear the Niqab calls for another blog post, but for me, to be forced to remove the Niqab would be humiliating and a violation of my rights. What of the Women who have been wearing it for nearly10 or 15 years? You can never truly understand the Niqab unless you wear it. And even then, if you wear it for the right reasons.

In the end, I've come to put my trust in God.

 Allah azza wa jal' says in the Qurán:

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا

And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).

وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا

And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.

[Surah at-talaq 3-5]

In the end, maybe some good will come out of this. One should never loose hope or despair. Things will look better again, bi'idnillah. 

My advice to my Veiled Sisters would be:

Have faith in Allah. Keep steadfast on your religion and know that after every difficulty there is ease. Speak out in any way you can.  Let your voices be heard and also know, that Allah does not place a burden more than any of his slaves can bear.

I end this with a supplication:

اللهم ثبتني وكل أخواتي المنتقبات في العالم واصلح امورنا يا رب العالمين

I read this article in the The National yesterday and it claimed Emirati Men shun Women who study abroad:

DUBAI // Emirati women are having second thoughts about studying abroad for fear that being perceived as “westernised” will damage their chances of finding a husband back home.

Emirati women, men and parents who were interviewed by The National said society considered women who had studied in the West to be undignified, damaging their chances of attracting an Emirati spouse.

Such perceptions, whether valid or not, tend to lead young Emiratis, as well as their parents, to question themselves and their motives carefully before going abroad for an average of four years. They feel that they may lose their culture and heritage while being educated in a foreign country. 

This sparked a very interesting discussion with my Emirati and Non-Emirati khaleejy friends. Although I'm not Emirati myself, I can still somewhat relate to this coming from a Muslim / traditional background.

I have mixed views about this. To an extent I can understand where the Men are coming from. When i've gotten proposals with the potential having a background of having studied or lived abroad for a while I'm automatically a little hesitant because I don't know what he could've done in those years. Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming that anyone who goes abroad to the West to study becomes 'corrupted' and leaves his or her traditional values, but that there are chances of it happening more. One would argue, you can do all that and more in a place like Dubai too but the difference would be that finding out would be much easier.

On the other hand, completely shunning Women because they've studied abroad is I think a little too harsh. Not everyone who goes abroad loses their culture/religion. And therefore people should be given the benefit of the doubt and seen if they're compatible regardless of one spouse having studied abroad. There is nothing wrong with being exposed to different cultures as long as you are firm in your beliefs.

Some of my Emirati friends are Women who have studied abroad and they still hold fast to their culture and religion. In fact, I know girls who have lived here all their life and are more corrupt.

In conclusion, this stigma should not exist in any society. Yes, I could understand hesitancy but steps should be taken to understand each other better and base marriage on compatibility and understanding instead of a generalisation. 

Israel does it again. It shows the World what a brutal nation it actually is. A few days back it attacked a Humanitarian aid ship which consisted of people from all nationalities and walks of life. From a 1 year old child to an 80 year old Man who were trying to break the illegal and inhumane siege of Gaza, Palestine. And yet, Israel surrounded them and shot at them, martyring 10 people.

You'd think this time around Israel would be a little careful; as these ships consisted not only of Arabs or Muslims but Europeans and Americans too from different religions and cultures. But no, Israel showed no mercy.

In the days that came to follow after this incident & the reaction of the International community brought forth to my mind the concept in Islam that in everything there is 'Khayr' or 'Good'. We might not see it immediately but it comes around. And now, Israel is in a tight spot with the World which it has never been before. In fact, it wouldn't be facing the problems it is facing now if it had let the Freedom Flotilla pass through easily.

Turkey on the other hand, has fast won Muslim & Non-Muslim hearts. It has taken a stand which Arab/Muslim countries combined have not been able to for years. I see the remnants of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. Bravo! May you prosper and continue in this way.

Excellent article on the Burqa Ban.

However, the Belgian and French leaderships find it offensive. They believe it denigrates women, which is quite laughable when they are so accepting of street prostitution, nude sunbathers and pornographic magazines openly displayed in newsagents.

Read the whole article here.

Link.

I came on DubaiEye103.8 today morning. Had an interesting discussion with Jessica Swann and Stephanie on Europes decision to ban the Niqab.

You can listen to it here:-

Link.

I saw this picture on Angryarab and I thought it made a powerful statement. 

اللهم انصر اخواننا في قلسطين