Only a day after the ban on the Niqaab was enforced, police issued the first penalty to a Muslim niqaab-wearing woman in France. 12 April 2011 – a day of shame for Muslims, a day of shame for France.
So what huge accomplishment, one may ask, has been achieved by this first arrest? Two years of debate; bias; conjured justifications all mounting to this grey day in history… the day a God fearing, crimeless; and most likely a home maker lady is detained for which crime? For covering her face.
Slavery! That’s dictation if I ever heard it. Where’s liberty and freedom now? Sarkozy swears to oppose the enslavement of woman to men, passionately arguing that even the woman who chose to wear it is a happy slave – which he says, does not justify slavery.
So why has no one voiced these poor women slaves, as they are portrayed? Because they have an answer that does not suit Sarkozys’ and does not help escalate the false image that the media and Government have been building up over the years. It has reached a peak now, probably more so yesterday than ever before that the niqaabi deserves neither respect nor any sympathy. Any abuse has been self invited, and any level headed arguments have no worth, since she is a slave and has been apparently indoctrinated to believe so.
No one focuses on the fact that most Niqaab wearing women in Europe previously led lives where they didn’t cover up. They have ‘enjoyed’ the liberty of dressing up in Western clothes and wandering streets before the eyes of men, some of whom quite cosily look out for the ‘sexiest girl’ they can see. That’s not paranoia, and should not cause chaos when uttered. Our own encounters with the odd man here and there, justify to many that it is reason enough to cover up outside our homes.
I, for one, wear my niqaab for many reasons – men, are not one of them. If I was to visit an Island, far away from anyone I knew, including my father and husband, then I would still wear my niqaab, just as I did before I was married and after I had convinced my father that it was a good thing to do. That should be sufficient evidence that I wear my niqaab out of choice. Again, the day I started wearing niqaab was not a day I chose to reject Western culture or make a point to Westerners. That thought has never even entered my head. That, dear Westerner is a fallacy that ought be amended as in all honesty, I think it is the reason why the French feel so hurt and rejected. They cannot bear being abandoned for what they perceive is a lowly degradation and subjugation of the female mind.
True, I find the lifestyle of the Western woman degrading in her tight revealing clothing. I find it sad that she is not worthy of marriage or of being loyal to or of being protected by the men of her folk. I feel sickened that she allows men to jeer at her and whistle when she reveals a bit of leg, not caring if she holds an ounce of intelligence. That, in my eyes is degradation and subjugation of the female mind, but still not the reason why I chose to wear the niqaab. I am not making a point by wearing it, rather France is by banning it.
There are many evils out there that the French could tackle, but why they continue to pick on an apparently harmless group of women is still open to debate. The audacity to imply that they are liberating her is almost humorous, as even many Westerners agree, but the silence of the Muslims is felt even more awkwardly. Muslims, have sat back and watched them threaten to make this law based on assumptions and foul misunderstandings that affect the tiny proportion of niqaab wearing women today but for sure will harm more Muslims in some other practice very soon. France has to this day not given a valid, evidence based, rational argument for their ban, and the arrest today mounted to no benefit to society at all. What has been proven is that Muslims are considered second class and can be bullied and subjected to discriminatory laws. Furthermore, France has braved its path away from liberty and the justice that Europe pretends to uphold for all, and more towards the colonizing nature that has been dictated to many Muslims before.
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Muslim hypocrisy at its finest
😀 What a joke you people are. Tell me Muslims, how many of you object to the fact that your beloved Mecca bans non-believers? Or how about Indonesia and Malaysia, two Muslim countries who claim to respect the rights of religious minorities yet use “soft oppression” against them at every turn? How about the “re-education camps” used to force people who left Islam to convert again? Rather ironic, considering how non-Muslims were in both countries long before Arab traders arrived. But do you care? No, of course you don’t, why should you care about the kaffar? It is wrong when the non-Muslim oppresses the Muslim, it is perfectly alright when the Muslim oppresses the non-Muslim. Typical fascist thinking from the primitive Arab religion. It’s clear to you that the Western woman’s right to decide her own fate, and not to be your chattle destined for marriage and servitude, is lost on you. You Muslims would do well to practice what you preach by LEAVING the kuffar nations if you find them so miserable, but we both know that will never happen, right? LOL
France in the stone age
It is very troublesome to hear the provision of the backward decision made by Justice system.
French governemnet is going back to the 17th century.
It is a grat MISTAKE made in the French Histry.
Oneday, Inshallah, all french empire including other europe county eill come togather under the Umbrella of Islam
Asalamu alaikum,
I am currently undertaking a project to try and change the image of Niqaabis in the West – the aim is to provide society with a more accurate image of the woman behind the veil, to show that she is educated, active in her community and certainly not invisable. It is hoped that we can show that Muslim Women in the west are not being forced to veil, rather its a free valid choice made by thinking sane women who have a lot to contribute to society.
I ask all Niqaabi Sisters to Contribite – Please send a blank email to [email protected] to find out how. Brothers please get your wives involved by passing on the link – and non niqaabis you can still help by fowarding the link to others.
Jazakumullahu Khairan
non-Muslims dont like being reminded they are not living for the hereafter – thats why they dont like the niqab
Before I was a Muslim, in secondary school I remember feeling an irrational disdain towards some Muslim girls who use to pray in their lunch break in one of the classrooms. I realise now that my inner self didn’t like being confronted with the idea that I wasn’t living for the hereafter – but they were. They lived for a purpose and I didn’t have one. I realise that their visual display of piety exposed my lack thereof. The ban is a result of non-muslims hearts feeling unease and devalued at the sight of the niqab. The niqab is one of the greatest signs of submission to Allah. They don’t like being reminded they are not of those who are submitting. As for security – how many women wearing niqabs have you seen rob a bank??? Its all a smokescreen to cover their insecurities.
nonsensical
AsSalaamu’alaykum
Jazakillaah dear Uzma for this article, I wish more Niqaabis made time to defend and support the niqaab.
‘Mohammad’ – Your comment titled ‘Its about Values’ does not make sense. Firstly, as the author of this article states, the French government banned the niqaab under the irrational reasoning that they wanted to free the enslaved woman. The niqaabi is not an enslaved woman.
Secondly, if their values include allowing women to be [quote]’free to do what she likes and how she dresses'[/quote] then they are opposing their own value by not allowing a muslim woman the freedom to wear her niqaab when and where she likes.
Aisha – do not bring non-evidenced based arguments here please. The niqaab is a fundamental part of Islaam, not [quote]a saudi version of islam[/quote]. Most classical scholars agree that it is obligatory. Please refer to the document Faith directed you towards.
Muslims, please, whether you wear the niqaab o not, whether you believe it is obligatory or not, do not let the non-muslim governments confuse into disuniting and supporting your muslim sisters. SubhanAllaah what a sad state we are in. We let leaders who do not even acknoledge the tawheed of our Rabb, cloud our mings and thinking so much, that we join them in denouncing a helpless muslim daughter, sister, mother or wife, just because she has chosen to wear a veil over her face. May Allaahh forgive us, surely we shall be held accountable for such injustice.
Oh Ummah what a disgrace we are.
mr
Nice article!
“police issued the first penalty to a Muslim niqaab-wearing woman in France”. A visible defeat for the French Government. Their whole argument fell apart on this scenario. Persistent Penalties to niqab abservant muslim women will expose the reality of hatred existing in the French Society.
Aa Aisha,
Sheikh Haitham has clarified regarding the status of the Niqab in a signed agreement on another part of this website- I refer you to that for reference.
The bigger question here is what legitimate benefit does the French government seek in banning this garment?
Ws
To do the niqaab or not, in islam the niqaab is not obligatory, but optional, therefore if it is difficult to wear it in a non muslim country then it should not be worn. Islam does not make your life difficult and to spread the faith and engage positive dialogue, we should not be putting up unnecessary barriers. The niqaab is a saudi version of islam and they do there best to force it upon the ummah, yet there actions, intentions are often unislamic. You only have read the recent two cases about the royal members of the saud family, a prince who was homosexual, who beat his boyfriend to death. And the princess in a full niqab who was harassing male staff for sex and criminal trial of her non muslim gigalo boyfriend
The house of saud spread the most intolerant form of islam through there dawah mission which is heavily funding groups who are giving islam a bad name to and spread fitna. Yet they happily drink alcohol, support america to kill muslims around the world. Engage in depraved sexual activities in there country, abuse female, male staff from poor countries sexually and physically, because they believe their right hand possesses them. – could go on but I won’t. Wear the hijab which is obligatory on muslim women, and that which hinders your faith and causes harm to the deen in country’s were muslims seek refuge should be discarded where it does not compromise our faith.
What values
if is about values, surely, the issue should be women’s fundamental human right to wear or not to wear what ever they chooses subject to decency and accommodation for security, regardless of religion. Therefore, France’s ban is incompatible with this value.
What a shame for liberal world
The western world is against humanity against god’s will and they are making there path to hell.
Aa, Jzk for the piece. Refreshing to hear from niqabis Masha Allah.
I’d like to raise a couple of points regarding the French Ban-
a) Debating, passing and enforcing laws is an expensive business. Presumably legal, staffing and enforcing costs need to be met by the French taxpayer- is the benefit to the French public over a handful of women really worth it? I call it shameful in this economic climate.
b) What possible purpose does the ban actually serve? The only pay off is the votes of right wing extremists. There is obviously no protection to Muslim women here as the process is punitive. And this will do nothing to aid so called ‘integration’. You simply cannot force people to like you. Rather this makes me feel like walling off further and resisting.
The French have really blundered here.
Ws
There has been an agenda for many, many years…..before even our parents’ parents’ time to rid the world of ‘Mohamedans’ or Muslims. It was obvious in the second world war that they had plans to divide and rule. Now, in Europe, look at Britain and other European countries letting in Eastern European immigrants to flush out the Muslims. A lot of these immigrants will, insh’Allah come to Islam and are already doing so alhamdulilah but the plan is very sinister.
Niqab today. Beard yesterday and tomorrow it will be prayers! We just have to play the game and play to win. The only way to do that is to really practice Islam and teach our children and our childrens’ children……Islam will ‘flush out’ the plotters and planners insh’Allah.
Surah 8, AL-ANFAL, The Spoils of War, Verse 30:
“And when those who disbelieve plot against thee (O Muhammad) to wound thee fatally, or to kill thee or to drive thee forth; they plot, but Allah (also) plotteth; and Allah is the best of plotters.”
Its about Vaules
The question is one of values, the French government feels that the French values are not compatible with the Niqab (and more wider the Islamic Values). Europe in general has a view of the women, that she is equal to the man, free to do what she likes and how she dresses and that public spaces in society should not be under the dictates of religion. But they see Islam enfringing on this in their public spaces with more women wearing hijab and niqab and for them it is a rejection of their way of life. They just can not accept that.