To veil or not to veil
After the headscarf, it is now the turn of the face veil for Muslim women to be controversial in Europe. European politicians and leaders including Tony Blair have attracted attention to the niqab or veil by calling it a barrier to communication and integration of women in society.
The reaction to such comments has ranged from anger to applause and everything in between. The underlying question is not anything new: what is the line between multiculturalism and integration?
I remember having a conversation about the veil with a friend about a year ago, where I told him that I respected the freedom and right of Muslim women who decide to cover their faces, but that I didn't think it was conducive to living in a Western multicultural society, one where women often have to work and interact with others in society on a regular basis. I also suggested that the veil was a barrier to social and community engagement (involving all members of society, not just Muslims), something one might think a "good Muslim" - man or woman - would be encouraged to do.
Of course women may choose to wear the veil as what they consider a religious duty, but they and others ought to accept that it can be a barrier to communicating with others and to social integration. Of course it doesn't help that these days, anything even mildly critical or interrogative of Islam/Muslims is taken by some in the same vein as last year's cartoons and the perceived-to-be-anti-Islam war on terror.
Update, October 20, 2:20 am: Omair's (very similar) take on the issue, and Toronto Star columnist and author of Being Muslim, Haroon Siddiqui's (partial) perspective. I am tempted to try to pick a little at Siddiqui's opinion, but perhaps I'll wait till his next piece to see what else he has to say on the issue.
5 comments:
As far as the niqab is concerend I think the women who wear it are predominantly raised in households where other women wear them. Yesterday I had a friend tell me that their friend started wearing it after attending the sermons of a Lady by the name of Farhat Hashmi... who was deported from Canada might I add for the questionable content of some of her lectures.
I don't think it is necessary to wear niquab in he west. Sure in rural Peshawar, go nuts. But in the west it does nothing but turn heads and draw attention. The purpose of concealing your 'ornaments' is to discourage drawing attention. Therefore it defeats the purpose.
And this, is my opinon. And I ain't no saint. But I am a muslim woman who has lived in many different places but still manages to keep her faith strong. Ameen!
Lovies,
Samosa.
My concern is not to make a right-or-wrong or good-or-bad value judgement on the niqab, or to analyse whether it meets some purported religiously intended purpose or not. It is safe to say that a great proportion (most?) of Muslim women who observe the niqab do so because they consider it a religious requirement, with or without any added consequentialist reasons. And that's fine. I'm not asking them to take it off, just to honestly consider (without yelling discrimination) the argument that it is a barrier to communication, not just when it comes to non-Muslims but for other Muslims as well I might add, and a contributing factor towards the isolation of individuals and communities within a multicultural society.
Woah, your honor. I was not questioning your post, merely stating MY opinion on it. I think that was pretty clear by the personal associations and biographical nature of it. Pity you can't read my blog or you'd understand where I'm coming from. Then again, noting your response, you probably wouldn't see the humour in it.
I think the average Muslim would agree that the Niqab is a communacative barrier, the reason why you are not asked to cover your face whilst doing tawaaf (a metaphor for your communication with Allah s.w.t?). This is what I have been taught. I grew up in Dubai and I was told by locals that the Niqab is a cultural practise (hijab on the other hand is seen as a requirement), so I am not sure where the miscommunication of niqab being a religious requirement in history was made. Anyway I am merely make another comment, none of this is carved in stone and I may be wrong.
Anyway, nice to see you reply your comments. I am still finishing up my MA at York. Osgoode and Schulich is probably the old good thing about York. The dump.
Adios.
S
I DON'T GET IT
IT IS OK TO BE ALMOST NAKED OR BARELY WEAR ANYTHING WHILE IN THE WORKPLACE OR SHOPPING CENTERS ETC BUT IF SOMEONE COVERS HERSELF IS A QUESTION MARK ?????
IF A STUDENT CAN GRADUATE THROUGH DISTANCE EDUCATION ,THEN WHY NOT TECAHED A VEILED TEACHER.
IF A BANK TRANSACTIONS CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED THROUGH ONLINE TOOLS AND THROUGH VOICE ACTIVATED TELEPHONE CALLS THEN WHY NOT BY A PERSON WEARING A VEIL.
A PERSON SPENDING 8 HOURS A DAY IN A CUBICLE , WITHOUT MEETING FACE TO FACE WITH ANY ONE CAN DO A JOB , THEN NOT A VEILED LADY CAN DO IT . WHAT IS THIS BIG COMMUNICATION PROBLEM WITH ALL THESE FOLKS ARE WITH THE VEILED LADY.
GIVE US A REASON OR EVIDENCE SUPPORTING WHAT BARRIERS ARE THERE.
THIS IS ALL WESTERN WAY OF DISCOURAGING WHAT ISLAM HAS TAUGHT US.
AND WE ALL FALL VERY EASILY INTO THEIR TRAPS...
I am looking for examples of women who have faced workplace discrimination when wearing a niqab for an article I am contributing to. I can be reached via email at rachel.breitman@reuters.com
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