France has stepped up to the plate, according to BBC news. An ongoing debate concerning the legal status of the burka – an infamous dress worn most often by the women of Islam – has been settled. The burka, in all its degenerative glory, endows a full covering of the female flesh, leaving visible only the eyes; the mouth is left covered, drawing a massive suggestion that a woman’s voice in society is of no value. Thus far only the headpiece has been banned, being deemed a degrading instrument to downplay the equality of women in society.
For obvious reasons there has been a major push back from Muslims who argue the move is as an intrusion on individual rights to religious expression. What one may be astonished to acknowledge is that nowhere in the Qur’an does it state that women must wear the burka; this is in fact a neoconservative installation to uphold male domination. The burka is a demeaning garb used to keep women both subservient and silent and should be treated as such. To wear it signifies a position of no authority, no power, no voice; it is victimizing an entire gender. Considerably more important, the burka is dangerous to the health of its host and any offspring she may produce. Putting aside the mental hazards, babies may have an increased chance of getting Rickets due to vitamin D deficiency induced by the burka’s complete shading of the sun.
The argument from the nation, however, begs more than just a matter of sexism, infantile health and the censorship of Muslim women; it has been a matter of individual rights versus national security, which shouldn’t be a dispute at all.
Another authenticity behind this ensemble is that it is often not worn solely (although sometimes) by the will of the female, but under order of the husband, father or some authoritarian male figure. The idea being that for each woman there is a domineering man, and said male should carry with him the sole right to view the woman, often his wife or daughter.
The burka, again, carries with it not only the chauvinist aura but propagates religious extremism in the post-September 11 era of terrorism. Many Muslims are outraged at the pervasion of ‘civil rights’ that would be implicated by a boycott of ‘religious tradition.’ Yet there must be a word spoken on behalf of the interest of the majority, when the rights to an individual’s ‘freedom of religious expression’ produces a warrant for the subordination of women and the forceful means of conversion to the Islam faith. Society cannot and should not attempt to adapt to religious fanatics of any faith that impose beliefs on other people whom are in fact entitled to this same liberty of personal belief.
Any professor here at the University of Massachusetts will tell you that power comes from thinking collectively, not individually. Well the time has come where we must think collectively for the safety of the population. So long as radical bullying continues to invade upon the safety of the people, it should be thoroughly fought against.
Nothing shows the decision in France to be a step in the right direction more than the recent attempted assassination of a liberal Imam who supported the burka ban in Paris. Hassen Chalghoumi, a younger and clearly more moderate Muslim, found himself tormented by an outraged, blood-seeking mob of 80 Muslim radicals. The mob broke into Chalghoumi’s mosque shouting things such as “God is great” and “Liquidation, this Imam of the Jews.”
If disgusting actions like this should produce any fortunate outcome, it is in the revelation that a movement towards secularity is in order. Recently the London Press released an article saying that they too will consider a national ban on the burka. The article continues to add that more progressive, moderate Muslim groups such as the Muslim Canadian Congress have joined in for the advocacy of the ban. Groups like this deserve, more than anything, gratitude from their fellow religious companions and hopefully there will be no such actions performed as was done to Chalghoumi’s mosque in Paris.
It is in these vital decisions, like that of the burka, that our path to ultimate human solidarity can be made or broken.
Shane Nickerson is a Collegian columnist. He can be reached at [email protected].
Arafat • Mar 9, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Did you say “fashion statement”? Check out the Bill Maher video.
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/4214
burkha • Mar 8, 2010 at 3:58 am
Now a days banning a burka seems a fashion statement for these publicity seeking politicians, Like adopting black kids is a style statement to those Hollywood celebs.
Arafat • Mar 7, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Quotes from the Koran illustrating a women’s inferior status.
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/010-women-worth-less.htm
And quotes about polygamy from the Koran.
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/017-polygamy.htm
Arafat • Mar 7, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Lauren,
Your post was quite shrill and also factually incorrect.
Question:
Does Islam require women to cover themselves?
Summary Answer:
Yes. The reason is that it is supposed to curb the sexual appetites of passing men when women travel outside the home. Women are also not allowed to travel by themselves, or be alone with a man who is not a relative.
The Qur’an:
Qur’an (24:31) – Commands women to “draw their headscarves” over their neckline as well.
Qur’an (33:59) – “Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them…”
Qur’an (24:31) – “And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants not having need (of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known.” The woman is not only supposed to cover herself, except with relatives, but to look down, so as to avoid making eye-contact with men.
From the Hadith:
Bukhari (6:321) – Muhammad is asked whether it is right for a young woman to leave her house without a veil. He replies, “She should cover herself with the veil of her companion.”
Bukhari (60:282) – After Muhammad issued the command (Qur’an 24:31) for women to cover themselves, the women responded by tearing up sheets to cover their faces.
Abu Dawud (2:641) – The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil.
Bukhari (52:250) – [The Prophet said] “It is not permissible for a man to be alone with a woman, and no lady should travel except with a Muhram (i.e. her husband or a person whom she cannot marry in any case for ever; e.g. her father, brother, etc.).” – Neither is a woman allowed to travel by herself.
Additional Notes:
Islamic law (Sharia) clearly requires women to cover themselves. The degree of covering varies with how seriously a Muslim government interprets this, with the Taliban’s Afghanistan at one extreme (requiring full burqas) and moderate governments such as Turkey and Tunisia (actually banning headscarves in public buildings) at the other.
The head covering is interpreted as a symbol of male domination by most critics outside the faith, and by many Muslim women, who have been fighting for the right to dress as they please. In December of 2007, a father in Canada beat his 16-year-old daughter to death for refusing to wear the hijab (headscarf).
Some insist that the veil is not mandated by the religion, although they do not have anything within the sacred texts to counter the passages in which Muhammad instructed its use. In fact, verse 24:60 says that the veil is only optional for unmarried women who are too old to have children, and even then the freedom to uncover the head is discouraged.
There are also many Muslim women who have come to rely on the veil as a protection against unwanted male attention. Some even describe it as ‘liberating.’
In the West, the veil is gradually becoming a chic statement of political protest. Veils and burqas are becoming more common in Muslim countries with the resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism.
Lauren • Mar 6, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Your article is absolutely repulsive. You are attacking a culture and religion you clearly do not understand. “What one may be astonished to acknowledge is that nowhere in the Qur’an does it state that women must wear the burka; this is in fact a neoconservative installation to uphold male domination.” What YOU may be surprised to know is that the Jewish and Christian bible teaches that a woman should wear a head covering. 1 Corinthians 11: “And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. 6 If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.” But this is beside the point. Head coverings are NOT degrading. Women can wear them if they choose! Why deny someone religious freedom and expression? It is a way of saying, “I am a religious person and I try to live by the teachings of my faith”. It is true that the Koran does not say that wearing a Hijab is mandatory; however, you should understand that the traditional Arabs, of all religions, Jews, Christians and Muslims used to wear head coverings, NOT because of Islam, but because of tradition. Many non-Arab Muslims have adopted the hijab because it is a symbol of modesty, something encouraged in the Islamic faith. Women who adopt this dress feel liberated and beautiful. They do not have to rely on vanity or feel violated by the stares of men. Those who choose to cover themselves realize that what is inside is what truly matters. So much confidence can be gained in knowing that your friends like you for the person you are– not the clothes or make up you wear. It forces those around you to listen to your VOICE and not judge you based on your physical appearance. The hijab is empowering!!
“The burka, again, carries with it not only the chauvinist aura but propagates religious extremism in the post-September 11 era of terrorism”. Terrorism has absolutely nothing to do with a woman’s right to wear a head covering! How dare you insinuate that a person wearing a hijab is a religious extremist and terrorist!
You do not understand the hijab or Islam
Michael • Mar 5, 2010 at 7:17 pm
While I fully agree that the Burka is a tool used to place women below men in Islamic society the idea of banning it is horrifying. The only time it is ok for the government to interfere with someones religion is when something is being done against an individuals will.
This will never and should never happen in the United States, and this is just another reason I am glad we are not France.
Mike
Arafat • Mar 5, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Irony,
The Irony is that Islam is a slap in the face of religious freedom. Burqas are nothing more than one manisfistation of Islam’s repressive history.
When you read the following demographic (see bottom) list think about two things. First, Islam is the most recently formed of all major religions. Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism began centuries before Mohammed’s birth, and Christianity started some 650 years prior to Islam’s formation. Second, think about who were the people who used to live in these regions of the world. For instance Buddhism used to flourish in Afghanistan and today there is not one single Buddhist alive in Afghanistan. Hinduism was the vital religion in Paksitan for centuries before the Muslim hordes drove the Hindus out. Of course Christianity flourished throughout the Middle East and Turkey before the Muslim invaders changed all that. Today Islam wants to drive the Jews out of the Middle East (again). Mohammed drove the Jews out of the Arabian Peninsula, but evidently that was not good enough for Muslims.
I have listed the percentage of Muslim citizens in a handful of countries. In each of the countries listed the trends are toward the percentage of Muslims increasing, except, of course, where it is already 100% Muslim.
Saudi Arabia: 100% Muslim/Not one non-Muslim citizen.
Iran: 98% Muslim.
Turkey: 98% Muslim.
Afghanistan: 100% Muslim.
Pakistan: 95% Muslim.
Somalia: 100% Muslim.
Sudan: Estimated 70% Muslim. I wonder how long the genocide will continue before it is 100% Muslim?
Libya: 97% Muslim.
Yemen: 100% Muslim.
Mauritania: 100% Muslim
Algeria: 100% Muslim.
Israel: 75% Jewish. 16% Muslim with the Muslim population the fastest growing.
Arafat • Mar 5, 2010 at 10:42 am
Shane,
Burkas are nothing more than another example of the compassion and tolerance we’ve come to know as Islam. If there is any doubt about this check out the following links:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/03/some-1500-years-ago-it-was-decided-for-an-individuals-personal-reasons-that-women-should-have-purdah.html
Or this comedic spoof of burqas:
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/4214
Irony • Mar 5, 2010 at 1:01 am
This is a slap in the face to religious freedom. I say if a woman voluntarily wants to wear such a dress she has a right to do so, no matter what the historical significance is. It is no different then wearing a star of David on a robe in Jewish pride and it being banned because Nazi’s once made Jews wear them on the robe.
Make the Burka a sign of a woman’s religious freedom by giving her the option to wear it or not, not by banning it entirely.
As for the collective thought comment, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, though combining that with collective thought may reveal why this campus acts so stupid at times.