Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff | Europe Desk
Source & Credit: Cambridge News | February 15, 2010
By Sharmeen Butt | Cambridgeshire
Banning Muslim women from wearing a burqa in public places because it ‘emancipates them’ belies logic.
As a democratic, European country, France’s decision takes away women’s rights to choose for themselves. Being an educated Muslim woman who believes in covering herself I don’t know whether to laugh, cry or be angry at this assumption that France is helping in any way.
"According to many politicians Muslim women are all oppressed and have to wear this ‘black thing’. They are subjugated and men own them.
There are Muslim women who are forced by their husbands to put the burqa on just like there are many women across the world of all countries and creed who are forced by their husband to do something else.
It is a human thing, perhaps a male thing, not a Muslim thing. So to say that we put it on because our husband, brother, father or son says so is ludicrous.
The Koran, our holy book, tells women to cover up in a specific way and Muslim women from all different cultures within Islam adapt those commandments according to the way they are.
Although the ban in France is just on the burqa that covers the whole face, this is a slippery slope and the first step towards banning them from wearing one completely.
If it is forbidden, then Muslim women who believe in covering themselves will not want to go out in France.
If someone told me I had to go without my head covered it would affect me mentally. I would feel as if I was not properly dressed and as if my dignity had been taken away from me. France should be aware that this decision risks sowing the seeds of resentment into their Muslim women who will pass it on to their children.
I came to Britain 29 years ago. My husband was a British citizen and coming to England after studying English at Punjab University was totally natural to me.
I love Cambridge and am full of praise for my village. I am also the leader of The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association in Cambridge, a discussion and educational group for 30 Muslim women from across Cambridgeshire that has been running for over 20 years.
We wanted to get our voices heard so we have written to the News and to our MPs, including Mr Shailesh Vara, who represents North West Cambridge, and to several national newspapers. Mr Vara has written back and said he is going to give our letter to Harriet Harman.
A fundamental Muslim belief is that you have to follow the law of the land. If, God forbid, you are not able to follow it, then you are supposed to leave.
France could lose many housewives and working Muslim women.
Integration is very important to us and we do believe that we should integrate in a country but that we should be allowed to keep our values.
At the end of the day, banning a piece of clothing is preposterous. Politicians have called the burqa an ‘alien garb’, but how can anyone ban a piece of clothing just because it is not indigenous to their culture?
It should be about love for all and hatred for none and we really do strive to follow it to the letter.
Read the original article here: Burqa ban threatens freedom of choice
Face gives identity to a person and Burqa is used to steal a woman her identity. It is shame that Ahmadiyya on one hand try to portray themselves as moderate Muslims and on other hand are trying toforce Taliban like savage customs on their women.
ReplyDeleteAhmediyya Jamaat should stop to force their women wearing Burqa and give them their freedoms.