Belgium: Burqa Ban - a response

Why not grant similar rights to women who wear anyother types of clothing? For example, why not start with women who wear minimal clothes or what Christian nuns wear - why not give them similar “rights”. 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff |
Source & Credit: Fajr Blog | April 29, 2010
By Tauseef Khan | UK

Belgium parliament today voted to ban the burqa or the veil. They say that the “law would help fight terrorism and grant rights to Muslim women.”

My question is: how would it fight terrorism? Would banning the burqa make terrorists see the error of their ways, reduce incidents of terrorism in Belgium and around the world, increase brotherhood and love between Muslims and other people living in Belgium? And would it really increase the respect and loyalty of Belgian Muslims towards their government and country?

It is evident that the given logic for burqa ban is absurd. It would do nothing except alienate the Muslims of Belgium and increase rancour and suspicion in their hearts for their government. It may even make some misguided people to justify promoting violence against government (I am totally against such actions and believe like other Muslims from the Ahmadiyya sect that loyalty to one’s country is part of a Muslim’s faith).


The second justification given for this burqa ban is that it would “grant rights to Muslim women”.

Oh, really! Let us look at this clearly. So those Muslim women who ignore this ban would face “fines and a jail sentence up to seven days”. This is granting rights to Muslim women -  Belgium style!

Why not grant similar rights to women who wear anyother types of clothing? For example, why not start with women who wear minimal clothes or what Christian nuns wear - why not give them similar “rights”. And I thought rights meant allowing women to wear what they want - forcing them to not wear something they want to wear clearly takes away their rights. This argument is also similarly absurd like the last one.

What I am most surprised about is that a country like Belgium has nothing better to do than to pass these burqa bans. Are their MPs actually doing any meaningful work for their country and how much time of the government has ban taken? Also the police in Belgium must really have it easy crime-fighting if looking out for burqas is now their prime duty. In reality this ban only alienates the the Muslim community of Belgium and many will see it as an attack on Islam.

I believe my personal message to Muslim women wearing a burqa is also warranted here:

I know that the veil is your moral right and your sign of modesty. It is both noble and an Islamic value that has to be cherished. However please allow yourself to be identified where it is a legal duty to do so. The veil can be accommodated according to requirements - it is very clear from the Sunnah of the Holy Founder of Islam, Prophet Muhammad. As a doctor, a nurse, a teacher, or when required to have your face seen (for example by an MP, a doctor, or law-enforcing agencies et cetera) - you should allow yourself to be identified so that the rights other people have, by being the citizen of the same country, are also fulfilled. You do this anyways when you allow your photograph to be taken for your passport. Please don’t put more fuel into this fire by being so extreme in your attitude that the rights of others are curtailed. I am really sorry for this burqa ban. I know some of you will be thinking how do I live my life now. It will be difficult; please have patience, write in the newspapers, show your MPs the true teachings of Islam and pray to God.

Read original blog-post here: Burqa Ban - a response