Faith and reason: The head scarf is a symbol of, not a threat to, security

According to an article entitled ‘Controversy shrouds Muslim women's head coverings' published in USA TODAY on April 14, the author, Marisol Bello, explains the cases of alleged religious discrimination where one Ms. Nadia Hassan was singled out for extra scrutiny at Dulles International Airport in Virginia and an older story from Bay area, where Hani Khan was terminated by a San Francisco clothing store. [Read here] The article received several comments and letters to the editor. The following letter by Ayesha N. Rashid of Richmond, VA is noteworthy.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff |
Source & Credit:  USA TODAY | April 20, 2010
By Ayesha N. Rashid | Richmond, VA | Letters to the Editor

According to your article, discrimination complaints from Muslim women have sharply increased. American Muslim women are being denied jobs, singled out at the airport and given a hard time in acquiring driver's licenses because of the head scarf. I speak from experience as I, too, have been a victim of discrimination at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

For those who consider the head scarf to be a threat to their security, here is some good news: Check any newspaper, and you will hardly see an American Muslim woman, especially one who wears the head scarf, charged with murder, kidnapping, bank robbery, theft or prostitution. This is a clear message through action that the head scarf is a symbol of, not a threat to, security.


Ayesha N. Rashid; Richmond, Va.


Read the original  here: Controversy shrouds Muslim women's head coverings