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Letters: Ahmadiyya rejects burqa ban
Thu, 07/02/2009 1:37 PM | Reader's Forum
We, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, wishes to make it clear that it rejects comments made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy regarding the wearing of a veil or burqa by Muslim women. Rather than promoting unity and understanding, President Sarkozy used his address to the two houses of parliament in June 2009 to perpetuate pre-existing false stereotypes.
In his speech, President Sarkozy claimed the wearing of the burqa was a *sign of subservience and debasement'. He added that it *is not welcome in France'.
These comments are extremely unhelpful and indeed regrettable, particularly coming from the head of state of a country in which there are around 5 million Muslims. President Sarkozy's comments also directly contradict comments made by President Barack Obama recently in a speech in Cairo on 4 June where he said: ".It is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit - for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear. We can't disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretense of liberalism."
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat contends that President Sarkozy's views on the burqa are both ill-informed and factually wrong. The burqa is an item of religious dress which many Muslim women choose to wear. However, no Muslim woman should be forced to wear it because a fundamental teaching of Islam is that *there shall be no compulsion in religion'.
Far from being a sign of "subservience and debasement", the burqa is the dress of choice for millions of women, who feel pride in its decency. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat is an outstanding example of the freedom of Muslim women in practice. In science, business, education, civil service, law, medicine and accountancy, just to name a few, Ahmadi Muslim women have excelled to the highest levels of society without compromising their Muslim values. They play an active, recognized and valuable role in societies across the world as outstanding role models for women.
It is hoped that France will not pursue this legislation, which would contravene both Article 18 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and France's Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, on which the French Constitution is based. These ensure freedom to practice religion and hold religious beliefs. For France to fight for so called freedom at the expense of genuine freedom itself would be an affront both to France and those who fought so hard to secure freedom in France. For freedom to reign, freedom must be preserved.
Abid Khan
London
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Jhimmi (not verified) — Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:45pm
Ok, then only card carrying Ahmadis are allowed to wear burkas. Maybe Sufis.
In any non-Sharia state, Shias and Sunnis should be allowed to wear hoods over their heads, BUT, they should also be required to wear spandex leotards over their bodies. In cold weather, a wet suit should suffice.
Of course, this would have to be reconsidered if they can figure out how to fit enough explosives under the 'bonnet' to blow somebody else up.