Egypt to Ban Women Covered Head to Toe From Entering Schools
EmailABC's Simon McGregor-Wood reports from Israel: Egypt's top muslim cleric Sheikh Mohammed Tantawi is preparing to ban women from wearing the traditional niqab, the full length garment that covers the body from head to toe.
On a recent visit to a girl's high school in Cairo's Madinet Nasr suburb Tantawi noticed a young girl dressed in a niqab and asked her to remove it reportedly telling her "the niqab is a tradition, it has no connection with Islam." He told her not to wear it again.
Tantawi is the country's most senior cleric and is head of the influential Al Azhar Mosque and university. It is the most respected religious institution in Sunni Islam and the Sheikh's opinions and rulings have worldwide influence. Following his visit to the school Tantawi promised to issue a Fatwa or Islamic edict against the wearing of the niqab in any of Egypt's schools.
Following the Sheikh's lead Egypt's minister of higher education said he would be banning the wearing of the niqab by female undergraduates at Egypt's public universities.
Most women in Egypt wear the traditional Islamic headscarf or hijab. The Sheikh's ruling will not affect that. But in recent years increasingly conservative Islamic practices have been gaining popularity and the government is worried about the rising influence of Islamic political parties such as the Muslim Brotherhood.
Although enormously influential not everyone in Sunni Islam respects Sheikh Tantawi's moderate opinions. He was heavily criticised for once shaking hands with Israeli president Shimon Peres and supporting France's recent ban on girls wearing the hijab in state schools.
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That’s a refreshing start to something special….
Posted by: A Pimp Name Slick Back | October 6, 2009, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
Still waiting on anyone to show where in the Quran the hijab is required but the niqab is not. As far as I’m concerned, they’re both just medieval methods to subjugate women, and have as much to do with Islam as foot binding has to do with Confucianism.
Posted by: Dave Mishem | October 6, 2009, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
Dave: You just cannot bring yourself to see the good in other people’s opinions – even when they are contrary to conventional wisdom and tilt in your favor – can you?
Posted by: Daud Sharif | October 6, 2009, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm
It’s about time. No where in the Quran does it say they must wear such things. I say make the men wear that silly outfit for 1 year and you will see it change.
Posted by: Mike in Detroit | October 6, 2009, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
Ok Dave, here ya go:
Hadith – Bukhari 1:148
The wives of the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) used to go to Al-Manasi, a vast open place (near Baqia at Madinah) to answer the call of nature at night. ‘Umar used to say to the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) “Let your wives be veiled,” but Allah’s Apostle(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) did not do so. One night Sauda bint Zam’a the wife of the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) went out at ‘Isha’ time and she was a tall lady. ‘Umar addressed her and said, “I have recognized you, O Sauda.” He said so, as he desired eagerly that the verses of Al-Hijab (the observing of veils by the Muslim women) may be revealed. So Allah revealed the verses of “Al-Hijab” (A complete body cover excluding the eyes).
Want another?
Posted by: Lee | October 6, 2009, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
The things we do and say to one another all in the name of religion – God – Allah -
whatever name you want or need to assign -
are all disgraceful, and that’s the real sin.
If you can’t agree to the terms of a university (or whatever), then you must leave. Go to a school where the clothing of your choice is allowed.
If you can’t follow a country’s rules, then go to a country that suits you more. Leave in peace. That’s the mark of a good and decent person. I suggest we ALL follow this rule – if only we all could.
Posted by: My Christian name is Kathleen Mary | October 6, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
Egypt even has a TV show similar to the view, except instead of limiting the discussion of controversial topics to 2nd-grade level discussions as Barbara Walters does, they really get into it.
Still, the average Egyptian looks at American women as sluts. In 1999, I met a 24 year old American from New York, touring with her Egyptian-born parents, on a Nile Cruise and even though I was twice her age, I soon had a companion for the duration because she was tired of the young Egyptian men on board [even the waiters were lawyers -tourism jobs are lucrative there] expecting her to be easy and treating her as such. She said that when she walked through Cairo with a cousin, men would stop their cars and yell out the window that she should be wearing more clothes.
Posted by: The_Mick | October 6, 2009, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
If a man (no matter where he’s from or who he is) looks at women as “sluts”, it’s because his mind is in the gutter.
Posted by: gg | October 6, 2009, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
Oh for heavens sake, they didn’t drive cars back in those days either (Hadith-Burkhari etc)times change and for people to live under that veil of secrecy isn’t normal. If this is how they choose to live then they should not be going to college either…Stay in the caves and rot. Finally a school with a head on their shoulders. The school has every right to rule this way.
Posted by: Sharon | October 6, 2009, 7:00 pm 7:00 pm
They can not decide what they support and what they oppose, it always depends on their benefits as opposed to the real good of the world.
first, they support terrorists’ jihad in Iraq, Then Second, they oppose resistance a despotic “walee amor” in yemen.
Hypocrital dictators.
Posted by: Hasan Faris | October 7, 2009, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm
I think it should be the womans decision if she wants to wear the niqab or not. Why should the men decide for them?
Posted by: Youdont Nome | October 10, 2009, 10:47 am 10:47 am