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Yours,
Islamonline Live Dialogue Editing Desk
Name
Muatazz
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Statements of French Interior Minister Necolai Sarkozy on the necessity that Muslim women take off their veils while being photographed for issuing identity cards have had different repercussions during the Islamic Organizations gathering in France. We were worried about this situation and we were looking for someone to tell us in detail about what happened? Thanks for islamonline and the guest for being available for giving us such information. Can you tell us how did the issue started and how did the people react to it?
Answer
The statements of French interior minister revived the old question of Hijab in schools and widened it to include taking off hijab while being photographed. First of all, we do not understand the reasons behind this will to revive an old issue which did not do good neither for Muslims nor for France. What was called "scarf issue" 15 years ago has been dealt with case by case in secondary schools and the issues found in many cases modest solutions. Muslims were allowed to attend courses while wearing hijab, and when they were going out sometimes they were allowed to keep their hijab inside the classroom, while in other cases they were asked to take off their hijab while in classroom. The tensions calmed down, and through negotiations in one way or another, Muslim girls found some satisfactory solutions.
The new element in this statement which was unexpected relates to taking off hijab while being photographed. Since colonial era when Algeria was under French rule, Muslim women were allowed to keep their hijab on their identity cards and a lot of Muslim women in France have kept their veil on their identity cards. We find it very strange that the interior minister raised this issue which goes against a very large practice in Europe and in the neighboring countries like Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, etc …all these countries allow wearing hijab on identity card.
I suspect obscure reasons for raising this issue today, which can only harm the new atmosphere that Mr. Necolai Sarkozy wanted to create for Muslims in France to let them feel more secure and more respected. I don't think it is good for France or Muslims to restart and rekindle a campaign which did a lot of harm to Muslims and France. I don't think it has any chance to be fulfilled. I don't think that the low proposal that we are talking about will have a chance to be adopted, because it is bad for everybody.
Name
Murad Hammad
- United States
Profession
Question
Was the law issued for prohibiting Muslims women from wearing their hijab when being photographed for identity cards? We read that officials of the Islamic Organizations Union in France have collected signatures to submit a petition to the Interior Ministry? Did they succeed in their campaign?
Answer
There is no for the time being any law proposal submitted and I don't think this will happen, because the highest authorities oppose it. The Prime Minister Raffarin said: "Secularism is strong enough, and does not need a Law to enforce itself." This means that he favors discussion against imposing a law which will be challenged before the courts-internally and at European level, and which will be lost by France as it happened in the first time, when the highest judicial authority "le conseil d'Etat" issued a rule stating clearly that wearing hijab does not contradict secularity of state.
As far as the ministry of education is concerned, he said he opposes the law because "Muslims in France will perceive it as an attack against them.
the first lady, Madame Chirac, intervened publicly to defend the right of nonnes (nuns) to cover their heads, implying that she opposes the introduction of a law.
At last, I do not think many deputies will favor the law because there are now many Muslim voters who will make them pay for any discriminatory step. The Muslim organizations in general are very intimidated and do not want to oppose the interior minister who is in charge of managing religions in France.
Name
Umm Mustafa
- Egypt
Profession
Editor
Question
As-Salamu `alaikum. So what IS the new law of hijab in France? And will it have any effect on laws in other EU countries? I think particularly of Germany, where sisters cannot wear hijab to teach in government schools.
Answer
There is no law and there will be no law because it is against all the interests of France and against human rights declaration. However, in France too, women wearing hijab cannot be employed in public schools.
Name
Latifa
- Belgium
Profession
Student of medicin
Question
Is there a new law about Hijab in France?
Answer
There is no law, but there is some low proposal about preventing Muslim women from wearing Hijab while being photographed for identity cards. I don't think this will be a law as it is against all the interests of Muslims and France.
Name
Latif Khidr
- Somalia
Profession
Question
Do Muslims suffer social discrimination to their civil liberties in France?
Answer
No doubt, although little bit less now. For example, the catholic and Jews have their own private schools which are funded by the government. The teachers inside wear crucifix and kippa and the nonnes (nuns) are veiled regularly. There are even some public schools like the famous "ECOLE POLITECHNIQUE", one of the highest schools in France. Moreover, there are radio stations for Christians and Jews, but not for Muslims.
Name
Amine
-
Profession
Question
Salam,
What is the new law of Hijab in France?
Answer
As I said earlier in previous questions, there is no law issued for preventing hijab, but the proposal that was submitted by the interior French minister states that Muslim women should not wear hijab when being photographed for identity cards. I think this is a kind of agitation only; they want to divert the people's attention from demonstrating against the government.
Name
Kurshid
- Pakistan
Profession
Question
How do you interpret the visit of the Israeli ambassador to France, Nissim Zvili, to Paris mosque? What was the purpose of making this visit on the day of occupying Palestine? What was the reaction of Muslims to the visit?
Answer
Paris mosque is managed by a physician who will do good to go back to his medicine. Any way, we should not forget that all the mosques are under the interior ministry, contrary to Belgium for example, where Religions are managed by a more neutral authority, which is the justice ministry.
Name
andini
- Singapore
Profession
Question
As-Salamu`alaikum,
How should Muslims in France as well as Muslims around the world respond to anti-Islam rhetoric like Brigitte Bardot's anti-Islamic book, "Cry of silence", and anti-hijab rules?
Answer
We should learn how to be strong in faith, knowledge and business. We are new comers to Europe. We are advancing a lot but we are still lagging behind. All Islamophobists of the world will meet the same fate: they will be forgotten. Bardot became a laughing stock and object of ridicule. She was attacked last week on TV and had all people against her. Do your duty and do not care about critics.
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Answer
We apologize to our readers that we are forced to bring this session to an abrupt ending due to our guest's critical health situation for which he needs an urgent medical checkup. We promise to resume answering your questions later. You can browse for the answers later on today.
Yours,
Islamonline Live Dialogue Editing Desk
Name
imran
- South Africa
Profession
electronic engineer
Question
The incident in creil reflected misunderstanding and concern from the pro-secularists on the topic of hijab. Is hijab still seen as an instrument of oppression in France? And what is being done to counter and better inform the French public on this topic? Are the media in France aiding a cause to malign Islamic principles and present this as part of an oppressive culture?
Answer
France which occupied Algeria for 130 years knows Muslims very well. So there is no misunderstanding. The fact is that they are afraid of the revival of Islam which has consequences in France with the presence of 6 millions Muslims scattered in all parts of the country. A growing number of French born people are converting to Islam (or reverting to it, should we say ).This time, Islam is linked by media with terrorism and every time they will forge a new pretext to try to stop the fatal islamization.
On the Muslim side, we should be very humble and realize that Islam is perfect but not Muslims. As human beings, we have to learn a lot from people we are leaving with. They are well educated and it took them a lot of efforts to build these beautiful western countries, so well organized and managed.
The most important is not what we say about our religion, but what our religion makes of Muslims. Does she make us better, cleaner, more polite, hard working, honnest, positive, etc. or lazy, arrogant etc. We should never forget that we are not ISLAM but one of it more or less by products, and above all, a product of what we do /or not do, of what we learn/or not learn. Otherwise, we will damage the image of Islam and let some people say: "Alhamdulillah that I learned Islam before meeting Muslims!"
Name
Abdelkader
- France
Profession
Question
Croyez-vous que la création d'écoles pour la communauté peut être une solution à ce problème
Answer
Le droit pour les musulmans d'avoir leurs ecoles releve de l'egalité de traitement,puisque les juifs et les chretiens ont leurs ecoles,(subventionnees par des fonds publics)et ou une population d'enfants issus de familles pratiquantes trouvent des structures adaptées a leurs besoins specifiques.Contrairement a ce que dit un certain Tariq Ramadan,les ecoles privees musulmanes,ne sont pas" la pire des solutions".Refuser aux musulmans ce droit,relève de la discrimination.Mais il est vrai,que des discriminations,il n'en manque pas en france(un livre doit paraitre aux EDITIONS INTROUVABLES,intitulé "LE LIVRE DES SOUFFRANCES DES MUSULMANS DE FRANCE.
Name
Amany
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Sarkozy had raised a problem Saturday, April 19, in front of some 15000 French Muslims, half of whom are veiled young women, in the Borjet conference. He said: "We do not accept that French Muslim women cover their hair while being photographed for identity cards in police stations. Laws related to the Republic should not be violated”. Do these statements imply any offense to Muslim civil liberties?
Answer
France changes the law whenever it fits it. Under French rule, in Algeria, and up to now in France, Muslim women were allowed to have hijab on their ID. I don't think France can change this in the new European atmosphere. Maybe they are trying to divert people's attention from social unrest brought about by the projected law in the field of pensions.
Name
Shema
- Mauritius
Profession
student
Question
As-Salaamu `Alaikum to all,
Merci for bringing up this very crucial debate, featuring the utter contradictions in the fundamentals of western-defined democracy itself, to the detriment of Muslim sisters. I would like to draw a parallel between the situation in France and that of Mauritius (Ile Maurice) where in 2003, for purely political reasons, the government decided that for any prospective Hajj (or other travels), Muslim women had to put off their Hijab for ID/passport issuing on grounds of clearer identification. However, due to public outcry on human rights grounds, it softened its stance later to accommodate the 'rebels' in allowing for Hijab wearing, but with the attached conditions of making the sister sign specific forms (very demeaning condition from a personal experience!) I think this will happen in France too. I would like to know if the Muslim community in France is coherent in its 'outcry' on this issue, and is it ready for possible trade-offs, as the sisters have to abide by in Mauritius.
JazaakAllah.
As-Salaamu `Alaikum. Merci.
Sorry for the lengthy expose.
Answer
Thank you for your clear expose which shows well the real strategy behind the French gesticulation in the matter of Hijab. The purpose is to repress, as far as they can, the "visibility of Islam" which constitutes a real cultural challenge; they cannot bear, given the fact that they have lost confidence in their value system.
Anyway, France cannot afford to open a new crisis about "Foulard (scarf) affair", because a lot of changes have taken place in it. As you said they are more soften. But we should be vigilant and try to open new front on education field in which we are discriminated against: Jews and Christians have schools funded by public funds, i.e. by the taxes, a part of which is paid by Muslims. Contrary to what Tarik Ramadan wrote, having Muslim private schools is not the worst solution". It is more realistic to educate a Muslim vanguard in our walls than to challenge the hole public educational system. (Some teachers oppose reintegrating ousted girls in spite of the court ruling).
As far as the representation of Muslim, it is far of being what it should be. We are still finding colonial behavior: They do not need partners but des"negres ou des arabes de service", yes-men and yes-women (a lot) des beni-oui-oui, as we used to call them in colonial era. France is far from being an adult state offering its Muslim citizens a concrete status that they deserve and let them forget the many trauma they suffered under French colonial rule and open a new chapter in history.
