Could we consider the raising of the right-wing in Denmark as the main reason behind issuing this law? In your opinion, what is the reason of the escalating actions of the right-wing in Denmark?
Answer
I think that the rise of the rightwing party, Danish Peoples Party (DF) is part of the reason for strong emphasis on Islam and Muslims. It has been part of their polical outlook for a long time, to view Islam and Muslims as a threat to danish society.
But they are not alone in this, they have mainly thriven on a general fear of Islam and Muslims in Europe.
On top of this there is an ongoing debate about the place of religion in european societies. A debate about secularism. I think this also feeds into the debate.
Name
Mosaab Salman
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Salamu Alikum Brother Tallat,
This month, the Danish government agreed on a law that accepts Hijab in the parliament, so why they are about to ban it now in the courtrooms?
Answer
The question is viewed differently, when it comes to the courts. The argument is that it is permissible to show ones ideological leanings in the parliament, but it is not permissible in a courtroom, as it creates doubt about the objectivity of the judge.
An understanding of the headscarf as an ideological symbol has been dominating in the Danish debate. And since the judges have to appear as neutral as possible, it has been proposed to ban it along with other political and religious symbols.
Name
Gameela
- Norway
Profession
Question
from you own point of view, do you think that the Danish government will ignore the Muslims reactions and isuue the law, or it will put them into considration?
Answer
I do not think that the Muslim community in Denmark will be considered, on the grounds that the law is adressing all forms of religious and political symbolism, and therefore is not a purely Muslim matter.
Name
Adam
-
Profession
researcher
Question
Had Denmark reached the secularism and the fully separation between the state's organizations and the religious beliefs, or it is still in the step of paing the way to secularism?
Answer
Hello Adam,
This is still an ongoing debate, of which the current debate on headscarves is part. The separation of church and state is still not fully achieved, as protestant Christendom is still dominating in school curriculums, national hollidays, tv-programmes and so on.
Name
Hana Chota
-
Profession
Question
Salam brother,
Do you think the banning of hijab is forming a real to the Danish society, or this is a normal consequence of the Islamophic thought that controls the whole world nowadays?
Answer
Hello Hana Chota,
The proposal to ban the wearing of headscarf amongst judges in Danish courts is certainly viewed in some muslim quarters as being part of an Islamophobic practice.
And some political parties in Denmark have made it a point in their stand against the headscarf, that they consider themselves anti-muslim and therefore oppose anything that signifies Islam in the public space.
In Denmark, the debate on the headscarf forms part of a greater debate on Danishness, in which the proponents of cultural conservatism has gotten the upper hand. The argument from this side is that danishness and danish culture has to be guarded from "outside threats." And one of the key threats in this view is Islam.
Name
Ahmad
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
In the poster of the right-wing which promotes the new law, they are referring to the burka (face veil), while the law is referring to the headscarf, do you see a contradiction between the poster and the law?
Answer
Hello Ahmad,
I dont see a contradiction, because I do not think the law and the poster can be equalled.
I think it is important to distinguish between the poster and the law. The poster is an attempt to shape public opinion, and therefore paints a very stark image of imagined opposites. This is not the place to go into a longer analysis of the picture itself, but the aim of the poster is to create a sense of absolute opposites between Islam, muslims on the one hand and the Danish courts on the other, and thereby create the notion that Danish courts are about to be taken over by muslims and shariabased rulings.
The law, although, it is the result of a very heated debate on islam and muslims, seems (at this moment) to be aimed at all kinds of religious and political symbols. So, if the law is passed, all religious and political symbols will be prohibited and not only headscarves.
Name
Gasser el Ali
- Mauritania
Profession
Question
are there any courses or programes to be teached or orianted to Danish ( Non-Muslims on particualr), to tell them what Islam is, and the methods that Islam aims at? as it is more then a scarf, and wipe the mis-undersatning off Islam
Answer
Dear Gasser,
Islam is very much on the polical, cultural and social agenda in Denmark on almost all levels of Danish society. Many popular and academic books are published on Islam and muslims, tv-programmes and newspaperarticles.
But in many ways, Islam is seen as a great challenge to a former (somewhat) monocultural society.
To many people, the lack of knowledge and the lack of experience creates a gap of uncertainty about Islam, which unfortunately is filled by words and pictures of violence - and thereby connecting islam with violence and antidemocratic measures. And some political groups thrive on these fears and exploit them to reach their own political goals.
Name
Selim
- France
Profession
Question
What is the main reason behind this huge campaign against Islam and the attacks against it, starting with the first cartoon crisis, the re-publication of the cartoons and ended up with this law?
Answer
Dear Selim,
I think that your question is very interessting, but also a multilayered question.
One reason is the political climate in Denmark, with the current government in very close cooperation with the Danish Peoples Party. DPP have been able to form a great deal of the political debate within the last seven years.
Another reason is the political climate and the overall standing of Islam and muslims in Europe. Denmark is not the only european country who have made strong statements on Islam and Muslims, this is all part of a greater current of scepticism against Islam and perhaps even islamophobic trends.
Name
Kashif
- United Kingdom
Profession
Graphic Designer
Question
Asalaamu Alaykum Tallat,
Could you perhaps briefly summarise how the average Dane on the street feels about this issue? Do they also view Islam and Muslims as a threat and therefore support the ban, or are they indifferent to the whole affair?
Answer
Dear brother Kashif,
The issue has divided the Danish population 50/50. Here is short version of the arguments.
The argument against the ban has been articulated most clearly from the minister of Integration, who went against her own boss, by saying that the government should not try to tamper the independence of the courts, by forcing the courts to accept a politically based ban. Muslims have also argued along these lines, as well as they have been pointing out that the law was direted primarily aganist Muslims.
The argument for the ban is divided in two. One argument is that by allowing headscarfs in the courts, the danish legal tradition is undermined by islamistic standards. This is the argument of the Danish Peoples party. The other argument is that by banning the headscarf alongside all other symbols (crosses, kipahs and so on), the government is strengthening the division between the privately held beliefs (religious or political) and the public, that is strenghtening a secularistic division in the courts. This is a classical liberal position.
Name
Omar
- United Kingdom
Profession
Researcher
Question
I find the idea of the scarf as an 'ideological' symbol intriguing but unclear. Do critics of the headscarf mean that wearing a headscarf demonstrates religiousity, and religiousity is inherently ideological? By ideological do they mean 'incapable of judging impartially'? Or is this more of a 'symbolic' question? A second question: are there any judges who do wear the headscarf? Are there any Muslim judges (male or female)? If so, have they reached 'higher' appointments?
Answer
Dear Omar,
The answer to your first question is yes. It has been pointed out several times in the debate on the headscarves, that Muslim women wearing the headscarf is publicly showing their ideological basis. Therefore the debate has transcended to a question whether Muslim women wearing headscarves, are capable to be loyal to the Danish legal traditon at the same time as being Muslim. This is an argument that basically opposes Islam with Danish democracy.
The answer to your second question is no. The debate is purely led on a principal level.
Name
Mohamed
- Belgium
Profession
Question
Salam Brother,
What are the rules that control teaching Islam in Danish universities and schools?
Thank you
Answer
Dear Mohamed,
I am bit unsure of the rules that lay down the rules on teaching Islam. Is there something in particular you have in mind?
Name
Silvan
- Germany
Profession
Question
What is the policy of the governing party towards Islam, and what is the main motive regarding attacking Islam especially from the right-wing?
Answer
Dear Silvan,
To my knowledge, there is no official policy towards Islam in the governing party. But Islam and muslims is clearly in focus on some of the political initiatives from the government.
The right-wing understand themselves as anti-muslim, and sees Islam and Muslims as a threat to the danish national identity, and since the main right-wing party, Danish Peoples Party have quite some influence on the current government, they have succeded in making their stand against islam and muslims a mainstream political view. They equates Islam with terrorism, subjugation of women, antidemocracy and so on. And they are quite succesfull at it.
Name
Kamilia Sattour
- France
Profession
Question
Do you think this law's impact would be another cycle of anger like the French anti-Hijab law has done?
Answer
Dear kamilia,
I do not think it would spark another cycle of anger since it already seems to me, that the debate has been removed from the frontpages of the Danish newspapers. It is not considered as important as it did anymore. Mainly because the debate ended on a note, where all religios and political symbols were banned from the courtrooms. But I do think that it will add to the feeling of humiliation felt by some Muslim quarters.
Name
Radwa Khorshid - Editor
-
Profession
Question
This session has come to an end.
We would like to thank Mr. Tallat Shakoor for speaking to IslamOnline.net viewers today and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue.
We apologize for not being able to accommodate any further questions. We request our readers to join us in the upcoming sessions.
