Muslim Council: women cannot debate wearing veil
The body which claims to be the voice of Britain's Muslims has told women that wearing the veil is "not open to debate".
The statement will add to controversy about the veil
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said that not covering the face is a "shortcoming" and suggested that any Muslims who advocate being uncovered could be guilty of rejecting Islam.
In a statement published on its website the MCB, warns: "We advise all Muslims to exercise extreme caution on this issue, since denying any part of Islam may lead to disbelief.
"Not practising something enjoined by Allah and his Messenger… is a shortcoming. Denying it is much more serious."
The statement quotes from the Koran: "It is not for a believer, man or woman, that they should have any option in their decision when Allah and his Messenger have decreed a matter."
The statement will add to controversy about the veil after France earlier this week banned the full-face covering.
"There is no case for a French-style ban in the UK and virtually no serious person supports it," said Haras Rafiq, of the moderate Muslim think-tank, Centri.
"But by this statement, effectively suggesting that the veil is an obligation, the MCB have put themselves at the opposite extreme of the spectrum."
The statement is signed by the MCB's then secretary-general, Mohammad Abdul Bari, and his deputy, Daud Abdullah. It was published in the wake of an earlier controversy about the niqab but passed without notice.
It remains available on the MCB website as a statement of policy.
Other signatories of the statement include Imran Waheed, spokesman of the extremist group Hizb ut Tahrir and several other extremists including Haitham al-Haddad, who has denounced music as a "prohibited and fake message of love and peace". All 27 signatories, who describe themselves as "Islamic groups and scholars," are male.
Dr Bari stepped down as secretary-general of the MCB last year, but remains chairman of the hardline East London Mosque, whose chief imam, Abdul Qayum, also signed the statement.
Dr Bari is also a former president of the fundamentalist Islamic Forum of Europe, which controls the mosque and which advocates a sharia state in Europe.
The MCB received significant funding under the previous government and was seen as the main representative voice of Britain's estimated 2.8 million Muslims but has not received any official money since February 2010.
The MCB did not respond to enquiries.
7 comments:
"Religion does not require women to veil their hands, feet and faces or enjoin any special type of veil. Tribal custom must not impose itself on the free will of the individual."
Amanullah Khan - King of Afghanistan (1919-1929).
The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, head of Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning in the Sunni world.“The niqab is a tradition and has nothing to do with Islam,” said Sheikh Tantawi, vowing to ban it in Al-Azhar schools.After the girl complied he insisted she should not wear it any more.“I tell you again that the niqab has nothing to do with Islam and it is only a mere custom. I understand the religion better than you and your parents.” The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar imam vowed to issue a ban against the face-veil in all schools linked to Al-Azhar.So the whole thing is tribal custom related.Welcome to UK A.D 620 version.
Continuing from the previous thread, it's a good development that the MCB is digging in its heels and standing strong for the veil. Defending the indefensible is a fast way to lose credibility in any public debate in a democracy. And politicians who defend the veil (and public mask wearing) will find out it's a good way to lose elections.
felix,
You are one of my favorite commenters, cuz I almost always agree with you.
;-)
I'm so narrow-minded.
Thanks Pastorius,
I think of myself as a progressive, not as a conservative. One of the unusual things that has happened since Bush lost in 2008 is that the Republican party, in general, has stopped calling Islam the religion of Peace. And they have started identifying sharia advocacy as the problem. This represents progress, especially since the Republicans are now the majority in the House of Reps.
You think of your self as a Progressive.
I want to hear about that. Why?
One of the interesting things about reading Hayek is that he uses the word "Liberal" to mean a group of people who believe in Freedom, or in other words, generally, they are Libertarians.
This is the old definition of the word Liberal, apparently.
Somehow it has become a word used to denote people who want the government to be involved in everything.
Or, in other words, it now means the opposite of what it used to mean.
Recently, we saw "Anarchists" rioting in the streets of Britain because they want the government to give them more handouts.
In other words, Anarchists who want the government to get bigger and bigger.
El stupido.
Will,
"Religion does not require women to veil their hands, feet and faces or enjoin any special type of veil. Tribal custom must not impose itself on the free will of the individual."
Amanullah Khan - King of Afghanistan (1919-1929).
That shows just how far Afghanistan has traveled down the wrong path.
Pastorius,
Truth is, this wouldn't even be much of an issue, if Muslim fanatics weren't so determined to murder anyone who rejected Islam. A Guess the Muslim council really isn't so tolerant and moderate, after all, at least not be western standards.
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