- 10 Apr 2011
Muslims in the Middle - 17 Feb 2011
Yours extremely - 20 Jan 2011
Anti-Muslim bias in UK now the social norm: Warsi - 11 Jan 2011
Fighting for a progressive Pakistan - 10 Feb 2011
Women and suicide-bombing
- RSS
- Today's Paper
- Subscribe
- beta 2.1
Alerts
Veiled agendas
Starting 11 April, it will be illegal in France for any woman to wear a full-faced veil.
Starting 11 April, it will be illegal in France for any woman to wear a full-faced veil. No ‘niqab’, whether you are shopping in Galleries Lafayette, soaking up the sun on the Champs Elysees, ascending the Eiffel Tower or gazing at the Mona Lisa.
The fine for wearing a face covering veil publicly is EU €150 (US $208) and the woman will be given a citizenship class to remind her of the republican values of secular France. Face veils will be outlawed virtually anywhere outside women’s own homes, except when they are worshipping in a religious place or travelling as a passenger in a private car, although traffic police may stop them if they think they do not have a clear “field of vision” while driving. After a teacher was convicted for trying to rip a face veil from an Emirati tourist in a shop, the law also states that public officials cannot force women to remove their niqabs in the street, but must instead call the police.
Immigration historian Patrick Weil warns that the law is open to challenge from the European court of human rights. He said the battle to stop women wearing ‘niqab’ did not justify that “a woman who believes that her God orders her to wear it should be stopped from going out to buy food to feed herself, or from going to see a doctor.”
Although the French law has gotten the most attention, Belgium was actually the first country to enact a ban last April while there is the move towards a similar law in Italy. In 2004, France banned headscarves and all conspicuous religious symbols from state schools. But since the niqab ban was voted in by parliament, standard headscarves have also become a bone of contention. A worker in a private creche went to court and lost after she claimed she was fired for refusing to take off her headscarf. The education minister insisted that mothers in headscarves should not be allowed to accompany children on school outings. One mother banned from escorting her son’s primary school class for wearing a simple head-covering said: “I’m French, not a fanatic, I just want to be able to practise my religion without being ostracised.”
When asked why he supported the proposed law banning “overt religious symbols”, French citizen Jean-Michel Andrejevski replied, “It’s a means to defend France and Europe against the spread of Islam.”
Ironically, in order not to stigmatise Muslims, the law bans any face-covering. Officially called the bill against “covering one’s face in public places,” it bans balaclavas, hoodies or masks as well as the Muslim veil. It is presented as issue of public order and gender equality, not secularism, but is widely viewed as related to the country’s 2012 presidential elections.
Only a tiny minority of women in France wear full niqab, far fewer than in the UK, only a few hundred out of France’s 6 million Muslims.
The real reason behind the ban is said to be concern about the growing gains of the far-right National Front in France. Desperate to secure the far-right electorate in the election, Sarkozy is being critiqued for deliberately singling out France’s Muslim population to win votes. Today, having frittered away his image as a dynamic leader, President Nicholas Sarkozy is the most unpopular president in the Fifth republic while the National Front’s Marine Le Pen is virtually at the palace gates. Le Pen has seen the Front’s popularity soar since she compared Muslims praying in the streets outside overcrowded mosques to the Nazi occupation of France. She couches all this in terms of defending “republican values”, secularism and feminism in the face of religious extremism. She is setting the agenda on Islam.
The timing of the new law risks plunging France into an identity crisis. The niqab ban has reopened the long-running debate over how the country with Europe’s biggest Muslim community integrates Islam into its secular republic. The prime minister, François Fillon, has argued that face coverings put those who wear them “in a situation of exclusion and inferiority incompatible with the principles of liberty, equality and human dignity affirmed by the French republic.”
While Marine Le Pen has criticised halal-only fast food restaurants, Sarkozy has ordered a nationwide debate in April on Islam’s place in secular France, outlining objections to halal food options in school canteens, no prayers out of doors and no minarets. The debate is expected to address Islam-specific issues such as the financing of mosques and the ideological backgrounds of imams leading services. The initiative was originally framed as a national conversation on “how to organise religious practice so that it is compatible in our country with the rules of our secular republics”. But following a TV appearance in which Sarkozy questioned what kind of “limits” needed to be placed on Islam in France, the debate has been increasingly viewed as specifically targeting French Muslims. PM Fillon has distanced himself from Sarkozy’s debate on Islam and said he was opposed to the “stigmatisation of Muslims”.
One week before the parliamentary session on secularism and the role of Islam, French religious leaders representing the six major faiths co-signed an editorial denouncing the debate as a potential source of discrimination. Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Orthodox, Muslim, and Buddhist leaders warned against “squandering the precious practice” of laïcité, France’s particularly unflinching brand of secularism enshrined in a 1905 law officially separating the Catholic Church and the state.
Considering the fact that the debate about secularism in France has largely centred around Islam, the editorial also suggests a solidarity with the Muslim community.
Le Pen, a member of the European parliament, believes that France’s cultural identity is under attack from “a type of Soviet-style planning where we are seeking through massive immigration to weaken identities through a sort of general multiculturalism where everyone suffers.”
Given recent developments in the Middle East, there is the likelihood of an increased influx of immigrants heading towards France. Harnessing post-credit-crunch insecurity, Le Pen plays to the gallery with aplomb. “It is time that we question the politician’s rhetoric that if you question immigration it means you are a racist. For 20 years in France, anyone who was against immigration was called a racist. But now since immigration is perhaps the biggest problem of the 21st century, I think we should be able to talk about immigration without being accused of xenophobia. There is a certain threshold above which the identities are shaken and collapse and we’re setting up the conditions for a clash of cultures.”
The Jewish umbrella association, Crif, and Licra, the International League against Racism and Anti-semitism, has warned that Le Pen’s discourse was “a threat to Jews and Muslims” and the far-right was making scapegoats of Muslims in the same way Jews were targeted during the anti-Semitism of France in the 1930s.
Le Pen protests.”But there’s no islamophobia. People are just trying to recreate the conditions of a latent conflict aimed at making French people feel guilty. If you’re in favour of respecting the law, you’re an islamophobe! I’m not fighting against a religion. I’m like Richelieu, I’m fighting against the constitution of a state within the state. I think that French laws, values and principles should apply to everyone. And those who don’t respect those laws and principles should be firmly made to respect them.”
Le Pen has ditched her father’s overtones of anti-Semitic extremism, while defending the core of his nationalism, and courting a new white-collar electorate fearful of crime, immigration, Muslims and losing their jobs. This has garnered a historic 15% for the National Front in the first round of local elections and she has brought a fresh anti-capitalist tone to the Front’s rhetoric. The far left indicts capitalism; the far right points the finger of blame at immigrants. The far left would recommend revolution; the far right, ethnic cleansing. As Le Pen puts it, “The right-left divide makes no sense any more. Now the reality divide is between nationalism and globalisation.”
In the ascent of Le Pen, there are lessons for the future of democratic politics in Europe and the West. Marine Le Pen is an effective spokeswoman for a new strain of moderate intolerance — white collar rather than blue collar; educated, not just ignorant; Ukip not just BNP — which is already powerful in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Austria. Between one-quarter and one-third of Continental Europeans feel disenfranchised, and are prepared to vote for any “protest” party, whether far right or far left. The reason is essentially the same throughout Europe: slow economic growth and dwindling prospects for a better life, while the welfare state has failed to create jobs. Le Pen cleverly exploits the hunger for “identity” and simple “values” in a threateningly “global” world. Anti-capitalist revolution was tried in half of Europe in the last century, with dire results. Expulsion of immigrants has not. Saddled with a slow economy, a failed welfare state, and uncontrolled immigration — challenges for which no mainstream parties on the right or the left have any coherent proposals — the appeal of the far right’s soft populism will continue to haunt France and Europe.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, April 10th, 2011.
Reader Comments (41)
Magazine Latest Stories
7 Bridal oddities you are sure to meet in Pakistan!
Come experience and pray you don’t become one of them.
Recipe: Stuffed Round Gourd— Bharaye Tinda
Take a look at the following recipe. Addiction guaranteed!
Book review: A manuscript best left in Accra
Let Coelho’s imagination take you on a historical journey in the Manuscript Found in Accra.
Beauty home delivered: Life is moving fast, and so is her salon
An enterprising woman from Lahore is bringing the salon to the doorstep of busy housewives and working women.
Hottie of the week: Imran Abbas
This doe-eyed cutie is the reason Pakistani women have stopped going out on Saturday nights.
Book review: Sethji - dirty old men and dark secrets
Shobhaa Dé plugs in to the corridors of power and the bedrooms of the damned.
Travel: Jordan by ruins
Understanding a modernised Arab country littered with remains of empires past.
Sun salutes in the sands of Thar
Yogi Kumar opens a centre for yoga in Mithi after his wife died of blood cancer.
Green car: The juice on hybrids in Pakistan
Getting a greener car is the smart choice, but the government won’t let you make it at least for now.
Recent Slideshows
More in Magazine
Mubarak denies corruption, abuses
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or derived from.
Unless otherwise stated, all content is copyrighted © 2013 The Express Tribune News Network.
Technical feedback? [email protected]
Its their culture and country, so who are the minority to make demands!!!!! don’t like it then leave !! Period!! Its no probs for the french, they have enough other problems to deal with.Recommend
Champions de la liberté humaine!Recommend
Very well written Maheen as always. I love especially the intro and the ending.
I am surprised the people of France are not angered that the govenment is wasting so much time, energy and money on an issue that affects 0.003% of the population. Especially when it is so obvious that the issue is about grabbing votes from the far right and demonizing a minority group that french society is uncomfortable with.Recommend
Would we allow the wearing of mini skirts for women and shorts and no shirt in summer time for men In Islamic countrys ?
The wearing of the niqab is not even prescribed in the Quran, It is to cover the hair and body parts. Not the face
Modesty not Monstrosity !Recommend
Good article. When in Rome (do as the Romans do). After all in Saudi, women have to do the same and cover up regardless of their beliefs as its their culture. So if you choose to live in France you need to respect their culture.Recommend
Well written article. I do not believe in wearing full face veil at all. I believe that hiding women and their disappearance from public space is a shame.Women are such beautiful people. They are always a joy to look at. Women should never hide their beauty or individuality. They should be proud to be women.They should dress nicely, look good. They should be fully assertive. Burka is regressive, retrogressive. French people have a right to ban Burka.Recommend
Good article and sad to see the APPOLOGISTS who miss out the vital points that these so-called liberals and democratic countries used to criticise the Islamic countries for opression but are Much Much Much more oppressive now and that is still with Media in their control. imagine the truth coming out if the media was free.
Shame on French for treating fellow citizens like this. Imagine if Pakistan was to ban wearing of nun’s scarf or crosses in public. Just imagine the hue and cry and now read the article again and enjoy ……………. hypocrites
Sometimes we need to stop being appologists and standup for what is rightRecommend
Anyone remember the yellow stars Jews had to wear. It then led to the Jewish ghettos and then the Holocaust. By singling out Islams and Muslims in France, many of them who are second and third geration immigrants, they are clearly highlighting that assimilation won’t work in France unless these Muslims give up their identy! I am not in favour of the niqab, but such policies are in fact political agendas to appease French voters who are succumbing to Far Right sentiments. Another shameful day in Europe. Recommend
@Huma
Dont be naive, its not about culture but about getting votes as Maheen succinctly pointed out.
What happened to religious freedom which is not harming a second person.
Maheen – This is one of your better pieces, well researched and informative.Recommend
Respecting a country’s culture is very different to having your freedoms revoked. While I agree wholeheartedly with the “when in Rome” sentiment. A State prescribing what a minority in their country can wear or not wear is nothing sort of oppression and what many are calling a witch-hunt. I am a minority in one such country and even though I dont wear a burqa the fact that I don’t have a choice in the matter really makes me feel like a second class citizen.
Very well written Maheen, many dont understand the politics behind such a ridiculous ban. I feel sorry for the women who were being forced by the men in their families to wear the niqab and burka’s now thanks to this band they are under life-long house arrests. Recommend
Burqa wearing women in france are estimated to be around 1800. Need I say more!Recommend
The French have a culture and society and a heritage of their own.
If immigrants from other faiths don’t wish to conform,
then they should leave. Saudi Arabia / Pakistan are hardly paragons for their minorities.
There is always the UK (where you can live in a ghetto of your own making),
and Netherlands (where they will kick you out if you shout and yell too lound).
And then there is Germany (where the neo-nazis can cook immigrants alive).
So stop lecturing us about what we should or shouldn’t do. Recommend
Western extremism. Recommend
This will only make women stay indoors which is even more preferable.Recommend
‘In a series of mid-20th century essays the Hungarian historian, Istvan Bibo, attempted to explain the blindness and irresponsibility that has characterised the interwar policies of the Central European states and led them to catastrophe. In doing so he proposed a new concept, that of political hysteria. Bibo’s central hypothesis was that when a community fails to deal with a problem that challenges, if not its existence, then at least its way of being and self-image, it may be tempted to adopt a peculiar defensive ploy. It will substitute a fictional problem,which can be mediated purely through words and symbols, for the real one which it finds insurmountable. In grappling with the former, the community can convince itself that it has successfully confronted the latter. It experiences a sense of relief and thus feels itself able to carry on as before.’
Emmanuel Terray, ‘Headscarf Hysteria’, New Left Review Mar/Apr 2004
http://archives.evergreen.edu/webpages/curricular/2006-2007/sss/files/sss/Headscarf%20hysteria.pdfRecommend
@Meherzaidi and hassan,
It is your your views of women which are are regressive and sexist. All western racists need to do is lie about niqabi Muslim women, and you brainwashed copy cats pay lip service to them like trained monkeys.
French racists have NO rights to ban burqa and use Muslim women as political football. Recommend
It’s all political, everyone knows its all political.
France has a regular history of discrimination against various ethnicities, Jews, Blacks and Muslims. You see, at the end of the day what they want is votes and politics is a dirty game. They will discriminate against a minority to get majority votes.
Everyone does that, even in Pakistan the right wing religious parties will discriminate against hindus, christians, ahmadis and even within Muslims just to get the people aroused and ensure they vote for them.
Mister X, France is not racist. It is their country and their rules, their parliament voted for it. You must also know that Tunisia and Turkey had banned the veil for a long time as well, it wasn’t until the Muslim party took over in Turkey that the ban on the veil eased up, even then women aren’t allowed to cover their faces in Turkey just a head scarf, aren’t they a Muslim majority nation? In Tunisia, men weren’t allowed to keep beards and women weren’t allowed to even cover their heads, again Muslim nation. So on and so forth.
Muslims haven’t done themselves any favours by taking religion to extreme proportions, these countries have done a lot for their Muslim population, and it never seems to be enough for us.
Regrettably our attitude is such; that if we do it it is allowed and fine because we can do that we are on the right path, when somebody else imposes something on us then oh no its racist it is that it is this.
Learn to respect other peoples laws, its the only way we can co exist.
Unless you read the article, even French nationals aren’t allowed to wear head coverings or cover their face. Recommend
@Omer: And what about your opinion on Pakistan’s treatment meted out to it’s Ahmadi Muslim citizen? It has stripped them off the right to call themselves Muslims. Isn’t that religious oppression?Recommend
Love the article..made me think.Europe has become a battleground of clash of civilization.Europe is rallying against the “other”..which acts as a glue within factitious society.It draws upon centuries of religious persecution and gives it a new rationale.A graying continent, is fastening its fears and reservations about economic woes and demographic imbalance on the “other” object of Muslims. Within the chaos and destruction of the old order, this modern racism wants to root out muslims like cancer.Its a new form of social reengineering.its an existential anxiety.In healthy vibrant societies identities continue to shift, they cannot remain static.But when a society feel threatened, it becomes vigilant of its cultural boundaries.I cant help but think of Germany in !930′sRecommend
@Disco ….. qadianis can call themselves whatever they like, but others should not be stripped of their right to call them non-Muslims. Btw. what has qadianis to do with the ban in France?Recommend
unfortunately we are always weary of cultures and religions that are different to our own. ironic that instead of being confident about oneself we fear that the influence of other will effect us. France or any other country for that matter should embrace their own religion and way of life so well that they dont feel threatened by others. great article Maheen!Recommend
I do not understand why a country that calls themselves a democracy would create a dictatorship law such as this.Recommend
Alhamdolillah, my sisters, mothers and daughters will relax at home they need not to fight with anyone for this! Please Muslims plea to no Government but only God! We know non Muslims cannot appreciate the hidden beauty of Islam. But this will not send Islam on back track infact whatever action is taken to demote will only PROMOTE ISLAM!! Recommend
@ Disco
Ahmadis are NOT Muslims so they are stripped of any thingRecommend
@Z Akbar,
You don’t know what you’re talking about. Not only have I read the article, I know a lot about France and its Muslims, you don’t. Their ancestors fought and died for France in both world wars and they have every right to go against sick vile secularists who wont let them live in peace. In fact in some parts of France, Muslim children are being forced to eat pork, and halal meat is next. Islam is being outlawed bit by bit and only an idiot would deny it. Tunisia was ruled until recently by a Francophone secular dictatoship so don’t give me that crap about some banana republic in the Muslim world taking orders from Paris, London or Washington. Being democratic doesn’t equal non-racist. France is indeed the most racist country, this is according to their Europe wide polling. You cannot vote out people’s human rights under any condition making up racist laws for political exploitation.
Go do your homework before lecturing French Muslims to abide by racist laws targeting the faithfull. Recommend
The french have banned all religious symbols, be it Cross or Hijab ao Turban or any other. They have not invited anyone to live in their country. Many countries have their own dress code. A woman cannot drive in KSA, let alone wear a bikini. No one writes articles on that issue. Why just target France (a truly secular state)Recommend
First of all it is not a question of “right” but of “choice”; these women choose to wear burqa or niqab and majority of muslim women choose not to wear burqa/niqab and both can back their “choices” with their interpretations of their understanding of their religion called islam.
The French or any other government must not either accept or respect this choice just as no government accepts or respects a nudist’s choice of being nude in public places.Recommend
Plain and simple, you dont like the law, dont live in France.
Why live in France when there is a land of the Pure to live in? Recommend
@Bilal:
Don’t speak your mind too much Bilal, You’ll get called a sexist, regressive, brainwashed, etc etc. You should know that if you are Pakistani and Muslim you must tow the party line, That we are allways right and everyone else is allways wrong.Recommend
@Jaan Gul: I was making a parallel regarding religious oppression.
If in your view the ban against “qadianis” to call themselves Muslim is justified, then logically the French too have a right to ban whatever they think is not in accordance with their view.
@Abu Abdullah: Ahmadis are every inch as much Muslims as you or I are, except here in Pakistan (and maybe in Saudi Arabia too?) where they have been ‘legally’ declared ‘non muslims’, and too, constitutionally. All they need is to cross the borders to revert back to their status of being called as Muslims.Recommend
Why is it a racist law. I didn’t know that Islam was a race. I think it was the British shadow attorney general who said a few years ago that if Muslims didn’t like British laws and .customs they can always leave. BTW this is a very popular law in France.@Mister X: Recommend
Imagine a world where every lady wears a burqa.
Imagine a world where every woman covers herself fully and views the world through the gauze of her veil.
It will mean peace, and bliss of the highest order.
Since women will be wearing only black dresses, there will be no need for any other dress.
A woman will need no more than a couple of black burqas. Textile industries will close down. Cosmetic industries, Fashion houses will be closed.
Since most of the movies are about fulfilment of romance, there will be no more movies. After all, no one can fall in with a fully covered figure. Hollywood and Bollywood and other woods…will come to a stand still.
Since you can’t have a model with a fully covered face, no more advertisements. Goodbye copywriters!
Since all ladies will be invisible, behind a black veil, males will lose incentive to dress up and impress the ladies. No more sports, arts or achievements.
Most of the misunderstandings,fights, wars and quarrels take place over women. Since ladies will be fully cloaked, there will be no more fights.
There will be no need other than basic need of food and shelter. Families will not incur any expense other than food and health. There will be no disparity of rich and poor.
No competition and no commerce. There will be peace everywhere! Recommend
@Tony Singh:
So does your “truly secular state” ban a nun from wearing a habit?
France is being targeted because it claims to support liberty and freedom of choice but then drives a hypocratic knife in the back. KSA or Pakistan even never claim to be secular and have always had laws driven by religion.Recommend
@tony singh,
France has gone out of its way to target its Muslims citizens more then any religious group, sikhs are allowed to wear turbans.Women not being allowed to drive in the KSA has nothing to do with French Muslims, unless you’re stupid enough to use the KSA as your yard stick for human rights.
@a tayyab,
Nudist colonies are actually legal in many these degenerate Europeans nations. You’re grossly uninformed.
@bilal,
These are FRENCH Muslims who were born there, not foreigners. Ever heard of Jim Crow? Recommend
@Mister X:
Really, I don’t know much? Your having a laugh. Tell me how many french muslims were present in the 2nd world war? How many died, don’t wikipedia that information. Also please share the Europe wide polling data?
By the way, you might have read about french muslims, but I studied and lived with them in the UK, and they never mentioned these things. In fact they said they never faced any racist slander, or prohibition in their entire lives, they were free to practice and do as they wished.
I really think you haven’t read this article, I never stated that Ben Ali was taking orders from washington or whatever, but lets face it this revolt in Tunisia wasn’t for Islam or anything religious it was the people exercising their rights for democracy, if anyone states it was Islamic then they are grossly misinformed. So, what do you have to say about Turkey? Banana republic or not, they have been doing it from way before France did. Even now I will stand by my statement that the French are doing it for political gains. Anyone would, think of it, out of 6 million Muslims, not all agree with the veil and will continue to support their parties, apart from that alienating 6 million people to get the vote of 10 million is a win win for them. Politics my friend, not racism.
By the way, since you are telling me to do my homework, about the faithful, tell me is this Niqab the proper Hijab or is the one muslim women wear during the hajj the proper Islam? There is so much confusion there even. Clarify! Why is it different on Hajj and why is it different in everyday life?What is the proper Sunnah? Shouldn’t the veil at Hajj be applied in every day life?
And furthermore humor me since, apparently you are so knowledgeable and righteous (I am being sarcastic of course). Do we Muslims have the right to ask for so much, when in many countries, especially our own, we target our minorities by literally killing them? Do we allow religious freedom to our Christian/Hindu population without hinderance? We were the first ones to declare Ahmadi’s kaafir on the orders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt targets its Coptic Christians!. Like you stated France has gone out of its way to target Muslims, we have done the same in many of our countries, In fact we have gone to the extent of Sunni’s calling Shia Kaafir and vice versa, this is us. So, are we really faithful? When our religion gives the right for every other religion to freely express their beliefs, are we allowing that, no we are not. Muslims can’t expect to be treated equally if they don’t grant minorities their right? Who says we are faithful? We are so deviated from our own path, and we are the first to denounce everyother religion. When clearly our religion states, we can’t declare anyone kaafir, especially Ahle Kitaab, granted their texts are altered or whatever, but we can’t call them anything.
Racist law or not, read the article again. Ironically, in order not to stigmatise Muslims, the law bans any face-covering. Officially called the bill against “covering one’s face in public places,” it bans balaclavas, hoodies or masks as well as the Muslim veil.
Had it been truly racist they would have banned only the Muslim veil. Between you and me, if today France were to start granting citizenship to Pakistani’s we would be the first ones to jump on that boat. Racist law or not. Think about it with patience rather than anger and frustration. Recommend
@hassan:
Actually mate you have contradicted yourself.
No textile Industry means, no clothes for men either so yeah we will roam butt naked.
No more sports or art, means we can all grow fat.
No commerce= poverty= hunger=rioting=bloodshed=anarchy.
Muslims, haven’t been ordered by Allah, to sit at home and only indulge in religion, The Prophet worked as a trader throughout his life, so commerce is Sunnah.
I hate it when people state, that women, are the root cause of all problems, if they cover themselves then men will behave. Don’t we men have enough tolerance and patience in us, or do we have to go crazy just as we see a woman?Recommend
@Mister X
You cannot even read right; I clearly wrote about being nude in PUBLIC PLACES even though it is legal for nudists to be nude in their nudist colonies so should be the case for burka/niqab wearers; they may wear them in their colonies called mosques but not in PUBLIC PLACES.Recommend
Good and objective analysis of a ticklish issueRecommend
I live in saudi arabia and i dont use niqab and no one has so far forced me or asked me to do so. But the thing is no one can wear a mini skirt in a public place here so it is equal. there are a lot of letters in newspapers here on this topic. Well done maheen.Recommend
A highly incisive, insightful read Maheen.
Religious fascism?Recommend
It a tale of two cities.
Paris with its ban on the face veil & London where you see it on routine basis.
Vive LaFranceRecommend