This is my comfort
I wear a niqab because I agree with the scholars who say it is mandatory since the wives of the Prophet [PBUH] have practised it (‘Readers Views: Let women debate the niqab,’ Gulf News, December 14). I am comfortable with it. I have no guilt in my heart to say that I am wearing it against the will of my father and many other relatives. I feel the most comfortable in the veil. I have the right to practice this freedom, practise my religion and my own personal dress code. So why not abandon all other factors that were present there? What she [mall murder assailant, Abu Dhabi] wanted to do could have been done in many other ways by people not wearing niqab. What is the percentage of murderers in veil and without veil? So, this is just to say that this issue is very small and instead we need to be looking into those that are big and prevalent.
From Ms Bilkes Billal Hussain
UAE
Facebook comment
People have their reasons
In my opinion, banning niqab is never the solution. First of all if a Muslim country like the UAE bans niqab, it will be considered as an excuse by some European countries who are trying to ban, not only niqab, but hijab as well. Moreover, consider the fact that even with her face completely covered, the assailant was arrested within 48 hours. In some countries, even after openly and publicly committing a crime, culprits are walking free due to their power, money or inefficient law and order systems. So security is not the issue here. Muslim women have a right to choose about wearing niqab considering their religious and cultural values.
On the other hand, as reported in Gulf News, some terrorist groups are exploiting the Islamic dress code for their own vested interests (‘Yemen troops kill Saudi-bound Al Qaida suspects dressed as women,’ Gulf News, December 14). If in some exceptional situations it is considered a threat to security, the authorities have the right to demand that niqab wearing women reveal their identity to the concerned personnel and the women also have the moral duty to comply with such an order. There is no need to consider the ban on niqab. If there is a discussion, there should be on equal participation by men and women.
From Ms Sajida Kamal
Abu Dhabi
It’s their right in the end
It’s been in the culture even before Islam, but not all traditions are worth hanging on to. Some cultural practices should be left in the past, like female genital mutilation, child marriages and forced marriages. I’m in favour of the ban. If we put religion aside, I think it’s wrong that women are not feeling comfortable enough to show their faces in public. If a face was an indecent part of the body, this would be different, but it’s just a face.
The consensus will never be reached. Many women are ready to defend the niqab fiercely and some believe it’s obligatory. For them, there’s nothing to debate, it’s part of Islam, it’s their right – full stop. The government should decide what’s best for the country and reinforce the law. No need to ask women.
From Mr Al Fajrawi
UAE
Facebook comment
Didn’t slow down police
The crime was visible even though she was wearing a niqab. The Abu Dhabi mall murderess was arrested within 48 hours, which is very fast. How does that mean that the niqab was hiding the crime when the criminal is in prison already?
From Mr Mohammad Kamran Khan
Abu Dhabi
Facebook comment
Can’t ban things so lightly
If there is a ban on the niqab, then who’s to say this won’t lead to further bans like women driving cars and women being allowed in malls as well. If someone thinks niqab is the cause of murder in that mall, they are completely wrong. Wearing niqab did not play any role in it. The suspect was caught despite wearing it. I feel that there are people who are using this as an excuse to ban a tradition they don’t fully understand.
The knife that stabbed the woman, the SUV she drove and the flag to cover her license plate were all used for the wrong purpose. If someone is using something for bad purposes, that doesn’t mean that it should just be banned.
From Mr Shahzaib Arshad
Sharjah
Facebook comment
An insecurity
No one is saying that the niqab is the reason, but think about your wife, sister or daughter being assaulted in the women’s washroom by a man or woman wearing it. I know it’s not a regular occurrence, but do we want to wait for it to happen again?
From Ms Karina Saakian
UAE
Facebook comment
Women’s choice
I agree that the ban on the niqab is a decision that women have to decide first and foremost. I like this thinking because it lets them do as they wish. If women like to wear the niqab, they should be able to wear it. It is not for anyone else to decide in this debate.
From Mr Abbas Ali
UAE
Facebook comment
Not our call
I don’t agree because the laws are not being enacted by the women this story is looking to ask. The issue of security does not need the views of majority, but what the authorities see as what is best for the masses.
From Mr Al Amin Abdulfatah
UAE
Facebook comment
Leave our dress code alone
The ban of niqab shouldn’t be done and women should always be allowed to wear hijab. I don’t agree with even debating the topic because it is just going against Islam. We can’t start asking women to begin wearing inappropriate clothes. If one likes to wear them, then wear it but don’t tell us what our dress code should be.
From Mr Jafar Khan
UAE
Facebook comment
Let the scholars debate
It is akin to someone saying: “Hey, let women be the one’s to debate women’s medical issues from now on.” Any rational person would make women-related medical issues a matter that should be discussed by doctors, those who have specialised in these issues, whether that doctor is a man or woman, should not be relevant. Being a woman does not automatically give her the knowledge and background needed to debate such a topic.
The issue of niqab and its ruling in Islam is something that should, or more correctly, has already been discussed abundantly by Muslim scholars. Both men and women have spent years and years studying the Islamic sciences and have specialised in Islamic jurisprudence.
Many of these scholars have stated that niqab is obligatory upon a Muslim woman and that she is required by Islam to wear it. While at the same time, many others have stated that niqab is not obligatory, rather it is optional and she can wear it if she wishes, but that it is not required by Islam to do so.
From Mr Mahmoud Abbas
UAE
Facebook comment
Women can decide
Niqab is as per Muslim Sharia, a practical thing to deter unwanted attention from the men. It all depends on the individual women whether she would like to wear it. Nobody on earth is forced to wear one, except in a few countries, where clerics implement it.
In Muslim Sharia, there is a solution to every problem. If officials need to confirm the identity of the person, especially in airports, there are women officers deputed who do the face identification as per the law. Here in the UAE, every woman is broadminded and they know their priorities. It should be left to women to decide whether to wear the niqab.
From Mr Mohsin Ahmad
Dubai
Has its problems
I believe that although all people have the right to choose what they wear, there must be a sense of what is appropriate and what isn’t. Unfortunately, because of certain unsavoury people, covering your face in today’s world can be a huge security issue.
From Mr Rick J. Advano
UAE
Preserve cultures
This is a very sensitive topic and very tough one to decide. Religion is a personal choice, but security is everyone’s right. I don’t advocate a ban on niqab at this stage, and I think that would be an overreaction. This probably may be the first unfortunate incident in the UAE and even after wearing a niqab, the killer was arrested. A ban on niqab will be a massive hit on the culture of the UAE. We are living in times where cultures across the globe are vanishing and it is our responsibility to preserve it. To a certain extent, I feel that this ban would also be a human rights violation.
At this stage, the best solution is to improve security measures in this region further and keep educating people to be vigilant of their surroundings. I believe it is too early to take drastic measures. I really hope such incidents never happen again.
From Ms Latesh lilwa
UAE
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