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Straw in plea to Muslim women: Take off your veils
7:00pm Thursday 5th October 2006
Comments (7)BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw has called on Muslim women not to wear full veils in a bid to help relations with the rest of the community.
Mr Straw, a former Home and Foreign secretary, has revealed that he has taken to asking Muslim women to remove their veil when they visit his surgeries.
He says a veil could be seen as "a visible statement of separation and difference" - and some Muslim scholars don't believe it to be obligatory.
Writing in his weekly column for the Lancashire Telegraph he said he was concerned "that wearing the full veil was bound to make better, positive relations between the two communities more difficult".
But a leading Muslim figure warned that Mr Straw's comments had the "potential to cause anger" and that "he will get criticism from all quarters".
Mr Straw writes that he has been mulling over the issue for about a year since a veiled woman attended his surgery and said she was pleased to meet him face to face.
"The chance would be a fine thing', I thought to myself but did not say aloud," he continues.
He said the interview got him thinking about the "apparent incongruity between the signals which indicate common bonds".
"Above all, it was because I felt uncomfortable about talking to someone face-to-face' who I could not see," he added.
He said this caused him concern "about the wider implications for community relations of what is an increasing trend".
Mr Straw, currently Leader of the Commons, said he makes sure he has a female member of staff with him when he asks women to lift their veil.
"The value of a meeting, as opposed to a letter or phone call, is so that you can - almost literally - see what the other person means, and not just hear what they say.
"So many of the judgements we all make about other people come from seeing their faces," he added.
He said that he cannot recall a single occasion when a woman has refused to lift her veil.
"I thought a lot before raising this matter a year ago, and still more before writing this. But if not me, who? My concerns could be misplaced. But I think there is an issue here," he concluded.
His comments come the day after Canon Chris Chivers, from Blackburn Cathedral, said more was needed to be done to address segregation in the town.
Hamid Qureshi, chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, said that Mr Straw's request to have women take off their veil in front of him could only be justified on security or identity concerns.
"Women believe that wearing it is God's command.
"I think it is unnecessary for him to do this. I don't know what principle he's trying to establish.
"What is he really concerned about? If he thinks it's about community cohesion concerns, he's mistaken - there are thousands of things that we do together.
"This is not helpful, it has the potential to cause anger. He will get criticism from all quarters."
But Coun Kate Hollern, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "It's each individual's choice what they wear. However it does appear to create a visible barrier and I find it quite concerning.
"I would never want to take away anyone's right to wear what they want but I do think it's a visible barrier."
Coun Salim Mulla, who represents the Queen's Park ward, Blackburn, said: "I think it's a very difficult issue to comment on because I am not very religiously qualified.
"I think it's what Jack probably thinks and what he believes. But I would say that Jack has to respect the decisions women make."
Coun Mulla, who is also the secretary of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, added that the majority of women visiting Mr Straw would probably have no problem with his request.
Mr Straw currently enjoys a 8,009 majority, and is known for his close links to the Muslim community.
Coun Mulla added: "I don't think this will have a major impact on his popularity."
Read Jack Straw's column which sparked the debate here.Do you agree with Jack Straw? Vote in our poll - scroll down and it's on the right. Click here to send us a letter.
Your Say YourLancashire Telegraph
Nick Proctor, says...
2:00am Fri 6 Oct 06
We haven't yet heard WHY (only)Muslim women feel the need to wear this demeaning (to men & women) garment. It puts women's rights back centuries. You can tell it was invented by men to say 'Do NOT look at my possession, she is MINE'.
<"Women believe that wearing it is God's command.>
If so then why aren't ALL women wearing it? Substitute GOD with MEN.
To say God/Allah prescribed this is rubbish. God has no wants or needs as where would 'He/She' get it? It's not scripture but tradition that states this. Insecurity & mistrust within the Muslim community itself & from there to the wider community.
Let's not forget peer/family pressure either for those that 'choose' it.
Nick
Muslimah, says...
3:34am Fri 6 Oct 06
Dear Nick & Sean, and of Jack Straw.
Thank you so much for speaking on behalf of Muslim women everywhere. Our little oppressed voices would not be heard if it was not for intermediaries as yourselves. After all, being NON-MUSLIM MEN, your points of view are bound to be representative, non-biased and based on actual life experience.
Oh wait, there not.
I hope people will consider my opinion to be more accurate as i am actually a muslim women, that lives, works, prays and socialises with other muslim women.
Firstly you must understand that what you see in the muslim community is not always a true reflection of Islam. So when SOME muslim men have been observed to repress their women, it is not a command from God, but rather a veering away from this command. There are many, many, many quotes from authentic Islamic sources (i.e., the Quran and the Hadith) that state that women should be treated kindly and fairly. This space is so limited that i personally could not do it justice here, but one authentic quote from the Prophet of Islam, Muhammed (peace be upon him) says it all: "Treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers." Please go to http://www.islamalways.com and educate yourselves in the truth of Islam, and the treatment of women therein.
In answer to Nick's question, the Islamic legal system (Sharia) has some flexibility in that certain topics are open to interpretation by qualified scholars. Some scholars say that the face veil is obligatory and others disagree. However, opposing camps must respect each other's opinion as long as it is based on authentic texts. Thus it is up to the individual Muslimah which she adopts. She cannot be forced into anything.
I have never heard a Niqabi sister complain about feeling oppressed. If anything, i know sisters to are dying to wear the face veil but feel pressured from their families and society into NOT wearing it! "How will you get a job wearing that thing?". This highlights something important to me... it is not OUR problem, but yours. Why can you not accept that we want to cover our faces, our beauty, our personal property? Why do you desperately need to see us to be able to have a normal conversation when we can mange it so easily? What does this say ABOUT YOU?
And don't even DARE say that this is YOUR country, YOUR society and thus YOUR rules. I was born here, my parents and countless other muslims have paid a good amount of tax towards maintaining this place, and how many forgotten muslims DIED for the British Empire? The success of this country has been built on the backs and BLOOD of countless muslims. So why should i sacrifice my way of life when you are not prepared to budge on yours?
Until you understand that Islam involves the full, complete and peaceful submission of oneself to the One True God, His Will and His Command, you will never understand how women are not oppressed by this wonderfully fulfilling and LIBERATING way of life.
I pray that the UK Muslims return to the true teachings of Islam so our non-muslim neighbours will appreciate us and all the wonders we have to offer them.
Peace be upon those who follow True Guidance.
sazeda, says...
5:37am Fri 6 Oct 06
I find it quite amusing that readers are able to leave essay long comments via the internet, yet cannot perform simple search functions which will reveal why the Muslim women CHOOSES to wear hijaab. I feel that the onus lies with the individual reader to do this and not the individual Muslim to justify and explain.
If non-muslims are able to pre-empt the feelings of the so-called 'oppressed' Muslim woman, then maybe they should make further enquiries, better educate themselves on Islam before making unjust and inaccurate comments.
A Cohn, says...
3:07am Sat 7 Oct 06
Is he meant to be their representative or are they meant to be his?
Its not the parts of the body Muslim women refuse to show Jack Straw that is causing problems with integration and race relations.
What causes problems for race relations and integration is racism, silly tabloid headlines that provoke it and second rate politicians who have pasted their shelf life trying to gain headlines by bashing Minorities.
So if Jack Straw would solve more problems of integration if he refused to show his face instead of telling Muslim women to show theirs!
www.geocities.com/hijabhypocrisy
Dan Moore, says...
10:49am Sun 8 Oct 06
mariam, qatar says...
12:22pm Sun 18 Feb 07
Jack Straw
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Sean Robertson, says...
1:25am Fri 6 Oct 06
When I see a Woman walking down the street wearing this type of head dress I feel sorry for her I just think she is oppressed by Muslim men, she may agree to wear this form of dress but I think it just years of male dominance, after all the men dont have to wear one!
I thought in this country we practiced equality between Men and Women and why all the talk of anger and outrage all Jack Straw has said is what is on the mind of most normal British citizens but like most things critical of the Muslim faith will probably end in a resignation or a fatwa being issued. Obviously the fear of Muslim men, that they may have to treat their women as equals. (God forbid)
Regards,
Sean Robertson.