Shamraz Khan

I really have no problem with this. Its their country, and their laws. Don't like it leave for burka friendly place.

The Associated Press: Sarkozy says burqas are 'not welcome' in France

Sarkozy says burqas are 'not welcome' in France

23 minutes ago

PARIS (AP) — President Nicolas Sarkozy said the Muslim burqa would not be welcome in France, calling the full-body religious gown a sign of the "debasement" of women.

In the first presidential address to parliament in 136 years, Sarkozy faced critics who fear the burqa issue could stigmatize France's Muslims and said he supported banning the garment from being worn in public.

"In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity," Sarkozy said to extended applause at the Chateau of Versailles, southwest of Paris.

"The burqa is not a religious sign, it's a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement — I want to say it solemnly," he said. "It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic."

Dozens of legislators have called for creating a commission to study a possible ban in France, where there is a small but growing trend of wearing the full-body garment despite a 2004 law forbidding it from being worn in public schools.

France has Western Europe's largest Muslim population, an estimated 5 million people, and the 2004 law sparked fierce debate both at home and abroad.

Even the French government has been divided over the issue, with Immigration Minister Eric Besson saying a full ban would only "create tensions," while junior minister for human rights Rama Yade said she was open to a ban if it was aimed at protecting women forced to wear the burqa.

The terms "burqa" and "niqab" often are used interchangeably in France. The former refers to a full-body covering worn largely in Afghanistan with only a mesh screen over the eyes, whereas the latter is a full-body veil, often in black, with slits for the eyes.

A leading French Muslim group, the French Council for the Muslim Religion, has warned against studying the burqa, saying it would "stigmatize" Muslims.

Sarkozy was due to host a state dinner Monday with Sheik Hamad Bin Jassem Al Thani of Qatar, where women wear Islamic head coverings in public — whether while shopping or driving cars.

Khehkeshan

I agree with you Shamraz, but banning clothing also creates other issues of infringing on personal rights.

firenze

I don't know why we Muslims are making such an issue out of it. Burkha is not mentioned in Quran, its cultural thing, just like chopping off heads ... maybe came from some Arab tribes.

The fact is that most Muslim countries (Saudia/Iran/Afghanistan..etc) have clothing restrictions on foreigners. I am not sure why they complain when other countries have clothing restrictions on them. After all, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Look at the ninja-turtles of Lal Mosque, i mean wtf kind a things we are making...

The end, !~

fayax

What the french are not realizing is that in the absence of these 5 million Muslims France would come to a standstill immediately.

Also if the time allows us, we will see that in near future this will cause revolutionary problems if they decide that clothing covering the face is not allowed altogehter.

Dont believe me....look at the Iranian revolution of the 70s. The one incident that was the last straw that broke the camel's back was that the Shah of Iran orderd that Women should NOT wear Burka in public places.

BTW Firenze....Jilbab is mentioned in Quran and is said to be advisable for all women.

Croquet

great now they are going to regulate what people wear on the pretext of .....?what was it? yeah stupidity.

aasimtom

Why don't they ban clothing at all?
But wait a minute he said Burqa/Niqab and not Hijab, so Hijab is allowed?

LOL! what a hypocrite, if this is what you really believe Mr. Sarkozy then why don't you allow freedom of women to choose what they want to wear?
of course the Muslim women are not ashamed of their values, thats why they are wearing the Burka!
I thought france was a country that allowed "freedom of choice" How is it then, that a woman cant even wear what she wants!

blatant hypocrite.

firenze

I think you didn't read the statement from Muslim Council of France, they welcome it.

By the way how many french muslims are on the streets, as of now 0

Care to explain me what kind a difference revolution bought for Iranian people? Look at the streets today, its state oppression going on against the will of people. If you think elite can come to streets and fight .. then you are wrong. The problem of Iran is bullshyt of mullaah-ism and it will be brought down today or tomorrow. Just wait n see..

by the way your comparing of Iran with France on burkha issue just make me laugh


Do you know the difference between Jilbab & shuttle-cock burkha? Bing or Google "Ninja-Turtles of Lal Mosque" .. and amuse yourself !

Niksik

I bet if Gaultier or Givenchy designed a couple of burqas, Mr. Sarkozy would be just fine

firenze

do you also have some words for Iranian dress code for non-muslims or..Saudi ...

..

Shamraz Khan

Can you tell us where in Quran it says that burka is mandatory for women? From what I know (and I'm not a religious expert) Qurans says that we should observe modesty...both for men and women.

Slickstar

hahaha the radicals standing behind freedom. lol

BanTaleban

if a country doesn't have the moral right to dictate against certain clothing, what rights does a religion have to do so? why?

That said, I don't agree with Sarkozy on this arbitrary statement. If he says women should not be forced to wear it or they must take it of for identification ...those things are ok.

He is however right I think that it is demeaning to a woman who has to cover herself head to toe and peek through a net ....except when heading into a sand storm

fayax

33:59 O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.

outer garmets = word used is jilbab (jalabeebihinna)

Face covering is not mandatory but hair covering comes from a hadith.

The word "Tell" and "should" according to consensus of scholars is a command..not a request.

fayax

I dont need to google anything. Google is not an authority in my life - -Quran is. If you live by google then more power to you. I also could care less about french people and the muslims that welcome such a rule against their own religion.

BTW this person in Iran was asked why the talk of revolution and his answer was that we cant listen to american music and we cant go to the beach and men and women have to be related or married to be able to be out together.

Mighty forceful arguments from a Muslim eh? So in essence what they are fighting for is freedoms that go against the Islamic principles.

If they want to listen to American music so much they can move to a non-Muslim country.

Remeber, whats rigth according to Islam should be the right for the muslims. So being a muslim you cannot say that this or that portion of Islam is wrong. You take it all, completely. You cannot pick and choose.

janab-e-ali

I think you didn't read the article correctly. The French Council for the Muslim Religion condemned the ban as a measure that could potentially, "deepen social rifts and threaten civil liberties."

On a historical point, the Iranian ban on the chador was in place briefly during the 1940's during the reign of the Shah's father. The Shah was actually the one who revoked the ban, preferring instead to encourage liberalization of purdah practices through the examples set by his family and associates.

Getting back to the main point...I don't wear a burqa, or cover my head for that matter. But if I wish to do so, then it's my decision to make...not Mr. Sarkozy's or any other politician's. How, pray tell, is Iran or Saudi Arabia's forced purdah any differed from France's forced unveiling? Both represent the government overstepping its role and interfering with basic personal freedoms. If I want to wear a burqa, it should be my decision. If I want to wear a miniskirt, it should be my decision as well...and I would appreciate it if people like you didn't try to undermine my right to dress myself as I see fit.

I'd also like to point out that in many conservative, predominantly lower class families, purdah is a woman's only ticket to an education. There are plenty of conservative women who pursue an active role in the world outside their homes because they can do so in purdah, simultaneously respecting their personal beliefs (even if it isnt specifically mentioned in the Qoran) and actively participating in the society around them.

Don't patronizingly inform us that we're being oppressed, and then in the same breath attempt to further strip us of our right to independently decide how we dress ourselves.

CM

I guess both of you in the West don't care much for religious freedom of the Universal declaration on Human Rights.

I am book marking this thread, because any one of your *******s posts *****ing about religious minorities in a muslim country, I will just post this right underneath your post.

You have no respect for basic human rights unless it proves your color of skin is different.

Shamraz Khan

It says nothing about burka. BTW, as you and I both know that authenticity of Quran cannot be questioned therefore I'd appreciate if you point me to a reference in Quran where it says burka is mandatory.

Shamraz Khan

Isn't funny that universal declaration on human rights only applies to muslims in non mulsim countries? When we start respecting others' beliefs, cultures and way of life then and ony then we will have a right to complain about our rights being violated by others. Otherwise the hypocrites are us.

SaadiaB

Well his own current wife posed naked in front of the whole nation, so he would be against any type of covering.

fayax

Thats a very ridiculous statement. dont you yourself agree ?

The word burqa or burka is not the word used in Quran. The word used for the garment that hides the form of a woman is jilbab ... thats the word used. I am not going to entertain your ridicuous comment about where is BURKA used in Quran, any further.


You want a list of words used in different places for burka and its equivalents? here is the LINK

If you want to read the Quran with understanding and without ridicule, I am sure you know where to get one.

Just because you are a Pakistani and use the word Burka/burqa and try to question the Quran is not my problem...thats yours. Whether you wear it or not is not the question here. The main point is that those women who CHOOSE to wear it, ( the whole thing with the face covering OR the just the lower part without the face covering) it is their choice..and the government should not intervene on their standards of modesty.


Under the guise of seeking knowledge please dont ask people to provide you with direct quotes from Quran, and when provided come up with a ridiculous statement like you made above! TSK TSK !