Why Insist on Veiling Muslim Women and Why is it banned in France?

Iranian veiled women for vigil for the rape and killing of Elnaz Babazadeh. Source: persian2english.

An Iranian Woman Elnaz Babazadeh (26) was raped and killed (read here). What's the reason? She was "improperly dressed".

"The intentions of the savage Basij members was to put a stop to the “improper” way women in society dressed. Basij members believe this is their duty to God."

Perhaps, wearing a proper "burqa" would have saved her life. Is it?

In France, the wearing of "burqa" soon will be banned in public.

Paris, France (CNN) -- France's lower house of parliament Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a ban on any veils that cover the face -- including the burqa, the full-body covering worn by some Muslim women.

The vote was 335 to 1.

The measure must still go to the French Senate before it becomes law. The Senate is expected to vote on it in the week of September 20.

Amnesty International immediately condemned the vote.

"A complete ban on the covering of the face would violate the rights to freedom of expression and religion of those women who wear the burqa or the niqab in public as an expression of their identity or beliefs," said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's expert on discrimination in Europe.

French people back the ban by a margin of more than four to one, the Pew Global Attitudes Project found in a survey this spring [...]

An positive and objective reaction from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by Ms. Seif A. Somalya,  (Arab News)

Where is the war? There is no war on burqa or any particular type of dressing. What is being banned in an ever-growing number of European countries is the complete veiling of face in public places.

Some readers are either overreacting or just making a big deal out of this. There are continuous threats of terror, and veiling the face completely is considered a big security risk. All security apparatus, if they cannot identify the person, will be of no use. In many Western and secular countries women wear bikinis only when they are out in the swimming pool or engage in some aquatic activities. Nobody roams the streets wearing bikinis. Salima Hussain is exaggerating things.

“It is either burqa or bikini” argument is fallacious. Does she find bikini-clad women on Indian streets? We must view other societies through their value systems. It is not a question of vice versus virtue; it is basically a subtle clash of civilizations. Rightly or wrongly, many of these European countries fear a creeping Talebanization of their Muslim citizens. No country has banned hijab per se; it is only complete veiling of face that is frowned on. In Western countries the judiciary is very powerful and one can always appeal to the relevant courts for constitutional protection. Failing this, the best course is to migrate to those countries where niqab is considered a normal way of life."

Perhaps it's a very good advise from a Muslim woman. If Muslim women can't take a secular state's decision, there's Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India-- the best choices for migration and have the joy of wearing full hijab WITHOUT RESTRICTION.

It's not common but it’s good to read positive and objective comments right from Muslims across the world in reaction to the banning of Burqas being worn by Muslim women in secular states like France. Once it’s signed into law, it will be the first law in Europe.

With the up surging tide of Muslim migrants to secular Western countries such as France (thanks to their democratic governments and tolerance) their presence and influence has stirred the acceptance of Western citizens by imposing Halal food in their fast food restaurants and Muslim women wearing Burqa covering the face except the eyes in public places.

These influence imposes Islamism right within French’ secular society introducing Islamic cultures and practices. It’s the beginning of the so called “clash of civilizations.”

Why women are wearing Burqas? Why they’re wearing them in public? Why it becomes an issue?

According to Wikipedia

“A burqa (Arabic pronunciation: [ˈbʊrqa]; also transliterated burkha, burka or burqua from Arabic: برقع‎ burqu‘ or burqa‘ ) is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the purpose of hiding a female's body when out in public.”

A burqa is usually associated with wearing the hijab (headscarf) and the niqab (face covering) which is strictly implemented in former Taliban controlled Afghanistan.

Its origin is found in the Quran Sura Nur (Chapter: The Light". Verse 31 it says:

"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss. "

I would like to understand this Quranic verse this way. That female beauty attracts males. And when a male is attracted, he is aroused and that arousal means having no control over sex that by covering a lady's beauty, the possibility of sinning could be prevented.  I might be wrong but still my opinion is valid.

If that so, those who insist on veiling women view sex filthy, dirty, and evil. So the desire of seeing an uncovered woman is synonymous to having actual sex with the woman uncovered.

Does it mean women are agents of the devil and that their beauty is a clear temptation from the Devil? What a poor gender.  They were born to be instrument of the Devil for possessing that beauty.

I can only sympathize for women in Saudi Arabia, Taliban controlled Afghanistan, Pakistan and India whose rights of choosing was never given.

So why Burqa became a political issue in France? Is it viewed as Islamism" of the West? Or is it an effect of alleged "Islamophobia". But for Mr. Rober Spencer, it's the other way  around. Here is his personal suggestion on how to counter "Islamophobia" by JihadWatch.org

On "Islamophobia" by Robert Spencer

IN Saudi Arabia, WOMEN ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR the Abaya (same as Burqa). It is MANDATED by the SAUDI ARABIAN law.They have no other choice.

The Abaya should be black. For the authorities, black conceals any attraction and attention from any possible onlookers. All other colors are strictly forbidden. Women wearing black Abayas with embroidered colorful designs are strictly warned by the Muttawas (religious police) or may be severely punished according to their law.

Abayas should not be body-fitted. They should be loose covering from nape to hills. Some families require their female memberss to wear a complete burqa, covering the whole face, the hands and the toe nails. Any Abayas that conceals the contour of a woman’s body (sexy body so to speak) is strictly warned by the Muttawas and any violation has a corresponding severe punishment.

Veiled women (Burqa) in former Islamic Taliban Afghanistan as prescribed by their society.

In the Taliban Afghanistan, the veiling of women was extremely harsh. Punishment for anyone who defies this strict observance of Shariah (Islam rule) was severely punished in public, to some degree, physical punishment in public was just a norm.

Saudi Muslim Women wearing what was prescribed by their society

Non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia wearing "abaya" as the Islamic state requires.

In other words, WOMEN HAVE NO CHOICE but to follow what the Islamic Law (Shariah) allows as Halal (lawful).

The wearing of Burqa in France and any city in the West is not similar to women wearing Burqa in strict Islamic societies I have mentioned.  As I understand Muslim female wearing Burqas in the West HAVE  THE CHOICE and PERSONAL FREEDOM to wear them therefore Muslim women in the West can freely choose not to wear the complete Hijab.  It's the other way of saying "I'm proud to be a Muslim" accusing Muslims of "Supremacist ideology" being implemented in the West.  We should note that  innon-Muslims cannot freely practice their faith in Islamic states such as Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.

Muslim women in France demanding their freedom to wear the "hijab" while non-Muslims in Islamic states are not allowed to exercise their rights NOT TO WEAR the abaya.

In other words, the wearing of hijab in France is politically motivated with religious undertones.  But since radical and extremist Muslims use these identities for terroristic activities, France secular laws prohibits women from wearing full burqa or hijab covering the face.

Banning the wearing of Hijab in France is reasonable.  Western countries are bracing itself from constant threat of terrorist attacks mostly perpetuated by Muslim (as they identify themselves with Islam).  Muslims on the other hand cannot blame non-Muslims for stereotyping them.  They should make a bold step in criticizing their own and start denouncing any desire by Muslim extremists to replace Western secular laws to Sharia.

Mr. Rober Spencer should be credited for honestly bringing his cause for JihadWatch, unless Muslims can do something about the growing menace in the world by "Islamic" insurgents from Philippines to Paris.