The Forum > Article Comments > Going burq-o > Comments
Going burq-o : Comments
By Katy Barnett, published 21/5/2010Should our own discomfort be a reason for banning the burqa in Australia?
- Pages:
-
- 1
- 2
- 3
- ...
- 18
- 19
- 20
- Page 21
-
- All
Posted by CJ Morgan, Sunday, 30 May 2010 10:52:37 PM
| |
The Koran has nothing definitive on the burqa.
The requirement of both men and women is that they dress modestly. In the most extreme Islamic communities this is applied disproportionately to women, who not only have to completely cover up, but are also denied freedom of movement, freedom of association, freedom of education etc. No where is this garb or anything like it applied to men. The burqa is not just another garment like trousers, or a hat, it is the single most overt expression of the domination of men over women closely followed by female circumcision. While I hear cries of outrage over the suggestion that a non harmful "ritual nick" be allowed for those that might otherwise transport their daughters overseas for the far more serious version, the wearing of the burqa in Australia is pushed as a right of religious free expression. The burqa is not like wearing a Jewish skull cap or a cross around the neck, and to pretend it is, is at best a vast oversimplification of the issue, and to claim that all who wish to ban it are islamophobes is being either naive or deliberately misleading. Posted by Shadow Minister, Monday, 31 May 2010 1:11:43 PM
| |
The burqa is not worn in Australia. Nor is it worn in France. It is worn in Afganistan but that is about the limit as far as i'm aware.
What is worn is the niqab. Posted by grateful, Saturday, 12 June 2010 2:40:31 AM
| |
grateful
I beg to differ. In my capacity as a Public Servant I had to interview a woman in the full burqa and she was accompanied by a male, who sat silently behind her throughout the interview. I could not make eye contact or form any kind of communication bridge - something I could always do with just about anyone. Yes the burqa being worn in Western countries is such a rarity that putting a law out to ban them is absurd. Nor would I dictate to the woman I interviewed how she should dress herself. But my lasting impressions of her was not of an independent woman - I felt a great sadness that I could not reach her in a human way. It is such a vexed issue. I loathe the burqa for the piece of misogynistic invention that it is. However, all I can do is hope that as people become more comfortable living in Australia they will adopt less paralysing forms of clothing as they do our culture. The best one can do is extend friendship instead of commands. Posted by Severin, Saturday, 12 June 2010 10:35:41 AM
| |
Severin
What does your department's policy say about obtaining proof of identity? Is the audit committee happy with interviews and disclosure of private information to people in burqas and face concealing clothing accessories? What policy permits a burqa-clad person to get past your counter and into your main office area? For interest, if say a person was being interviewed for a possible fraud or other abuse of government entitlements would departmental investigators eg the fraud unit similarly allow the wearing of a face concealing clothing accessory? Posted by Cornflower, Saturday, 12 June 2010 3:18:33 PM
| |
The Qur'an:
Qur'an (24:31) - Commands women to "draw their headscarves" over their neckline as well. Qur'an (33:59) - "Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them..." From the Hadith: Bukhari (6:321) - Muhammad is asked whether it is right for a young woman to leave her house without a veil. He replies, "She should cover herself with the veil of her companion." Bukhari (60:282) - After Muhammad issued the command (Qur'an 24:31) for women to cover themselves, the women responded by tearing up sheets to cover their faces. Abu Dawud (32:4092) - The Apostle of Allah... said: "O Asma', when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands" This was according to Aisha. Abu Dawud (2:641) - The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil. http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/007-veils.htm Posted by Proxy, Saturday, 12 June 2010 3:26:39 PM
|
Do try and keep up.