Take a look at the video of the fascinating discussion on the banning of the niqab which saw the Mona Eltahawy, British-Egyptian feminist take on Tariq Ramadan’s dishonest dissembling.
The debate was electric, not least because this is probably one of the only times you will ever hear the “Muslim right wing” as a stakeholder in the niqab debate identified on British TV.
Kirsty Wark: But the question, surely, is not whether there are feminist reasons for wearing the veil or not. It is ‘why is wearing the veil becoming more prevalent rather than less prevalanet’?
Mona Eltahawy: I think it has become more prevalent because the space has been left completely uncontested to the Muslim right wing which does not respect anyone’s rights whatsoever except for this one right to cover a woman’s face. No one has pushed back against the Muslim right wing. I detest the political right wing but I equally detest the Muslim right wing and I will not sacrifice women. Integration has largely failed across Europe even in the UK, with multiculturalism. But we’re not going to sacrifice women for it.
16 Comments
Fasiqs/Fasiqas, munafiqs and murtad kafirs always oppose Muslims having religious rights.
Hold that for a minute. So Mona Eltahawy who is a muslim woman is a “fasiqa” (morally corrupt), a hypocrite and an apostate for…wait for it…wanting the right to oppose the “religious law” of the veil?
wtf!!??
And anyone who thinks “marwan” is not representative of a certain point of view prevalent in the muslim community, today in the UK in the 21st century, should pinch themselves.
Mona Eltahawy’s point sails miles above Marwan’s head.
Islamists are always the first to bleat about their rights being deprived them. These “rights” mainly being, it appears, the “rights” to deprive others of their rights.
you’ve changed your position on this one Faisal..? And pray tell me why..?
I haven’t changed my position on this Bonbibi.
I oppose a total ban of the niqab, although limited bans with restrictions in banks, hopitals, schools are inevitable. Adults should have the choice to wear what they want. Banning does nothing to promote the real choice that free, liberal, pluralist societies offer citizens: contrasted with the lack of choice that Islamist regimes would offer the religious and the non religious alike.
Now a hijab ban would be counter-productive. Not least because
1) Although it can be seen to be a symbol of support for Islamist or jihadi politics it is also common in communities where Muslims are more likely to follow quietist doctrines such as Barelvi and Deobandi. Why should these people be alienated by a niqab ban?
2) I agree with Damien Green in thinking that banning a garment is “un-British” – unlike the French, we don’t obsess about what people wear!
In the instances where communities adopt the hijab for seperatist or “Islamist” reasons, it must be borne in mind that the hijab is no more than a symbol of faith-identity. In which case it can only be opposed by political means not legislative. You may ban the wearing of a piece of cloth but you can’t ban the identity of the person wearing it.
But it should also be remembered that many women in countries with Islamist governments who are beaten and brutalised for refusing to wear a veil, not to mention the same in moderate muslim countries. This is where I join you and people like Mona Eltahawy in fighting to uphold their rights.
When I watched the programme I thought Ms. Eltahawy seemed to be something of a rara avis (and even possibly an atheist). In the UK, there’s more of those dishonest dissemblers, and they are the ones that the Tories want to keep happy because, let’s face it, Mr. Ramadan isn’t going to vote for the Greens any day soon.
“But it should also be remembered that many women in countries with Islamist governments who are beaten and brutalised for refusing to wear a veil, not to mention the same in moderate muslim countries. This is where I join you and people like Mona Eltahawy in fighting to uphold their rights.”
And that many women in secularist states like Turkey, France or Tunisia are DENIED their rights because they want to wear hijab or niqab. Something you hypocrites are totally supportive of !
“Mona Eltahawy, British-Egyptian feminist ”
Mona Eltahawy is an Egyptian journalist who works alot in the States . How on earth is she a “British-Egyptian feminist” , retard?
Eh!? I don’t support niqab bans and last time I looked, no one is banned from wearing the niqab in Turkey, France or Tunisia. Read the fucking manual!
“Mona Eltahawy is an Egyptian journalist who works alot in the States . How on earth is she a “British-Egyptian feminist” , retard?”
I assumed because I understand she grew up went to school in England. But you must know better!
“unlike the French, we don’t obsess about what people wear!”
This is not the French position, of course.
Tariq talking nonsense as usual
Mona, don’t talk on behalf of women. You know nothing.
Mr.Tariq was the only one making sense.
T Ramadan sucks camel cock
You’re completely correct, Faisal. But idiots like marwan are, unfortunately, not atypical. When they post nonsense like:
“And that many women in secularist states like Turkey, France or Tunisia are DENIED their rights because they want to wear hijab or niqab. Something you hypocrites are totally supportive of !”
the underlying delusion is something like “If we repeat this enough, it becomes true.”
It doesn’t, but I guess it’s fun to make things up.