British Muslim Women Respect Fatwa, Keep Hijab
 

CAIRO, July 30, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – While respecting a recent fatwa by a leading British Muslim scholar allowing them to take off hijab to avoid spiralling harassment, a number of young British Muslim women said they would keep their religious dress code and seek police protection against racists.

"As a British citizen I have every right to wear my hijab, which is part of my Muslim identity," Yusra, a University of London student, told IslamOnline.net by phone, referring to the Constitution’s freedom of religion article.

"If harassed because of my religion, I would immediately resort to the Metropolitan Police to protect me from racists."

She maintained that taking off her hijab would be tantamount to giving in to extremists and racists "who would not stop at that".

Sheikh Zaki Badawi, the principal of the Muslim College in London and chairman of the Council of Mosques and Imams in Britain, told IOL Thursday, July 28, that Muslim women in Britain can don off their hijab to head off racist attacks.

"I have issued a fatwa that Muslim women in Britain have an Islamic right to take off their hijab at this point of time if attacked or fearing to be attacked," he said, citing 15,00 assault against hijab-clad women in three days.

A Guardian/ICM poll published Tuesday, July 26, indicated that nearly half a million Muslims contemplated leaving Britain after the London attacks.

Allaa Al-Samarai, another student, said it is up to each Muslim woman to make up such a decision.

"One might use the fatwa authorization and take off her hijab and that would be her right, but personally I will keep my hijab to gain God’s reward," she said.

Her colleague Hiba Al-Ramadani said it makes no sense that Muslim women take off their hijab whenever they face a problem.

"Otherwise, we will gradually lose our Muslim identity and this will greatly undermine the Muslim minority in Britain," estimated at some 1.7 million people, she said.

Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one’s affiliations.

The issue has taken central stage in Europe particularly after a French bill banning hijab in public schools and institutions.

Wisan Al-Tikriti, a student in Leeds University, begged to differ with Badawi over the "need" to take off hijab at this crucial time.

"I respect Dr. Badawi who is trying to safeguard the dignity and protect the lives of British Muslim women," she said.

"But I do not think there is a real need necessitating British Muslims to take off their hijab."

Mokhtar Al-Badri, the deputy chairman of the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), echoed a similar position.

"If necessity arises, we will undoubtedly back up Badawi’s fatwa," he told IOL.

Badri said "individual" racist attacks on Muslims in Britain following the London terrorist attacks do not necessitate such a fatwa.

The Muslim Safety Forum (MSF), an umbrella group of Muslim organizations advising the police, said on Thursday that attacks on Asians and religious minorities in London have leapt more than 500 percent since the July 7 bombings.

There have been more than 230 faith-related crimes recorded by London police since the attacks on the city's transport system that killed 56 people including four bombers.