Lustful F-law

I might just be one of the last to be writing on the French law (F-law) - which surely is a Flaw - i.e. the banning of 'niqaab' in public places which came into effect early this week. The law was proposed last year and was overwhelming and unanimously approved by the French parliament. France has the highest Muslim population among other European countries and with approximately 5 million adherents; Islam is the second largest religion being practiced in the country.

The law is surely a breach of basic human right to choose how to dress. In a pro-democratic country like France, such a law exposes the face of 'freedom of expression', which the French government like its allies, claims to believe in and enforce others into. The F-law goes against their own motto “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité” i.e. ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’.

The F-law states that whoever forces any woman to wear a niqaab will be fined heavily, but ironically the Sarkozy government wants to force women to not to wear them; so-much-so for a government of the people, by the people and for the people; if we are to go by Abraham Lincoln's famous definition of democracy. According to the French government only around 2000 women wear the niqaab, then what is bothering them to make such a law? If such a 'small' number of women are actually wearing the niqaab, what is the need to make a general law to dictate how to dress (or should I say how not to dress!).

One of the primary reasons given for this F-law is security concerns. We, as Muslims, are also concerned about security and safety of everyone, but a F-law like this does not ease the concern. Banning niqaabs will in no way assure safety and security per se. Yes, wherever required women can be asked to undo the face veil and reveal their identity. But banning niqaab in general makes no sense.

Further, according to them women who wear niqaab are suppressed and subjugated; hence their motive is to uplift the women. What is their definition of uplifting a woman? Is it that, the more a woman reveals her body, the more she is uplifted? The more skin shown, the more liberated? How do you think ‘uplifting’ face-veil, will ‘uplift’ a woman? How can you liberate someone by degrading her modesty? The F-law is nothing but an obnoxious move to dictate their version of democracy. It is a law for people, forced upon them without asking them. Surely, there were polls conducted with general French and majority favoured the ban, but what needs to be understood is that almost all of them, do not wear the face-veil and neither must they be knowing why is it prescribed in Islam. It makes no sense one asking second and with that view forcing something on the third!

While the Muslims around the world are rightly condemning the French action, we even need to ask ourselves why is it so easy for the non-Muslims and Islam haters, these days to do what they want to against Islam and Muslims? Why is it getting so easy for them to abuse, malign and disrespect Islam and Shariah, every now and then? In reality, a huge part of the blame is on us! It is our incompetency that today we are away from Qur’an and Sunnah! We are away from the Deen of Allaah and invariably making ourselves prey to such and other Fitan (i.e. trials, tribulations, afflictions, calamities; singular: Fitnah). We need to go back to the Book of Allaah and Sunnah of RasoolAllaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم).  We have become duniya-oriented, we love this duniya and Allaah is causing us disgrace and humiliation in this duniya itself. We need to understand Islam properly and practice it correctly, without which we will remain vulnerable of Allaah’s Punishment here and in the Hereafter. [Further Reading: Wake up O Muslims!]

• Muslims should take this as a lesson and a wake up call and revert back to the correct understanding and practice of the Deen.
• We need to practice Sabr and see to it that we do not resort to any kind of violence or other sort of unIslamic activities, while simultaneously asking for Help from Allaah.
• We should turn this as a Da’wah opportunity and educate non-Muslims with the correct teachings of Islam.
• We should use every right mean to try to scrap-off the ban. The governments of ‘Muslim’ countries should take up the matter at the political level as well.
• We should learn and know how to best reply in such situations.
• We should stick to Qur’an and Sunnah and let not anyone play with our emotions and drive us to do anything wrong and unIslamic.

May Allaah make it easy for the Muslims in France and other parts of the world and unite this Ummah under the flag of Tawheed and Guide those who are not aware of the beautiful Religion of Islam.. Aameen..