Egyptian scholar slams French president for anti-veil remarks
By Ramadan Al Sherbini, Correspondent
Published: June 23, 2009, 17:50
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Egypt/10325429.html (linked from
http://EuropeNews.dk)
Cairo: French President Nicolas Sarkozy is 'not qualified' to judge the Muslim women's dress code, said Muslim clerics in reaction to his branding of full-body veils as a sign of servitude.
"This man is not qualified to tell Muslim women what they should or should not wear," said Moustafa Al Shaka'a, a member of the Islamic Research Centre, an influential arm of Al Azhar, the Sunni Muslim world's prestigious institution.
"First, he (Sarkozy) does not believe in Islam, which is a heavenly religion that holds women in high regard. Another reason is that he belongs to a culture, which is unfair to women," Al Shaka'a told Gulf News.
"One example, Islam gives women the right to keep her family's name after marriage, which is not the case in the West."
Sarkozy said on Monday that the burqa is "not welcome" in his country.
"The burqa is not a religious sign, it’s a sign of servitude,” Sarkozy told both houses of parliament. He added that the burqa, largely donned in Afghanistan, is a violation of women’s “dignity and freedom".
A group of French lawmakers have called for a ban on the burqa and Sarkozy asked them to "open a debate" on the issue. More common in France is still the niqab, a full-face veil with slits for the eyes. "Neither the burqa or the niqab is ordered by Islam," said Al Shaka'a, who is also a noted Muslim scholar. "They are local costumes, but Muslim women should not be forced to remove them. It's a matter of personal freedom."
There was no official comment from Al Azhar on Sarkozy's remarks. However, Egypt's Ministry of Waqfs (Religious Endowments) has recently started a campaign against wearing the niqab in this predominantly Muslim country. The campaign entails nationwide courses to discourage niqab-wearers.
Topic: Egyptian cleric strikes back at Sarkozy's burqa stance (Read 1060 times)