Bishop calls for burka ban: Pakistani-born Church of England cleric voices support for outlawing veil in public

A senior Church of England bishop last night called for a near-total ban on the wearing of burkas in public.

The former Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, said burkas and niqabs should be outlawed in a wide range of situations where people interact, including in hospitals, GP surgeries, universities and schools.

The cleric said a ban should also extend to areas where there were legitimate security and safety concerns, such as at airports or while driving a car. However, he said it was acceptable for women to wear face veils at home, while in the street and at prayer.

The controversial call from the Pakistani-born bishop, who led the Diocese of Rochester between 1994 and 2009, drew support last night from Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury. Lord Carey said ‘oppressive’ veils should not become ‘normalised’. [Daily Mail] Read more

Frenzy about the burka is no help to women

.... Nor should we hold back from examining exactly what “choice” means. Are Muslim women really choosing the hijab if state primary schools, against all Koranic teaching and despite campaigns by secular feminists, have allowed it to be imposed upon them from early childhood?

Why did husbands in the Open Society study mainly encourage wives to veil? To keep them from other men’s eyes, to possess and contain them? Britain should consider French and Danish legislation which imposes hefty fines and imprisonment on anyone forcing a woman to cover.

There are a thousand better ways to support Muslim women than a burka ban. We could insist that Islamic marriage is accompanied by a state ceremony to give Muslim wives legal divorce rights; support the campaign One Law for All to diminish the role of Sharia courts; invest in English lessons for foreign brides; prosecute forced marriage with more vigour.

.... Do those who favour a burka ban really seek a tolerant society? Or do they need extremes: hate figures in black veils, “letterboxes” and “bank robbers”. Meanwhile Islamists long to portray these defiant burka-wearers as victims. Both want clear-cut lines, a battle that may hit the streets, end up with slapped women, and children who having witnessed their mother’s humiliation may turn to violence. In our volatile times, we must ask if we want to build a cohesive society or fight an unwinnable war [The Times (£)] Read more

Questioning the misogynistic veil isn’t racist

.... the purpose of veiling is to “stop men’s thoughts about women”. This not only effectively places the blame for sexual harassment and assault on women and girls, it also positions men as bestial victims of their uncontrollable urges. It is insulting to all, and when applied to veiling youngsters, it implicitly sexualises children and normalises paedophilia. How can any thinking person with a functioning moral compass defend such blatant misogyny?

The lazy cultural relativism of those who express shock and disgust at Boris Johnson’s comments, without ever thinking of women such as Hessa leaves those who are most marginalised at risk. But those of us who are free to criticise shouldn’t be shamed into silence; people, like me, who aren’t from Muslim backgrounds have a duty to call out all oppressive practices, not just those that affect us. Failing to see the sexism behind the veil is cowardly and careless racism. [UnHerd] Read more

Boris Johnson critic Lord Sheikh receives abusive emails after complaining about burka ‘letterbox’ comments

.... He said he’s received 75 emails since calling on Johnson to resign. Fifteen were complimentary, while the rest included “offensive language” and “horrible things, obscene things about the Prophet Muhammad”. Johnson’s comments have caused a rift in the Tory Party, who are currently investigating dozens of complaints against the former London Mayor.

Tory chairman Brandon Lewis is among those calling on him to apologise. And a letter signed by around 100 Muslim women who wear the burka or niqab has been sent to Mr Lewis calling for the former Foreign Secretary to lose the party whip. They accused him of making a deliberate choice to “inflame tensions in a way which makes it easier for bigots to justify hate crimes against us”. [inews.co.uk] Read more

Bus driver disciplined for asking Muslim woman to remove veil

A bus driver has been disciplined after asking a Muslim woman to remove her face veil, telling passengers: “This world is dangerous.”

The 20-year-old woman was with her two-month-old baby when the driver of a First service into Bristol city centre told her he did not know what she was capable of doing if he could not see her face.

The woman, who has not been named, told Bristol Live: “He said I was scary and I was dangerous, and he kept talking about it during the journey. I didn’t say anything.

“He continued to insult me, and he made me out to be a terrorist, and kept saying everyone should see each other’s faces. He asked why I was wearing a balaclava. He was insinuating I was going to bomb the bus.”

The woman said the incident had made her feel “horrible and disappointed”.

“I get that he might not be from the country, so maybe he has never seen a person with a face veil, but for him to treat me like that in a public place is wrong,” she said. “It’s 2018, we shouldn’t be like that. I’m being stereotyped.” [The Guardian] Read more

Rowan Atkinson defends Boris Johnson over burka 'joke'

Boris Johnson has been defended by comedian Rowan Atkinson following his recent comments about burkas.

The actor, best known for playing Mr Bean and Blackadder, described the remarks as funny.

The former foreign secretary has also won the support of ex-cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell, who called the comments "colourful" but not against the law.

The Conservative Party have decided Mr Johnson should be investigated by an independent panel following complaints his comments breached the Tories' code of conduct.

The Uxbridge MP compared women who wear the burka to "bank robbers" and questioned why they would "go around looking like letter boxes". [Sky News] Read more

Ottawa mosque loses charity status for promoting ‘hate and intolerance’

The federal government has stripped one of Ottawa’s largest mosques of its charity status over “activities that promote hate and intolerance,” Global News has learned.

The Canada Revenue Agency took action against the Ottawa Islamic Centre and Assalam Mosque following audits that raised concerns about its roster of guest speakers.

“Many of the views expressed by the organization’s speakers are misogynistic, homophobic, racist and/or promote violence,” the CRA Charities Branch wrote in a letter sent to the mosque president.

The CRA was also concerned that “radicalized individuals” had attended the mosque, one of whom, Ashton Larmond, is now imprisoned for attempting to join the so-called Islamic State. [Global News] Read more

Boris Johnson is a buffoon but if there's one thing we all need to agree on it's that our society is built on the absolute freedom to disagree

.... Ten years ago, you could (just about) say that the rise of the burka on the streets of our cities made you feel a bit uncomfortable, as if one group of people wanted to feel separate from the rest of society.

God forbid you voice that point of view now - you're called an islamophobe, a racist and God knows what else within seconds on social media. We have entered a puritanical age with black and white and nothing in between. No debate, just shrieking statements.

The latest spat about the burka has brought out the worse in all concerned, and laid bare our lily-livered snowflake society, full of knee jerk reactions and bids for Twitter stardom.

.... Boris Johnson is a publicity-seeking buffoon, who would make just about the worst Prime Minister on record. He thrives on the oxygen of publicity, which explains his latest rantings about women in burkas looking like 'letterboxes', made at a time when he's not in any position of real power.

Actually, he was making a valid point - that Denmark's decision to ban wearing the burka in the street - following France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the German republic of Bavaria- was ill-advised. He said 'women should be free to wear what they want'. Correct answer. [Daily Mail] Read more

It’s a fiction to suggest that there was no plot by Islamist hardliners to take over state schools

The imagery could not be clearer. A schoolgirl looks startled. A white hand grabs at her jumper. Another pulls at her hijab. Well integrated – she wears pink nail varnish – and hard working – she clutches her exercise book – she is none the less under attack by a powerful, white adversary.

This photograph, published by the Guardian and the BBC, and used to market a play shown this week at the Edinburgh Festival, conveys exactly the message the writers of Trojan Horse want.

.... There is plenty more evidence that proves Trojan Horse involved a campaign to transform, illegally, secular schools into austere Islamic faith schools. Telling the affected communities – poor, isolated and vulnerable to extremism – that it was instead an Islamophobic plot by government is wrong. Doing so will cause division, undermine faith in the authorities, and promote behaviour that is antithetical to British values. Deliberate or not, Left-wingers in the arts and media risk playing the extremists’ game. Any attempt to rewrite the history of Trojan Horse must not be allowed to succeed. [The Telegraph] Read more

Tories should ignore self-appointed Muslim leaders

.... What’s at stake here is the desire of Warsi and others to be the official voice of all Britain’s Muslims, even though there is no evidence that Muslims as a whole want that. They’re right that anti-Muslim hate crimes are rising but that’s a matter for the police. They’re right that the Tories have some pretty unsavoury characters but that’s something the party has to sort out for itself.

In their narrow focus on issues such as “Islamophobia” and foreign policy, they ignore the reality that many Muslims are more interested in the same issues as the wider population: jobs, education and the NHS.

The Tories should ignore the calls for an official investigation into the party’s problem with Muslims. That’s not to say the Conservatives don’t have a problem with Muslim voters, and ethnic minorities generally. They do. But it is for the voters to punish them if they come up short. That’s how democracy works. [The Times (£)] Read more

Boris Johnson burka row: Tories should ditch MP, peer says

Boris Johnson should be kicked out of the Conservative Party for his remarks about the burka, a Muslim peer says.

Conservative Muslim Forum founder Lord Sheikh told Newsnight demands from the PM for an apology were not enough.

He has called for Mr Johnson to have the whip removed - meaning the MP would no longer represent the Tory party.

Mr Johnson said Muslim women wearing burkas "look like letter boxes" and compared them to "bank robbers". A source said he stood by the comments.

Conservative peer Baroness Warsi - the first Muslim woman to sit in a British cabinet - said comments like Mr Johnson's could lead to a rise in hate crime in the UK.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said there was no reason not to have a "robust conversation", but added: "We're not talking to our friends in the pub, we are public figures and we have an additional obligation to be careful." [BBC] Read more

High Court rules Muslim ‘marriage’ void rather than non-marriage

A woman who had a Muslim 'marriage' ceremony but not a civil one is entitled to a decree of nullity which rules her marriage void, the High Court has ruled.

Last week Mr Justice Williams declared that Nasreen Akhter and Mohammed Shabaz Khan had a void marriage rather than a non-marriage.

He ruled that the couple had "a marriage entered into in disregard of certain requirements as to the formation of marriage". Under the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1973 this entitled Akhter to a decree of nullity, which rules a marriage void.

The decision means the provisions of civil divorce law will apply and Akhter will be entitled to protection under English law.

The couple had an Islamic wedding ceremony (a nikah) in 1998 but did not have a civil ceremony. They lived together as a married couple for 18 years and had four children, living in London, Birmingham and Dubai. In 2016 the 'wife' went to court to ask for a divorce. [National Secular Society] Read more

Boris Johnson and the liberal criticism of Islam

.... What Boris’s shrill detractors are really demanding is that he respect everything about Islam. That he be unquestioning towards this religion. That he celebrate it and love it, unconditionally. But why should he? His responsibility, as a politician, is to never interfere with people’s religious freedom; he doesn’t have to like people’s religious beliefs.

The attacks on Boris are a reactionary, illiberal assault on his right to be critical of certain aspects of religious ideology. People are not demanding that he support freedom of religion, because it is clear from his column that he already does. Rather, they are demanding that he bow and scrape before Islamic values and never criticise them again. This is a medieval demand, a war on heresy, dressed up as a progressive critique. [The Spectator] Read more

Boris Johnson refuses to apologise for burka comments as Theresa May says they 'offended people'

Boris Johnson has rejected calls to apologise for his comments about Muslim women wearing burkas as Theresa May said they had "offended people".

The former Foreign Secretary accused his critics of mounting "ridiculous" attacks and attempting to "shut down" legitimate debate.

However the Prime Minister said in Scotland that politicians have to be "very careful" about the language they use as she called on him to apologise.

It comes after Mr Johnson said in an article for The Telegraph that women who wear face veils look like "bank robbers" and "letter boxes", leading to accusations that he was fuelling.... [The Telegraph] Read more

Tories are in denial on Islamophobia, says hero imam

The imam hailed for his heroism in the Finsbury Park terror attack today condemns the Government’s “lacklustre” efforts to fight Islamophobia.

Mohammed Mahmoud accuses ministers of failing to show “meaningful engagement” with the Muslim community that is feeling increasingly “vulnerable”.

Writing exclusively for the Evening Standard, in his first article since the horrific incident in June last year, he said the Government’s actions were “lacklustre, or worse, in denial”.

.... He suggested Islamophobia was becoming more mainstream and backed calls for an independent inquiry into allegations of the issue made against Conservative Party members.

.... Official figures show reports of Islamophobic incidents are on the rise. More than 700 such offences have been reported to the Metropolitan Police so far this year. Westminster has the highest number, 82, followed by Tower Hamlets, 43, Brent, 41, Waltham Forest 38, Newham 37, Haringey, 35, Camden 34 and Southwark 33. [Evening Standard] Read more

Denmark has got it wrong. Yes, the burka is oppressive and ridiculous – but that's still no reason to ban it

.... If you tell me that the burka is oppressive, then I am with you. If you say that it is weird and bullying to expect women to cover their faces, then I totally agree – and I would add that I can find no scriptural authority for the practice in the Koran.

I would go further and say that it is absolutely ridiculous that people should choose to go around looking like letter boxes; and I thoroughly dislike any attempt by any – invariably male – government to encourage such demonstrations of “modesty”, notably the extraordinary exhortations of President Ramzan Kadyrov of Chechnya, who has told the men of his country to splat their women with paintballs if they fail to cover their heads.

.... I am against a total ban because it is inevitably construed – rightly or wrongly – as being intended to make some point about Islam. If you go for a total ban, you play into the hands of those who want to politicise and dramatise the so-called clash of civilisations; and you fan the flames of grievance.

You risk turning people into martyrs, and you risk a general crackdown on any public symbols of religious affiliation, and you may simply make the problem worse. Like a parent confronted by a rebellious teenager determined to wear a spike through her tongue, or a bolt through her nose, you run the risk that by your heavy-handed attempt to ban what you see as a bizarre and unattractive adornment you simply stiffen resistance. [The Telegraph] Read more

Forced marriage: Beaten and raped after wedding to cousin

A Muslim woman with a “very significant degree of learning disability” was beaten and raped after she was forced to marry a cousin in Bangladesh and he was given a visa, court records show.

The man was free to live with her in the Midlands despite her local council knowing she was forced to marry. He later admitted having sex with her and a court was told he was “very rough and abusive, smacking her head, shaking her, and yanking her eyelid”. She was saved after social workers became increasingly concerned for her welfare. [The Times (£)] Read more

Do Burqa Bans Do More Harm Than Good?

Denmark became the latest country to “ban the burqa” this week when its new law prohibiting the wearing of face coverings in public came into force.

Whilst the ban has been condemned as “discriminatory” by its critics, the Danish government insists that the law is not aimed at the religious. The law also forbids the wearing of balaclavas, face masks and fake beards, but there’s little doubt that the biggest impact will be on the relatively small number of Muslim women who wear the Islamic niqab and burqa.

Denmark is just one of a rising number of European nations to crack down on the wearing of face veils. Full or partial bans have been implemented in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Latvia, the Netherlands and in the southern German state of Bavaria.

The bans have come amid rising concerns across Europe about the growth of Islam and its influence on societies. Migration often has positive effects on countries, but it can have negative effects, too, and many European citizens are clearly concerned about the detrimental impact that Islam, or at least certain manifestations of it, is having across the continent. [The Huffington Post UK] Read more

Landmark ruling sees British court recognise sharia law for the first time as judge rules wife married in Islamic ceremony can make claim on husband's assets under UK law

A British court has recognised sharia law for the first time in a landmark decision as a judge ruled that a wife can claim her husband's assets in the split.

The decision came about after Nasreen Akhter wanted a divorce from her husband Mohammed Shabaz Khan. The couple were wed in an Islamic faith marriage in 1998.

Mr Khan wanted to block Mrs Akhter's divorce on the basis that they are 'not legally married' under English law and says they are married 'under Sharia law only'.

The High Court ruling on Wednesday said their union should be valid and recognised because their vows had similar expectations of a British marriage contract.

Mr Justice Williams said the marriage was considered to be void under section 11 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 due to it having been 'entered into in disregard of certain requirements as to the formation of marriage.' This meant that Mrs Akhter was 'entitled to a decree of nullity'.

Previously, Nikah marriages had been deemed legally non-existent, meaning that any party wishing to terminate the marriage had no legal recourse for any division of assets. [Daily Mail] Read more

Positives in Andy Burnham’s commission’s PREVENT report overshadowed by greater concerns

In September 2017, in the aftermath of the atrocities at Manchester Arena and a subsequent 500% rise in Islamophobic hate crimes, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham established the Greater Manchester Tackling Hateful Extremism and Promoting Social Cohesion Commission.

On 30th July 2018, the commission published a report exploring the findings of their review into tackling violent extremism and promoting social cohesion. While offering a number of valuable insights and policy recommendations regarding tackling inequalities that lead to social exclusion, the report also exhibits key perspectives and conclusions that are a great cause for concern, specifically regarding strategies for Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).

A particularly commendable outcome of the report is the manner in which it highlights the frequently underestimated role of socio-economic inequalities and reductions in public services in marginalising vulnerable individuals and contributing to the social exclusion of minorities. Amongst other admirable recommendations, this understanding leads the commission to call for greater investment in youth in overcoming barriers to “education, employment, training and socializing”. [MEND] Read more

Women defiant as Denmark's full-face veil ban comes into effect

DENMARK’S CONTROVERSIAL BAN on the Islamic full-face veil in public spaces came into force today as women protested the new measure which fines anyone wearing the garment.

Human rights campaigners have slammed the ban as a violation of women’s rights, while supporters argue it enables better integration of Muslim immigrants into Danish society.

Protests against the ban were planned in the capital Copenhagen and the second-biggest city Aarhus, with several hundred people expected to attend, some of them wearing the full-face veil.

A spokesman for the Copenhagen police said they did not plan to fine the protesters who violated the ban.

[TOP RATED COMMENT 2443 votes] Should be banned here too

[2ND 1864 ] If we go to Saudi Arabia etc we abide by their rules. If we Europeans welcome these people to our shores they should abide by our rules. Or else they are free to return from whence they came.

[3RD 987 ] I’m not for banning things but let’s not pretend the face veil has not come from a very misogynistic religious culture. Fenminsts defending the face veil are hilarious.

[4TH 857 ] Stopped reading after “Human rights campaigners have slammed the ban as a violation of women’s rights”.

[5TH 543 ] Well done Denmark [TheJournal.ie] Read more

Danish ban on Islamic full-face veil takes effect

Denmark's ban on the Islamic full-face veil in public spaces came into force on Wednesday, with anyone wearing a garment that hides the face in public risking a fine.

Human rights campaigners have slammed the ban as a violation of women's rights, while supporters argue it enables better integration of Muslim immigrants into Danish society.

Wearing a burqa, which covers the entire face, or the niqab, which shows only the eyes, in public will lead to a fine of 1,000 kroner ($156, 134 euros).

The ban also targets other items that hide the face such as balaclavas and false beards. Repeated violations will be fined up to 10,000 kroner. [AFP] Read more

Denmark’s Ban on Muslim Face Veil Is Met With Protest

Denmark’s ban on face veils in public took effect on Wednesday, setting off protests and reigniting a debate over a law that rights groups say discriminates against Muslim women.

The law, passed in May, does not specifically mention Muslim dress — it states that “anyone who wears a garment that hides the face in public will be punished with a fine” — but protesters say Muslim women are the intended target.

On Wednesday evening, women wearing the traditional Muslim face veil, known as a niqab, and full coverage burqas were joined by dozens of supporters wearing makeshift coverings and handkerchiefs tied across their faces at a protest in central Copenhagen. A simultaneous demonstration was held in the city of Aarhus.

And at the center of a protest for a woman’s right to cover up were women who didn’t. Bare legs, exposed shoulders and long blond hair mixed with head scarves and black veils. [The New York Times] Read more

English law applies to Islamic marriage, judge rules in divorce case

A high court judge has decided that a couple’s Islamic marriage falls within the scope of English matrimonial law, in a ruling that could have implications for thousands of Muslims in the UK.

Nasreen Akhter wanted to divorce Mohammed Shabaz Khan, her husband of 20 years, but he blocked it, arguing that the couple were not married under English law.

Akhter and Khan underwent a religious marriage ceremony, known as a nikah, conducted by an imam in 1998.

This year Akhter, a solicitor, petitioned for divorce, saying the nikah constituted a valid marriage. Khan, a businessman, wanted to prevent Akhtar from bringing a case for a divorce settlement to court, and said they were married only under sharia or Islamic law.

.... Previous cases involving nikah marriages have concluded that they were legally non-existent, meaning spouses had no redress to the courts for a division of matrimonial assets such as the family home and spouse’s pension if a marriage broke down. [The Guardian] Read more

Poll: Majority of Austrians Against Muslim Women Wearing Headscarves

A poll in Austria shows that less than half of Austrians are willing to tolerate a cityscape dominated by women wearing headscarves while a vast majority also condemn migrants who refuse to integrate.

The new poll shows that only 42 percent of eligible voters are willing to tolerate women in Islamic headscarves dominating their cities, while 84 percent say they would not tolerate migrants who refuse to integrate into Austrian society, Kronen Zeitung reports.

While the survey shows Austrians have little tolerance for those unwilling to integrate, it also revealed voters to be incredibly tolerant of those with a different political opinion to them. Nine in ten said they did not mind if another person had different political beliefs except for individuals glorifying National Socialism, or Nazism, which 87 percent said they could not tolerate. [Breitbart London] Read more