British ruling on dress ban sparks Muslim outcry
High Court decision to ban teenager from wearing the
jilbab to school is worrying and objectionable, say
Muslim leaders
By Neo Hui Min

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,4386,256697,00.html

LONDON - A landmark decision by the High Court to ban
a 15-year-old girl from wearing an ankle-length
Islamic gown to school has sparked a renewed debate on
the issue of wearing the Muslim dress in secular
states.

The court's ruling on Tuesday has been greeted by a
renewed call against such bans, with Muslim community
leaders decrying the 'objectionable' decision.

The timing of the judge's decision could not have been
more ironic.

Just a day earlier, some Members of Parliament turned
up to support the launch of a campaign group called
the Assembly for the Protection of Hijab, or
Pro-Hijab.

The main aim of this association is to reverse bans on
headscarves across Europe and other states with a
Muslim population.

But on Tuesday, Shabina Begum, who has not attended
her school in Luton for the past two years because she
could not wear the jilbab to class, lost her case.

The judge found that her rights to education and
religious freedom had not been denied by Denbigh High
School's decision to ban the jilbab, a long, flowing
gown covering the entire body except the hands and
face.

The Muslim Association of Britain expressed 'deep
concerns' at the ruling.

Even though Britain allows hijabs or headscarves to be
worn in schools, the association said the ruling and
the school's decision are 'signs that religious
intolerance may acquire legitimacy, and that this may
be the start to a hidden hijab ban in the UK'.

Britain's largest Muslim group, the Muslim Council of
Britain (MCB), described the decision as 'very
worrying and objectionable'.

The Muslim community here is a 'diverse community in
terms of the interpretation and understanding of their
faith and its practice', hence those who choose to
wear the jilbab 'should be respected', it said.

The deputy secretary-general of the MCB, Dr Abdul
Bari, noted: 'While Denbigh High School has
accommodated other forms of Islamic dress, for some
reason the school has chosen to make jilbab an issue.

'This should not really have been a concern in a
school which has a Muslim pupil composition of almost
90 per cent.'

During the trial, head teacher Yasmin Bevan said that
the school had imposed the ban to prevent students
from falling prey to extremist groups.

She noted that some students had asked for the ban to
stay, and that allowing the jilbab could result in the
view that moderate Muslims who do not wear the jilbab
are less religious.

Pro-Hijab coordinator Abeer Pharaon told The Straits
Times that the school's worries are unfounded, as
'many other schools' allow the jilbab.

She felt that this case should not have gone to court
in the first place.

'The school should have tolerated what she wears as
long as it is the same colour as the school uniform,
and the whole matter should have been sorted out as a
community matter,' said Ms Pharaon, who also chairs
the Muslim Women's Society here.

With the school's decision upheld by the court,
Pro-Hijab now finds itself with a new case to champion
almost immediately after its formation.

The group will include it as part of its campaign and
there are plans to invite the girl to speak at its
first conference next month, said Ms Pharaon






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