Cherie 'lacks awareness of Islamic culture'

Dubai: Statements made by Cherie Blair about the face veil were made out of lack of awareness of Islamic culture but responsibility to protect Islam's image rests on Muslims, said prominent Emirati women.

While saying she supported the head veil, the wife of former British Prime Mister Tony Blair recently questioned whether the face veil restricted women from being "people in their own right".

Member of the Federal National Council Najla Al Awadi said the face veil should be a personal choice. People should not be forced to either wear it or not wear it, "as is the case in Turkey".

She said that Blair should not have commented "on something she is not aware of" but added that she did not believe that Blair's intentions were bad. "Such statements are a sign that people in the West do not understand us," she said.

"In the UAE, women are largely not forced to dress in certain ways. Women with face veils have all kinds of jobs," she said.

Mona Al Merri, Chairperson of the Board of Directors at the Dubai Women's Establishment, said that although she did not believe the face veil to be religiously obligatory, she said it was a personal choice for women, which is not restrictive. "A woman's face is not forbidden to be shown. The niqab was imposed because of traditions and extremist fatwas," she said.

Mona said she could not blame Blair for the statements she made about the veil "because she is not aware of Islamic and Arabic traditions". On the other hand, she said, the blame should be put on Muslims "who fail to convey the right image of Islam".

Despite the fact that it is not an Islamic requirement, she said, she could not condemn a woman who wears the niqab "because I wouldn't condemn a woman for wearing a miniskirt". "It's her freedom of choice," she said. "But just the way we shouldn't judge veiled women, veiled women should not judge unveiled women," she said.

Emirati writer Basma Younis, said it not right to judge people by what they wear. "I don't agree with the niqab. Women don't cover their faces during the Haj and Umrah. It's a personal choice," she said. The head veil, however, protected women, she said. "Such statements [by Blair] are aimed at hurting Arabs. Arab society is centred around women," she said.

Wedad Lootah, a social consultant in the Dubai Courts who has worn a face veil for 25 years, said Blair was "wrong" and that she was a living example of it. "I wear the veil because I believe it gives me dignity, and I think people respect me for that," she said.

Leading Islamic scholar Shaikh Ahmad Al Kubaisi said the niqab has become nothing more than a popular tradition which has nothing to do with religion. "Today, it is mostly the fundamentalists from Islam's various sects that enforce the niqab. Otherwise, it is not seen as obligatory," he said.

Differences

Niqab: A niqab, unlike the hijab, is a piece of cloth covering the face that a majority of Muslim scholars say is not obligatory for Muslim women. Conservative Muslim women in the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent wear it, most commonly in rural areas. Despite not being seen as obligatory, it is seen by many Muslims as a sign of piety.

Burqa: A mask-like face covering usually worn by bedouin women in the Gulf. It has also recently been widely used to describe a cloak worn by women in South Asia that covers the entire body, including the face. Although not believed to be obligatory under Islam, it is part of the cultural practices of a number of Arab and Muslim societies.

Hijab: The Arabic term for ‘cover' which is widely used to refer to the head veil that is considered by most Muslim scholars to be obligatory for women. A number of Muslims however interpret it as a term indicating modesty in dressing for women.

Have your say
Do you think Cherie Blair should apologise? Will it impact Tony Blair's role as Mideast peace envoy? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the comments form below.

I chose to wear the face veil out of my own free will. The face veil doesn't restrict me. In fact, it gives me an identity.
Noor
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 02, 2007, 13:12

Such ignorance from Cherie Blair! The shocking thing is that her husband is the Middle East envoy! No wonder they have not been successful because they know nothing about the Muslim culture!
Shadia
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 02, 2007, 10:57

We cannot blame women who prefer to wear a niqab or hijab. That is their choice.
Sheriff
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 02, 2007, 10:13

Do I think Cherie Blair should apologise? No. Do I think we should care? No.
From a reader
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 02, 2007, 06:16

I would have wanted my wife to wear the niqab because I could not tolerate other men looking at my wife with lust (I don't know if other husbands can), but I never mentioned it to her. However, she wore it on her own free will.
From a reader
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 02, 2007, 06:13