Egyptian Lawmakers Want To Ban Islamic Veils In Public

Are full face veils worn by some Muslim women un-Islamic?

According to some Egyptian lawmakers they are. So much so that this predominantly Muslim country’s parliament is reportedly drafting legislation that would ban women from wearing the veil, known as the niqab, in public areas or in government offices. The niqab is typically black and covers the whole face, save for the eyes. It’s not uncommon to see conservative Egyptian women wearing the veil, especially in rural areas.

Throwing fuel on the controversy, Asma Nosseir, a member of parliament who backs the bill, says the veil actually is a Jewish tradition that was prevalent in the Arabian Peninsula before Islam. Nosseir, who is also a professor of comparative jurisprudence at Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, argued in a statement and in local media that several passages of the Koran contradicted the use of the veil. The Koran, she said, encourages modest clothing and the covering of the hair, but not the face.

If the law passes, it could trigger a backlash from Egypt’s Islamists and deepen religious divisions and tensions. Under the current government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, thousands of Islamists have been imprisoned amid a spate of forced disappearances, alleged torture and other abuses by the state’s security apparatus.

Advocates of the potential ban, who say it’s needed for security reasons and to foster a moderate religious landscape, have found support in recent weeks. Last month, Cairo University banned doctors and nurse from wearing the niqab in medical schools and teaching hospitals.

“The decision bans them from wearing the niqab during working hours to protect patients’ rights and interests,” read a university press statement.

Last year, Cairo University banned its professors and researchers from wearing the niqab in the classroom. At the time, university administrators contended that students had complained that it was difficult to communicate effectively with those who wore the veil. Lawyers on behalf of about 100 Cairo University academics filed a court case to lift the ban. In January, an Egyptian court upheld the decision by the university.

This is not the first time government authorities and institutions have tried to crack down on the niqab. Several attempts were made to curb public wearing of the veil under former president Hosni Mubarak, whose 30-year rule ended in 2011 amid the Arab Spring revolutions.