This week, a British parliamentarian gets on the anti-burqa bandwagon, A French businessman seeks to pay all burqa fines imposed in France, building of a mosque in California is heavily opposed, and a woman judge is appointed to Malaysia’s Islamic Court.
According to the New York Daily News, British Politician Philip Hollobone ]http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/07/01/2010-07-01_ban_the_burkha_british_pol.html] seeks to introduce a bill that will outlaw the burqa in the UK[/url]. Hollobone has said that wearing the face veil is like “going ‘round with a paper bag over your head.” Hollobone is a Tory parliament member.
In response to a Tuesday vote on the French burqa ban, The Indian Express reports that French businessman Rachid Nekkaz, who tried to run in the 2007 French Presidential Campaign, has offered to pay the fines of Muslim women who are cited for covering their face. The bill, if passed, will impose a 150 euro fine on anyone wearing the full face veil.
The Press Enterprise reports on strong community opposition in Temecula, California against a proposed mosque in the area. The proposed 25,000 square foot Mediterranean-style mosque will be built near the Calvary Baptist Church Church, but locals say they are weary of the whole message of Islam. According to a local pastor, “Where it’s dominant, religious freedom goes out the window … the message of Islam is the spread of Islam by whatever means necessary.”
The Times of India reports that Malaysia has appointed its first female judges to country’s Islamic Courts. In Malaysia, the Islamic courts run parallel to the civil courts. Women in the Muslim-majority country have openly complained about the lack of female judges in the court system.
Rabea Chaudhry is an Associate Editor with Altmuslimah.
