Egypt cleric 'to ban full veils'

[rabanam]

Egypt's highest Muslim authority has said he will issue a religious edict against the growing trend for full women's veils, known as the niqab.

Sheikh Mohamed Tantawi, dean of al-Azhar university, called full-face veiling a custom that has nothing to do with the Islamic faith.

Although most Muslim women in Egypt wear the Islamic headscarf, increasing numbers are adopting the niqab as well.

The practice is widely associated with more conservative trends of Islam.

The niqab question reportedly arose when Sheikh Tantawi was visiting a girls' school in Cairo at the weekend and asked one of the students to remove her niqab.

The Egyptian newspaper al-Masri al-Yom quoted him expressing surprise at the girl's attire and telling her it was merely a tradition, with no connection to religion or the Koran.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8290606.stm

[rabanam]

The niqab is popular in Egypt as more Egyptians adopt it. I'm baffled why a secular institution such as Al-Azhar would ban it. It it because Al-Azhar wants to keep Egyptians secular?

[Ganjaweed]

The niqab is popular in Egypt as more Egyptians adopt it. I'm baffled why a secular institution such as Al-Azhar would ban it. It it because Al-Azhar wants to keep Egyptians secular?

Why do you care, are you from egypt? BTW Al azhar clerics can be jokers sometimes

[Shirib]

Tantawi is turning into a joke, he needs to pass whatever he's smoking

[rabanam]

Why do you care, are you from egypt? BTW Al azhar clerics can be jokers sometimes

I don't have to be from Egypt to care about banning the niqab. Muslims everywhere are concerned about it. Banning the niqab isn't a nationalism issue; it's an Islamic issue that concerns every Muslim.

[moany lisa]

Somali's in Egypt and the ME only wear that damn thing to protect their complexions

[rabanam]

Somali's in Egypt and the ME only wear that damn thing to protect their complexions

Are you really what you said in this topic?

http://somalinet.com/forums/./viewtopic ... start=1275

[moany lisa]

Somali's in Egypt and the ME only wear that damn thing to protect their complexions

Are you really what you said in this topic?

http://somalinet.com/forums/./viewtopic ... start=1275

Not any more, but back in the day when I lived in Yemen I wore a niqaab

[rabanam]

In a related article:

EGYPT: Niqab ban adds to Azhar cleric’s woes



The decision to prohibit the face veil, or niqab, among female students attending Al Azhar’s universities and schools is proving yet another reason for many Egyptians to call for the firing of Al Azhar’s grand sheik, Mohamed Sayed Tantawi.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylon ... -woes.html

I agree with the many Egyptians who have called for the firing of Sheikh Tantawi.