Islamophobia Watch

"We have a bad habit in Western secular society of thinking that we know best. And Western feminism often has an equally bad habit of thinking that its ideals are the right ideals for women of all cultures.

"In our society, the veils and scarves worn by Muslim women are commonly seen as symbols and tools of an oppressive Islamic patriarchy. This sort of establishment thinking makes feminism inaccessible for women of different beliefs, which robs the movement of its global power. Women who would like to be identified as feminists but choose to wear a headscarf don't always seem to have a place.

"Western stereotypes surrounding the hijab – the scarf that covers the neck and hair of Muslim women – include the assumption that women are wearing it because of subjugation and religious indoctrination. Some argue that such coverage is used to make women subservient and invisible. But what really makes them invisible is assuming that the women who choose to wear the hijab, the abaya or anything else did not make the choice themselves."

Amanda Teuscher in The Post, 6 May 2008

See also "Front Page news: Islamophobia makes you an expert on niqab" at Muslimah Media Watch

"They speak in a heavily accented version of English, suffocating beneath tent-like cloaks. Voiceless and enslaved, these Muslim women wrap themselves up in head scarves in public. While the rest of American women take the slightest sunray as a signal for baring flesh and flaunting assets, these fully covered women stand out as more than unfashionable but as victims of oppression.

"Such are the tragic misconceptions of American Muslim women-barbaric, veiled housewives victimized by an Islamic lifestyle. To about 10 million Muslim women, that lifestyle includes the female head covering, an Islamic dress code called Hijab and a symbol of modesty and freedom."

Hanan Salem in The Connection, 1 May 2008

The Hendon & Finchley Times has reported that racist leaflets promoting the far-right British National Party have been distributed in Burnt Oak and Colindale in north London. The flyers contrast a scene from 1950s Britain with three women in Islamic veils.

Under the 1950s picture of an all-white street party the leaflet states: "... this is the way London used to be... If you would like London to be like this again, then support the British National Party."

The paper states that the likely source of the flyers is the BNP presence in Harrow, where the fascists stood a candidate in a council by-election in December. Their candidate, Howard Studley, received 56 votes and finished last.

As Henry Grunwald of the Board of Deputies pointed out, the BNP's aim in contesting that election was to win support within the Jewish community on an anti-Muslim programme, and their leafleting in Barnet may well have the same objective.

The Hendon & Finchley Times quotes Shakil Ahmed, of the Hendon Mosque, as saying that relationships between different communities in Barnet are good, but that there are always concerns about such views spreading.

He told the paper: "We don't know what affect this is going to have. The worry in view of the nature of the flyer is that the hatred is going to be targeted at Muslim women on the streets dressing in this particular way. I don't think we've had that many incidents in Barnet, but I've heard of things in Brent, where women in headscarves have been attacked for nothing. That's not far away, so it is a concern."

Barnet councillors have said that they will investigate whether the BNP flyers breach anti-racism laws.

Shoppers wearing head scarves have been banned from a shop because the owner said they cannot be properly identified. The ruling at Whitegate Wines off-licence and Convenience Store, Padiham Road, Padiham, includes those wearing the hijab – the traditional Muslim head wear. A sign on the door states: "Due to CCTV coverage all headwear must be removed before entering the shop."

One customer complained after he sent his 13-year-old daughter in to buy a soft drink and crisps on her way back from school. He said: "She returned empty-handed. I then went in with my wife and she was told she would not get served. First we tried to explain that unlike a hoodie or a hat Muslim women wear the hijab for religious reasons.Then we tried to explain that if a bank accepts customers wearing a headscarf then shouldn't that mean this shop should too? But the staff were having none of it."

Owner Tom White said security was the overriding concern. "The police told us that a person is more identifiable if all the headgear is removed. So we have decided to implement the policy across the board so as not to favour anyone. I have also been told I am perfectly within my rights to do this. As you may understand shops such as ours are targeted by shoplifters and security is therefore a major concern for us. The policy has been in place for about a year and a half. In that that time shoplifting has gone down."

When asked if any Hijab wearing women had committed any shoplifting in the past Mr White said, "No".

Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 15 January 2008

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Jack Straw was accused of hypocrisy yesterday after censuring a magistrate who refused to deal with a case in which a Muslim woman wore a face veil. The Justice Secretary issued a formal reprimand to Ian Murray even though Mr Straw himself famously asks women to remove their veils in his constituency office. Mr Straw said in October 2006 that veils were "a statement of separation and difference".

Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, a West Yorkshire constituency with a strong Muslim presence, said: "He is a complete hypocrite. Jack Straw tells everyone that he will ask anyone who wears a veil to remove it, then he turns round and disciplines someone for following his line. People are fed up to the back teeth with continual concessions to minority groups, in particular in the courts."

Daily Mail, 9 January 2008

A magistrate has been reprimanded for refusing to deal with the case of a Muslim woman because she was wearing a veil covering her face. Ian Murray walked out of court when Zoobia Hussain, 32, first appeared at Manchester Magistrates' Court in June. Ms Hussain, from Crumpsall, who was accused of criminal damage, was wearing a veil covering her entire face. The Office of Judicial Complaints said Mr Murray had been given a formal reprimand and further training.

BBC News, 8 January 2008

Hazel Blears' new measures only patronise Muslim women: better to tackle the issue affecting all of us – discrimination, argues Rajnaara Akhtar.

Comment is Free, 8 January 2008

A Tory town council mayor has sparked an outcry after saying Muslims "cause mayhem with explosives". Tory Mirfield mayor Robert Bennett made the remarks in an email to the town council clerk. Today his comments were branded as unacceptable and disgraceful by his party. The email, passed to the Yorkshire Evening Post, follows a request by the Huddersfield-based Ahmidiyya Muslim Association to appear before the town council to ask for funding.

Part of his email response to the request, says: "I am aware Islamic organisations are keen to promote a view that they are peaceful, forward thinking individuals who wish to integrate into the British way of life. The policy of clothing the feminine population of Dewsbury in black sack-like clothing from head to toe, the occasional trip out to cause mayhem with explosives and the proposal that all those of homosexual persuasion should be killed by shooting or other means is adequate and practical testimony to the level of progress being made in this direction."

Yorkshire Evening Post, 7 January 2008

The west should stop using the liberation of Muslim women to justify its strategy of dominance, argues Soumaya Ghannoushi.

Comment is Free, 18 December 2007 

"It was Katha Pollitt, writing in The Nation last month, who made me see it. Pollitt, a noted feminist writer, wondered why the American liberal-turned-neocon David Horowitz – founder of the bizarrely named Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week – had suddenly developed an interest in the rights of women. Specifically, Muslim women. 'Life is not a picnic for women in China, India, Africa and Latin America', wrote Pollitt. 'Why no interest in them?' She speculated that by focusing on the oppression of women, Horowitz had found an easy way to target the Muslim world.

"In his 'age of horrorism' essay last year, Martin Amis also developed a feminist sensibility. Amis, whose novels so often feature flat, cartoon-like women, connected the failure of Islamic states with the 'obscure logic that denies the Islamic world the talent and energy of half its people ... the suppression of its women'. Well, there is definitely work to be done regarding the rights of Muslim women, but a lot also needs to be done for all the non-Muslim women oppressed around the globe."

Noorjehan Barmania in the Guardian, 14 December 2007