If people are using niqab to cheat in colleges and schools in Egypt, it’s only because cheating in general is a problem. (Ask anyone who goes to school in Egypt, I’m sure they can tell you stories.) Plus, sisters in niqab should have no problems being identified by another female, so that shouldn’t be an issue.

The thing really at stake here though is the deen of Allah. When the scholars spoke about niqab, it was always between one of two rulings: either that niqab was fard (obligatory), or that it was mustahhab (recommended). Where does a Muslim country (say “Muslim” if you wish) give itself the right to ban something of so much value within the deen of Allah? How is ok to ban something which, at the very least, is mustahhab?

Doesn’t any excuse the people make (that it’s for security reasons, etc.) imply, wal ‘iyaathu billah, that Allah didn’t know what He was doing when He sent down this ruling? Maybe He made it fard or mustahhab, but as people, we know better? Isn’t that what banning niqab effectively says?

Also, even for the scholars who said niqab was recommended, these same scholars agreed that in situations of fitnah (e.g. if a woman lived in a society that did not lower its gaze) that covering the face in these situations became fard on her. So it seems like increasing violence/aggression towards women would be a good reason to start wearing niqab, wouldn’t it? (Without excusing, for a moment, the youth and men for what they’re doing.)

Wa Allahu a’lam.

If people are using niqab to cheat in colleges and schools in Egypt, it’s only because cheating in general is a problem. (Ask anyone who goes to school in Egypt, I’m sure they can tell you stories.) Plus, sisters in niqab should have no problems being identified by another female, so that shouldn’t be an issue.

The thing really at stake here though is the deen of Allah. When the scholars spoke about niqab, it was always between one of two rulings: either that niqab was fard (obligatory), or that it was mustahhab (recommended). Where does a Muslim country (say “Muslim” if you wish) give itself the right to ban something of so much value within the deen of Allah? How is ok to ban something which, at the very least, is mustahhab?

Doesn’t any excuse the people make (that it’s for security reasons, etc.) imply, wal ‘iyaathu billah, that Allah didn’t know what He was doing when He sent down this ruling? Maybe He made it fard or mustahhab, but as people, we know better? Isn’t that what banning niqab effectively says?

Also, even for the scholars who said niqab was recommended, these same scholars agreed that in situations of fitnah (e.g. if a woman lived in a society that did not lower its gaze) that covering the face in these situations became fard on her. So it seems like increasing violence/aggression towards women would be a good reason to start wearing niqab, wouldn’t it? (Without excusing, for a moment, the youth and men for what they’re doing.)

Wa Allahu a’lam.

I also heard that there has been increasing violence/aggression toward women not donning the niqab from youths/men and pressure toward them to put it on.

While I agree that the freedom to choose what you want to wear based on your own religious understanding is ideal, is it worth risking the safety of the women (niqaabis/non-niqaabis) in situations such as these?

I also heard that there has been increasing violence/aggression toward women not donning the niqab from youths/men and pressure toward them to put it on.

While I agree that the freedom to choose what you want to wear based on your own religious understanding is ideal, is it worth risking the safety of the women (niqaabis/non-niqaabis) in situations such as these?

Even this ban is somewhat ridiculous, as far as Al-Azhar goes, since it stipulates, “[The] niqab [has been banned] in all residences and schools affiliated to Al-Azhar. The only exception made is in classrooms where the teacher is male.” The only time there’s a need to wear niqab is in situations where a male is present! If I understood correctly, this “exception” was made to save face, after the original ban caused so much chaos.

The biggest problem, perhaps, is the precedence this sets for other countries and institutions, the permission it gives them to do the same. A niqab ban in the East is certainly a good reason for a niqab ban in the West. “See, even Egypt has banned niqab for security reasons.” La hawla wa la quwatta illa billah.

Even this ban is somewhat ridiculous, as far as Al-Azhar goes, since it stipulates, “[The] niqab [has been banned] in all residences and schools affiliated to Al-Azhar. The only exception made is in classrooms where the teacher is male.” The only time there’s a need to wear niqab is in situations where a male is present! If I understood correctly, this “exception” was made to save face, after the original ban caused so much chaos.

The biggest problem, perhaps, is the precedence this sets for other countries and institutions, the permission it gives them to do the same. A niqab ban in the East is certainly a good reason for a niqab ban in the West. “See, even Egypt has banned niqab for security reasons.” La hawla wa la quwatta illa billah.

Allahul Musta’aan.