Canada bans women from wearing Muslim veils during citizenship oath - Daily Caller

America’s northern neighbor has banned women from wearing the burka and niqab while taking their oath of citizenship.

Canada, known for its welcoming immigration policies, is now prohibiting any face coverings during citizenship ceremonies in order to ensure that those taking the citizenship oath are actually reciting it.

In the announcement, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney explained that the decision came as a result of complaints from lawmakers, judges and citizens who said they could not tell whether those with covered faces were saying the oath.

“All we ask of people is to fulfill the requirements of citizenship and to swear an oath before one’s fellow citizens that one will be loyal to our traditions that go back centuries. This common pledge is the bedrock on which Canadian society rests,” he said Monday. “That is why starting today, my department will require that all those taking the oath do so openly. From today, all persons will be required to show their face when swearing the oath.”

Kenney added that the act of taking the citizenship oath “is a quintessentially public act” to show that one is joining the “Canadian family.”

“To segregate one group of Canadians or allow them to hide their faces, to hide their identity from us precisely when they are joining our community is contrary to Canada’s proud commitment to openness and to social cohesion,” Kenney said. “It’s important to note that this is an expectation. If Canada is to be true to our history and to our highest ideals, we cannot tolerate two classes of citizens. We cannot have two classes of citizenship ceremonies.”

The question of Muslim veils has plagued many Western democracies that walk a fine line between the practical need for identification and allowing for religious expression. In April, France became the first European country to ban the burka in pubic places.

Canada’s decision, which took effect immediately, has been met with mixed emotions.

Abdullah Khan, a member of the North Shore Islamic Information Centre, told Canada’s The Province that a majority of Muslims would not push back against it.

“Islam is also flexible to accommodate these needs,” he said.

The acting executive director of The Canadian Council of American-Islamic Relations, Ihsaan Gardee, however, took issue with the decision, saying that it called into question the good faith of Muslims taking the oath. Further, it would force Muslim women to chose between their religion and their desire to become a citizen, Gardee said.

“If implemented, this decision will have a damaging effect on our democracy because it forces those who wear the niqab to choose between their religious convictions and adopting Canadian citizenship,” Gardee said.

The B.C. Muslim Association expects Muslim women will follow the new regulation, but takes issue with how the government characterized the ban.

“We feel that the government should have consulted experts on Islamic law before enforcing the regulation in order to understand the correct position of niqab in Islam. The minister’s remarks about niqab being a completely cultural practice are inaccurate and Islamic legal texts can be referred to in this matter,” said BCMA president Musa Ismail and BCMA religious affairs spokesman Mufti Aasim Rashid in a statement.

“Likewise the presentation of the regulations as a ‘ban’ or ‘imposition’ and the minister’s public comments about Muslim women’s previous practice as being ‘ridiculous’ or ‘frankly bizarre’ do not exude finesse and inclusiveness,” said the BCMA leaders.

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Activists highlight Islam-in the daily star in women's rights

Beirut: head to be appointed as the first Muslim women in the United States international religious freedom, Azizah Al-Hibri, a Lebanon-United States Attorney for the Committee and prominent human rights activist, in front of her has uphill battle.

However, worth more than 30 years experience in human rights issues, especially in the United States and foreign Muslim women regarding treatment Hibri know where her priorities lie and how these are some of the worst social injustices to overcome Lebanon can help.

"The first challenge, and the most important one is Muslim women's rights within their own lack of knowledge of the religion," she told the daily star, June 10, United States President Barack Obama [NULL] by after her appointment this week.

"Many people of the time, they did their religion [NULL] know what it is about thinking, but they don't really come back to the original study looked at not from the way, most people don't have the time." she said over the phone, her Office in Virginia at Richmond College, where he teaches law Hibri.

Domestic violence, Hibri moral and social rejects as incorrect the tradition of this misconception most obvious is one of the field.

"Civil court, a lot, but I travel to many Islamic countries were the first Muslims, both men and women, understanding and mercy of God's all women, did not allow violence believes that the beliefs," he said, look and Hibri Lebanon from continuing civil society campaign to support potentially vowed to prohibit domestic violence is struggling to pass legislation.

The current Commission to proceed with the discussion in the draft Bill fire in particular religion, the authorities of the Islamic custom, bath considering it and also has been criticized by newly appointed Minister of sports and youth Faisal Karami, who family values to attack slammed about.

"Women as well as men, believe this need [domestic violence does not allow] abusing them when he was not understanding something has been accepted by God because" Hibri, daily star USCIRF head her new post rather than personal capacity, said said.

"God is justice ... And he's mercy. So understanding and Islamic texts and women, condone acts of violence of those who believe in the kind of interpretation, review and revisit, in great need "more Beirut born Hibri, a Sunni politician's niece and ex-public Ministers, Khalil al-Hibri and the famous Lebanon Scout Movement founder, Toufik Al-Hibri's granddaughter.

She's widely published research and the work itself, like a story about the many early Islamic Hibri, under text, imports, according to Islamic teachings, she justifies the view of.

"I never said Islam's traditional or conservative elements disposition, because we consider ourselves quite conservative when we developed our views, we go back to a very traditional and default text is" in addition, the United States-based civil society groups of their rights by increasing knowledge of Muslim women to promote the status of the world are committed to the founder of Karamah Hibri said.

"We do not invent something new we simply said what shed light on."

Instead, most female genital cutting-Islamic practice-such as is associated with only the horror stories for centuries.

"Islam [NULL] on the lack of a lot of shooting and customary political and other factors have been infected by. [We find] basic problem was that Islam what we are really clean if you want to go back to understanding very gender equitable view "Hibri said.

According to her research work the true teachings and in doing so "God gave them the ability to develop." to work to push him to take an active role in the society to encourage women perform

Political wrangling in almost five months after announcing a new Cabinet on Monday, the participation of women in development, therefore, disappointed by the lack of.

"[The problem] not really political, it is women's rights and leadership in all countries [NULL] is not a very fun Cabinet are women, previous ones when" Hibri said. "I'm a girl's voice is really urgent, Lebanon, where women tend to be more of a voice-based conflict resolution and hopefully mediation and [public] service especially thought.

"Disappointed but also understand so they can do, they can do is wish all success and the best the country calm, peace, so a very delicate situation through the country," she added.

We can see the beauty in the traditions of other - Bowling Green Daily News.

By the Reverend Peter Connolly, Bowling Green Church, Unitarian Universalist Minister
Friday, may 20, 2011 9: 15 am CDT

There is nothing more inspiring to me than when people of good faith, seriously to their religious traditions and full of good will, meeting to share their visions of what is right, which is sacred, and which is enough to establish peace.

It is with a feeling of joy and gratitude that I welcome to our sanctuary on May 12 members and representatives of the Islamic Center of Bowling Green.

The event was announced as an interreligious Conference, an opportunity, primarily, for the Muslims of the region to present the principles of their faith in a room full of people suffer from hunger for more knowledge and full of urgent issues. A Minister trained at the seminar, course, I have had training in Islam and other religions of the world, but, I learned a few of the evening.

There is a danger that each of us can be so devoted to our particular religious tradition we could not in honour of the value of other traditions to the lives of their members. And it may be that too literal an interpretation of whatever our entries can blind us to the poetry that is in them. One evening, as this helps us to see the beauty may be in other traditions.

The evening was organized by Jennifer Gonzalez, Member of the Unitarian Universalist Church. She was so moved by a presentation she had heard earlier in the year by Dr. Scott Girdner at University Western Kentucky that she felt sponsors a symposium such as this would allow other people to not only broaden their horizons, but find a way to connect with others in a more personal way.

Five members of the Islamic Centre was used as a Panel, covering topics such as that "what is Islam?" and "who are the Muslims?". We have also learned about the pillars of Islam, Articles of faith, the Quran and hadiths (sayings of Muhammad), the role of women in Islam the relationship between Islam and Christianity, historically as well as theological and life as a Muslim student in America.

We all were impressed by practitioners of religious faith which take time to pray five times a day, every day. What discipline and devotion! Dr. Morsi Nagy, a local physician and frequent spokesman for the Islamic Centre, noted that should be obvious, but perhaps we do not think often of it: If someone is spending time five times a day in their worship of God and his delivery to the will of God, it is highly unlikely that they will be committing acts of violence or deception at other times - life of devotion shape their character.

One tricky question was: "If Islam is a Germanic religion, how some Muslims justify acts of terror?" The answer is that, although there may be some sections of the Q'uran (Holy Book) that might seem to justify a violent act, if you look at the context, you will see the differently. He also noted that the Scriptures of other religions are not defined by their most contentious passages; These passages are included in a message more large, loving. It is good to hear some of the women of Islam to explain that, when they wear a head covering, it's their choice, a choice of devotion rather than submission to the will of men. And it was inspiring hear Muslims to speak so convincingly in their love for their religion and their belief that this is better, more valuable of citizens in society.

Our welcome ceremony in the evening went as follows:

It is a House which welcomes Islam. It is a House that welcomes those who follow the teachings of the Torah. It is a House that welcomes those who follow the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is a House that welcomes all those who sincerely follow their desire to find some meaning and purpose in life they conduct.

We hope that this will not be the last opportunity of our church should foster dialogue and good will among the good people of Bowling Green, how that their religious beliefs.

Shalom, Salaam and blessings of peace to all.

-The Reverend Peter Connolly is Minister of the Unitarian Universalist of Bowling Green Church.

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