Spain: City in northeast becomes country's first to ban niqab
11-12-2010
Madrid, (AKI): Lleida in the northeastern Catalonia region on Thursday became Spain's first city to introduce a ban on wearing the face-covering Islamic burqa in public places.
These places include offices, sports centres, markets and other property owned by the city council. The niqab - which covers the face but leaves a small slit for the eyes - has also been banned.
"I feel proud of the fact that Lleida has become the first Spanish city to outlaw behaviour which discriminates against women," said the city's mayor, Angel Ros. "I hope it will be of educational value," he added.
The ban, which was approved by the council in May, is largely symbolic, as Muslims make up just 3 percent of Lleida's population, and there are only a handful of women living there who wear the burqa and the niqab.
Under the municipal bylaw banning the face-covering garments, women who wear them in a public place will have to reveal their identity. If they refuse, they face fines ranging from 30 to 600 euros.
Other cities in the autonomous Catalonia region, including the capital, Barcelona, are mulling burqa bans.
And the central government has in recent months been working on legislation covering religious symbols, which could outlaw the burqa throughout Spain, home to a million Muslims.
In neighbouring France, the national parliament in September outlawed the burqa and veils which cover the face. Women there can be fined or jailed for wearing such garments.
The same month, two separate bills were presented in the upper and lower houses of the Italian parliament which aim to end the wearing of burqas and face-covering garments in Italy on security grounds.
Many Muslim immigrants oppose such bans on the grounds that they limit religious freedom.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
personally i dont wear it, but i have a lot of respect for women that do. I remember, how mortified i was, wen i heard rumours of banning the hijab, in the UK. I think its only a matter of time, before other countries follow the niqab ban.
What do you think should have been done to prevent this?
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
The ban, which was approved by the council in May, is largely symbolic, as Muslims make up just 3 percent of Lleida's population, and there are only a handful of women living there who wear the burqa and the niqab.
What an efficient use of the time, money and resources of Lleida's local government.
Do you mean that if the Muslims in general were less materialistic and followed Islam correctly, then there would not have been a ban on the Niqaab?
I think the ban was due to poor public relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in Spain.
Spain was once ruled by Muslims, and was lost "mainly due to" the fact that, rather than utilising most of their resources on needs; they began to get more materialistic, and into "stuff" like music. While they were at it, they slowly became a weaker force in Spain, and eventually driven out and killed.
We are reminded of the events annually, by the celebrators of "April fools day".
So yes, we as an Ummah are at least partially responsible for the problems we experience.
A true bucket is one, which is able to hold water. The ummah has been broken into too many pieces, to have any real strength to handle problems. One certainly can't be expected to "fetch water in a sieve".
We as an Ummah, need to wake up, and realise that unless we "get our acts together", its our own loss.
I'm not saying, pick a sword and strike someone- no, that'd be wrong anyway. Killing the innocent is haraam, which is one point that people sometimes fail to realise. So, when they think they've finally woken up; they've actually "lost the plot", and have failed to recognise Islam.
Islam is about justice, so if you're working at a butchers shop; weigh the meat after cutting it. Islam is about submitting yourself to Allah, so next time one wishes to show off their perfectly prayed nawaafil to their friends; one must think, "am I praying with submission to Allah, or to impress these people?". Above all, as long as you're still alive; its not too late. One must'nt lose hope, in the mercy of Allah.
The account of Uhud is a great example, and with it- we can better understand our position today.
What an efficient use of the time, money and resources of Lleida's local government.
Quran, 8:36
Indeed, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to avert [people] from the way of Allah . So they will spend it; then it will be for them a [source of] regret; then they will be overcome. And those who have disbelieved - unto Hell they will be gathered.
they began to get more materialistic, and into "stuff" like music
But music is a beautiful form of art, with which people engage from the depths of their hearts to create. How could it be a bad thing? If you're saying that it should be banned, well then that's even worse than communism.
"So long as you are a slave to the opinions of the many you have not yet approached freedom or tasted its nectar…" -- Julian the Apostate
Ugh... and here I thought the banning of burqa and the niqab was never going to reach Spain..
.. i was wrong... i hope they dont also ban the hijab ! i dont understand what is so threatening with covering your body !??? People should just leave it alone and let these Muslim women wear what they feel is right... i will pray for my sisters in spain !!
Banning niqab itself is an act of violating human rights in fashion Secularists are so funny, they are no better than any other people with their shallow ideologies.
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Spanish town bans niqaab.
^, is the way out of this problem.
FS123 liked this post
.. i was wrong... i hope they dont also ban the hijab ! i dont understand what is so threatening with covering your body !??? People should just leave it alone and let these Muslim women wear what they feel is right... i will pray for my sisters in spain !!
Secularists are so funny, they are no better than any other people with their shallow ideologies.
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