Egypt women lash out at presidential hopeful Abu Ismail’s veil comments
Hazem Abu Ismail
CAIRO: Egyptian women are angry, again, at presidential hopeful Hazem Saleh Abu Ismail’s comments that as president he would require the veil, or higab, on all women in the country.
Abu Ismail said that women in the country must “change creed” and that Islam gives no special personal freedom.
“If you claim that Allah considers it your personal freedom, show me your reference. Nobody has ever said that – except for people have no understanding of the Shariah,” Hazem Saleh Abu Ismail, a firebrand ultra-conservative Salafist, said in a recent interview with the Egypt’s Tahrir TV.
He argued that if he is elected president he would enforce the hijab on women and that if they do not want to wear it, they have to change their “creed.”
He did not elaborate on what he meant by changing their “creed” and whether this meant changing their religion, knowing that such a move is strictly forbidden under the Shariah law and could result in capital punishment.
“You see, this is the difficulty; this is Islam. Does she want to be a Muslim and not obey Allah’s rules? Let them say so; that’s all I ask; let them be honorable and just speak up,” he said.
But Egyptian women have had enough. A group of young Cairo University students, who are forming a women’s alliance organization on campus, told Bikyamasr.com that “this forcing of women to do this or that is not Egyptian.”
Noha, a 22-year-old Christian, argued that “we Egyptians have always supported each other in their personal freedom and now it seems people want to attack it and make people do things they want.”
She argued that as a Christian, she would never wear a veil. “I do not think this is what the revolution is about. I hope he [Abu Ismail] is not elected because it could ruin the country.”
Her fellow women’s rights supporters agree, including Omnia, who said “the veil is never forced, or it shouldn’t be, so these people who are trying to do so are going against Islam. There is no obligation in religion, Islam says.”
BM
Section: Egypt, Latest News, Women
Loading ...
