| Morocco moves to drop headscarf |
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By Richard Hamilton There are few things that have become such obvious and controversial symbols of Islamic identity as the headscarf. But until now it has not been a controversial issue in Morocco.
On Avenue Mohammed V, the main avenue in central Rabat, older women in particular can be seen wearing traditional long robes with full headscarves. But younger women wear everything from that to more modern clothes such as trainers, jeans and T-shirts, with nothing on their heads - except perhaps some expensive designer sunglasses. The variety of clothes and head dresses seems to reflect the fact that Morocco is seen as a liberal country with some pro-western leanings. But for some more conservative people this latest move is an underhand way of undermining Morocco's Islamic roots. Abdelkarim El Houichre from the Association of Teachers of Islamic Education does not trust the government's motives: "I think there is pressure coming from the United States, which believes that teaching about traditional Islam and teaching girls to wear headscarves will somehow encourage extremism and terrorism," he says. "But I think Islamic education has to be kept within mainstream teaching in our schools because that way we can control it. If we deny it to them in school then they will only go and find out more outside of school and they are more likely to fall into the wrong hands." Dilemma In the current climate, the Moroccan government is worried about anything that might fan the flames of Islamic fundamentalism and says it does not want the headscarf to become a rallying cry for extreme organizations.
Education ministry official Aboulkacem Samir says the headscarf has political overtones: "This issue isn't really about religion, its about politics," he says. "The headscarf for women is a political symbol, in the same way as the beard is for men. But we in the ministry must be very careful that the books are fair to all Moroccans and do not represent just one political faction." Across the Arab world the headscarf issue seems to be gathering momentum. In Tunisia for example, young women who wear veils say they have been harassed by the authorities who are forcing the girls to remove their veils at schools and universities. The veil is perhaps a microcosm of a much broader dilemma - should Arab countries in north Africa turn towards secular democracies or to more traditional Islamist countries for their guidance and inspiration? Morocco is treading a fine line between these competing influences and the headscarf might just be something that trips it up.
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Comments (12)
a guest
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This issue isn't really about religion, its about politics 
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Govt. has been recruited to fight Islam It is clear to all Moroccans that most arab governments have been recruited to aid in the fight against Islam. The zionists recognize the power of Islam and are quick to recruit the despotic rulers of the arab world in their quest to extinguish the light of the ummah. The reality is that terrorism is manufactured by state sponsers. The real terrorists are the ones who buy Billions of dollars worth of advanced aircraft to "protect" themselves against other muslim brother states. The real terrorists drop bombs from F-16s and send predator drones to murder muslim women and children as they sleep in the night. Violence is wrong, no matter who commits the act. When will the 911 attacks actually be impartially examined? Will we see laws being passed to criminalize the questioning of the 911 hoax as we have seen for Holocaust denial in Europe? The truth speaks for itself. When you deny people the right to question things, you are simply admitting that you are lying. I have yet to see one shred of proof that some guy in a cave blew up buildings and caused them to free fall. I have yet to see one shred of evidence that surrendering your liberty for security is ever the right choice. It is only by allowing for the free exchange of ideas and opinion that all people gain real freedom. When people are free, and recourse exists in a legal context to air grivances that peace and true democracy can flourish. There is no excuse for violence. |
aminaben
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... When I became Muslim sixteen years ago, a Moroccan woman told me that when she decided to wear hijab in the mid-late 1980s at age 16, her school principal called her father to tell him that his daughter had done something drastic, that she had put a jfef on her head. Her father's angry retort to the principal was to ask when had modesty become a travesty, while young girls smoking and fooling around with boys was not worthy of a phone call to a parent. I first visited Morocco in 1994, and there were far fewer young women in hijab than there are now. Since moving to Morocco in 2000, I've personally known Moroccan women who have decided to start praying and covering their hair even in their 30s and 40s, and I've also seen an increase in women who wear niqab and long khimars. This is no political movement. It is simply reflective of Moroccans becoming more educated about their faith in the absence of French occupation, and then practicing it unashamedly rather than relegating it to a matter of culture. |
Moroccan Patriot
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Islam does not change The Koran is very clear. Anyone who attempts to change the Koran, to "modernize" Islam is a Kafir. This is also very simple. I do not believe in forcing anyone to do anything against their will. However, the Koran is very clear about how women should dress. They should dress conservatively. It is not about headscarves. A woman who wears a headscarf and then wears make up, high heels and blue jeans is fooling no one other than herself. The truth of the matter is that anything that can be used to divide the Ummah becomes politically expedient. The western contention that the Head Scarf is a symbol by which women are degraded, controlled and disenfranchised is simple ruse to destroy Islam. This tactic is not new. The most effective way to destroy a people is by taking apart their basic family unit, pit woman against man, child against parent. If you can do this successfully, you can destroy a people without firing a single shot. When racists like Sarkozy talk about the headscarf, they claim to care for the well being of the woman, this again, is simply a big lie. Sarkozy cares only about Sarkozy. He wants to help destroy Islam through a politics of fear mongering and false flagging. The Headscarf is a red herring. If you are a good muslim, it will manifest itself beyond the headscarf, Islam is what it is. When you try to "modernize" it, you claim to be above God; you become a Kafir. Beware of those who claim to seek to emancipate women by relieving them of their obligation to be good muslims. They liberate them all the way to hellfire. |
A sakkaki
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... Who does make the "UNIFORMS"? it's us , not vice versa..However, people can wear whatever they want provided that uniform does not become a national distraction..The headscarf is a tradition and no one should be forced to wear it neither should she be forced to take it off..Instead of focusing on the facade, let's concentrate on the main issues in front of us..That being said, I would suggest all women free themselves from the old "shackles" that MAN put around them..It's your time to be what you want to be: "free". the headscarf is just a symbol and women have the right to unravel the secret of that symbol..It's your call ladies.. Peace and God bless Morocco and the king Abderrahmane |
samia
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moderm morocco I agree completely http://www.midipress.com with samir aboulkacem that the headscarf become this last years a politic mean that some islamic and traditionel partis use to attract more women and girls. Normaly a women in morocco is free she can wear what she want with freedom. But the islamistes force them. |
Moroccan-writer
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Un-stereotyping the Veil The veil is a must for every Muslim woman...Morocco is doing nothing to drop the Islamic headscarf. The article is biased and too ambitous. For Muslim young women, wearing the veil is indicative of the higher degree of a woman's faith... she has to be grown in her faith so as to be able to don it... Moroccans girls know that deep down... when they claim otherwise- that wearing the veil is optional- they know they are not saying the truth.... It is hard for a weak- weak in her faith- Muslim woman to wear the veil... In that regard, it is like praying 5 times a day regularly for a Muslim. As god says in the Holy Quran: " It is hard (meaning Assalat/ prayer) except for the most faithful3. In Arabic, it reads like this: "Innaha lakabiraton Illa 3ala Lkhashi3een". May God guide us and every one to his right path.... |
moroccan patriot
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Minister of Education is always wrong Morocco has the worst education system in the Arab world. The arab world is not exactly known for its stellar education system... so when you are at the bottom of that group, well it takes a special kind of incompetence to acheive those kinds of results.... Anything, I repeat anything that is conceived by the ministry of Education is destined to failure. Anything they dream up is clearly misconcieved. They are incredibly adept at being inept... I could go on, but I think you get the picture. Women in Mauritania are more likely to be literate than their Moroccan counter parts... and for this we can thank the ministry of education, these same ministers who send their own kids to study outside of the country. Every single person who works for the Ministry of education who has a child studying outside of the country should be sent to jail. Every single govt. employee who has a child studying outside of Morocco's public education system should be fired. Until these criminals running the ministry of education are forced to send their own kids to the disaster they have created, nothing will change. |
Abderrahmane Sakkaki
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... I think a woman should decide whether to wear "al hijab" or not. Nobody has the right to dictate for someone else how to be a muslim..We see women here in the US., wearing the scarf and nobody bothers them..Leave people alone and let's focus on the main issues..Is "al hijab" topic another tool of diversion??? Peace Abderrahmane |
otmane-dubai
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... thats not just sad ...thats a disaster ??? morocco government is trying to kill the muslim arabic moroccan patry ..hijab is a choice a way of life a princip ..not just a scarf put on a womem heads but an expression an idea they give about themeselves..and much more. they r thinkin that by remove the pic and the verses of the quran they will reduce the increasment of the moroccan ladies s number wearin the hijab ...and by that reduce the danger of the islamist if we wont say PJD AND TERRORISM in my opinion thats a stupid step...they will look for more out of schools and ur minstry productions mr ABOULKASSIM SAMIR. NAALOO CHITAN we are the moroccans community,muslims and arabic and have a gr8 heritage and we could teach either usa or eaurop what is women freedome and export to theme the values could make women not a body and we need not import from overthere the way how to make our women the efecient way to attract customers and tourists GET IT ... |
knajma
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hijab To the minister of education if we are talking about freedom as it protrade in the western media and govermnents, so the moroccan and muslim women are no exception let them wear what they want and stop oppressing us under different excuses please. thanks all najma |
Zahira - American Muslim
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... I agree with Barbara, this is VERY sad! I have been to Morocco also many times and gain much respect due to my hijab. I wear my headscarf every time when I go out of my house even when I am in the US. All of my friends do the same! It is our right as women. SHUMAH! Where is the HAYA'? The day of Judgment truly is going to be the hardest day when we have to answer for our actions. They call it freedom but what it really is - is making the women slaves to men's desires ALLahidikum |
Barbara in USA
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Barbara in USA This is very sad. I live in the United States, and each time I go to Morocco I see more and more girls trying to emulate "Western" styles. If they really knew what they were getting into. The "free" girls/women in the West are often times very unhappy and depressed, due to dating a host of men, who then often dump the women after getting exactly what they want. Or, they will live with them without the benefit of marriage, and if the smallest thing happens, the relationship ends. I know of women who say that they are free to have s*x with anyone they want, which is true; however, do not then cry when he has not called you again afterwards. If you want to be so "free & liberated" and sleep with him, he will wonder who else you'll do the same with. I have brothers, I've heard them talk....these are not the women these men want to marry, they are only the one they want to have fun with until they meet the "nice girl" who they will take home to mom. Wake up ladies. |
