Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

Every now and then, the newspapers publish a piece of news about a man who committed a crime wearing niqāb, except he was arrested before he did it. Other days, people read about a prostitute who managed to go to one of the hotels wearing niqāb, while no one cared to check her ID.

 

It was thought in the beginning that such accidents were individual. However, whoever reads the news regularly would notice that they happen almost daily in a way that the state should not ignore it anymore. It should also be mentioned that urging the state to take action does not mean that this action would be against niqāb-wearing women who chose this outfit because they think it is a sign of righteousness.

 

The whole situation is that niqāb is sometimes used by those who would mistreat it, thus, insulting those who wear it and threatening people’s security. At the same time, it could not be said that what is being published concerning these accidents fabricated, since they usually provide the reader with full details and names.

 

“What we need to agree on now,” Sulaymān Jawdah writes, “is that we are not talking about hijāb.  We are talking about niqāb, where there is no Qur’ānic verses or hadīths that urge women to wear it.” However, this is not the issue. The issue now is the fact that a lot of people started to use niqāb as a cover to their crimes, thus, threatening the state and its citizens. If niqāb-wearing women are keen for their image and security, they would choose to wear only hijāb. On its part, the state should adopt a clear strategy, not against niqāb in itself, but against those who manipulate it.