Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

I had come across a status that was put up reading,'A rich Muslim man in France -Rachid Nekkaz- has put aside 1 million Euros and has vowed publically to use it to pay the fines for all those Muslim women in France who choose to hold on their Burkas and Naqaabs..',

to which a brother replied,'sorry to say, its nothing but silly - learn to respect yourself--- respect doesnt comes just by wearing veil...'

after that my friend commented addressing to the brother,'If a woman chooses to cover her face she should have the right to do so. That is freedom. People have the right to choose their religion, their clothes and their lives. When we ban a woman from wearing a niqab, shouldn't we ban women from w...earing a bikini on our beaches? Why is this accepted, while that is not?

Just cause you don't like/support niqab don't go around calling it silly. To you it may be that, but to many Muslim women it's not just about respect but first a mark of piety, a liberating symbol and an act of faith. The wives of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) wore niqab, would you call it silly then??!!'

then he left an explanation with a few questions to which I want to give an answer but can't quite understand how to do so. His reply was: '

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sister it is obvious that the brother who has pledged to put aside Euro$ 1 million to assist pay the fine the French government has unjustly imposed on the believing women who wish to adorn the niqaab is a mujhahid and worthy of praise for upholding Muslim rights.

Out of 1.5 million Muslims living in France only 2000 sisters wear the niqaab. Where is the question of enforcement and trampling of women's freedom and rights.

The only time one loses respect for oneself and for others is when one starts removing all their clothes in public like wearing bikinis etc.. Muslim sisters can never be blamed for disrespecting anything and anybody when they wear the niqaab as it is a sign to all that she is not available and demands ultimate respect for her behavior from everybody.

The French/Western culture is so decadent that they have started believing that nakedness is respectful and covering up is evil and a means of trampling of women's rights.

True piety does not lie in the wearing of garments. Then why don't they go to their churches in Bikinis and even less? Piety starts with cleanliness, covering up, right speech and action and so on. How can we explain these simple truths when their system is completely flawed with negligence and kufr?

Freedom! The land of fraternity and Liberty is the first to trample the rights of a minority amongst minorities. Some women cannot wear what they want and are ready to go to jail and pay fines. Can there be bigger hypocrites than these? And they have the audacity to cry foul when others around the world do even lesser crimes.

This brother needs to check his emaan again and strive to support Islamic ideals. If he does not understand them he should first discuss and study and then maybe he will not be so naive and make statements against the set principles of our deen.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Members of Islamhelpline