"..It's Heba's choice because she lives in a country where she is given the choice to dress as she pleases. For the vast majority, it is not their choice to make..."
I respectfully disagre, I think the for vast majority it is their choice to make, it is only for few countries like france, turkey etc. where women are forced to dress in a particular way...
there is a common misconception that MOST muslim women wear hijab because of being forced by muslim relatives and guardians; However, in reality the muslim women wear hijab to obey to the command of Allah.
"...That was one aspect of the debate. The other was France's decision to ban the niqab because of what Sarkozy terms 'modern slavery'...."
However the point is that most non-muslims just get entangled in the secondary issues related to hijab, marriage, extremism, fundamentalism, alochol, fatwas against xyz and other media highlighted issues and needless discussions and knee jerk reactions accompanied with them.
Because of this they get repulsed and dont try to understand the primary issue that is the basics of Islam like beleif in oneness of God, belief in after life, day of judgement etc. and hence fail to realize the beauty of Islam.
I think if anyone makes conscious effort to understand the basics of Islam first, then he will be in a better position to undertsand and appreciate the islamic viewpoint on modesty, hijab etc.
@worxpace
"..It's Heba's choice because she lives in a country where she is given the choice to dress as she pleases. For the vast majority, it is not their choice to make..."
I respectfully disagre, I think the for vast majority it is their choice to make, it is only for few countries like france, turkey etc. where women are forced to dress in a particular way...
there is a common misconception that MOST muslim women wear hijab because of being forced by muslim relatives and guardians; However, in reality the muslim women wear hijab to obey to the command of Allah.
"...That was one aspect of the debate. The other was France's decision to ban the niqab because of what Sarkozy terms 'modern slavery'...."
However the point is that most non-muslims just get entangled in the secondary issues related to hijab, marriage, extremism, fundamentalism, alochol, fatwas against xyz and other media highlighted issues and needless discussions and knee jerk reactions accompanied with them.
Because of this they get repulsed and dont try to understand the primary issue that is the basics of Islam like beleif in oneness of God, belief in after life, day of judgement etc. and hence fail to realize the beauty of Islam.
I think if anyone makes conscious effort to understand the basics of Islam first, then he will be in a better position to undertsand and appreciate the islamic viewpoint on modesty, hijab etc.