Faith
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Iffat Mirza, London In the western world, Christmas is simply one of those things that just cannot be escaped. When you step out into the cold air from October onward, the smell of fir trees greets you, tinsel sparkles and the shops are constantly advertising the best presents that your grandchildren will eternally love you…
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Sameea Jonnud, Aldershot Mary, mother of Jesus, can often be seen portrayed in paintings as a serene figure with her head always covered and has always been a revered figure for Christians, to such an extent that in some denominations her figure can be found in churches and even prayers are said to her. Children…
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Yusra Dahri, London Introduction Recently, a lot of controversy arose from Ofsted’s (Amanda Spielman) fear of the hijab ‘sexualising’ young girls, aged 4 to 5, who may wear headscarves in primary school. There is no Islamic requirement for girls to wear a headscarf until they have reached full physical maturity, so it’s perfectly acceptable for…
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Navida Sayed, London The head of OFSTED Amanda Spielman announced earlier in the week that Inspectors would question girls who wear hijab in primary school to find out why they do so. She said ‘creating an environment where Muslim children are expected to wear the headscarf could be interpreted as sexualisation of young girls’. If…
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Sarah Waseem, London Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector for Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education (UK)) inspectors will talk to primary school girls who wear the hijab to ascertain from them why they do so. The move comes after concerns that wearing the hijab could be interpreted as the sexualising of young girls. Is the…
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Munazzah Chou, London Dear OFSTED The case of your inspectors asking young primary school girls about their choice of clothing makes as much sense as CQC inspectors asking paediatric patients about their sartorial choices in clinic. Very little. The function of both organisations being the inspection and regulation of services, why one would wish to…
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Laiqa Bhatti, Surrey When Ofsted announced that their inspectors will talk to primary school girls who wear hijabs a few days back in order to tackle ‘sexualisation of children’, it raised a lot of questions and debate. In a climate where Islamophobia and related hate crimes are rising, the hijab has been the go-to issue for…
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Sarah Ward Khan, London Sometimes people stare at me in the street. I’ve come to recognise that certain look that crosses a stranger’s face of confusion and bewilderment. For I am a white woman in a headscarf – an anomaly, not fitting the mould. There is no cultural or familial pressure for me to conform,…
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Navida Sayed, London Over the last decade the hijab has become one of the most widely discussed and controversial topic not only in the West but also in Muslim societies. The covering of the head has also been debated among some Muslim scholars and they have joined in the debate on whether or not…
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Laiqa Bhatti, Surrey The hijab is a piece of cloth that covers a Muslim woman’s hair and bosom. Yet somehow it seems to become the focal point of many debates particularly when discussing Islam. Many European countries seek to, or have legislated against, the hijab or some form of it. They justify this in the…
Voice of British Muslim Women 