The need grew for national rules to organize Muslim dress in British schools after a local school enforced a ban on “jilbab”, drawing the ire of British Muslims, according to a British daily.
“The current situation is causing chaos. Islam is a diverse faith and some people feel their faith requires them to wear the jilbab,” The Independent quoted Inyat Bunglawala, spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain as saying.
Bunglawala was commenting on the controversy that raised following three Muslim students were withdrawn from schools in Tower Hamlets, the London suburb of highest Muslim intensity in the country, after receiving letters banning them from wearing jilbab in schools.
“We feel that those who wish to wear jilbab should be able to do so. It seems the Government needs to set out precisely what is and is not acceptable,” Bunglawala was quoted by the British daily as saying Tuesday, November9 .
Other Muslim students protested the letters, requesting to be moved to other schools.
Jilbab is an ankle-length dress which covers the whole body except for face and hands.
The British move echoes one by France which has triggered a controversy by adopting a bill banning hijab and religious insignia in public schools that went effective mid September.
The US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) dismissed the French move as “discriminatory”.
National Guidelines
Muslim leaders in Britain has Monday called for drawing up national guidelines on appropriate dress Muslims could put on, following a series of clashes between students and school governors.
As a case in point, a15 -year-old Muslim student from Luton lost a High Court legal action on violating her human rights when she was barred from attending school classes for wearing jilbab.
Under effective British rules, dress codes are decided by the head teacher and governors of each school in accordance with guidelines provided by local authorities and central government.
“The jilbab is part of my religious belief,” said Rifat Akhtar, 13 , a pupil at the Central Foundation school.
“It makes me confident and gives me an identity as a Muslim.” She added that she was considering to leave the school for another.
The Muslim community in Britain has been coming under mounting racist attacks lately.
A British woman teacher was brought to court for assaulting a Muslim schoolgirl and insulting her religion as a “big joke”.
The incident dates back to March 2003 when Hazel Dick,43 , at Bretton Woods Community School “forcibly” removed the girl’s black hijab because it contradicted the school's dress code, causing a pin scratch across the neck.
Muslims in Britain also complain they are maltreated by police stop-and-search operations under the Terrorism Act for no apparent reason other than being Muslim.
In an effort to face the mounting racist attacks and stop-and-search activities targeting British Muslims, a new pocket guide has seen the light Saturday, September25 , to educate the community about their basic rights and responsibilities in a bid to allay their fears.