Press Release
The Violence over France's Niqab Ban Demonstrates Once Again Secularism's Divisive Nature

The French government has condemned the violence that erupted in the French suburb of Trappes over the country's face veil ban while also ardently defending the provocative, discriminatory law which caused the unrest. Clashes between Muslim protestors and police occurred following the arrest of a Muslim man whose wife was fined by a police officer for wearing the niqab. A similar outbreak of unrest occurred last month when authorities stopped a woman who was wearing the face veil in the suburb of Argenteuil. The face veil ban which came into force in France in April 2011 has led to hundreds of Muslim women over the last 2 years facing penalties for wearing the garment. In addition, there have been numerous attacks against those women who have adopted the dress. In June, a pregnant woman miscarried when she was assaulted by two men who kicked her in the stomach and ripped her veil from her head in Argenteuil.

While secularists argue that only a secular system rather than an Islamic one can secure the rights of minorities and women in Egypt, Syria, Pakistan, Indonesia and the rest of the Muslim world, these latest events in secular France resulting from its discriminatory, racist laws against Muslims is further proof of the oppressive, divisive nature of secularism and its inability to create harmony and unity between communities of different faiths. This pernicious secular ideology that has made religion a pariah within society has stigmatized and excluded Muslim women from society simply for adhering to their Islamic dress, as well as provided a fertile environment for racism to flourish. It is an irrational ideology that denies human beings their basic desire to practice their deeply held religious beliefs, and where rights are subject to change according to the whims of those who govern. And it is an unpredictable, dangerous system where the prejudice of the majority can strip away the rights of minorities, leading to resentment and anger amongst communities, and fuelling hatred and suspicion towards Muslims and those of other faiths. All this leads to tension, friction, and conflict within societies.

O Muslims! It is the ideology of Islam and the system of the Khilafah "Caliphate" State that alone carries the correct view and laws to protect the rights of religious minorities and hence establishes good relations and harmony between Muslims and non-Muslims. In Islam, all those who carry the Islamic tabiyya (belonging) of the State enjoy the Shari' rights and obligations. It is not permissible for the State to discriminate between the people in terms of ruling, judiciary, or any aspect regarding the people. Rather it must view everyone with the same view regardless of ethnicity, religion, colour, or anything else. As for the non-Muslims in the Islamic State, they receive the same fairness as the Muslims and they have the same remedy as the Muslims. Furthermore, Islam allows them to believe and worship. It permitted for them to run their marital and divorce affairs according to their religion. As for their diet and clothing, they are treated according to their rules of their religious restrictions in accordance with the general laws of the State. This fair treatment by the Khilafah "Caliphate" State towards non-Muslims drove the Christians of Homs while under the Khilafah "Caliphate", when faced with the prospect of the Christian Byzantines re-capturing and ruling the Islamic land of Al-Sham, saying to a commander of the Muslim army Habeeb ibn Maslamah, "May Allah bring you back to us, and may Allah curse the Byzantines who used to rule over us... Your rule and justice are dearer to us than the oppression that we used to suffer."

So Muslims! Reject the criminal secular system that works to fuel conflicts and disputes and work with Hizb ut Tahrir to establish the Khilafah "Caliphate" which will create harmony in our Muslim lands and a better future for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. We call upon you to work seriously for the establishment of a new world order under the shade of the Khilafah "Caliphate".

Dr. Nazreen Nawaz
Member of the Central Media Office
of Hizb ut Tahrir