No ban on wearing burqa, niqab in Australia

SHAH ALAM - Although the wearing of burqa and niqab are banned in some European countries, in Australia, women are allowed to don them.

University of South Australia Centre for Islamic Thought and Education (CITE) director Professor Mohamad Abdalla said it should not be an issue for women to wear the burqa or niqab in public.

He said he viewed that the ban on wearing burqa and niqab imposed by some European countries went against those countries' own principles of democracy and the right for a woman to choose.

“Unfortunately, the full Islamic veil has been banned in European countries. But it is important to note that it is not in Australia.

"In fact, the feminist movement, of which the west is very proud of, came to advocate for the right of a woman to choose," Mohamad said in an interview on Sinar Daily's Fireside Chat programme.

He said the rights of women to cover her face should be respected.

Mohamad also urged Muslims in western countries to always be united to advocate for their rights at the state level or even the federal level.

"Try to advocate or argue for a viewpoint, rather use all the legitimate and lawful means to fight back and to make sure that our rights are protected,” he said.

For many years, there have been a heated debates about the burqa and niqab in European countries.

The burqa, an women's attire which fully covers the body and the face, with a mesh over the eyes and the niqab which is a face veil covering the face except the eyes have already been strictly prohibited in some European countries in public places, including the streets, public transports, shops, hospitals, and the cinemas.

While some countries believed that banning the hijab would discriminate against women's rights and hinder integration, others viewed that it would help combat religious persecution and terrorism.