Serwan Zangana
France’s law banning hijab wearing for women athletes in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games was an example of an extreme liberalism in France. This law can be interpreted as an attempt to destroy one of the basic Islamic cultures. It was not the first time that France waging a (modern war) against Islam through its liberal ideology. However, wearing hijab by Muslim women is completely a matter of religious belief, which does not harm or affect other human beings, and it does not interfere with any sport activity that would be performed by women.
In fact, France’s law on banning hijab was a reminiscence of the Communist Party in the former Soviet Union, USSR, that cracked down on religions and prohibited religious practice. Indeed, both liberalism and communism are paralleled in harming the values of the Islamic principles and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad. This law revealed more evidence about French politicians’ mentality against the Islamic culture.
The ban on hijab wearing was beyond women’s sports and Olympic Games. In 2004, France passed a legislation to ban symbols that represent any religions or beliefs in schools. Of course this ban included hijab wearing. And in 2023 the abaya ban law was implemented. Clearly, secularism in France has been taken to an extreme level. However, hijab is definitely not a symbol as in fact it is a part of the traditional Islamic women’s dress.
Basically, the anti-Islam appears in different forms in France, which covers itself under the secularism. Muslims are between two deadly waves, the French’s Left and Right wings. Each one appears with a different color to appeal to people, but their true colors can be seen when the subject of Islam arises and the rights of Muslim women become a matter. As the French’s Right wing shoots straight at its target which is Islam, the Left wing maneuvers while aiming at its target. The political maneuver has been the strategy of the left and liberal groups in the West and the United States, as well.
It is ironic that the Western and American politicians have criticized some of the Muslim nations’ laws and cultures regarding women’s rights, but they took a silence on France’s hijab wearing ban which is a complete violation of Muslim women’s rights. Indeed, such a ban has never been a serious point of subject and a concern among those who are preaching the freedom of belief and advocating civil rights. It is totally a double standard of the Western and American politicians.
The ban on hijab wearing for French women athletes in Olympic Games was an overstepping of the French authority. Obviously, France will not end its cultural war against Islam, and seemingly, its strategy is to gradually eliminate the Muslim culture in France, and perhaps, expel it from the country.
In the past, French President Emmanuel Macron has clearly said that, “religious symbols of any kind have no place” But forming hijab and abaya as religious symbols by the French politicians relays a complete misinformation and a wrong definition of these outfits.
What is France’s perception of Muslims?
The intention of banning hijab wearing for French women athletes in the Olympic Games was to halt the Islamic culture from spreading in the West. Apparently, seeing talented athletes Muslim women in Olympic Games can definitely influence women. France is fighting Islam through a cultural war from schools, educational institutions, and sports fields.
Basically, France took its secularism to the extreme level to ban hijab warring for women athletes. Since Islam became an influential religion in the world, France’s game has been changed. France is using secularism as a weapon to counter Islamic culture that is perceived by political groups as a threat to French society.