Serwan Zangana
Between the right and the left wing policies in Europe and under secularism Muslims are trying to make their ways to live and practice their faith. It is a simple life that Muslims are generally demanding without any interference with the system. But seemingly such a demand is becoming more difficult for Muslims in the Western Society as more rules are being implemented to monitor, and perhaps, control the social lives of Muslims in the West. France’s new schools rule for wearing clothes is another battle that Muslims have to face in Europe.
France’s Education Minister Gabriel Attal announced that abaya will be banned at schools from the first day of opening on September 4. He said, ”It will no longer be possible to wear an abaya at school.” Abaya is a long garment that some Muslim women wear. Although abaya wearing is mostly worn by Muslim women from the Arab peninsula, it is a proper dressing for all Muslim women across the world.
However, while the right wing party welcomed the announcement, the left wing party denounced it. But over all, Muslims are between two waves in the secularism ocean, which are right and left wings, and neither one could be trusted completely. France’s right wing is attempting to surrender Muslims by using the secularism system as a modern weapon to prohibit the basic practice of Islam ,"Secularism means the freedom to emancipate oneself through school,” Attal said.
Obviously, the left wing is not a better choice for Muslims in the long run, and it does not offer a social environment that can morally be aligned with Islamic belief. In fact, the Western democratic system in some aspects is a threat to the Islamic culture. The true picture of this system is completely different from what it appears. Banning clothes in schools, specifically abaya which is a prudish dress, shows the political intent behind such a law.
Attal’s wrong definition to abaya ”a religious gesture,” as he said, is just an excuse to interfere with Muslim clothing. However, France’s dealing with Muslims has been controversial in the past. In 2004, France banned wearing headscarves (hijab) in schools.
It seems France’s secularism has crossed the line and intervened in people’s personal lives and beliefs. A simple abaya or a long dress without any sign or symbol is definitely not what Attal believes or afraid of, which is extremism. It considers a freedom of belief under a secular system especially if there is no harm to others. “Freedom to practise one's religion or belief without harming others….” (National Secular Society)
The purposes of the political Western systems are hidden under secularism and so called a (Free Society). Such a society is to dismantle Islamic culture, or perhaps any other traditional culture, or gradually blend it with the Western society. Now, the question is what next for Muslims to face in the West?