After the highly dubious and rather self-orchestrated events of 9/11, 2001, an unprecedented wave of hatred towards Islam and Muslims raged western countries. This was a completely pre-designed project to portray an uncivilized and anti-human image of Islam with the aim of furthering pressures and limitations on Muslims in the west and to benefit from the anti-Islamic climate in the world.

For the past two decades, the view on Muslims has been so negative that it has resulted in physical assaults in many cases. Meanwhile, it is the Muslim women who constitute the main victims of savage attacks due to their code of dressing and hijab in public.

Amnesty International released a report on selectivity and discrimination against Muslims in Europe and warned against the spread of Islamophobia in the continent. The results of opinion polls in some European countries indicated an increase of negative view on Muslims in Europe. Muslims, due to their religious beliefs, face discrimination at public places such as markets and educational centers in Europe. ID control and security investigation has incessantly been carried out on Muslims which is an obvious example of violation of human rights. Prohibition or restriction of hijab among Muslim women is a glaring example of discrimination in Europe. Hijab is considered as a basic pillar of faith for Muslim women and the symbol of their modesty and chastity. Professor Madeline Zilfi, specializing in West Asian and Islamic history from University of Maryland, says, "Hijab inside and outside the Islamic nations represents many things such as a political communique against corruption and promiscuity and it is a deep personal deed; and this issue originates in the essence of Islam in which the Qur'an has considered hijab as an obligatory act."

Unfortunately, this natural right which should be respected according to human rights rules, today it has faced many threats and problems in some of the western countries.

The first ratification of prohibition of hijab at French schools caused much noise. French Muslim women and girls, as the largest Muslim community in Europe, have been banned to observe hijab at government schools. According to the unjust law, which is dubbed as "Prohibition of usage of religious signs at French schools", wearing Islamic hijab at schools is officially banned. Before the ratification of this law, too, most of the French schools would rarely let Muslim girls attend classes with hijab. The unjust law forced many Muslim girls to migrate to neighboring countries to continue their education or go to private schools to preserve their hijab. Moreover, observing of hijab was banned at public places in France since 2010 and those who maintain hijab would be fined €150.

Dear listeners, let us listen to the remarks of our expert, Ms. Akhundan,

"The type of wearing and hijab is the legal right of every citizen in every society and, in violation of the UN Charter, prohibition of hijab for women is indeed the destruction of their natural right. France claims to be the cradle of democracy in Europe; while according to the documents released from the French society, the worst methods are being exercised against Muslims of the country. In view of this, prohibition of Islamic dressing code for women, especially in official places, is tantamount to a clear breach of human rights and disrespect of a Muslim's dressing code. Some pundits believe that there is a concern among European statesmen that Muslims may influence all ethnicities in Europe in terms of ideology. That's why it seems that the European countries' decision will force Muslims to emigrate. Thus, dressing code is permitted for other minorities and it is only Muslims who are facing restrictions."

After France, hijab ban spread to other western countries very quickly. As per a bill proposed by some of the Belgian parliamentarians, Muslim women who wear niqab or burka at public places, will be considered as culprit and will have to pay fines in cash or be jailed.

Christian de Franiet, a member of Belgian parliament, claimed that the proposal of the bill is tantamount to the public health and respect for social values. He said, "There should be a law which will make it possible to prosecute anyone with clothes that hide his identity at public places."                    

As for Germany, there was no ban on hijab for women but in 2017, the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg passed a law which prohibits Islamic dressing code for teachers of government schools of the state; whereas the usage of religious emblems is quite free for Christians and Jews. It should be said that the German Constitutional Court, which is responsible for interpreting on Islamic wearing at schools, has ceded the responsibility to the states.

Islamic dressing code has been a hot issue in the United States, too. A while ago, a woman with hijab was killed while leaving her home in California. Her brother said that she was murdered because of her hijab. Last year, also, the staff and managers of a big telecommunication company in the state of Kansas insulted and ridiculed Susan Bashir after her profession of Islam and even grabbed her headscarf off her head.

According to the reports of the Human Rights Watchdog, physical assaults on Muslim ladies have increased in France. The first such instance occurred in northwest Paris in 2017. In this assault, a few anonymous men beat some hijab-wearing ladies and a 19- year-old lady had a miscarriage due to stabbing with knife. Many French people, human rights organizations and anti-racist groups issued many statements criticizing the savage act and sympathizing with the distressed woman. Wearing hijab causes problems for Muslim women's employment. The researches of Hawaii University show that women with hijab are the main victims of discrimination in the American job market. Employers are looking for people who have no Islamic background or appearance. Another research in Britain revealed that Muslims enjoy the lowest job opportunity and Muslim women are employed 65% less than Christian women. The head of the sociology department of Bristol University, referring to the results of the research, warned, "If this trend continues in Britain, it will be a big threat for the country and will cause social instability."

Discrimination and injustice against Muslims is rampant in the west while according to article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights every human being has the right of freedom of thought and religion. This right includes expression of ideology, religious teachings and holding religious rituals either individually or collectively, privately or publicly.

RM/SS