I never fully disclosed the real reason for my departure from PCF: it was full of trolls and baiters from "both sides" at the state it was when I left it and when it finally kicked the bucket. And yes, while I'm busy with graduate school, I suppose it doesn't hurt to drop by once in a while and post something, especially now since work has toned down for the summer. I saw this interesting article on the Christian Science Monitor, which deals with a possible face veil (niqab) ban in Syria. Recently, the Syrian government did something else I thought it would never do: ban hookahs from public places. Anyways, the POV of some of the people in the article is such that the niqab is also used by men as a cover to sneak in gatherings where women are, or use it to rape women in public female-only restrooms. I've heard reports here in Saudi Arabia of the same thing happening, and I wouldn't be surprised (of course, unless you appear effeminate like Justin Beiber does, you'd have no trouble with the law being considered in the article) that the Syrian government is considering banning it in public areas such as universities (of course, in Saudi Arabia, the niqab is well-tolerated and even promoted to the extent that the Saudi government would never do something outlandish to upset the ulema religious council).

The article makes no mention of a statistic regarding the number of crimes committed by men wearing a niqab, or by the number of men caught wearing a niqab, or men seen wearing a niqab. Should those statistics be low, a face veil ban would therefore, in my opinion, seem unnecessary: it would be too costly and time-consuming to put such regulations in effect unless a nation-wide study proves otherwise.

The government's reason, however, seems to be anti-Islamist.



But what about the women who wear it by choice?



I think Mr. Kadi's issues should be forward to his leader, Bashar al-Assad, who strengthened ties with Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran to begin with (of course, he's too afraid to bring it up lest he have his tongue cut out... or worse). Regardless, Syria's secularism, something cherished by the Ba'athist regime, is seemingly under attack by the increase of women wearing niqabs, from the POV of the government. This POV is as absurd as saying that America's whiteness is under attack by a growing influx of colored immigrants who simply work in the country.

Thoughts?

Syria is basically following in Egypts footsteps in banning the Niqab, I mean if Al Azhar university itself banned niqab in its campus then who can say its wrong?

If they are "following in Egypt's footsteps", the impetus is different. Tantawi banned the niqab in female-only institutions (i.e. both the teachers and students are women) seemingly for the reason that they're not necessary (source), or, from the standpoint of what was mentioned in the OP article, a safeguard against men who would sneak in and harass or rape women. The Syrian government, on the other hand, is more adamant about a secular position, and many Syrian university classes are taught by men as well as women. Tantawi's partially correct in saying that the niqab is a traditional icon, but there are hadiths that claim that wearing a niqab is better (mufaddal) in the eyes of God but not necessary.

While I agree that the face-veil is an impedement for identification purposes, I don't think that banning it on a national-wide scale would be the right course of action, and neither would enforcing it of course. However, I do see the rationale for banning it on an institution-wide scale. My concern here is if the Syrian government sees that.

Well, when does something stop being a free choice and become a result of cultural pressures?? If a women chose not to wear it would her family, friends, community, etc, all go, "oh well, fair enough" or would they object?? Do any of us really have the ability to make a totally free choice on any issue which can be fairly sensitive??

I think you are actually looking for a rationale in the decision that isn't there, it just looks like it is purely political decision - as you say it is probably just an anti-Islamist move.

If one is to ban something covering the face, how far should one go with this ban? Does it mean that hats or scarfs may not cover the face too and to which extent? What about ski goggles, large sun glasses, etc? Where will it end?

I can understand and respect the interest and need in protecting women, but I'm generally against fashion police and wonder if there is not a better alternative means of dealing with such problems.

If one lives in a region where the family, culture or environment requires a face to be covered, can the government enact laws or enforce a condition of justice which would give a women the freedom and power to not cover her face if she chose to do so?

Considering how extremely difficult life can be for a Muslim woman in Germany who chooses a different path from what others defined for her, I wonder how things are in places like Syria with fewer civil liberties and poorer women's rights.

Thousands of Turkish women live like slaves in Germany. They are locked into apartments, beaten and kept deliberately ignorant. Their men don’t want them integrated and –- until now –- neither did Germany. That, say women’s rights workers, politicians and social workers, has to change... Germany, it turns out, is home to thousands of young German-Turkish women who harbor harrowing tales of courage and grief. Tales that pit the girls' dreams for themselves with the traditions of their families. The girls' goal is simple: they want the same rights as their peers in German schools. But the culture and circle from which they come -- insular Turkish Muslim families -- says no. It says that men are in charge and determine women's fates. To get what they want, the girls have to run, changing their names, falsifying their passports and breaking with the families they love but simply can't obey.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1 ... 60,00.html

Since not every Turkish Muslim woman in Germany has the courage to abandon her family and create a new identity, I wonder what life must be like in Syria? In my view, the problem is not the niqab, but rather cultural or religious problems which won't be solved through fashion police.