Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Free to decide - The Cranberries
Student leaders want IIU to review ‘tudung’ ruling
BY ROYCE CHEAH
KUALA LUMPUR: Student leaders of public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) are suggesting that the International Islamic University (IIU) review its ruling requiring non-Muslim students to wear the tudung.
Spokesman for presidents of IPTA student representative councils, Mohd Efendi Omar, said they were not taking sides but felt that it should not be made compulsory for non-Muslims.
"For Muslims there is no question about it, but there should be sensitivity when involving non-Muslims. "
You can read the whole article here.
For those who are not from Malaysia, let me clarify – although you would be able to guess the scenario from the small excerpt above.
One of the requirements imposed upon all students in the International Islamic University is that all the women students have to wear a head covering – a “tudung”. There are no exceptions – so it does not matter whether the student is a Muslim or not. They have to wear the “tudung”!
It is such a ridiculous ruling. The “tudung” is in fact a religious symbol. How then can they impose their religion on non-believers?
Let’s look at why Muslim women are required to wear the “tudung”.
"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." (Qur'an 33:59)
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." (Qur'an 24:30-31)
Me no expert in this area but my limited research comes up wif these verses from the Quran.
Fine. We respect these practices of the Islamic faith – tho we may not necessarily agree wif them.
But still, how can they impose it on non-Muslim students? Even the States in Malaysia which are run by the Islamic Party do not impose such a condition on the non-Muslims who are in the State (although they do not allow McDonald’s to open before 3 pm during the Ramadan month – but that’s another story!).
At the end of the day, a Muslim – I believe – would carry out their religious practices out of a devotion to their god. I mean, it is pointless to appear religious on the outside but inside, you do not have the required faith.
So not only do I raise the absurdity of the rule, I oso question the wisdom behind it. Would the authorities in IIU rather have students appear to be religious or that they be religious? Are they more concerned wif the letter of the law rather than the spirit?
Unfortunately – but typically – the response from a minister from the Prime Minister’s department was “Because it is a university ruling, students have to adhere to it as a matter of procedure and discipline. They were aware of this requirement before they chose to study in IIU.”
It is perhaps with a touch of irony that on the very same day the above article was published, the Prime Minister was quoted to have said “In this national endeavour towards greater integration, all Malaysians bear a collective responsibility to respect each other's sensitivities and celebrate each other's culture.” (emphasis added) (See here)
Bunkum?
BY ROYCE CHEAH
KUALA LUMPUR: Student leaders of public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) are suggesting that the International Islamic University (IIU) review its ruling requiring non-Muslim students to wear the tudung.
Spokesman for presidents of IPTA student representative councils, Mohd Efendi Omar, said they were not taking sides but felt that it should not be made compulsory for non-Muslims.
"For Muslims there is no question about it, but there should be sensitivity when involving non-Muslims. "
You can read the whole article here.
For those who are not from Malaysia, let me clarify – although you would be able to guess the scenario from the small excerpt above.
One of the requirements imposed upon all students in the International Islamic University is that all the women students have to wear a head covering – a “tudung”. There are no exceptions – so it does not matter whether the student is a Muslim or not. They have to wear the “tudung”!
It is such a ridiculous ruling. The “tudung” is in fact a religious symbol. How then can they impose their religion on non-believers?
Let’s look at why Muslim women are required to wear the “tudung”.
"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." (Qur'an 33:59)
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." (Qur'an 24:30-31)
Me no expert in this area but my limited research comes up wif these verses from the Quran.
Fine. We respect these practices of the Islamic faith – tho we may not necessarily agree wif them.
But still, how can they impose it on non-Muslim students? Even the States in Malaysia which are run by the Islamic Party do not impose such a condition on the non-Muslims who are in the State (although they do not allow McDonald’s to open before 3 pm during the Ramadan month – but that’s another story!).
At the end of the day, a Muslim – I believe – would carry out their religious practices out of a devotion to their god. I mean, it is pointless to appear religious on the outside but inside, you do not have the required faith.
So not only do I raise the absurdity of the rule, I oso question the wisdom behind it. Would the authorities in IIU rather have students appear to be religious or that they be religious? Are they more concerned wif the letter of the law rather than the spirit?
Unfortunately – but typically – the response from a minister from the Prime Minister’s department was “Because it is a university ruling, students have to adhere to it as a matter of procedure and discipline. They were aware of this requirement before they chose to study in IIU.”
It is perhaps with a touch of irony that on the very same day the above article was published, the Prime Minister was quoted to have said “In this national endeavour towards greater integration, all Malaysians bear a collective responsibility to respect each other's sensitivities and celebrate each other's culture.” (emphasis added) (See here)
Bunkum?
# posted by imissw : 5:42:00 pm
