An Unveiling: Separate, but Acceptable?

by Daniel Pipes
Wed, 25 Oct 2006
updated Wed, 22 Nov 2006

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National Review Online asked a group of commentators — including Bill Bennett, Mona Charen, Phyllis Chesler, Andrew McCarthy, Emanuele Ottolenghi, and Daniel Pipes, to weigh in on the nikab: "Muslim women veiling has become the subject of intense controversy in Britain in recent days, with Prime Minister Tony Blair calling the veil a 'mark of separation.' Should the nikab be banned? CAN it be?" For all replies, see "An Unveiling: Separate, but acceptable?"

The nikab, which leaves only a woman's eyes showing, is the second most extreme Muslim covering of women after the burka (which covers the entire head, including the eyes). Both garments have become the topic of debate in Europe in recent years; in "Europe's Burqa Wars," for example, I catalogue some efforts to penalize or render illegal the burka. Thanks to a statement by Labour politician Jack Straw, the nikab has in recent weeks become the center of furious dispute in Great Britain. To a lesser extent, it is already debated in the United States, such as the case of Sultaana Freeman, who wanted to wear a nikab for her driving license picture, or Ginnnah Muhammad, who had her lawsuit thrown out of court because she refused to take off her nikab.

I see the nikab or burka doing immense damage to male/female and Muslim/non-Muslim relations, but in those areas an American's right to freedom-of-expression prevails. On grounds of security, however, I believe that both coverings should be banned, as one cannot have faceless persons walking the streets, driving cars, or otherwise entering public spaces. (October 25, 2006)

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Nov. 21, 2006 update: I document the danger suggested here in a new weblog entry, "The Niqab and Burqa as Security Threat."

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Reader comments on this weblog entry

Title	By	Date
oddly powerful anonymity [73 words]	nicolette	Dec 26, 2006 10:13
Well done - Dutch [16 words]	Vijay	Nov 18, 2006 11:23
More Muslim Women against the Burqa [167 words]	zzazzeefrazzee	Nov 16, 2006 00:16
↔ truth is... [231 words]	donvan	Nov 22, 2006 08:15
↔ Donovan- I think we're on the same page here. [456 words]	zzazzeefrazzee	Nov 24, 2006 22:12
↔ POINT OF CONTENTION.. [108 words]	DONVAN	Nov 27, 2006 09:08
↔ Shall we ban nuns from wearing habits then? [89 words]	zzazzeefrazzee	Nov 28, 2006 19:10
↔ the difference.... [176 words]	DONVAN	Nov 30, 2006 15:44
↔ hijab is not a political statement [835 words]	zzazzeefrazzee	Dec 12, 2006 15:00
↔ VERY GOOD POST... [147 words]	DONVAN	Dec 12, 2006 16:46
↔ Dear Donvan part two! [173 words]	Spotter	Dec 23, 2006 04:56
↔ Hijab [88 words]	donvan	Dec 25, 2006 07:07
↔ Nawal El Saadawi [79 words]	Krista K.	Dec 31, 2006 23:02
↔ Should the nikab be banned? [87 words]	Krista K	Dec 31, 2006 23:32
↔ YES, IT IS .. [161 words]	DONVAN	Aug 3, 2007 16:41
↔ Thank you.. [71 words]	donvan	Aug 3, 2007 16:53
Show us your face, please! [114 words]	Octavio Johanson	Nov 15, 2006 11:00
burqua wars... [67 words]	donvan	Nov 14, 2006 14:09
↔ Muslim Women against the Niqab and Burqa [w/response] [171 words]	zzazzeefrazzee	Nov 15, 2006 23:54
↔ About time [78 words]	sur kai	Nov 24, 2006 20:53
↔ the habit & the hijab [162 words]	donvan	Nov 28, 2006 09:53
↔ Dear Donvan [186 words]	Spotter	Dec 23, 2006 04:33
↔ regarding the "Hijab" [95 words]	donvan	Dec 25, 2006 06:52
↔ Reply to Donvan [385 words]	Spotter	Dec 26, 2006 01:39
↔ a little tolerance... [201 words]	donvan	Dec 27, 2006 08:33
↔ what? [146 words]	eh..	Feb 1, 2007 21:37
↔ I love Muslims..... [181 words]	donvan	Feb 5, 2007 09:51
↔ Right... [154 words]	eh	Feb 17, 2007 20:48
↔ nice try... [147 words]	donvan	Feb 26, 2007 10:12
↔ Are u kidding? [139 words]	eh	Mar 26, 2007 17:09
↔ what more evidence do we need.. [265 words]	donvan	Mar 28, 2007 09:44
↔ what? [129 words]	eh	Mar 29, 2007 17:16
↔ what is your point... [91 words]	donvan	Apr 2, 2007 11:38
↔ Donvan is confused... [78 words]	eh...	Apr 8, 2007 14:59
↔ Thanks for the response [161 words]	donvan	Apr 9, 2007 10:37
↔ eh,huh and wah? [130 words]	joe kaffir	Apr 9, 2007 11:50
↔ eh.... you are in denial! [101 words]	Jaladhi	Apr 9, 2007 16:21
↔ Our dear eh and Islam is the religion of peace? You must be kidding! [72 words]	dhimmi no more	Apr 10, 2007 07:03
↔ For our dear eh and and speaking of disrespect [425 words]	dhimmi no more	Apr 10, 2007 07:28

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