More kow-towing to Islam?

Submitted by Rebecca Moulds (United States), May 11, 2009 at 09:30

The Western women friends I know who lived in Riyadh had to wear an abaya when going out in public and even when answering the door in their own homes (one reason why I refused to live there), but I have never heard of an airline employee who had to abide by this rule. It is shameful for a woman to be treated in this manner, whether a foreigner or a citizen of these Muslim countries. A

lthough it is not the "law" in Egypt, many women wear niqab and hijab as their choice although some are forced to by family members. All Muslim women do not cover their bodies in this way, and any woman is free to wear Western-style clothes, but it's wise to remember modesty. Even in a mosque a head covering is not mandatory for a foreigner. In this country we do not force women to wear Western clothing as opposed to their niqab and hijab or even abaya. Saudi Arabia, by imposing their laws on foreigners, is showing the intolerance of Islam. It is always circumspect to dress appropriately and modestly, depending on the country, but forcing airline employees to wear abayas is going too far. It is too frightening to witness these back-bending stunts for Islam; it's time to reassess what it means to be truly free.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".