Big difference... Saudi Arabia's law is for everywhere on everyone... The french law is only for state schools and thus an element of choice is maintained... In any event... I agree with the EU's ruling... furthermore as a Muslim I must add that the only way you will keep the fundamentalist genie in the bottle is by making such laws... Please refer to my previous post.
pakistanisecularist1
I will add one thing to this conversation... there is no denying that there is a special sense of unity and belonging when it comes to the Muslim peoples'... the term 'Muslim' extends beyond what we understand of 'Christian'.... in many ways being a Muslim is synonymous to being a Jew... it denotes ethnic identity almost. As with Israel, in Pakistan it was the fear of the Muslim minority that led to the creation of the state... I don't deny the
Baker street... This means that anyone can assume anything and declare that to be part of their religious belief... Would you then be willing to allow polygamy because it is there in Islam ? The fact of the matter is that these things are not integral to religious worship as such. If France feels that the Burqahs and Hijabs are counterproductive of national development and creates differences between citizens then I think they h
Thankyou for your compliment.
Kingbee Precisely
Dear Baker street ... Why do you assume that Burqah is part of the religious belief for the Islamic people. It is not part of any religious beliefs for the Islamic people... I am afraid this is the drama of the Mullahs. and nothing else sadly. My mother, wife , cousins have never observed Purdah, Burqah or Hijab... nor have any of my personal friends... yet no one has ever accused them of being bad muslims out here in Pakistan. <
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Pakistani History books have made the grave error of not according the high place to Tilak and Gokhale that their achievements merit. They are mentioned in passing, as Jinnah's seniors in the Congress Party but nothing more. Indeed, Jinnah was most influenced by these two men, imbibing idealism and nationalism from them. His fondest hope had been of becoming a 'M
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