An Oxford-based Muslim cleric has called for Britain to ban the burqa, arguing that the wearing of a face veil is not Islamic but the product of a misogynistic culture.
He further argues:
Since the burqa and niqab are ancient habits and not mentioned in the Koran, it is, therefore, pre-Islamic, not Koranic and ipso facto un-Muslim.”
“The niqab is a tradition and has nothing to do with Islam.”
Taj Hargey is being less than honest. Here is what the Quran really says about the burqa and niqab:
(Quran 24:31) And tell the believing women to reduce of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
We all know that if a woman stamps her feet, adornments on the ears and neck can make a jingling sound. How, pray tell, do women “reduce of their vision”, pull head-covers over their chests and also cover their ears with the same garment, if not through the burqa or niqab? Furthermore, the Quran states that if women do not cover according to specification, they can be and open themselves to being abused…..
(Quran 33:59) O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused.
The problem with Islam today is the enforced immutability of the interpretation of the text by Islamic supremacist leaders and scholars, so if one enters into the debate of what is and what is not in the Quran, as Hargey does, then one trips up, as there are plenty of verses in the Quran that are clearly problematic.
The approach of Hargey should instead be to tell the truth about what is written in black and white in the Quran, and facilitate modernization and the full abandonment of antiquated practices and the barbarism called for in the Quran and Sunnah. These practices are still quite common in many Islamic states, and worse, are being exported now to the West through dawah and Hijra.
(Pictured: women in niqabs, which are often dubbed “burqas” in the UK press.)
“British Muslim Cleric Calls for Burqa Ban”, by Donna Rachel Edmunds, Breitbart, October 19, 2016:
An Oxford-based Muslim cleric has called for Britain to ban the burqa, arguing that the wearing of a face veil is not Islamic but the product of a misogynistic culture.
In a statement made to a conference on Islam held over the weekend, Dr. Taj Hargey of the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford called on the British government to follow other European countries such as France and Belgium in outlawing face veils, arguing that not only are they hostile to Western ideals of gender equality, but they are also not Islamic.
“Since the burqa and niqab are ancient habits and not mentioned in the Koran, it is, therefore, pre-Islamic, not Koranic and ipso facto un-Muslim.”
He points to similar bans made within the Islamic world itself, including in Mecca, one of the holiest sites within the Islamic religion, where some scholars say women should be unveiled.
“If Muslim women are banned from covering their faces in Mecca, and cannot perform their daily prayers by hiding their identity, then why is it a requirement to do so on the streets of Britain?” he asked.“The UK must join other leading European Union nations like France, Belgium, and now Bulgaria in outlawing all forms of facial masking in public. By doing so, it will set a firm marker in what are civilised standards for men and women in the 21stcentury.”
Dr. Hargey, who advocates for a purely Koran-based form of Islam stripped of the Hadiths, which he calls “man-made traditions that uphold patriarchy, intolerance, and belligerence”, is often referred to as a proponent of radical liberal Islam. But, in fact, his suggestion has strong support within Islamic countries.
In 2009 Sheikh Mohamed Tantawi, dean of al-Azhar University in Cairo, regarded by many as Egypt’s imam and Sunni Islam’s foremost spiritual authority, promised to institute a ban on the face veil in Sunni schools after visiting a local school and ordering a teenage girl to remove her niqab.
According to local reports, he told the girl: “The niqab is a tradition and has nothing to do with Islam.” When she began to argue he added: “I tell you again that the niqab has nothing to do with Islam and it is only a mere custom. I understand the religion better than you and your parents.”
Dr. Hargey has called upon the British people to lobby parliament for the change, saying: “There is no conceivable religious, cultural, or ideological reason that can justify concealment of female identity in public. So it is important that all right thinking people lobby parliament to ban this outrageous tradition which only reinforces female servility, and [promotes] sexist patriarchy.”….

jayell says
Funny how all these prominent muslims in high places in the UK are now pushing this sort of ‘we’re really no different from you’ line. Rather like the awful ‘Baroness’ Warsi trying to convince us that your average local mosque should ditch the minarets and introduce church-type music, just like the local parish church.
And funny that it’s happening just as knowledge of all the repulsive grooming-gang scandals is coming into the public domain, people are speaking their minds more about the ‘religion of peace’ and books are being published that blow the whole thing wide open. So who do they think they’ll succeed in kidding?
Hector Archytas says
The Koran is a book of war. Men are warriors and women are factory of warriors. The factory should produce as soon as they can and kept hidden to the ennemies.
In a similar way of thinking, in pre-colonial north africa, slave christian women who refused to make Muslims children have their genetal were put “out of service” in being filled with melted lead.
This was also a tradition and it might come back sooner we think.
Got this from, Thomas Pellow book written in 1738.
Crusades Were Right! says
“Softly, softly, catchee dhimmi!”
Redmond says
The theory goes that it was used to protect not only women but men too from the harsh sun inthe middle-east. But Muhammad already made it clear what it is used for.
BLC says
I can see them wearing such apparel in the harsh sun or in sand storms in the Middle East to protect against the weather, but because men just can’t control themselves around an uncovered woman? Don’t think so. They’re not THAT beautiful.
Cretius says
I agree. Islam must modernise or it will remain a threat to western democracy, culture and religions that will have to be dealt with sooner or later. I would rather see it dealt with now with a minimum of bloodshed.
john spielman says
islam CANNOT CHANGE otherwise to do so would be to admit that muhmammed WAS INDEED a demon possessed mass murderer thief LIAR and pedophile false prophet!
duh swami says
Islam can’t be changed because no pious Muslim wants to explain to Allah why they changed it…
davej says
What a creepy photo!
There is no place for identity-concealing dress of any kind in a civil, transparent democratic society, except for bank robbers and serial killers.
Particularly when you consider that this costume usually implies a violent Supremacist attitude as well.
billybob says
That photo makes me laugh to think of it being in someone’s family photo album. Imagine the mother sitting next to the daughter-in-law and the aunt talking about the wedding last summer while looking at photos – a very typical family scene, going through page after page of photos like this. “I think that was your aunt Miriam – or maybe not…” Like – it would be hilarious to watch them trying to figure out who is who.
I do think they look evil like that. Imagine this group coming towards you unexpectedly in a dark place.You would think it was the Grim Reaper’s detail.
pandirkelana says
Ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa . . . .
pnr says
Girl abduction was and is a common practice among adharmic peoples of Asia – it makes it difficult to rescue a girl if she is dressed in black garbage bag like apparel.
Black is a colour Vedics associate with Rahu the rakashic malefic entity – so it is fitting moslems dress women in black – fitting from a purely Vedic colour analysis as Izlam is a path for the spiritually demented. Black of course also signifies political resistance and in ‘the west’ it is colour of mourning. Truly enlightened souls generally avoid black clothing.
Moslems wipe out material poverty by studying Pancatantra. And a bit of the Ramayan and Gita won’t hurt either – your illiteracy and ignorance have needlessly turned Earth into warzone. Learn to think.
linnte says
Jayell I suspect that because people are not only learning about the Rotherham grooming and rapes, but they are learning what Islam really is. They are understanding Islam more and more, and this is our best weapon against Islam! Islam itself!
Encourage EVERYONE to read Islamic texts!
BLC says
I know this was true for me. The more I learned about Islam, the less I could see it as a world religion and not the delusions of a madman.
linnte says
And it gets more and more clear as time goes by. Islam is not compatible with non Muslims.
ECAW says
Christine Williams appears to confuse the hijab which covers the head with the niqab and burqa which cover the face. She quotes verse 24:31 which starts like this in the translation she quotes:
“And tell the believing women to reduce of their vision…”
Then asks “How, pray tell, do women “reduce of their vision”, pull head-covers over their chests and also cover their ears with the same garment, if not through the burqa or niqab?”
Here are 50 translations of the verse plus the word for word version:
http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/24/31/default.htm
You will see that only one of them, the Umm Muhammad (Sahih International), uses the phrase “reduce their vision” which Christine Williams reasonably interprets as reducing their eyesight by means of a niqab or burqa. But all the other versions use some variant on “lower their gaze” including crucially the word for word version.
Assuming the fifty are right and the one is wrong the hijab does fulfil the requirements of the Koran. That means that Dr Targey is right about the burqa and niqab (in that they are not required by the Koran but whether they pre-date the Koran or not I do not know and he produces no evidence).
Beyond that, Targey appears to be promoting a Koran-only version of Islam which appears nicer but has plenty going against it, for instance Muslims wouldn’t even know how to pray without the later Hadiths.
pandirkelana says
According to verse 24:30, how do MEN reduce their vision? Should they wear burqa too? This is rediculous interpretation!
ECAW says
Ha! If I’d only looked at thr preceding verse it would have saved me all that trouble.
Bill says
I suspect it has more to do with British Special Forces using the Burka as a disguise in Special Ops to successfully take out Jihadi terrorists. Can’t have that now can we? 🙂
Anyhow, this will not get any traction because the Western Feminist Elite have so fought hard for the right of women to be forced to wear the Burka and to be genitally mutilated. I suspect that the WFEs will hold fast on this regardless of what a few muslim scholars have to say about it. Add to that, Dhimmi European clothing designers have introduced whole new fashionable lines muslim wear for the infidel, to ease their way into the Burka. They at least have to clear their warehouses before accepting this new outlook.
Tjhawk says
Cleric calls for a burka ban! Look no further. That proves that Islam is quintessentially British.
BLC says
It is now the 21st Century and thanks to Islam, its adherents have not progressed in thought, deed, or even style of dress from the 7th Century when Mohammed began this madness. Now our leaders want to inflict masses of these throwbacks to medieval times on our civilized societies. God help us!!!
Oliver says
I might be wrong–BUT perhaps this man is really trying to modernize the religion- and co-exist.
If that is the case, like the other Muslim cleric who was murdered because he “practiced witchcraft”- i expect to see that this man killed. And the first thoughts- Islamphobia.
Angemon says
Whoa, Dr. Hargey sounds like a real, “moderate”, progressive muslim! Islam without ahadith, which allegedly are the source of all evil in islam? Sounds great, doc, sign me up! But before that, just one more thing – according to the quran, how many times are you supposed to pray per day? And are you allowed to drink alcohol or not? Because I’m getting mixed messages from the quran (see 2:219, 4:43 and 5:90).
duh swami says
There are Quran only Muslims who reject hadith and sharia as being ‘man made’…
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
Whoa, this is one seriously mixed up Moslem. But what he sez gives the BBC a place to hang its equivalency hat, which they don so frequently now.
citycat says
An attention diverter from the daily tricks of the up to no good “unseen”
like playing for time while the breeding and creeping increase the Islamic hold on the Infidel’s land.
linnte says
That’s the way I see it too. Sneaky buggers!
David says
Love the photo!
Demon possessed women from HELL !
Just the sight of them should put everyone’s minds at ease! (NOT!)
Can you just imagine what it feels like to be in the same Super Market check-out line with a couple of these?
As they jabber-blabber away in the demonic tongue of their primitive tribes, I can’t help wondering what their saying?
Think it’s something like: ” What a wonderful Country! My Allah Bless the United States! “.?
No, I don’t really think so either.
Michael says
“Dr. Hargey has called upon the British people to lobby parliament for the change, saying: “There is no conceivable religious, cultural, or ideological reason that can justify concealment of female identity in public. ”
__________________________________________
Notice Dr. Hargey presupposing that Parliment is tool for sharia court type decisions and actions. In his elevated opinion the conquest is over. The British people are supposed to jump when the islamo-overlords have in-house spats.
David says
Isn’t it very common for young muslim Terrorist to sally forth Waring the full coverage uniform of a portly muslim women so as to put the Security Forces off their guard?
That alone should be sufficient reason to BAN such outfits in every Civilized Nation.
Hector Archytas says
Hector Archytas says
October 21, 2016 at 4:57 am
The Koran is a book of war. Men are warriors and women are factory of warriors. The factory should produce as soon as they can and kept hidden to the ennemies.
In a similar way of thinking, in pre-colonial north africa, slave christian women who refused to make Muslims children have their genetal were put “out of service” in being filled with melted lead.
This was also a tradition and it might come back sooner we think.
Got this from, Thomas Pellow book written in 1738.
Ian says
It is pre-Islamic, the Muslims adopted it from the inhabitants of what we now call Iraq and of course that 7th paedophile incorporated it into his book.
Ian says
should read 7th cnetury paedophile
Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY) says
The above-quoted Quran 24:31 says that a woman can have unseen adornments, but may not bring attention to them by using her feet to stamp out a message in Morse code. It is a mystery what Allah finds so wrong with this foot-stamping means of communication, but apparently it is perfectly okay to convey the same information by speech, such as by saying, “Hey sailor, I’m wearing a cool vulva jewel. Wanna have a peek?”
Germen Roding says
The reason is simple. The Qur’an literally says: hide your ornaments,so other people don’t get jealous. During that time people, especially women, wore their money around their necks.They still do in rural India. Other jewellery was around their feet,so women who wanted to show off,danced with their feet.
That rule makes more sense than most of the Qur’an. Of course,the misogynistic Sunni and Shi’a sects used this as a pretext to change women into penguins.The main problem with Islamn (imho 99%) is the Sunnah that superedes the Qur’an, This imam is a courageous guy and he deserves all support he can get.
Paul Ashley says
This Muslim cleric is obviously an apostate and as such, should be in fear for his life. /sarc
Rick Spencer says
Dr Hargey is a brave man, despised by Sunni clerics, and very devoted to interfaith work and integration of Muslims in Western societies. He continually receives violent and death threats from mainstream Mohammedans. He founded a non-sectarian mosque in Cape Town RSA and this establishment has been vandalised by Sunni religious thugs on several occasions over the past 2 years. I salute Taj Hargey!
Ninsuna says
There’s also clear intent built into this islamic idiocy that women must be made to additionally suffer from the dark color and thickness of the fabric (probably some nonbreathable synthetic), often in stiflingly hot climates. No airy, loosely woven, sun-reflecting white for the servile sex slaves!
CrossWare says
Banning burqa and hijab is a BAD idea. It is only a symptom of the disease: Islam.
Brit says
It is creeping sharia, the stealth jihad.. It must be stamped out as humanely as possible.
What is the harm caused by banning face coverings in public buildings ?
Empiricist says
It’s a step in the right direction because there are many things needing reinterpretation because they abrogate so many things, including the peaceful parts. That’s the only way to reduce the violence I think.
Carolyne says
Well, there goes the black plastic garbage bag industry in the UK. Garbage in, garbage out.
Robert McKenna says
All demonstrations, of any size, from single individuals to crowds, must be banned, and penalties attached for breaking the ban.
Wearing the burkha and the hijab, as well as “praying” in public is demonstrating. All hijabs and burkhas should be banned from public transportation. Laws should be passed prohibiting the wearing of either the burkha or hijab when operating any form of motorized transportation or equipment. (even lawn mowers)
It’s time civilized people put an end to the “in-your-face” demonstrations of these deliberately non assimilating, trouble making, muslim rabble !
Right now, they are slowly suing and bitching their way to making the muslim flea and louse habitat of the hijab acceptable in every situation, regardless of work rules or safety.
THIS MUST BE STOPPED ! I do not want to receive goods or services from someone who might be shedding vermin.