Muslims themselves have been divided on the subject (see Women). Hundreds of millions of Muslim women do not wear the hijab. But that’s no argument for denying the right of those who want to wear it. That a majority of Christians do not go to church on Sundays does not negate the right of those who do. That a majority of Jews are not Orthodox does not derogate from the fundamental religious rights of those who wear the yarmulke and keep long locks. That some Sikhs shave off their beards and cut their hair does not mean that others do not have the right to believe that their religion commands otherwise. The state, especially a democratic one, has no business dictating which version of a religion should prevail.

The best approach, from an Islamic as well as a secular point of view, is that the matter be left to the individual woman. That is the principle feminists advocated and Western democracies eventually adopted in dealing with abortion.

The only sound public policy is to accept the hijab in public spaces, such as educational institutions and offices, as is the case in Britain, Canada and the US. The state should be active in combating discrimination against hijabi women. It should prosecute employers who won’t hire or promote hijabi women in accordance with their skill. The government should act as a model employer by hiring qualified hijabi women, as Britain does for its police and immigration departments. This is a natural evolution of the policy enacted earlier for the Jewish yarmulke and the Sikh turban, despite initial pockets of resistance.

Hijab: Headscarf of varying lengths and shapes.

Niqab: Cloth that covers the face as well.

Burqa: The head-to-toe outer garment of various shapes and colors, with an opening only for the eyes, dictated by the Taliban in Afghanistan and still worn by some women there, as well as in Pakistan and India. The garment is also known as abaya (in Iraq and Saudi Arabia), charshaf (in Turkey) and jilbab or milaya (in Egypt).

Chapter 3

The Faith

A LIVING FAITH

Grilling Muslims in terrorism-related probes, police tend to ask about the suspect’s religiosity, “How often do you pray?” Covering the post-9/11 world, the media make mosque-going sound like a subversive activity. Looking at the passport of a Muslim, airport immigration officials perk up if they see Saudi Arabian stamps of arrival and departure. Examining a Muslim’s bank records, security police look suspiciously at any foreign transaction. Listening to a Muslim express solidarity with fellow Muslims everywhere, xenophobes think the worst.