[size=14pt]'Stop Ban On Religious Attires in Schools'.[/size]

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire | November 17, 2004

(From P.M. News (Nigeria) - AAGM)

An Ikeja High Court has ordered the Lagos State Government not to ban the wearing of hijab by female Muslim students of the Lagos State School of Health Technology. Hijab is a piece of cloth female Muslim faithful use to cover their heads down to the shoulders.

Also restrained over the said act are the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Attorney General of the State, and Director Lagos State School of Health Technology, Dr. E.K.O. John.

Four female students of the school, Fatimo Abidemi Razak, Titilayo Sanni, Idiatu Asabi Ayinde, and Sunbo Bada, dragged the school and other restrained personnel to court …

[size=14pt]Nigerian Muslims Welcome Court Ruling on Hijab[/size]

By Khedr Abdel Baki, IOL Correspondent
ABUJA, November 20
(IslamOnline.net)

Nigerian Muslims hailed a court ruling against a decision by the Lagos state government banning hijab in state schools under claims of inciting sectarian division in the country.

The verdict deals a serious blow to continued attempts to ban hijab in Nigeria, especially in southern areas, Abdul Wahab Baba Nafae, a Muslim activist, told IslamOnline.net Saturday, November 20.

“Some fanatic Christians have been resorting to such attempts [to ban hijab] after failing to contain the growing Islamic tide in Nigeria,” he said.

“They should abandon their provocative schemes and respect the rule of law. We are only exercising our constitutional rights."

The activist recalled that similar legal actions has been taken in several Nigerian states to ban hijab in public schools.

Baseless Claim

[b]The Lagos High Court ruled on Thursday, November 18, that no party or person can force Muslim girls to take off their hijab which, it maintained, is part and parcel of personal freedoms.

In October, the Lagos National Institute of Health and Technology banned Muslim students from entering classrooms, a decision backed by the state government.

Students Fatimo Abidemi Razak, Titilayo Sanni, Idiatu Asabi Ayinde and Sunbo Bada challenged the decision with the high court, asking that the ban be declared illegal and a breach of their rights.

Judge Olubunmi Oyewole of the High Court ruled that the ban was a breach of articles 38 and 42 of the Nigerian constitution.

He further said the institution failed to prove how hijab could spark a religious conflict.

The judge underscored that the institute, a public school funded by tax payers and owned by the Lagos state government, cannot operate outside the provisions of Constitution.

Refuting arguments that the students ought to abide by the institute’s regulations expressed in their admission letters, Oyewole said they did not waive their rights to their religious beliefs and practice merely because they accepted the admission letters.[/b]

According to official statistics, 55% of Nigerians are Muslims while 40% are Christians.

However, other estimates indicated that Muslims make up some 65 percent of the country’s 133 million population.

Twelve of Nigeria’s 36 states have gradually applied the provisions of Shari'ah since the return of democracy to the country in 1999, despite the fierce opposition from the federal government.

Hijab

Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one’s affiliations.

The issue of wearing hijab caught world attention after France adopted a controversial law banning hijab in public schools, which came into effect in September.

The decision, branded as “discriminatory” by the Human Rights Watch (HRW), left many Muslim school girls tormented between religious obligation and education needs.

In October, Cennet Doganay, 15, took off her hijab as she was entering the Louis Pasteur Lycee high school in Strasbourg, eastern France, only to reveal a bald head.

siddiq202:


And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] 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.....
Qur'an 24:31

That should answer your question

abdulkayus: dey hav d right to protest agaisnt d discrimination of female muslims students. We cant go far wit all dis discrimination. There are well known lagos muslims who shld wade into dis issue. Dos principals dat carry out dis nonsensical nonsense shld be tried for tryin to disrupt d relative peace both muslims and xtains enjoy in Lagos.

Afam4eva:
It's not about what she feels but about what the schools feels and wants which is enshrined in the constitution. if we keep going by what we feel then there are things i wished my school had allowed me to do. If a school does not allow a certain practice that you hold dear then commonsense suggests that you look elsewhere where lawlessness can become law.

talk2me006:
Wat of those wearing mini skirt?

naptu2:

http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?46139-Nigerian-Muslims-Welcome-Court-Ruling-on-Hijab

talk2me006:
Wat of those wearing mini skirt?

abdulkayus: naptu, wat is ur problem na? Na MTEL line u dey use?

IYA NGBALI: shut the fok up,do you know the meaning of uniform?I don't thnk so.muslims just like looking for trouble,if they want to wear that dirty thing that makes them look like masquerade they should go to muslim school and not public school. Islam religion of piss indeed.

Okija_juju:

Where is it in the Constitution or even Lagos State laws sir?!

kalkah: Hi,

Section 32 and 31 of the Nigerian constitution guarantee freedom of religion which is attested to in he UN charter for human right, ... this freedom including dressing was specifically stated in this right.

Also there is a supreme court judgement and Appeal court judgement on two different cases brought by the student of colledge of education esa oke and university of ilorin that specifically attested to the fact that wearing of hijab and veil is part of inalienable right of the muslim females.

This judgement was presented to the Lagos state commissioner for education in a meeting last year, he pleaded with the muslim community in Lagos state then for understanding that they will resolve the issue..

Why should we go against the law.....?

If we are commenting on issues let comment from informed and intellectual perspective not sentiment....

Wishing you all the best.

Thanks

CAMEROONPRIDE: YOUR MACTALUNJI IS HERE WATCHING ..YOU HAVE THE MOD BEHIND YOU.

NIGERIAN EDUCATE YOURSELF

kalkah: Hi,

Section 32 and 31 of the Nigerian constitution guarantee freedom of religion which is attested to in he UN charter for human right, ... this freedom including dressing was specifically stated in this right.

Also there is a supreme court judgement and Appeal court judgement on two different cases brought by the student of colledge of education esa oke and university of ilorin that specifically attested to the fact that wearing of hijab and veil is part of inalienable right of the muslim females.

This judgement was presented to the Lagos state commissioner for education in a meeting last year, he pleaded with the muslim community in Lagos state then for understanding that they will resolve the issue..

Why should we go against the law.....?

If we are commenting on issues let comment from informed and intellectual perspective not sentiment....

Wishing you all the best.

Thanks

siddiq202:
To backup your point

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.
Qur'an 2:256

tbaba1234:

Guy it goes against the Nigerian constitution...

There was a similar case in Lagos: Judge Olubunmi Oyewole of the High Court ruled that the ban was a breach of articles 38 and 42 of the Nigerian constitution.

Read : http://www.ummah.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-46139.html

siddiq202:

Except if you want to tell me that you can read and comprehend. Too bad

YoungSalute:
Mr. Seun, I hear say you like to ban people, come to think of it ! You need me to make more money.
I don't need you to get good job or pay for anything.
I read one of your article where you admitted that Nairaland can not match facebook. Very simple answer, facebook don't ban people from saying the truth.


So we all have right to wear anything we want in the name of our faith. Okay !

Muslim should understand that what they preach is not practice at all.

I will have my kids and junior wear anything to school, let me see if someone will stop them from exercising their faith.

Allah is great ! You kill people and disturb the peace of planet earth.

Okija_juju:

I just posted section 38 & 42 of the Constitution above..

Read it and lets discusss how the ban violates that provision.

Remember that these Judges do interprete these laws how they deem fit atimes..

Look through it and lets discuss.

tevinsolt: there's a reason why they are called school uniforms. when you're not in school or at work you can wear whatever the hell you want.

tbaba1234:

I am not qualified to interpret the Nigerian constitution, The judges are...

lol!!


So why were you all pissed off when a Judge interpreted the Nigerian Law and awarded a thief who stole Billions a 250,000 option of fine?!







I guess the saying is true then that the law is an A`ss.

CAMEROONPRIDE: WHY DID U CUT THE VIDEO LMAO.
TURKEY :BANNED THE HIJAB
TUNISIA :BANNED THE HIJAB
TAJIKISTAN :BANNED THE HIJAB
WHY SO .
HIJAB IS AN ARAB DRESS CODE UNWISELY TAKEN AS MUSLIM WOMEN DRESS CODE

CAMEROONPRIDE: GIVE US THE SOURATE WHERE YOUR MASTER SAID YOUR WOMEN SHOULD WEAR HIJAB STOP WORSHIPING ARAB CULTURE, ARAB CULTURE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAM . WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN WERE WEARING HIJAB BEFORE ISLAM. AREN'T YOU ASHAMED TO BEND AND BOW IN FRONT OF ANYTHING ARABO-ASIAN. SMH...

Bsmartt: its a pity that most nigerians will not say the reality.to comment on such a sensitive statement, lets talk base on freedom to dress the way we want according to our religion or traditional believe.so far female sec. sch students can wear mini-skirt,muslim female student should be allowed to dress in conformity with islamic doctrine.lets be neutral with our comments.thanks

Hallie27:
see who's talking. Did your ancestors wear suit,shirt and trousers, or you are just been a slave to the white man's culture?? By the way, if you go study the arabs ancient culture, and you get yourself more enlightened about Islam and the hijab, you'll know that wearing of hijab has always been an islamic obligation,and places where islam has had its roots for centuries do not differentiate between Islam and their mode of life and living. I see your confusion, but try and seek more knowledge, and dont just swallow up whatever you see or hear.