Are you a ninja?

"Why yes young man/lady I am!" This is the answer that I would love to give... or break out in some kung fu move to let them know just how stealth and limber I am, as they gaze in amazement. However, most of the time I smile from beneath my [mask, veil, mouth cover] niqaab with big upturned eyes and say politely, "No, dear I'm a Muslim . Are you a ninja... Is it hot under there... Are you a superhero? These are the nicer comments of children who are more curious than afraid, respectful and inquisitive. As are most children.

Others are reflections of the ignorance's of their parents bigoted ideologies. I know I'm not the only one saddened and frustrated by the recent attacks on niqaab. Apparently, "they" feel that through attacking the women, the "weaker" sex that they will make a foundation uproot, of sorts, to the Muslimeen as a whole. They must not know very much about the typical Muslimah. The weak arguments of oppression and excuses that I shockingly see among the so-called "progressive" Muslims is beyond disturbing. I recently came across an article on Al Jazeerah where the opposition said that Muslim women who wear niqaab are intentionally causing a barrier in communication, that is why he supports the ban in France.

Who in their right frame of mind can conceivably say that the lack of someone's "communication" skills through their inability to see a facial expression exceeds the right of someone practicing religion freely. So I suppose the blind, or even people who use communication through telephone serve the exact same lack of communication and should be banned as well. Well... that's exactly what one person had to say about the Muslim woman's right to wear niqaab, on Al-Jazeerah.net. Shaaz Mahboob, the vice-chair of British Muslims for Secular Democracy stated:

"Discrimination of any form is considered unacceptable is all civilized societies. He believes the niqaab should not have a place in civilized Western societies. The burqa or the niqaab does just that. It allows one person to remain anonymous during face-to-face communication, thus depriving the right of the other to reciprocate whilst registering the changes in facial expressions, which is vital in such communication, in conjunction to voice that is used for everyday communication."

Well brother Shaaz, you have severely cancelled out your original opinion of discrimination is unacceptable by validating the French government that the niqaab or burqa has no place in society or for that matter Islam, in his later statement:

"The argument put forward by individuals and groups that somehow covering of women's face is a religious obligation for the reason of their safety from the lewdness of men, falls flat on its face when recalling the etiquette's during Hajj."

There is no validity to the claim and it is a bogus argument. Women having to forsake their religious belief for the state of government takes us back into the realm of hatred and discrimination in the Western World where women were seen as half-citizens. Hijab and niqaab are my choice, our choices! Hajj only applies to the MUSLIMS who are required of it as a religious obligation. Hajj is neither permissible nor obligatory among the non-believers! He later states that Islam forbids the women from wearing face veils during Hajj, which also proves the fact that it is not only allowed, permissible but also obligatory for women to wear the face veil outside of the realms of the "purity" of pilgrimage.

It has taken me *YEARS* to come to the point where I am comfortable in niqaab (the face veil), for myself and in society. I choose to wear niqaab, abaya, khimar and gloves because of my own decisions, my rights and my freedoms on my own volition. It is beyond me that there is/are someone(s) out there who feels that their rights exceed my own personal freedom's to practice my religion. I have withstood the taunting of adults and children (at their parents encouragement, which is absolutely disgusting; breeding hatred among the innocent minds of our future). I have dealt with bigotry, racism and prejudice outside of the realms of Islam. Cleared misunderstandings and misplaced angers for people who have little or no understanding (ignorance) of race, creed or belief. Now once again, we must make society deal with the ramifications of their actions by upholding our belief as women united.

I follow the belief that it is my choice as a religious practice to wear niqaab. I believe that no one has the right to tell me where, when or how to practice my religion. I follow the belief that just because I wear niqaab that it does NOT abrogate the responsibility a man has to lower his gaze or act accordingly and respectfully towards me as a Muslim and as a human being. In an ideal world there would be no rape, no domestic abuse against women, no derogatory statements for women walking down the street, no street violence aimed towards women, no random murders or theft to women. In an ideal world we would all follow the purity of Islam! In the meantime, I wear my niqaab and I will wear it proud!

Now other countries are following suit... Spain, Canada.... so much for originality.