Thoughts on the current “hijab use in the police” debate in Norway

This is probably quite uninteresting for most of my international readers, but it is an issue that seriously concern Muslim women and their opportunities in Norway. Therefore I really need to write about it.

Some months ago I posted a link to an article about Keltoum Hasnaoui Missoum and her dream to become a “police woman”. Mrs. Hasanaoui actually wrote a letter where she inquired about the possibilities of wearing the hijab with the police uniform, and early this month (4th of February), the justice ministry decided to allow this.

Well, it obviously didn’t end there. From this date until a couple of days ago, fierce debates on whether or not the police should be religiously neutral, whether Norway was subjected to hidden “Islamization” and many others, were arising.

The debates accumulated and got totally out of hand of what was really the issue… It even went so far that a former minister and talk show host, Karita Bekkemellem, managed to say that “we are against female genital mutilation in Norway, and I feel tempted to put this (hijab) in the same category”. Apart from this being a highly disturbing and discriminating comment, it clearly shows ignorance on the issue. I mean, how can you possibly connect the free choice of wearing hijab for religious and personal reasons with such a controversial and, dare I say, un-islamic and ILLEGAL action of FGM? I was asked to comment on the remark, because I once guested the talk show where she’s co hosting, you can read it here. It is however, not very serious – somehow I manage to lose all my seriousness and ability to discuss things the way I imagine and want to do once somebody interviews me – a horrible habit I must say. 

Few days and numerous debates later, the ministry of justice announced that they were no longer working on allowing hijab with the police uniform, and an understandably disappointed Hasnaoui is left with crushed hopes.

Now what is wrong with all of this? First of all, one should never publicly announce the decision of allowing women to wear hijab in the police, only to cowardly withdraw days later. That is an outrageous fact itself. Second, this debate, emotional as it was, reveals some true hatred, ignorance and fear towards Islam and Muslims. I believe that the hatred is in fact a product of the fear, and that the fear is a mere product of ignorance, of not knowing and thus making own frightening versions of the real issue.

An “islamization” of Norway, hmmm, I wonder what goes on in the minds of people uttering such words… I believe that most Muslims wish to live in accord with their religion to the extent they can manage to do so, but that this does not involve a burning desire to make Norway an Islamic society in any way. Live and let live, that is simply what they ask for. Let me live my life a good Muslim, like you live your life a good Christian, Jew, atheist or anything else. As long as we all stick to morals, respect the laws, and are tolerant of other people’s views (as long as they are not dangerous or oppressing – Herbert Marcuse, Repressive tolerance – please don’t tell me that Islam preach any of these, if you do your homework properly you will know it is not the fact) we should be able to wear what we want to, pray how we want to, and believe in whatever we find ourselves believing in. There is no threat to anyone – we have all been coexisting relatively peacefully in the past, we should all be able to manage this perfectly in the presence and the future.

Hijab is a right, as is the choice not to wear it, and the choice to wear bikini to the beach if you wish to do so. And as long as you have the desired qualifications, it should be your right to enter into whatever career you want, regardless of your religion. That is simply a basic principle of justice. Now if anybody believes that hijab (or any other religious head cover) is a requirement of the religion (regardless of how other people may think of that), and it doesn’t do harm to anyone, isn’t it then a right of religious freedom to be allowed to wear it, and isn’t it a mere right to try to enter your desired career path (that you have the necessary qualifications for) wearing this?

A ‘no’ to these questions would be a contradiction to the basic rights and liberties of Western democracies. One cannot take away the rights of a group of people because one doesn’t like their religion. That is inequality, and inequality is definitely non consistent with democracy.

Now. The decision reached after all these discussions and debates, was a ‘NO’ to hijab in the police. It was not just a ‘no’ to the use of hijab in the police; it is also a ‘no’ to hijab wearing Muslim women in any other profession that requires face-to-face contact with the people. Why? A huge part of the negative opinions on the use of hijab in the police was not opinions that restricted themselves to this in particular. The debate displayed a frightening attitude towards the hijab itself, people’s views on the hijab is not favorable at all. The opposition to this proposal of allowing hijab in the police, and the following withdrawal of the proposal will lead to one thing only. People will have fewer scruples when it comes to discrimination on the basis of religious identity in hiring to any field, and this will result in even less opportunities for Muslim women choosing the hijab. The decision of dropping the proposal is of giving into the tyranny of the majority and thus limiting the rights of a certain group of people, is something that really doesn’t belong in a society with strong democratic values.

Shame on you for playing the hijab and the professional fates of Muslim women as a political card.