MCAN: Who is advocating for ban on hijab?

Okikiola  Qasim

“Towards correcting Hijab misconceptions, it is no longer News that the presidency and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have dissociated themselves from the media purported ban on HIJAB. Therefore writers of such false News (Ban of HIJAB) are identified as potential agents for destroying the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians. Thus, the following are further recommended;

• Total use of investigative journalism and legal prosecution of journalist who report false, misleading or distorted News which may amount to disruption of public peace, orderliness and a selective blackmail of the integrity of the present government.
• All Muslim Sisters putting on Hijab should humbly submit to security checks
• However, as a follow up to the immediate point, Security personnel should refrain from harassing Muslim Sisters who are adorned in HIJAB as it amounts to Human Right Violation. Checks should also be conducted in accordance with morals of the Land.

• The NYSC as a scheme is for promoting NATIONAL INTEGRATION AND UNITY, it should therefore fully recognize all religious values such as HIJAB, Worship Time/ Period and Festivities. If not so, we humbly appeal for the review of the NYSC By laws.
• NYSC and Tertiary Education institutions should be an avenue where people acquire morality and discipline, not promiscuity and immorality. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) kit (some transparent White Tops and very Short Knickers) tends to promote immorality and even prostitution or Sex Trade, we therefore seek redress”.

This was a Resolution of MCAN GENERAL COUNCIL and other ISLAMIC BODIES’ MEETING held on 10th of Jan, 2016, at Abuja National Mosque.
The Nigerian Muslims were challenged but never defeated in the recent time due to some disgruntle and misapprehensions that was falsely proclaimed as a government pronunciations which almost led to disunity amongst the Muslims, some Government agencies and the presidency. This was brought under control by the prompt denier and edifications by the Islamic leaders in Nigeria which brought calmness in to the matters.
The public misinformation started towards the last parts of the year 2015 where captions of some of the media houses spread bogus news on the ban of the Hijab in all the NYSC camp in Nigeria.

The forged news got it root from the meeting between the current DG of NYSC and National executives of Muslim Coppers association of Nigeria (MCAN) led by the National President on mutual understanding on how to deal with the security challenges facing the country and particularly, the deviousness of the disgruntle elements who were caught using veil for detonated bombs killing many innocents Nigerians in various parts of the country. Though, many were caught to be non Muslims and some were even caught to be men. On that note the leadership of the both most concerned on the issue discussed and a fantastic understanding. This includes the use of the Hijab below the knee and sowing the trousers bigger to avoid displaying the ornaments of the Muslim Sisters while in the service to the Nation.

This became imperative to be cognisant about due to the fact that there is “no obedient of slave at the disobedient of the creator”
Immediately after the smooth agreements of the both parties, the Ameer and his executive met some Muslim youth on their courtesy visits to the DG NYSC, which was earlier communicated and approved by the DG. It was during the courtesy meeting with the DG where the group demanded for full Niqab of all sisters who wish so in the camp with fact that Hijab can never be a security threat to the Nation.

It was at this point the DG said, their request could not be granted because he already agreed with the National body of MCAN and some of the press present at the courtesy visit pick the news of the ban of Hijab at all the camp in Nigeria at that point. When the news broke, the executives of MCAN met with the DG again on the News and he denied ever saying Hijab has been banned in the NYSC Camp. He categorically mentioned that “No one has the right to ban the wearing of the Muslim Hijab in the Camp in Nigeria. The situations were laid to rest by the efforts of the MCAN Exco and denier by the DG NYSC.

On the second part of the purported ban of Hijab, this was misquotation from the presidential chat on Wednesday December 30, 2015 where the president Muhammad Buhari hinted on the possibility of imposing a ban on Hijab in the near future if the bombings continue. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) was one of the first Islamic organizations to have rejected such insinuations calling it an idea of imposing. And it is escapist. It is scapegoatism.

It will open the floodgates of anarchy. Instead of solving Nigeria’s security problems, it is most likely to compound it. Hijab is more than a covering for female Muslims. It is a unique identity for Muslim women. It is a mark of dignity and a symbol of piety. Hijab is an integral part of Islam, a microcosm in a macro. Whoever bans hijab has fired a shot at the religion of Islam.

“The Muslim Congress TMC also added their voice on the matter by describing Hijab as an age old practice which has come to stay. It is our logo, lifestyle and ethical treasure. To the perverted minds it may mean something else”. Many Islamic Organizations which includes NACOMYO, MSSN, NASFAT and notable Islamic scholars across the country added their voice to the purported statement from the president and advised rightly.
The presidency immediately responded to the caution of many Islamic organizations and many Muslims by denying intending such and I quote: “January 1, 2016, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said the speculations are unfounded, and that the Buhari administration would always respect the rights of Muslims to protect their modesty and allow religious freedom as it affects everyone.

Malam Shehu, while admitting that the Hijab is being abused by terrorists to carry out suicide attacks on innocent people, which violates the teachings of Islam, said the President would not take any decision on the issue without due consultation with all the stakeholders.
This response down tone the tension on the matter and the Nigerian Muslims were happy and continuously believes in the qualitative leadership example by the presidency.

Barely the down toning of the situation, one of the reliable Islamic organization (MPAC) released a press statement in Lagos on the 11th of January, 2016 Urging the President to Speak Out against attacks on Muslims in Hijab and I quote: “Muslim sisters at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL) and University College Hospital’s (UCH) School of Nursing, Ibadan are still prevented from using the Hijab, despite official circulars allowing that. Posters of the “Federal Government” banning the burqa have appeared at the National Identity Management Commission [NIMC] Office, New Garage, Ibadan, and their officials are discriminating against Muslim there.

A niqabite (Muslim woman with face cover) was molested by soldiers on Friday 8th January, 2016 in Meiran, Lagos. Her Niqab was pulled off her head, and all she could do was “crawl away in hurtful and humiliating tears. Also, a prospective hijabi youth corps member was rejected at a Military Hospital in Bonny Camp, Lagos, and was told blatantly she could work there “because it is now a policy that the hijab is banned from all military installations in Nigeria.”
These allegations call for the presidency to once again make pronouncements on these issues to further mitigate the tension.

To me, I want to join millions on Nigerians who believed the falsehood and misinformation against the use of Hijab in various places in Nigeria was orchestrated by the enemies of the religion Islam and would not relent if urgent attention and proper information on the right to use Hijab by the Muslims is addressed.
Under this note, I cannot but make reference to many clarification on the statement made by one of our elder statesmen, Alh Femi Abass on his last Friday column. Though, many Muslims in Nigeria recognized the mammoth contributions of Alh Femi Abbas for more than forty years ago, but his position on this matter of Hijab as it was publish in his column attracted many comments and various views were generated.

But some scholars of shariah have since clarify the position he held with more acceptable evidences and I will quote the position of Dr. AbdulRazzaq A. Alaro Senior Lecturer in Islamic Law, University of Ilorin: “One important point that needs to be emphasized in the rejoinder is the dangerous trend of making the realm of religious pronouncements a free for all trade. The writer, Alh. Femi Abbas posed himself as an authority on Islam and thereby proceeded to over-ambitiously make erroneous assertions that lack any basis whatsoever in Shariah authorities. I would like to make reference here to some of these flaws as follows:
“Hijab is not necessarily a combination of long garment plus scarf as designed in the mentioned countries. And Islam did not limit it to any particular design or colour. Other dignifying dresses like the type of “up and down” (Buba and Iro) type of attire worn decently by Nigerian Muslim women in the Northern and South Western parts of the country which do not expose their bodies in any way is equally qualified to be called hijab is grossly incorrect….

The writer needs to be educated on the Shariah meaning of Hijab and the conditions precedent for any clothing or garment to be so qualified. Unfortunately, as that is typical of non-experts attitude, the writer hinged his argument on lexical or linguistic connotations, rather than the Shariah or technical imports.
Anybody with little knowledge of Shariah would agree that any form of clothing that is tailored to fit the size of a woman’s body and thereby describes the shape or configuration of parts of the body does not qualify to be called Hijab, from the Shariah technical view-point.

Furthermore, Hijab in Islam is what is wore to cover a woman’s ornaments or adornments, and when a garment itself becomes colourful and attractive, as is the case with the so called ‘up and down’   (Buba and Iro), then it is a shariah requirement that the buba or iro itself must also be covered by a plain, modest and non-colourful piece of clothing, otherwise known as Hijab.”
And at this point, I rest my comment.