Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging thinktanker, aspiring novelist, "tribal elder", 2019 parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, "Speedboat", "The Cockroach", eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Mecca Unveiled
Several women in head scarfs, but not veils, told a BBC Two documentary last night that face-covering was forbidden in Mecca. I had never known this, but it turns out to be true.
Where do you find that it's true? The only references I can find to the niqab in Mecca indicate that the situation is quite the contrary; it may not be required by law but it is pretty much universal local custom.
Women making the hajj are not to wear either veils or gloves. The Saudi religious police does try and force them to, and does enforce the veil elsewhere in the city, but resistance is considerable. As the women shown in this programme said, there is no veiling even permitted, still less required, at "the holiest place on earth".
Where do you find that it's true? The only references I can find to the niqab in Mecca indicate that the situation is quite the contrary; it may not be required by law but it is pretty much universal local custom.
ReplyDeleteWomen making the hajj are not to wear either veils or gloves. The Saudi religious police does try and force them to, and does enforce the veil elsewhere in the city, but resistance is considerable. As the women shown in this programme said, there is no veiling even permitted, still less required, at "the holiest place on earth".
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