An answer ro Raza Khan

Vincent J. Curtis

11 Jan 22

RE: Muslim women deserve admiration.  Op-ed by Raza Khan.  The Hamilton Spectator 7 Jan 22.  Dr. Khan was formerly head of the Muslim Association of Hamilton, an arm of the Muslim Brotherhoos.

It’s people like Raza Khan that goes far to explain why something he calls “Islamophobia” exists.  The question I’m going to put to him is “compared to what?”

He says that Muslim women “have been facing the brunt of the ugliness and oppression of Islamophobia across Canada.”  Ugliness and oppression as compared to what?  Let’s compare Canada with some decidedly Muslim countries: Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.  These countries are famous for their oppression of women – all in accordance with the sacred literature of Islam, you understand.  FGM is practiced in Muslim countries.  Would Muslim women allegedly oppressed in Canada prefer to live in a thoroughly Muslim country?  I bet not.  That’s why they stay here.

In his list of religious symbols prohibited to be worn by Quebec’s public servants, he lists hijabs, kippas (a kind of knife) and turbans.  He neglected to mention crosses and scapula of Catholics and Stars of David by Jews.  I wonder why that is?  Could it be that’s he’s not making common cause of religious rights with Catholics and Jews and is only concerned about Muslims?  That’s kind of bigoted in its own right to me.

What Khan neglected to mention was what the wearing of a hijab means.  It means that the woman wearing it is not to be looked upon by men other than her close relatives. (Notice that Khan often refers to Muslim women as Muslim ‘sisters’) How oppressive is it to us infidels to have Muslim women interacting with the public with a big sign on her that says, “You’re not supposed to look upon me?”  And he wonders why infidel men are uncomfortable interacting with such women, calling such discomfort “Islamophobia?”  If Muslim women want to celebrate their modesty, their Muslim identity, and their love, respect, and obedience to Allah, why are they parading themselves in from of us infidel men?  Can’t they do so in private, as is insisted upon in Muslim countries?

I get that in Muslim tradition and in Islamic sacred literature, Muslim must only concern themselves with the fate of other Muslims, and all others can shift for themselves.  That means that Khan’s call for religious freedom isn’t about all religions, only his.  That outlook doesn’t go far in the western way of thought.  And Canada is a western country, like it or not.

Khan is trapped by his religion’s outlook: Muslims only.  This prevents him from making common cause with others, and makes him and his fellow Muslims, in the midst of a western society, look selfish and supremacist.  And he takes any normal western reaction to his peculiarities as “Islamophobia.”

The fact that Muslims are fleeing Muslim countries by the millions for western civilization ought to give Khan pause for introspection.

-30-