If a completely veiled Muslim woman wants to take the oath for Canadian citizenship, she will have to remove the veil covering her face, a new federal rule that goes into place on Monday says. “Under sweeping regulations that take effect Monday, Muslim women will have to remove their niqabs or any other face-coverings such as burkas before reciting the oath of citizenship to become Canadian,” the Toronto Sun reported on the new regulations. “The new rule requires the citizenship judge to see the person's face as the oath is being spoken.” According to the report and the federal government of Canada, the rules require all future citizens to show their face during the ceremonies, if they want to be officially Canadian. According to OnIslam.net, which says the hijab, the covering of the hair, is an “obligatory code of dress for Muslim women” – which scholars continue to debate whether it is required – the woman wearing the full-veil, or niqab, will be given two warnings to remove it before participating in the ceremony. “The first would be upon arrival, when a department official will explain the requirement,” OnIslam.net reported. “If the person refuses, a citizenship judge will ask the individual to show her face before reading the oath.” If they refuse to remove it after the second warning, the judge will be forced to ask the woman to leave and could jeapordize their chances of receiving citizenship. Canadanian government statistics say Muslims make up approximately two percent of Canada's 33 million population. In Europe, France and Belgium have banned the full-face veil, while Italy is looking to follow in the near future. International human rights and women's rights organizations have lashed out at governments, accusing them of hindering a woman's right to wear what she wants. Most Islamic interpretations of the niqab state that another woman would be permitted to view a veiled woman's face, without men present, which many groups have said makes the bans infringements on human rights. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/dt1r0 Tags: Canada, Citizenship, Niqab, Oath Section: Latest News, North America, Women
