A step towards a respectful relationship...

The Avon and Somerset Police have recently introduced head coverings (scarf) for female officers whether working as police officers or as Police Community Support Officers. The Muslim community have welcomed the move as it would further strengthen the mutual trust and the will to cooperate in matters of making communities relationship stronger.

Since 911 and 7/7 incidents the community relationship has been, no doubt, strained. The Muslim community have been treated collectively with suspicion and being disloyal to the country, in particular the youths. Some apparently highly publicised Anti-terrorism raid like the one in east London involving 250 officers, or the shooting of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes who was killed by police at Stockwell Tube Station. These incidents and the like of them all over the country in which many people were arrested and few of them were charged, have created an environment in which distrust and resent mired the good community relationship.

The introduction of the head coverings is just a token step towards creating a respectful and trustful relationship between the Muslim community and the law enforcement bodies. We know that when a male police officer enters a mosque or a place of religious significance, they would take off their shoes and try to display their full respect. In the same spirit of a respectful cooperation, the head covering was introduced, which no doubt in my mind, would help create a cohesive relationship in time between the communities and the law enforcement bodies.

Interestingly, I had received, in the wake of this, a post card with comment on the back saying: ‘Dear sir, never mind head scarf for the police. We Muslim women want equality and freedom to live our own lives’.

I wondered if the anonymous person had studied how Islam has prescribed equality and individual rights to life for all people. In Islam no one is forced against their own will to commit themselves to anything or anyone, even to their Creator, Whose eternal Name is Allah. The Quran says: “There is no compulsion in religion”. If it is a cultural barrier that she meant then she has to be brave to deal with it. If she means the restrictions come from the Islamic teachings, then she has to produce those references from the Quran or the teachings of the Prophets. We do not take the works of other people as authority if they contradict the Guidance and teachings of our two foremost references.

I often wonder why head scarf has become so much a target for those who somehow believe that it restrict the freedom of a woman? And it is only when it is done religiously? Or perhaps when it is a Muslim woman?

Islam does present its values for a dignified appearance of a man and a woman in public. Just like any other code of conduct. Similarly, other cultures and faith groups or secular systems have their own codes of dress or code of conduct.

Anyone has their freedom to wear a headscarf or not to wear a headscarf? That is the real freedom. It is all a matter of choice. If a Muslim woman believes that she agrees with Islamic concept of a dignified appearance of a Muslim woman and that it develops her spirituality, moral framework and God consciousness then she is entitled to wear it without fear or interference from anyone.

The introduction of the head coverings to police female officers has been widely publicised through local and national newspapers, even the Al-Arabia TV came to interview ACC Jackie Roberts, myself, and other female officers.

We hope this would create a meaningful relationship between the Muslim community and the law enforcement authorities in a way that would help strengthen community cohesion.