Tajikistan, a central Asian nation neighboring Afghanistan, is set to impose a hijab ban on its citizens after the Tajikistan parliament’s upper house passed a law on June 19 prohibiting “alien garments” and children’s festivities during two major Islamic holidays—Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Banning the hijab, the latest in a string of 35 wide-ranging religion-related acts, in a move described by the government as “protecting national cultural values” and “preventing Islamic extremism.”
NY SUN The new law will change the hijab and other Islamic practices across Tajikistan with President Rahmon labeling the head covering as an “alien garment.” The regulation has not pleased many pro-Muslim groups, who argue it violates their religious freedom.
The Tajik parliament passed the bill on Friday in an effort to preserve the national culture, with Mr. Rahmon’s regime viewing it as a “threat to the country’s cultural heritage and a symbol of foreign influence, India Today reported. The new bill also curbs children’s participation in Muslim festivities associated with the important Islamic holidays of Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Ahda, Morocco World News reported.
Hamas-linked CAIR ( Council on American-Islamic Relations) quickly condemned the bill’s passage, citing religious freedom concerns, declaring the regulation “repressive,” and calling for its reversal.
The law’s final approval also means that the 10 million Tajiki Muslims, who form 96 percent of the population, will risk a fine between $780 and $6,200 if caught wearing a hijab, according to the Indian news organization APB Live. Government officials and religious leaders face a penalty of up to $28,000 if caught wearing or possessing the piece of clothing.
EuroNews In Tajikistan, the government of president-for-life Emomali Rahmon has had its sights set on what they describe as extremism for a long time.
After a peace deal to end a five-year civil war in 1997, Rahmon — who has been in power since 1994 — first found a way to coexist with the opposition pro-sharia Tajikistan Islamic Resurrection Party (TIRP), but he managed to push out TIRP from power despite the party becoming more secular over time.
In 2015, he then managed to shut down TIRP altogether, designating it a terrorist organization after the party allegedly took part in the failed coup attempt in which General Abdulhalim Nazarzoda, a key government bureaucrat, was killed. Meanwhile, he turned his attention to what his government described as “extremist” Islamic influences among the citizens.
While there are no legal restrictions on beards in Tajikistan, multiple reports state that law enforcement has forcibly shaved men sporting bushy beards, seen as a potential sign of someone’s extremist religious views. A 2017 statement by the Tajikistan Religious Affairs Committee said that 1,938 mosques were closed down in just one year, and places of worship were converted into tea shops and medical centres.
President Rahmon, who said he aimed to make Tajikistan “democratic, sovereign, law-based and secular” — quoting the opening line of the 2016 Constitution — advised the people to “Love God with (their) heart”.
Reminds me of the 70s in Afghanistan where I happened to be when the Soviet backed Muhammad Daoud staged a coup in ‘73. Now look at it. There may be times when a Muslim majority country leans more secular, but it never lasts.
I don’t think the president is a Muslim.
RESPECT.
I’ll fly a Tajikistan flag. Any country that bans the hijab is a good one.
Butt out, CAIR. It’s not your business.
Its the free worlds business without lies islam dies.
Why does CIAR think other countries have freedom of religion? And you are right, they should stay out of what other countries do with religion. Unless it involves Islam.
Everything balances on the hijab. For instance, in any mosque here in the US, you have a division of the hijabis vs the non hijabis. The hijabis consider themselves “really Moslem” while they consider the nonhijabis “not really Moslem”. The nonhijabis are resentful of this, but go on their merry way. Then there are the Muslumas even here in the US who wear the black garbage bags & masks. Those are considered the really hard core extremists who are avoided. That is here in the US. In a lot of Islamoland, the black garbage bags & masks are the norm. Of course, the woman’s attire usually reflects her husband or father’s beliefs since she is chattel.
Amen TAJIKISTAN! You see these bastards in your face all over Ireland these days. There will come a day when those freaky rags will be banned in the whole EU. The slimey sneering slaves represent everything undesirable. Full postbox hides the scars and bruises from the latest Muslim molestor beating. Hopefully there will be a rising to push out these undesirables.
It’s a start.
It may be a start but can you name one Islamic nation that is free or successful, without including successful Islamic nations that simply SIT ON OIL? Nope, and there are doubts there ever will be!
They don’t bring much to the table when examined closely except violence,rape, murder and poverty.