On Tuesday, the Karnataka HC, citing Quran, has said that it is not mandatory for Muslim women to wear a hijab. The HC has delivered its verdict and has dismissed the petitions that challenged a ban on the religious clothing in college classes in the state.
The full bench of the High Court quoted the Prophet from ra(ii) verse 256 of the Quran: “Let there be no compulsion in religion..”
While handling the question about the specificity of hijab and Islam, the court said that “Hijab nearly translates to partition, screen or curtain. There are numerous dimensions of understanding the usage of hijab: visual, spatial, ethical and moral. This way, the hijab hides, marks the differences, protects, and arguably affirms the religious identity of Muslim women.”
The HC said “The veil was a safe means for women to leave the confines of their homes… What is not religiously made obligatory, therefore, cannot be made a quintessential aspect of the religion through public agitations or by passionate arguments in court.” “…At the most, the practice of wearing this apparel may have something to do with culture but certainly not with religion.”
