Syria: Lifting the Veil

Over the past 2 weeks, Western and Arab media have been vigorously reporting the recent decision by Syrian authorities to ban the niqab in Syrian schools and universities. Far from basking in Western accolades, I think this decision is, above all, a good one for Syrians of all stripes, and a positive step toward improving Syria’s battered image abroad.

Internally, from a social perspective, the ban on the niqab is a good one for the overwhelming majority of Syrian Muslims, whose long tradition of tolerance and moderation is undermined by the extremism and exclusion that the niqab symbolizes. The ban is also good for Syrian Christians and followers of other religious traditions who view the niqab as a symbol of the looming threat to their freedom of religion and right to equal citizenship. And, the ban is a good one for secular Syrians who have a justifiable fear of the tidal wave of Wahhabi-inspired extremism that is sweeping the region, including their country and its secular system. And, last but not least, the ban is great for all Syrian women who see in it a symbol of oppression and subjugation, and a threat to the gains they have made in Syrian society over the past century.

From a law enforcement viewpoint, the ban on the niqab is a long-overdue security requirement. In the age of indiscriminate terrorism where security is paramount, every country must do all it can to protect its citizens. Allowing the niqab effectively enables any person, including criminals and terrorists, to hide in public, with access to schools, shopping areas and government institutions, and represents a major security loophole that no society can afford. In that regard, the ban is a step in the right direction, and should be extended to include all public venues, not just schools and universities.

Externally, as a country that is unfairly depicted as hardline and anti-Western, this ban reminds the world that Syria remains the last bastion of secularism, and an oasis of religious moderation and sectarian coexistence in a region where extremism and fanaticism is quickly dominating the mainstream. There is no question that the media coverage of the ban, within the Syrian social and political context, serves to shed a light on Syria’s long history of religious tolerance and the relative harmony that characterizes its religiously-diverse society – all of which is great PR that Syria desperately needs.

Syria’s decision to ban the niqab is well-taken and justified. In spite of some protests from some religious hardliners, the ban will protect moderates from the forces of extremism, contribute to national unity and cohesion, and help lift the veil of misinformation that has long shrouded Syria in the West.