Decision of banning niqab in Cairo University has prompted protests

A ban has been imposed on wearing niqab in the dormitories of Cairo University consequent upon which, it has given rise to protests in Egypt. On the issue sheik Ali Samman, president of the permanent committee for dialogue with other religions at Cairo’s Al-Azhar university has stated that though the ‘veil’ is an ingredient of Islamic tradition but in here, the discussion is about women’s freedom. Elaborating further, he said ‘The Koran refers to the hijab a veil which covers the hair and frames the face and not the niqab. And even if asking a woman not to wear a niqab does not involve an attack on the principles of Islam, could be seen as an attack on one’s freedom of choice. It is a highly controversial point and there can be different interpretations’.