Muslim-dominated Tajikistan has outlawed the hijab, an Arabic head covering used by women, calling it a “foreign article of clothing.” Additionally, Tajikistan has outlawed “Idi,” the tradition in which kids ask for money on Eid. The government of the Central Asian country has been pushing for a secular national identity through a number of initiatives, and the newest one is the decision to outlaw the headscarf.
President Of Tajikistan, Considers Hijab An Alien Garment?
More than 96% of the people in the Republic of Tajikistan, who number about 10 million, are Muslims of various sects. As per AKIpress, a news agency based in Bishkek, President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan approved the bill that aims to control and outlaw the Arabic veil, referring to the hijab as “an alien garment.”.
In addition, the new rule imposes heavy fines on violators, which range from 8,000 to 60,000 somoni, or Rs 60,560 to Rs 5 lakh. The Tajik outlet Asia-Plus News stated that government personnel and religious authorities who disobey the new regulations face far greater fines of the equivalent of Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively.
Muslim Advocacy Groups Vs The Tajikistan Government
According to the source, Emomali Rahmon, the president of the Central Asian nation, has also approved regulations that forbid “overspending” and the Idi custom, which is connected to the holidays of Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and Nowruz.
Sulaiman Davlatzoda, the head of the Religion Committee, stated to Radio Ozodi in Tajikistan that the purpose of outlawing the Idi custom for children was to guarantee “proper education and ensuring their safety during Ramadan and Eid al-Adha.”
The goal of the action, according to the president of Tajikistan’s press release, was to “protect ancestral values and national culture.” In March, the president of Tajikistan referred to the hijab as “foreign clothing” during an address, which led to years of an unofficial ban.
Human rights organizations and Muslim advocacy groups have strongly criticized the newest move in the Tajik government’s string of initiatives to advance a secular national identity.
The Hijab Dictatorship
The hijab was long criticized by the Rahmon dictatorship, which saw it as a symbol of foreign influence and a threat to the nation’s cultural heritage, even before the unofficial prohibition. President Emomali Rahmon began a campaign against the hijab in 2015, claiming it was an indication of impoverishment and rudeness.
The ban on the hijab started in 2007 when the Tajik Education Ministry forbade students from wearing Western-style miniskirts or Islamic garb. In the end, all public institutions were subject to the prohibition. This occurs along with the government’s push, which includes automated phone calls, to promote Tajik national attire.
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, and other Muslim-majority nations have outlawed the burqa and hijab for government employees and students attending public colleges.
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