Veil-wearing Muslim gets new court hearing

[Booko]

Judge tossed first case after woman refused to remove face covering

Updated: 11:59 a.m. ET Jan 24, 2007
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HAMTRAMCK, Mich. - A Muslim woman whose small-claims case was tossed out after she refused to remove her veil in court has been granted a new hearing.


Ginnnah Muhammad, 42, of Detroit, plans to wear a niqab — a scarf and veil that covers her head and face, leaving only the eyes visible — at her Feb. 21 hearing.


Muhammad wants to contest a rental car company’s $2,750 charge to repair a vehicle that she said had been broken into by thieves.

“I’m hoping that the judge ... listens to my case and judges the case on its merits, not on how I look,” Muhammad said.

In October, District Judge Paul Paruk told her he needed to see her face to determine her truthfulness and gave her a choice: take off the veil while testifying or have the case dismissed. She kept it on.


Muhammad successfully appealed, arguing Paruk’s ruling unfairly forced her to choose between her religious beliefs and her case.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16788852/

 

[PHOTOTAKER]

i thank for me this is tuchy, one i belive in upholding the laws of the land no matter how much i do not like them (including obaying judges). i'm also torn that people show worship were, how and what they may... should laws of the land take a back step to religion? should religion take a backstep to the laws? is there a commen ground that both will be happy?

 

[evearael]

She should be able to wear the niqab. Asking her to take it off is as innappropriate as asking a woman to remove her blouse before proceeding. The judge has body language and intonations of the voice to go on, on top of the case she presents, and that should be more than enough.

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

I know Ginnah personally. I visit hamtramick all the time and the judge should be used to it. People call it little saudi because there are very few muslim women there that do not wear face veils. So if the judge has been a judge there for more than ten minutes he's seen it more times than he can count. He was just waiting for an opportunity to throw his weight around, not figuring that she wouldn't comply. And if that's the same Ginnah I know, she probably gave him a sour look and a couple words he didn't like as well.

 

[Booko]

i thank for me this is tuchy, one i belive in upholding the laws of the land no matter how much i do not like them (including obaying judges). i'm also torn that people show worship were, how and what they may... should laws of the land take a back step to religion? should religion take a backstep to the laws? is there a commen ground that both will be happy?

Where is there a law requiring people to have their faces uncovered in court?

 

[Booko]

I know Ginnah personally. I visit hamtramick all the time and the judge should be used to it. People call it little saudi because there are very few muslim women there that do not wear face veils. So if the judge has been a judge there for more than ten minutes he's seen it more times than he can count. He was just waiting for an opportunity to throw his weight around, not figuring that she wouldn't comply. And if that's the same Ginnah I know, she probably gave him a sour look and a couple words he didn't like as well.

*takes notes for the next time I visit my brother-in-law in Hamtramck to see if FVM is visiting as well*

Hm...Hamtramck, eh? Odds are good I'll be there for a bit this summer.

I really should ask my bro-in-law about this judge. He probably knows him well enough to know what his political motivations might be.

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

That would be cool if we could like hook up and meet wouldn't it?! I might go this summer as well. I have a couple friends that live there that I like to lay eyes on now and again.