Taqi Usmani makes wearing abaya compulsory in Dubai Bank

All female staff at Dubai Bank, Muslim and non-Muslim, must wear a shailah (head scarf) and abaya (black cloak covering the whole body) starting this Ramadan, as reported in Gulf News.

A memo sent to staff on Thursday says the bank has decided that all Muslim and non-Muslim female staff must wear a shailah and abaya.

A Dubai Bank official who would not reveal his name said a memo was issued to this effect by the human resources manager, informing employees that starting from the first day of Ramadan all female employees must wear a shailah and abaya regardless of their religion.

“Our bank is Islamic and must follow Sharia in all respects, which will satisfy our clients,” he said. While the decision takes effect beginning first of Ramadan, it has become a rule and part of the dress code for female employees at all times.

Gulf News has learnt that the proposal on the dress code was made by the bank’s Fatwa and Sharia Supervisory Board in June and it was endorsed by the management. A circular was then issued on Thursday.

The Fatwa and Sharia Supervisory Board’s proposal, a copy of which has been obtained by Gulf News, says the abaya should not have any embroidery or decoration on it and must not be coloured.

It says any female staff who does not adhere to this dress code should be advised by the human resources department at the bank to follow it.

If the staff member insists on not abiding by the law then the matter should be brought to the notice of the executive member of the Sharia supervisory board who can decide upon action to be taken against that staff.

The bank will encourage employees to wear a shailah and abaya by providing staff with them. The head of the human resources department has been instructed to ensure that employees adhere to the dress code.

The bank has given employees a grace period until after the Eid holiday after which it will become mandatory.

The proposal, signed by Shaikh Mohammad Taqi Usmani, Chairman of the Fatwa and Sharia Supervisory Board of Dubai Bank, says the move will gain customers’ confidence and help market the bank’s products.

Many customers, the proposal said, choose a bank based upon its appearance before considering other aspects. The dress code is essential in determining the bank’s identity as a Sharia compliant institution.

[Ed Note: Gulf News has some interesting comments made by Dubai residents on this issue.]

Posted

August 23, 2009

Current Affairs, World

Shakir Lakhani

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Comments

55 responses to “Taqi Usmani makes wearing abaya compulsory in Dubai Bank”

Shakir Lakhani

August 25, 2009

@ James: we have Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. One of my sisters (in St. Joseph’s ConventSchool) was a Girl Guide.

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James Killian Spratt

August 25, 2009

A uniform of any kind usually means that the individual surrenders his individualism to the organization which defines the uniform, willingly or not. You all seem to have covered all the pertinent points.

My nephew Eric made Eagle Scout last Sunday. He looked really sharp in his uniform; 39 merit badges, only 21 required. Does Pakistan have anything resembling Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts?

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Momina

August 25, 2009

@Kashif Aziz: Your points are all correct. Except men don’t have to wear trousers above the ankle but reaching the ankle and not beyond in Islam.

Hiring female staff is not a problem but their interaction with male clients and staff should be limited to work basis alone. Preferably, the female staff should be hired to interact with female clients. However, I know there are separate banks for women (Jawhara etc) so the purpose behind this is not much clear to me. Maybe not all women go to Jawhara for their banking needs. Allah ‘Aalam.

I am in favour of the new dress code. But i do not like the policy of the bank (or of any bank). At least, it is a starter towards the correct steps.

@Muhammad Yusha: Why can’t the abaya be part of the dress code?

@Shakir Lakhani: Wearing a cross is an indication of accepting the Christian faith (but some Muslims wear it just as a fashion statement…weird). Wearing the abaya is not specifically sign of accepting Islam. Manyyyyy non-Muslim women wear it as a personal choice (i am not talking about women in Saudi Arabia).

@Lt. General: A woman goes around naked but it is not the woman’s fault. It is the man’s fault if he stares at her. No sense in such talks.

Women should dress how Allah SWT has ordered them to wear and men should dress how they have been ordered to dress. Both should lower their gaze when outside and not ogle.

Islam protects women and men. The wise one will understand the message. Both men and women have the Luteinising Hormone functioning in them.

In the 1950s and 60s the chaadars used to be MUCH longer than what thy are now.

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Lt. General Ayub Khan

August 25, 2009

u see Shakir bhai, that is the problem…..is it womens fault that men have testosterone?

it is natural for a man to get attracted to a (good looking) female. But it is the man who should be controlling his urges and NOT to act innapropriate. The whole responsibility and pressure shouldnt lie just on the women.

forcing burqa is inhumane. If lady wants to wear it, fine whatever. But I dont think it belongs in Pakistan. In 1950s and 60s, it wasnt common in Pakistan —and wasnt even fashionable at all. You would get stared at in a weird way if woman had burqa or man had long flowing daary

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Shakir Lakhani

August 25, 2009

Forcing women to wear the abaya in the name of sharia is just like what the Christians used to do in their schools in the nineteen fifties. The study of the Bible was compulsory in Karachi Grammar School. In St. Patrick’s School, although Muslim students were not forced to say Christian prayers, they still had to stand up when the prayers were recited (at the assembly in the morning and after every lunch/tea break). How would Muslims feel if Muslim female employees were forced to wear crosses in U.K./European banks?

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Mohammad Yusha

August 25, 2009

>I am sure we all agree on a point that an employer/organization can define a dress code for its employees and they either have to adhere to it, raise their concerns if they can, or leave the job.

Leaving a job is usually not an option for a lot of people, for obvious reasons. So they are left with no option but to follow it. An employer/organisation can define a dress code, but the abaya is not exactly a dress code. Anyways, nice to see you get involved in this discussion. 🙂

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Mohammad Yusha

August 25, 2009

@Mr. Aziz: Some excellent points raised. I think that the female staff may have been hired to deal with females only, as they might have seperate sections for males and females.

>it has been done as the â€œbank is Islamic and must follow Sharia in all respects, which will satisfy our clientsâ€œ.

Shariah is followed to satisfy clients, and not for Allah SWT. What a shame. So much for an “Islamic” bank.

>what about implementing Sharia guidelines for dress code on the male staff?

Shows their disgusting mentality.

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Kashif Aziz

August 25, 2009

Instead of getting into flame war, lets keep the discussion objective. I am sure we all agree on a point that an employer/organization can define a dress code for its employees and they either have to adhere to it, raise their concerns if they can, or leave the job.

Now, in the case of Dubai Bank, the rule of mandatory Abaya for female staff is not implemented solely as a dress code. It was clearly stated (as per Gulf News) that it has been done as the “bank is Islamic and must follow Sharia in all respects, which will satisfy our clients“.

Well, implementing Sharia is commendable act. But I fail to understand what forces the bank to hire female staff in the first place? And if they do hire them, does the female staff at Dubai Bank deal with female clients only? Certainly, unnecessary interaction with opposite gender is not recommended in Sharia.

Also, what about implementing Sharia guidelines for dress code on the male staff? Have they been ordered to wear trousers above their ankles? keep beard, and not to wear tie? (considered a sign of cross by some)

Checking the web site of Dubai Bank, I come to know about Daily Raffles to celebrate Ramadan (http://tinyurl.com/dubai-bank-raffle) and cash prize draws (http://tinyurl.com/dubai-bank-cash-draw). Would like to know if they are Sharia compliant.

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Shakir Lakhani

August 24, 2009

@ Faraz: the dress imposed by McDonalds is not their religious dress, it’s like a school uniform. The abaya is being forced upon women just to make Taqi Usmani feel better. You can’t force even a Muslim woman to wear the abaya or burkha as long as her dress is decent (“decent” means it doesn’t make people like you go berserk). If you think the abaya or burkha is enjoined in Islam, why don’t you wear the long robe worn by Arabs? This, plus a beard going down to your knees, will make people think you’re a real scholar who knows everything about Islam.

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Faraz

August 24, 2009

Lakhani brothers of Lakson group own McDonalds franchise in Pakistan.
I am sure you all know that in these fast food chains (KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonals etc) there is a dress code and all women have to adhere to that dress code i.e. shirts & trousers.

Now, Mr Shakir Lakhani, may we have an article on the “hypocricy” of Mr. Lakhani (I mean Lakhani of Lakson Group) that they are forcing their employees to follow a dress code.

~tumhari zulf may pohanchee to husn khelaaee
woh teergee jo meray nama-e-siyaah may thee ~~

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