French Muslim Council: Abaya Not Religious, Supports School Ban

Reacting to the announcement by the Minister of National Education, Gabriel Attal, to soon ban the wearing of the "abaya" at school, the CFCM specified that this garment is not "religious." In a statement dated August 28, the organization recalled that it had already expressed itself on this subject in its statement of June 11, 2023, stressing that "the school is a sanctuary of knowledge and not a place of proselytism, of whatever nature."

The CFCM maintains that it has "the imperative duty to refute any erroneous link between the wearing of a garment and Muslim religious practice" and to "fight against any form of discrimination directed in particular against a person, because of his real or supposed adherence to the Muslim religion." The Council reiterates that "no referential text of Islam mentions the ’abaya’ as a ’religious garment’ and that this term ’refers only to a long dress or coat.’"

The organization fears "very high risks of stigmatization and discrimination" for young girls "presumed to be Muslim" for having worn the "abaya," noting that the ban on wearing this garment would create "an extremely serious, dangerous and discriminatory precedent," "unless the wearing of any long dress at school is simply prohibited and for all, students and teachers, without distinction of religion."

"The CFCM calls for living together in the deepest respect for the values of the Republic, among which is equality of treatment, and calls for the pure respect of Secularism. The law of March 2004, which regulates the wearing of religious symbols in schools, must be respected. At the same time, it must not be diverted from its objective to give rise to a policing of clothing contrary to the letter and spirit of the 1905 law...," concludes the note.