NASRUL Lahi-L-Fatih Society (NASFAT), an Islamic sect, with members across Lagos State and abroad has said the recent pronouncement made by the Lagos State Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, on the wearing of hajib in Lagos State public schools, is a gross injustice to the Muslims. According to a statement signed by the National President of NASFAT, Alh. Sheriff M. Yussuf and the General Secretary, Lukmon Folorusho, the Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, in a news conference outlawed the wearing of hijab by Muslim female pupils in Lagos State public schools, except during prayer times and when the students want to read the Quran. The statement quoted Oladunjoye as saying, “allowing pupils to wear the head gear could cause confusion and break-down of the law, and advised parents that would want their children to wear it at all times to send them to private Muslim schools.

Reacting to the decision, the statement said, “NASFAT strongly object this strange regulation, as we cannot fathom how dressing in a respectable and noble way as prescribed for the female gender by Islam, could cause confusion or offend anyone or any law.

“We advise the Commissioner, Ministry of Education and the Lagos State Government to review or rescind the decision, as it is offensive to the Islamic faith and its followers. We have not heard or read about any incident in any of our public schools, where wearing of hijab has caused confusion or led to break down of law and order. We see such presumption as an affront on our faith by equating hijab with the cause of confusion or break down of law and order.

“It is also insulting to the large population of law abiding, tax paying Muslims, in the state that they may be denied the right to free education in public schools for their daughters, for mere reason that they would wish that their daughters dress in line with the dictates of their religion.

The group, then called on the state government to allow the religious obligations and practices of Muslims to flourish without hindrance, saying the policy on hijab as announced by the Commissioner for Education is undoubtedly impractical and cannot pass the test of compliance given the sensitive clash with Islamic code of dressing for female Muslims and suggested that the hijab be designed to fit into respective uniforms of the various schools in terms of colour, saying any Muslim female students, who wish to wear it should be allowed to do so.

Calling on its members to show some maturity on the decision, it said: “We implore all our members to show maximum restraint and obey the authorities in their respective places.

We, nonetheless, implore the Government of Lagos State to ensure that rules and regulations that could injure or offend the sensibilities of any part of law-abiding citizens, should not be enacted or introduced.”