EGYPT'S "TILE."

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1926, Page 9

EGYPT'S "TILE."

HAT OR TARBUSH? WESTERN HEADGEAR DENOUNCED. Following the example of Kemal Pasha and his fellow revolutionists in Turkey, certain Egyptians who pride themselves on their up-to-dateness, recently initiated a movement to abolish the tarbush or fez and to replace it by the hat which is worn by the men of the West. But they hit up against a solid wall of traditional and religious sentiment which refused to countenance the innovation. The advocates of Westernisation went so far as to make it a political matter, but none of the political parties would listen to them. Zughlul Pasha, himself, was appealed to, but he refused to endanger his popularity by trifling with any matter which might tread on the toes of Egyptian nationalism. Now comes a "fetwa"—it may be described as a sort of pastoral letter, except that it is more in the nature of a command than an injunction—issued at Cairo by the "Sheik el Islam" and the "Grand Mufti," who, between them direct the conscience of Egypt and the Sudan in matters of faith. These two high ecclesiastical dignitaries refuse to consider the hat of the West at any price and base their objections on religious grounds. They are whole heartedly supported by the faculty of "Al Azhar," the great Moslem centre of learning. Naturally, this great religious institution also bases its opinion on the Koran. Its doctors point out that the prophet said that whoever imitated others became like them. Therefore, those who follow the example of the "infidel" and wear a hat become "infidel." They add that the Moslem legislators agreed that there should be a distinction in dress between the "believer" and the "unbeliever." The wearing of the hat must, in their view, be forbidden not only from the religious but also from the social standpoint, for the substitution of the "tarbush" by the hat would contribute to a disappearance of national traditions and distinctive signs.

Mixed Marriages and Inheritances. The "fetwa" goes -on to deal with the question of marriage betweeen Musulman and non-Musulman. Never, it says, did Islam admit the marriage of a Moslem woman with an "infidel." It is true that it authorises the marriage of a Moslem with a Christian woman or a Jewess, but that is because such a marriage could never have the same disastrous effect as one between a Moslem woman and an "infideL" The Koranic law, it points out, lays down that man is superior to woman both legally and socially. Woman owes him complete obedience, and her children must follow the faith of her husband. Consequently the marriage of a Musulman with an "infidel" woman cannot do any harm and need not be prevented, but the marriage of a Moslem woman with a non-Moslem must be stopped at all costs, for it is not justified by a text Tjf the Koran, and is a danger to Islam. Finally the "fetwa" deals with the question of inheritance, and points out that, owing to woman's inferiority, man has been given by the Koran twice the share of woman in all questions of inheritance. And it concludes with an appeal to the "Faithful" to set their faces sternly against all new ideas conflicting with the teachings of the prophet. Counteracting Modernism. This "fetwa" ie altogether a remarkable document, and ita fanatical tone contrasts strikingly with the broadminded ideas introduced into "Al Azhar 1 ' some 25 years ago by the great Sheik Mohamed Abdou. It is not difficult to see whence has come the inspiration, viz., the palace, which is moving heaven and earth to obtain the nomination of King Fuad as Caliph, and is trying to reinforce his position in the eyea of the Moslem world by the tightening up of religious customs, etc Instructive ; examples of this have recently been afforded by the countermanding of the police sports announced to be held at the Industrial and Agricultural Exhibition, because the King objected to the presence of Moslem ladies without their veils, and by the refusal of the local religious authorities to allow the new Turkish Minister to attend the "Leilet El Mirag" ceremonies, held on the conclusion of the Ramadan fast in the presence of Kin? Fuad, because, true to the lates-t Turkish innovation, the representative of Angora proposed wearing a hat.