Muslim Woman Told To Lift Veil For Driving Licence Photo

Sun Sentinel: Fla. appeals court upholds ban of Muslim veil in driver's license photo

A Muslim woman who wanted to wear a veil in her driver's license photo must follow a Florida law that requires a picture of her full face, according to a state appeals court.

The Fifth District Court of Appeal upheld a 2003 ruling by an Orlando judge that Sultaana Freeman's right to free exercise of religion would not be burdened by the photo requirement.

Freeman's attorney, Howard Marks, said Wednesday he was considering further legal action, including an appeal. He said the decision didn't respect the state constitution's guarantees for religious freedom.

It really gets to me when people try to use religion as a way of getting out of something that everyone is required to do.

Comments

[Rich]

Err...she's not using religion to "get out" of something. Her religion does not allow her to show her face in public.

[James Mahoney]

What's the point in photo ID if people are allowed to cover their faces?

And a driving license is hardly in public

[zugzoog]

Err...she's not using religion to "get out" of something. Her religion does not allow her to show her face in public.

Incorrect. There is nothing in the Koran that commands that a women should cover her face (my brither-in-law is a Muslim). The tradition comes from the Hadiths, where (cutting a long story short), that during a long journey in the desert, one of the wives of Mohummad would chat with one of his Generals quite frequently. Of course, this started rumours of a bit of hanky-panky and so to quell those rumours, the wife veiled her face.

Since then, women have sought to emulate the wife of Mohummad, and the tradition has been incorporated into the theology. But it is not commanded from Allah.

[Bob]

This is PC gone insane. So public baths are a no-no then, or would she want to swim in a veil?

[Ash]

simple, out with photo id and in with retina ID, everyone is happy