Muslim woman police refused to shake hands with the Met Police Chief

[Allamagan]

Scotland Yard said yesterday that a Muslim woman police who refused to shake hands with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police at her passing-out ceremony would be dismissed if she did not "engage" with people as other officers do.

 

Sir Ian Blair personally congratulated all 200 recruits at a ceremony in London last month, but shook hands with only 199 after the woman specifically requested that she should not be required to do so, apparently for religious reasons.

 

She also asked not to have her photograph taken with Sir Ian, Scotland Yard said, but a spokesman refused to confirm reports that the officer had cited her concern that a picture would be used for "propaganda purposes".

 

A spokesman said Sir Ian had questioned "the validity" of her request at the time and an investigation was now going on into the incident.

 

The statement said: "Ordinarily, the Metropolitan Police Service would not tolerate such requests.

 

"This request was only granted by members of training staff out of a desire to minimise any disruption to others' enjoyment, and to ensure the smooth running of what is one of the most important events in an officer's career."

 

The statement added: "An officer's probationary period is designed specifically to ensure that they undertake the role as required. If this does not occur the officer may be required to leave the service as any variation on this will not be tolerated."

 

The Yard said the WPc, who has not been named, had made it clear that ordinarily she would put her policing duties before her personal beliefs, except where she was able to make a choice to do so. A spokesman suggested that she would be carefully watched during her two-year probationary period, adding: "Any refusal to engage in this manner would not be tolerated by the Metropolitan Police Service."

 

Massoud Shadjareh, the chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said the "overwhelming majority" of practising Muslims would avoid physical contact with a member of the opposite sex unless they were closely related.

 

But he added that those employed as police officers or doctors, for example, would not have a problem with touching people in order to fulfil their duties.

 

"This is not a sign of disrespect or anything. Indeed this is also the case with the Orthodox Jewish community," he said.

 

"I don't think shaking hands is something that makes or breaks a relationship. I don't think in any sort of job that is something that becomes an obstacle to one performing one's duties. I actually think the only problem is when there is cultural and religious ignorance and misunderstanding."

 

Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, of the Muslim Council of Britain, said Muslim law could be adapted to fit circumstances. "If the officer is called to a male victim who has been shot, the laws go out of the window. If she has to resuscitate that dying person, Muslim law will then change and allow her all sorts of physical contact because a life is at risk and life is so precious."

Source

[LayZie G.]

What's next? She is going to let a robbery take its course and not run after tuuga in fear of having to come close contact with him and would rather let her partner do the handcuffing?

 

If this isn't headline grabbing, I don't know what is.

 

 

PS:If she was willing to comprise her duties as a sworn officer for deep personal beliefs that she holds dearly which is closely tied with the islamic religion, then she should have chosen a career path that tends to those beliefs, and it doesn't including a police officer, a doctor, or any career requiring close contact with individuals of the opposite gender.

 

I would have recommended her to become a teacher, that is very promising and fulfilling career. But Kudos for the scotland yard and those responsibile for her for keeping a close eye on her as she serves her 2 yr probationary period.

[ElPunto]

^Actually it is not. Someone just fire her and get it over with pls.

[Paragon]

Erm, which law indicates a female officer 'must' shake the hand of superior male officer? A salute maybe, but mandatory hand shake? Never heard of it. To make something of this nature newsworthy is totally foolish, really.

[-Lily-]

^^Yes but she knew there was a high possibility that he would be shaking her hand, no? He was public ally humiliated; surely she could have sent an e mail to his PA. And pray tell, how does she plan to arrest/detain criminals? This is not a suitable job for her.

[Fabregas]

She has done nothing wrong.She is our muslim sister and we should support her.

[Faarax-Brawn]

Originally posted by Abu_Geeljire:

She has done nothing wrong.She is our muslim sister and we should support her.

She has not done anything wrong, but the way she did it was wrong. She could have arranged some some kind of an understanding before the ceremony surely?

 

This is just unneeded attention.God knows the level of islamophobia in the UK alreadty. She was not wise. Legally, I doubt if she did any wrong but this is bad public PR for other sisters who want to join the forces.

[me]

What was Nick Ferrari saying this morning?I hate that nazi pig and his anti-muslim show.

[Faarax-Brawn]

Waterlily & Lazie. Its not her duty to shake hands with her superiors but its her duty to arrest & protect citizens. To perform her job as required by the law. The law doesnt require that she shakes hands with her bosses. I doubt if there is some kind of an oath you have to swear that says that you must shake the hand of a superior as opposed to her accepting that she protect and serve her fellow citizens. Clearly there is a difference btween the two NO?

[Fabregas]

@Brown she was told by her superiors that she would not be shaking hands with him.They already told Mr Blair prior to the event.Thus when he came he shook all the others except her.Perhaps she could have not attended the ceremony at all.However all of them where well aware that this would happen, as she notified them before the event.

 

Even if she did handle it wrong.We should not badmouth her.Because the individual in question(Mr Ian Blair)is responsible for the murder of an innoncent man believed to be a "muslim terrorist" and the shooting of two innoncent brothers in their own homes. It is not fair that our muslim sister is crucified in the media for not shaking the hands of a criminal.

[-Lily-]

Brown, I agree with you in terms of law, however, if you don’t want to shake a mans' hand why join the police force? :rolleyes: How does this differentiate from touching men when you are on duty? Since it is not something that cannot be avoided but a career you have voluntarily chosen? Although her level of faith is to be admired I just think she could have handled it better.

[Fabregas]

Radical Ridley gives a Saudi prince the shakes

 

 

The warning signs were there from the outset: while imprisoned, the then-hard-drinking Sunday Express hack upset her captors by pinning her "big, flappy, black knickers" to their washing line. She described Abu Hamza as "quite sweet really". A cleric labelled her "extremist" for refusing to shake hands with Sheikh Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi - the highest spiritual authority for a billion Sunnis.

 

Now news reaches me from Saudi Arabia that Ridders has struck again, last week offending another beacon of the faith: Prince Turki bin Sultan, the son of the Kingdom's Crown Prince.

 

Saudi royalty are known for their ultra-orthodox Wahhabism (think dress codes, segregation and extreme interpretation of Sharia law - chopping hands, stoning, etc). But when, at a sumptuous post-Haj buffet in Jeddah, the smiling prince extended his hand, Ridley refused to shake it on religious grounds. She says: "It's not a case of me offending the prince. He has offended me. I don't shake hands."

 

Prince Turki, witnessed by court officials, diplomats and Saudi socialites, dismissed her with a contemptuous wave of his hand.

 

Rumours that Ridley is giving Koran lessons to Daily Express editor Peter Hill - famous for headlines such as: "Bikers have to show their faces, so should Muslims" and "High time we locked our doors" - are unconfirmed

 

http://news.independent.co.uk/people/pandora/article2137699.ece

[Faarax-Brawn]

In anycase, its unwanted attention that will make the press spit out their usual islamophobic innuendos. Its only good for her had she not attended the ceremony @ all. Shes now the subject of a dismisal for insurbodination and racial profiling for something she could have handled wisely.

 

I don’t think you can ask someone to not speak against simply because she is a muslim. That’s borderline dictatorial tendecies & geeljire attitude

 

Edit: Waterlily, Walaal when its your job to interact with men I think its acceptable. In the case of a police woman handling a criminal,that’s her job. Just like a female doctor handling a male patient.Dont you think so?

[LayZie G.]

Because the individual in question(Mr Ian Blair)is responsible for the murder of an innoncent man believed to be a "muslim terrorist" and the shooting of two innoncent brothers in their own homes.

I understand you can't stand gaalooyinka, but I strongly advise you to stay on topic. I know nomads around these parts are known to develop "I'm getting ahead of myself" syndrome whenever it has to do with issues such as the one being discussed, but dont lose focus here..

 

Just because you read or heard that the man in question "IAN" is allegedly responsible for unknown deaths that happen to be related to muslim individuals have no base for this topic or its discussion about OUR SISTER IN ISLAM who happens to find herself in the wrong field based on her strong beliefs of not shaking the hands of her fellow officers. This man after all is an officer of the law, its common courtesy to shake a head of your department, especially when it has to do with ceremonies etc and she didn't fulfill her end of the deal, she is not special and not above anyone who had shaken his hand.

 

Its bad enough we are women and women of color at that, but being in the west, and being a muslim in this time and age and on top of that being in the law and order field is bad enough and to top it all, she is asking to be purposely singled out, and so be it, she got her wish because now all those gaalo's are watching her like a hawk.

[Fabregas]

She is doing her job just fine.No problems have been reported with her arresting male suspects.No complaints have been made about her conduct on the job.There is nothing in the law that says that she must shake their hands.If there is than let them give her a warning.If there is media attention on her, than this was not her intention.Mr Blair agreed not to shake her hand prior to the event. She did, all that, she had to by notifying them there was a problem.

 

Actually i can stand "gaaloyinka" i live, study and socialise with them.@Brown am not asking people to not speak against her.All i am saying is there is a clear agenda here.And muslims(men) must not *****fot like they did with the niqab issue and defend their sisters.Perhaps she should have not attended the ceremony in the first place.But it doesn't mean the media should demonise her for such a minor issue.