It's against my religion

A Muslim woman police officer has sparked a new debate by refusing to shake hands with Britain's most senior police chief for religious reasons. The incident happened at a passing-out parade where Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair was inspecting a line-up of 200 recruits. The woman had earlier insisted that it was contrary to her religious teaching for her to touch a man.

Is it? I don't recall this passage in the Koran or the Hadith.

The Mail on Sunday reports that some officers believe her attitude towards men might impede her ability to detain offenders.

You don't say.

However, it is clear that she is happy to come into contact with men, just not shake their hand or kiss them.

Huh?

The unidentified WPC - described as 'a non-Asian Muslim' - could face the sack if it is considered that her strict religious beliefs prevent her performing as an effective police officer. However, senior commanders are worried that dismissing her would deepen the atmosphere of mistrust between the police and the Muslim community.

Oh, purlease. Um. Hate to be the one that asks the bleeding obvious but how the hell is she going to make an arrest if she refuses to touch men?


A police spokesperson said

"There is a standard between personal and professional life. A passing-out parade is a personal event. You are not fulfilling a professional duty there."

I believe this is called stretching a point.

There are still only around 300 Muslims among the Met's 35,000 officers and fewer than 20 are women.

Why?

Related news;

A 31 year old female smoker was refused cigarettes at a Cambridge store because the Muslim shop assistant said it was against her religion to sell tobacco. The customer said,

"If she had just said, I can't serve you, then that would have been fair enough, but the thing that really annoyed me was the way she gave me a lecture as well."

Fair enough? Are you fucking kidding?

The store's assistant manager opined,

"It is true that Muslims can't sell cigarettes - I used to be Jehovah's Witness and I wouldn't on religious grounds either.

What? Where does it say these in the Koran?

Nowhere, says Asim Mumtaz, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association in Cambridge,

"Islam, like most religions, is against anything that injures health or the body, but there is no ban on cigarettes or on smoking. "The holy Koran is quite specific about intoxicants, alcohol and other drugs which cause a person to lose control are forbidden, but cigarettes are not forbidden so I am surprised by this."

Precisely. So has she been sacked?

What is more disturbing about this story? The appallingly arrogant attitude of the Muslim shopkeeper, or the pathetic cravenness of the assistant store-manager and the customer.

Love - you dont like the weed sticks, then dont work in a fucking newsagent.

Hat tip; Tim Blair