Muslims urged to respect law on veils

Riyadh, May 11 (IANS) Muslims must respect the laws of the land they live in, a Muslim World League (MWL) official has said.

"A Muslim must respect the constitutions and laws and culture of the countries in which they live," the Arab News on Thursday quoted the official as saying.

"Should the laws not allow head-covering, a request to wear the hijab must only be made through the proper and legal channels. If such a request was rejected, Muslim residents have the option either to abide by the state's regulations or leave the country," he added.

The official said this was also the position of MWL Secretary-General Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa.

This stand in no way should be interpreted as a statement encouraging women to remove their head cover, the official said.