UK Muslim woman police officer refuses to shake hands with chief

LONDON: A Muslim woman police officer refused to shake hands with London’s police chief, citing religious grounds, the Metropolitan Police said on Sunday. The incident, which occurred during a graduation ceremony in December, has led to questions being raised about the officer’s ability to fulfil the requirements expected of her.

Muslim groups denied her religious beliefs would affect her work. The woman, whose identity was not revealed, asked to be excused the customary handshake with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair, saying her faith prohibited her from touching a man other than her husband or a close relative. Blair immediately questioned the validity of her request, said a spokeswoman for the police force, Scotland Yard.

A spokeswoman for the force said that such requests were not usually tolerated and the officer, who like other new recruits faces a two year probationary period, could be fired if she failed to fulfil her duties. “Ordinarily the (police force) would not tolerate such requests. This request was only granted ... to ensure the smooth running of what is one of the most important events in an officer’s career,” said a Metropolitan Police spokeswoman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.

“The officer maintains that she puts the requirements of being a police officer above her personal beliefs and only exercises the latter when she has choice to do so. Any refusal to engage in this manner would not be tolerated by the (Metropolitan Police Service).”

Muslim groups defended the police officer, saying her beliefs would not affect how she carried out her job and calling for greater understanding of different cultures. Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, said the “overwhelming majority” of practicing Muslims would avoid physical contact with members 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. Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra of the Muslim Council of Britain said people should not be alarmed by the officer’s beliefs.Muslim law dictates that people should avoid physical contact with anyone of the opposite sex they would not be banned from marrying, he said.

But it is “not set in concrete” and can 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. “Muslim law will say, ‘forget everything, save this life’.”

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One FReeper has this comment (Which I agree with)

"Well then, the laws should have been thrown out the window when matters of tradition and decorum warrants the shaking of the hand of the chief at graduation."