Following the CHP’s decision to consult theologians about whether wearing headscarves is an Islamic religious requirement, Hürriyet’s Ahmet Hakan says this really does not matter because some say “I read the Quran and there is such a requirement,” while others may say “I read the Quran and not such requirement is mentioned.” In his view, this debate is meaningless when it comes to granting women the freedom to wear headscarves because the matter is not whether wearing headscarves is an Islamic religious requirement. “What matters here is whether women who believe wearing a headscarf is an Islamic religious requirement will be able to cover their head as they choose. I am writing this to remind all CHP members, being primarily Kılıçdaroğlu, who has promised to allow the wearing of headscarves,” Hakan says.The Akşam daily’s Atılgan Bayar, dwelling on the CHP decision to consult theologians about the headscarf issue, thinks the CHP is making a mistake with this move, which is made by everyone who cannot internalize secularism and democratic Kemalism. “The CHP could actually define the solution of the problem in the secular domain. However, the party feels it has to brainstorm on many things, including fashion sociology as much as religious sociology. As far as I know, the CHP accepts that covering the head is an Islamic religious requirement for women and it does not oppose headscarves unless they are tied tightly. Headscarves tied loosely do not disturb the CHP. Indeed, the CHP needs to question and understand why it is disturbed by headscarves tied tightly,” Bayar says. He thinks the CHP has to understand that wearing headscarves is part of personal freedoms and that tightly tied headscarves, which it opposes, is the style that is required by the religion.
With regard to the CHP’s decision to consult theologians on whether wearing headscarves is a requirement, Yeni Şafak’s Yasin Aktay says this shows the CHP is at the very beginning of the job and cannot be considered a bad start for those who want to solve the headscarf problem. But Aktay suggests that Kılıçdaroğlu needs to take a concrete step forward to solve the headscarf problem, which necessitates going beyond only words.
