Report: Egypt's Top Muslim Cleric to Ban Female Face Veil
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An Egyptian daily reports that the country's top Muslim cleric is planning to ban female students from wearing the face veil from schools run by al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's most prestigious institute of learning.
The independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm said in a report Monday that Sheik Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi would soon order the ban implemented in all of al-Azhar's institutions.
A security official also said they had verbal orders to prevent students wearing the face-covering veil, known as the niqab, from entering al-Azhar schools, and dormitories of three Cairo universities for security reasons.
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The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss state policies.
Tantawi said the face veil is only a custom and not an Islamic precept.