Epigraph:

Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. … And say to the believing women that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts, and that they disclose not their natural and artificial beauty except that which is apparent thereof, and that they draw their head-coverings over their bosoms. (Al Quran 24:31-32)

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times

Switzerland does not allow construction of minarets for new mosques and France does not allow veil for the Muslim women, but they can put a crescent on the top of the Eiffel Tower, not today, not tomorrow, not in a decade but in two generations, in sixty to seventy years.

As of 11 April 2011, it is illegal to wear a face-covering veil or other mask in public places such as the street, shops, museums, public transportation, and parks, in France. Veils such as the chador, scarves and other headwear that do not cover the face, are not affected by this law and can be worn.

Even those Muslim women who have not heard about the Eiffel Tower or only have a longish dream to visit it can help out in a big way.

The Eiffel Tower (French: La Tour Eiffel, [tuʁ ɛfɛl]) is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair, it has become both a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris[10] and the most-visited paid monument in the world; 7.1 million people ascended it in 2011. The third level observatory’s upper platform is at 279.11 m the highest accessible to public in the European Union and the highest in Europe as long as the platform of the Ostankino Tower, at 360 m, remains closed as a result of the fire of August 2000. The tower received its 250 millionth visitor in 2010.

The tower stands 320 metres (1,050 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-storey building. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to assume the title of the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930. However, because of the addition, in 1957, of the antenna atop the Eiffel Tower, it is now taller than the Chrysler Building. Not including broadcast antennas, it is the second-tallest structure in France, after the Millau Viaduct.

The tower has three levels for visitors. Tickets can be purchased to ascend, by stairs or lift (elevator), to the first and second levels. The walk from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the walk from the first to the second level. The third and highest level is accessible only by lift – stairs exist but they are not usually open for public use. Both the first and second levels feature restaurants.

The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris and France, often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.

How can the Muslim women put a crescent on the top of the Eiffel Tower?

Who would have thought at the time of World War II, when Germany was trying a genocide against the Jews that in two generations, in sixty to seventy years, owing to labor migration in the 1960s and several waves of political refugees since the 1970s, Islam will become a visible religion in Germany. As of 2009, there are 4.3 million Muslims (5.4% of the population). Of these, 1.9 million are German citizens (2.4%).[2] As of 2006, about 15,000 converts are of German ancestry.

Who would have thought at the time of World War II, when France surrendered to Germany that in two generations, in sixty to seventy years, Islam would be the second-most widely practiced religion in France behind Roman Catholicism by number of worshippers, with an estimated total of 5 to 10 percent of the national population, almost 5-7 million strong?

Who would have thought at the time of World War II, when Europe was at the peak of her intolerance against all minorities that in two generations, in sixty to seventy years, because of European women’s inability to maintain fertility rate due to declining family values and increased divorce rate, and resulting labor migration, the number of Muslims in Europe will grow from 29.6 million in 1990 to 44.1 million in 2010 and will be projected to exceed 58 million by 2030.

Muslims, who were ignored in Europe for decades are now being ridiculed, sometimes for genuine and sometimes for make belief reasons. This is all moving according to a predetermined divine plan, as the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him, prophesied that sun of Islam will rise from the West in the Latter Days.

For those who would only understand secular paradigms and metaphors, let me offer a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.”

Victory is at hand, for the Muslims in Europe, in two generations, in sixty to seventy years.

But, this definitely creates many responsibilities for the Muslims, including, always resorting to the pen and not the sword and always favoring Separation of Mosque-Church and State over any tendency towards theocracy. But, today my focus is on the Muslim women and the family values.

As long as the Muslim women dress modestly, esteem their chastity, honor family values, maintain fertility rate and teach their sons also to do the same, I hereby predict, without any other reservations that in two generations, they will be able to have a million woman march to the Eiffel Tower and say that unless a crescent is installed on the top of the Tower, Muslims will financially boycott the Tower for the coming decade and the Government will negotiate and yield. If not on the top of the Tower certainly by its side.

But, wait a second, I am speaking more metaphorically than literally.

If Muslim women are given equal rights and religious freedoms in France as other women and all religions live peacefully in the country, everyone will be able to enjoy a visit to Eifel Tower like people visit Taj Mahal, a marvel of architecture in India, built by a Muslim emperor for his Muslim wife. Every important building has symbolic importance, and we can talk about that, but the equal human rights should be the real and long term goal for the Muslims in France and else where.

The future of Islam is almost all about family values and modest dressing that determines the fertility rate. Can the Muslim women keep their values and train their sons into them?

The Louvre museum administration said in December that its new Islamic art wing helped cement its position as the world’s most-visited museum with nearly 10 million visitors in 2012, over a million more than the previous year.

The museum’s new wing of Islamic art, with about 3000 precious works from the seventh to the 19th centuries, opened to the public in September and since then has attracted 650,000 visitors.

The Eiffel Tower is next in line in France. The visitors if united do have some negotiation power with the authorities of the landmarks.

Additional Reading

Muhammad, may peace be on him: The restorer of Family Values by Khaula Rehman Shah MD

Islam and Muslims in UK, Germany and France

Islam in Germany and France: A Collection of Articles