http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36382596
Switzerland: Muslim students must shake teacher's hand
Muslim students in Switzerland must shake their teacher's hand at the beginning and end of lessons, a regional authority has ruled.
A controversial exemption from the tradition had been granted for two teenage brothers whose interpretation of the Koran meant they were unwilling to touch a member of the opposite sex.
If they continue to refuse, their parents could face a fine.
The regional authority said teachers "had the right" to demand handshakes.
Country profile: Switzerland
Shaking teachers' hands as a sign of respect is a longstanding tradition in Switzerland.
When it emerged last month that a middle school had allowed two Syrian brothers aged 14 and 15 to avoid the tradition due to their religious beliefs, it sparked anational controversy.
The boys, whose father is an imam, said their faith did not allow them to shake hands with a woman who was not related to them.
Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said on television that "shaking hands is part of our culture".
There are about 350,000 Muslims in Switzerland, which has a population of eight million.
Some Swiss Muslim groups said there was no religious justification for refusing to shake a female teacher's hand and urged the Swiss not to give in to extremist demands. But one Islamic organisation said a handshake between men and women was prohibited.
The family's citizenship process was halted and the migration office in Basel said it was seeking more information about the circumstances under which the boys' father's asylum request was approved.
'Relieved'
The school, in the small northern town of Therwil, had tried to find a compromise in the matter by deciding the boys should not shake hands with male or female teachers.
Later, after considerable media attention, the school turned to regional authorities to settle the matter.
The authorities said in a statement on Wednesday that "the public interest concerning gender equality as well as integration of foreigners far outweighs that concerning the freedom of belief of students".
The school said it was "relieved" at the ruling and that there was now "clarity on how to proceed".
In future, the parents or guardians of pupils in the northern canton of Basel-Country could face fines of up to 5,000 Swiss francs (£3,400; $5,000; 4,500 euros) if the pupils refuse to shake hands with a teacher.
The boys told Swiss media (in German) that "nobody could make them" shake hands with a woman, and that they "could not just delete their culture as if it were a hard drive".
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$5000 for refusing a handshake !!!!! This is the real face of liberal secularism. What prompted them to go so hard on a small minority? Its simple - liberalism is inherently an intolerant ideology. Contrary to what intellectually colonized liberals in the muslim world will have muslims believe , liberalism has some definite conditions for tolerance which is that beliefs and cultures will have to conform to liberal values of the majority - in other words they are inherently intolerant of other beliefs and values. Examples in history and now present day europe is a testimony to this fact.
In this case the swiss state has actually decided that swiss beliefs of "gender equality" supersedes the right to freedom of belief of students. In other words they believe that they have the right to force down their majority liberal beliefs on the minority. SO much for tolerance and freedom of belief. Its preposterous that secular liberal west dare blame muslims for things the liberal west is actually guilty off , while muslims are in reality free from such bigotry and intolerance. Now no where in the muslim world does muslims force down Islam on the minorities. History is a proof of Islam's tolerance of other's faiths.
Its really commendable how the two syrian boys are holding an uncompromising attitude and they are so firm in their faith. May Allah (swt) strengthen their faith and keep them steadfast in the way of Islam and make life easy and comfortable for them.
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https://islamqa.info/en/21183 -
Shaking hands with a non-mahram woman
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