In a development which highlights the diversity in the United Kingdom’s legal system, a 40-year-old Muslim woman has become the first hijab-wearing judge in the country.
Raffia Arshad, a barrister, was appointed a deputy district judge on the Midlands circuit last week after 17-year career in law.
She said her promotion was great news for diversity in the world’s most respected legal system. She hopes to be an inspiration to young Muslims.
Ms Arshad, who grew up in Yorkshire, north England, has wanted to work in law since she was 11.
Ms Arshad said the judicial office was looking to promote diversity, but when they appointed her they did not know that she wore the hijab.
‘It’s definitely bigger than me,” she told Metro newspaper. "I know this is not about me.
"It’s important for all women, not just Muslim women, but it is particularly important for Muslim women."
Ms Arshad, a mother of three, has been practising private law dealing with children, forced marriage, female genital mutilation and other cases involving Islamic law for the past 17 years.
She was the first in her family to go to university and has also written a leading text on Islamic family law.
Although the promotion by the Lord Chief Justice was welcome news for her, Ms Arshad said the happiness from other people sharing the news was “far greater”.
“I’ve had so many emails from people, men and women," she said.
"It’s the ones from women that stand out, saying that they wear a hijab and thought they wouldn’t even be able to become a barrister, let alone a judge."
Ms Arshad is regularly the subject of discrimination in the courtroom because of her choice to wear the hijab.
She is sometimes mistaken for a court worker or a client.
Ms Arshad said that recently she was asked by an usher whether she was a client, an interpreter, and even if she were on work experience.
“I have nothing against the usher who said that but it reflects that as a society, even for somebody who works in the courts, there is still this prejudicial view that professionals at the top end don’t look like me,” she said.
A family member once advised her to not wear a hijab at an interview for a scholarship at the Inns of Court School of Law in 2001, warning that it would affect her chances of landing the role.
“I decided that I was going to wear my headscarf because for me it’s so important to accept the person for who they are," Ms Arshad said.
"And if I had to become a different person to pursue my profession, it’s not something I wanted.”
The joint heads of St Mary’s Family Law Chambers said they were “delighted” to hear the news of her appointment.
“Raffia has led the way for Muslim women to succeed in the law and at the bar, and has worked tirelessly to promote equality and diversity in the profession,” Vickie Hodges and Judy Claxton said.
“It is an appointment richly deserved and entirely on merit, and all at St Mary’s are proud of her and wish her every success.”
The victim has been identified as R Rudresh (42), a resident of Milkman Street in Shivajinagar. He was a BJP and RSS worker.
Comments
He died of a powder, which was scheduled to end his rowdy there anything special that he did,
Finally RSS got the sponsors for their trousers.
Chaddi to Pants journey
Whoo!!! chaddis have become Panties now!!!
He is a victim...it could be a dirty political game. BJP-RSS finds a good guy in their own association & plots a plan against muslims by killing them. This is well known. But Allah is the best planner. None in the universe surpass him. Allahu Akbar
Dear Chinnan , we condemn innocent's killings ....but these (RSS) are traitors who plot to kill INDIAN Citizens.....and hoisting Pakistani flag in Sindhagi
Muslims never betrayed INDIA .....these are you who traited our country
Quran Says 5:32 Whoever kills a person (unjustly)it is as though he has killed all Mankind. And whoever saves a life it is as though he had saved all Mankind.
Dont judge islam by seeing people rather Islam is totally opposite to what you see.
@ Naresh kotian. Your barking statement neither bring any solution to calm the situation nor influence the people of any faith, unless they are sick minded. I have been reading your sick comments every time, and I'm sorry to say that you are a uncivilized
Some of the morons like Kotians in this forum are suffering from inferior complex
They are jealous about Muslims. And I still wonder why Indian Muslims are associated with the neighbour country when there is no connection .
Why can't u associate us with countries like Saudi Arabia UAE etc
This reflects their cheap mentality and intolerance, which is taught in their chaddi Shaka's
And why surgical within...,if Allah wills a tsunami like natural disaster can wipe out entire humanity without differntiating Hindus mulsim Christians
So stop this hatred towards other communities
And look at the deceased. In which angle he looks like a RSS worker...bcos he looks like a goon.This murder could be for Girl, real estate or drug
Why drag muslims to it , Think why he is killed , muslims do not celebrate death of any person.. If deceased is having criminal back ground , it is a lesson to other criminals , same may face same end...
bros.... why roam with hate minds... spread happiness , accept reality...
Naina, Vijaya,
Please do not come to your own conclusion....let the law take its course of action.....don't count the chicken before hatch....
Its very bad!
RIP ....there is no safety for Hindus in rashtra drohi community controlled congress ..they hacked Prashanth ,charan kuttappa and Raju ....now rudresh....jai Sri ram ....jihadis will certainly have to face repercussions ...they were upset with surgical strikes on their co brothers in pak ...now its high time surgical strikes needed within ....jai sangh parivar ....
@laila; Stop dragging, muslims into ur dirty hindusht politics
Vote bank politics at its best. An RSS worker killed nothing happens! When a Muslim or a Christian is killed (not a good thing either) it is award wapasi time. Sick Congress and Leftists!
No one deserves to be killed in a civilised society.
These type of murders and lynchings etc always happen, just before any elections. These are happening right from Nehru's period. He murdered Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Rafiq Ahmed Kidwai etc. few more BJP and RSS workers will be murdered by Congress
RSS ? what does it stand for? Rahul-Sonia Slave ?
If a RSS worker is killed it is not a considerable offence because they are fundamentalists. If the same thing happened to others it means atrocities, anti secular, anti national, terrorist activity. When we will get up and live in the environment of reality.
@shiva, If people start killing people of one particular community for insulting girls then almost 90% of them will vanish.
I hate RSS and their Bhakts but killing any person in such a way should be condemned...... If people started killing Bhakts for insulting girls then more than 70% of Bhakts will vanish.
Hack the culprits back in a same way. hindus will not tolerate any oppression either..
If u live by sword, u die by sword
The Cong govt has no answer to give to the people over its failure to protect innocent hindus.
This should not have happened. Very sad. May Almighty Allah give courage and strength to the bereaved family members, relatives and friends to bear this irreparable loss.
Weak policing all over the country are bolstering the criminals to beat, kill, maime each other. Terrible. Strictest action needed.
Hindu murdered,all of u have no problem
But if a muslim/ Christian was murdered,u call it as fascism,terrorism,brutality,...olakkeede moody
What a ****** country
How We Hindus live here
i remember
Kalburgi
Panasare
Dabolkhar...
PARA NARI rudresh is a GOONDA. CPI(M) fools people in the name of secularism. For them secularism is being anti Hindu. They dare dont criticise Islam and its traditions but take pride in talking ill of Hindu traditions and Hinduism.
Lives of Hindus are in dangers under Siddu govt :(
It's Muslim groups who is doing to bjp
It seems rationalists are having a bad time in the sub-continent for the years. Shame really!
So sorry to hear that..
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