Whole body screening in various security checks such as airports has raised debates among the security enforcers. Body scanners produce three dimensional images of an individual. Body scanning according to those who are opposed to it equate this activity to physically invasive strip-search. In the United States of America almost all the airport security checks uses whole body scanning. This has been enhanced after the September 11 terrorist attack in US. The technology was discovered with an aim of looking beneath objects. One of the techniques that use this technology is the backscatter X-Ray.
A person is scanned by moving high energy x-ray beam rapidly over them. This measure is aimed at securing travels and other areas. This move has already been opposed by civil rights in America and Europe from both Muslims and Non-Muslims (Deal, 2011). The rights activists have termed this as nude-scanning and a violation of privacy. They have also argued that profiling of individuals and whole body scanning does not reduce terrorism.
According to Muslim scholars, Muslims are also concerns about security and leaders always emphasize on general and public securities. Muslim teachings do not allow scanners just like the natural laws and teachings from other religions. Muslims have strict rules when it comes to the exposure of their bodies in public. They have special clothes designed for male and female Muslims (Deal, 2011). Women are not allowed to expose their body. Their faces and hair are not even supposed to be seen in public. These are the teachings from their religious book. These rules are enforced especially in Middle East countries such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The exposure of private parts is not acceptable in Muslim except in circumstances where it is necessary.
Muslims cannot implement the physical scanning security. This is because the Muslim teachings do not allow exposure of some parts of the body. Body exposure is more forbidden on women compared to men (Choudhury & Fenwick, 2011).
When it comes to international law enforcement, Muslims are advised to comply with the screening and security policies. They are also supposed to adhere to all security channels. This is because the laws on security cannot be changed or avoided based on religious beliefs of a single person or a small group of people. The physical security policy can be avoided in Muslim countries but the Muslim rules and teaching cannot triumph over physical security in UN laws.
References
Deal, C. (2011). Faith or Flight: A Religious Dilemma. J. Air L. & Com., 76, 525.
Choudhury, T., & Fenwick, H. (2011). The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities. International Review of Law, Computers & Technology,25(3), 151-181.
