Switzerland Suspends Citizenship process for Muslim Family

The point he was making was that the reasoning behind refusing the handshake was because the women are dirty.

No there isn't.
There are many other ways I can show respect.

Good on you, I think that cheek kissing is a little strange but I am fine with it as it hurts no one and it is a sign of friendship and a nice greeting

Thing is I find it strange but it is their way so you don't make a fuss you simply kiss back and smile.

But I was told it's how friends greet each other and I am seen as their friend so I certainly wouldn't try and offend them.

Lol how ridiculous.
We are actually told to respect the laws of the land we live in.

So please don't go round telling others what Muslims 'think' as if you can read our minds.

At least I'm not telling "Mashallah" to boy who refuses to handshake the person who provided education to him, which is disrespectful of tradition and custom of the land he is living in, see the difference?

I'm actually on the Swiss side here, it's culture, and they want to preserve their culture. Some things doesn't have to be written in Law book for it to be followed in daily life.

I'm pretty sure Swiss people try to cover up when they go to Iran or certain Arabic countries as a respect for their culture.

It's like you take it or leave it. If you don't want to shake hand, go study, live in Saudi, full of understanding muslims

Yes Masha Allah for sticking to his beliefs. Something which some Muslims are too scared to do outside their homes.
They are other ways he could've shown respect e.g. getting her chocolates, a gift etc.

I have a few issues. Firstly, not all cultural practices are deserving of respect. I'm not saying I have an issue with shaking hands, but there have been many cultural practices in the past that have been sexist for example. The freedom to rebel against cultural practices has allowed us to do away with such cultural practices. So I think it is important to be able to be free to reject cultural practices.

Secondly, one of the things I like about the UK is that we have a very liberal attitude. For example, in the UK, a woman may cover her head with a hijab, but she may also choose to not cover he head with a hijab. In Saudi Arabia that choice is not given.If we were to force women to not wear hijabs, we would be no better than Saudi Arabia. I think what should really separate a liberal country apart from Saudi Arabia is not that we enforce different cultural practices upon people, but rather that we give people the freedom to reject cultural practices.

I have a few issues. Firstly, not all cultural practices are deserving of respect. I'm not saying I have an issue with shaking hands, but there have been many cultural practices in the past that have been sexist for example. The freedom to rebel against cultural practices has allowed us to do away with such cultural practices. So I think it is important to be able to be free to reject cultural practices.

Secondly, one of the things I like about the UK is that we have a very liberal attitude. For example, in the UK, a woman may cover her head with a hijab, but she may also choose to not cover he head with a hijab. In Saudi Arabia that choice is not given.If we were to force women to not wear hijabs, we would be no better than Saudi Arabia. I think what should really separate a liberal country apart from Saudi Arabia is not that we enforce different cultural practices upon people, but rather that we give people the freedom to reject cultural practices.

It's so lame to say Mashallah for sticking to his beliefs, that's the thinking like that fuels ISIS, you can brainwash and say Jihaaad, hurrey, go kill kaffir, bomb Europe.... it's still a belief, they do it as a result of beliefs. Just because you stick with whatever thing you have belief in doesn't automatically makes you praiseable person.

One can have a belief brining dog to mosque everyday, is it disrespectful for muslims, yes, does it corrupt law of country, possible no, should that person do it?

Why are we associating hand shaking with terrorism here? Last time I checked they were two very different things.

It's so lame to say Mashallah for sticking to his beliefs, that's the thinking like that fuels ISIS, you can brainwash and say Jihaaad, hurrey, go kill kaffir, bomb Europe.... it's still a belief, they do it as a result of beliefs. Just because you stick with whatever thing you have belief in doesn't automatically makes you praiseable person.

One can have a belief brining dog to mosque everyday, is it disrespectful for muslims, yes, does it corrupt law of country, possible no, should that person do it?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/19/switzerland-suspends-citizenship-process-muslim-family

'Switzerland has suspended the citizenship process for the family of two teenage Muslim brothers after the boys’ refusal to shake hands with their female teachers sparked a national debate over religious freedoms.

The brothers, aged 14 and 15, had informed education officials in the northern municipality of Therwil that physical contact with women who are not family members violated their faith.

They were then exempted from a Swiss custom of pupils shaking teachers’ hands, with Therwil officials instructing them to avoid contact with male teachers as well to avoid gender discrimination.

But the compromise sparked a heated response from leading Swiss politicians including the justice minister, Simonetta Sommaruga, who insisted that “shaking hands is part of [Swiss] culture”.

On Tuesday, authorities in the canton of Basel-Country where Therwil is located, said that naturalisation proceedings for the family had been put on hold.'

Glad to see some common sense being applied to situations like this

Hope we get to see more of this in the future

The Swiss are offended and stopped naturalisation proceedings because some people refused to shake the hand of someone else?

That's extremely petty and child like.

It begs belief that right wingers would go to a place they hate and interact with people that they hate?

I can totally understand you points, and I agree with them. It's not that I hate muslims, I am muslim myself (more or less).

What I have problem with is, Muslims "demand for exclusions" , their "entitlement" especially in western society. Muslims know what to expect when they come here, they know they will see half naked man in summer, women in bikini top and shorts, they know their kids will be shown people movies where people kissing and touching in schools....

it's like, lets say Iraqi family don't go to Saudi because they are Sunni, but comes to UK because UK tolerate and accepting (even thou its Christian majority).