Dentist cut fees for women in Islamic dress

[Ms DD]

Dentist cut fees for women in Islamic dress

 

26/ 9/2007

 

A MUSLIM dentist has admitted reducing his fees to encourage female patients to wear the Islamic headscarf.

 

Dr Omer Butt, from Prestwich, told a disciplinary hearing he would ask Muslim women to cover up in observance of Islamic law before he treated them.

 

But he denied refusing to treat a nurse because she would not follow his rules.

 

The nurse, known as Patient A, told the hearing she was left `humiliated and upset' when she went to Dr Butt's Unsworth Smile clinic in Bury, in April 2005.

 

The nurse, a non-practising Muslim, claimed Dr Butt said she would have to find another dentist because she wouldn't wear a headscarf.

 

Dr Butt told the General Dental Council professional conduct committee the Islamic ethos of his surgery was a `marketing tool'.

 

He said: "If they are prepared to wear the headscarf, I am willing to reduce the fee or completely waive the fee."

 

He said he identified the woman as a Muslim because of her name, which has roots in Islam, then `politely' asked her to wear a headscarf.

 

He said: "I did request her to wear the headscarf. I said `It would help me if you would wear a headscarf'.

 

"Her response was she looked at me with a smile and said `Oh, that's strange'."

 

He said it was `unlawful' for him, as a Muslim, to look at a Muslim woman who was not properly covered up. He added: "If she was to adhere to my request, it makes me feel more comfortable.

 

"It was a polite request. It was a simple request. It was never more than a request."

 

He said that, despite her lapsed faith, Patient A was still a Muslim. He said: "For me to now call her a non-Muslim, I would be accused of committing a sin. I can't say she is not a Muslim.

 

"The only difference is one is lower in faith. It's like saying a Porsche and a Mini Metro, they are both cars."

 

Under cross-examination from John Snell, for the GDC, Dr Butt was asked if his clinic had a policy that women must wear a headscarf. Mr Snell said: "The truth is it is and it was a policy that you insist your patients wear the headscarf."

 

Dr Butt replied: "No, I request them."

 

If found guilty of serious professional misconduct, Dr Butt could have his licence revoked. The hearing in London is expected to finish tomorrow.

 

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1017629_dentist_cut_fees_for_women_in_islamic_dress

Its sad a fellow muslim has to resort to getting another muslim into this much media exposure. I am sure she knew that by complaining this case would go straight into the main news due to the anti islam stance the media already has against us all. Besides I dont think he did anything wrong here. He was just giving her naseeha. May Allah help him.

 

Almighty Allah says: ‘You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind, you enjoin Al-Ma’ruf (whole Deen) and forbid what is Al-Munkar (all that is evil), and you believe in Allah’ [Ale-Imran v.110]

[Pujah]

^lol @ promotion campaign who is he kidding :rolleyes:

[N.O.R.F]

The world has gone mad I tell ya!

[Che -Guevara]

Interesting...What would a male Muslim have to do get reduced fees?

[Pujah]

^^grow your beards

[Che -Guevara]

^^how about Sarwaal gaaban. I can't grow beard

[Zafir]

I know what you have in mind Che, let me give you heads up. NO SHORTS ALLOWED.

[Caano Geel]

Dentist guilty in headscarf row

A dentist who told a female patient she must wear a Muslim headscarf to receive treatment has been found guilty of serious professional misconduct.

 

Dr Omer Butt was found guilty of discriminating against the woman, known as Ms A, by a disciplinary panel of the General Dental Council (GDC).

 

The patient said she was "humiliated and upset" after the encounter at the surgery in Bury, Greater Manchester.

 

Dr Butt received an admonition at the end of the three-day GDC hearing.

 

Stewart Goulding, chairman of the GDC professional conduct committee, told Dr Butt that his conduct had fallen short of the standard expected.

 

But he said the committee had noted testimonials from other patients in reaching their conclusion.

 

He said: "The committee is satisfied that the appropriate decision is to conclude the case today with this admonition.

 

"As a member of a caring profession, a dentist has a responsibility to put the interests of patients first.

 

"The professional relationship between dentist and patient relies on trust and the assumption that a dentist will act in the best interests of the patient.

 

"The effect of your actions on this occasion was to impede patient A's access to local dental services."

 

The dentist had denied the charges, but admitted he would ask Muslim women to cover up in accordance with Islamic law before he treated them and reducing fees to encourage patients to wear the headscarf.

 

Dr Butt, of Prestwich, Greater Manchester, was found to have "undermined public confidence" in the dental profession by discriminating against the woman in April 2005.

 

Giving evidence in his defence, Dr Butt said he "politely requested" the woman, a non-practising Muslim, to wear a headscarf.

 

He said it was "unlawful" for him, as a Muslim, to look at a Muslim woman who was not properly covered up.

 

The patient, a community nurse who worked in Bury, said Dr Butt told her she would have to find another dentist because she would not wear the headscarf.

 

The hearing was told the dentist later quoted Islamic Sharia law on appropriate relationships between men and women.

 

Patient A said she was told by a dental nurse at the surgery: "Inside the surgery it's Dr Butt's world and his rules apply."

 

The patient said she sought to register at the Unsworth Smile Clinic after the birth of her young child because it was nearer to her home.

 

She said she telephoned the clinic to make an appointment and was told they required Muslim women to wear the headscarf.

 

Muslim men attending the clinic could not wear gold jewellery, she was told.

 

source

 

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So who agrees with his stance and believes that Muslim doctors/dentists/[any other non clerical professionals] should attempt enforce the behaviour of other muslims they interact with?

[LayZie G.]

I am sure she knew that by complaining this case would go straight into the main news due to the anti islam stance the media already has against us all.

What are you trying to say here?

 

I know you are not putting the blame on the female patient. You are a female right?

 

Here we are as minorities, as muslims demanding we get treated equally, and we have one of our own muslim fellow demanding that his female patients wear head scarf and we have a fellow muslim female aka poster is pointing the finger at the female.

 

Another thing I want to know is who declared the female as a "non practicing muslim" did she say it herself? Did she confirm that she was indeed not practicing the religion? Was this all brought because the female doesn't wear the head scarf?

 

I am a practicing muslim who doesn't wear the head scarf, not all my yrs in living in this world, not once have I have worn a head scarf, only time I cover myself up is during prayer(I am proud to be a muslim woman) and I am just as a good muslim as the next one, does that mean I wouldn't be allowed to go to this man's business establishment, because he felt that he should dictate how his patients present themselves to him?

 

How dare he open a public office, a work place and demand anything, or as he calls it "requested", where did he get the nerve to do any such thing?

 

We have a story on the front page of SOL about a maine resident, a somali female suing a hotel chain(I think its a chain) for mistreating her and not for allowing her to pray during work hours and for terminating her when she complained about it.

 

Should her complaint be taken serious?

 

Won't we ask that she get equal treatment, but then we have a business man such as the man in the article above, who employs females and males I presume, and is mistreating his patients , a paying customer at that, why would be her case be any different? Or the case of sheikh's who were not allowed to board an airline becasue they were seen praying, and as a thread.(for all we know the white man/woman were ignorant about prayer, maybe they just thought these men were ready for jihad and used their best judgement to refuse boarding for these muslim men ignorance was indeed an excuse at that time)

 

I ask you all, Why even bother complaining to the white man about how unfairly they are treating us, whe we treat each other worse than the white man?

 

PS:Poster, gabar baa tahay, therefore isku noqo and think about your earlier response please.

 

Also, no one asked this dibi to give the service for free, waa xayawaan aqli laheen, imagine if all the head scarfing women came, even the non muslims(to wear one for the hell of getting a free service) because he made that statement and has to stick to it, how long will his business survive?

[roobleh]

what do you expect from a butt!

 

 

Ooch! Sorry, it's Ramadan.

[allan]

lool at british muslims

i agree with you DD we are on the same side right, so why resolve our desputes in the public areana?

 

layzG: open your eyes walaalahaa musliinta wat ever their iiman level is are should not be at each others neck, there is always a better place to settle disputes and certanly at this time of islamphopia this probably wasnt the best decision made

[Ms DD]

LG

 

That was serious tongue-lashing. Nevertheless, someone who is encouraging others to do good is never a bad thing. Markii uu madaxeygu feydnaa, a lot of people used talk to me about hijab and for that I was grateful. Because people cared and as human beings we need the reminders. For all we know Allah hidaaya ayuu noogu soo dhiibayaa thru them. So dont knock it.

 

As for you calling him "dibi, waa xayawaan aqli laheen", when I am presuming you are fasting...waa laga fiicanyahay.

 

PS Can I make dua for you that you wear hijab one day inshallah?

[chubacka]

I am glad that he is a strong enough muslim who is not ashamed of asking or encouraging his muslim female patients to wear hijab. Its betta for both of dem. I can howeva imagine how dat woman would be outraged, probably thinking "I cnt believe this is happening in da UK!" If she dnt want to wear the headscarf she could have jst gone to another dentist not put da poor man through the courts. I hope his license is not revoked inshallah but he has already been found guilty of unfair treatment.

 

Lazy really dnt you tink its a good thing he asked his female patients to observe hijab jst while he was treating dem, evening giving dem a discount. I dnt think its anything to be outraged about even if you dnt usually wear hijab.

[NGONGE]

Ms D&D,

 

Someone encouraging others to do good is never a bad thing indeed. But what if that someone is making conditional requests? The man (if the reports above are to be believed) sounds like a well-meaning zealot.

[Jacaylbaro]

Crazy world iga dheh ,,,,,,