Many people in the OP are saying that covering up isn't an Islamic rule 'especially in the West'. They're wrong. The reason it isn't strongly enforced in the West is because women have equal rights. If it isn't a rule, it must just be an amazing coincidence that in those countries under strict Islamic rule, all the women are covered. Their 'choice' is simple - they can choose to cover up, or they can choose to be flogged for showing a strand of lust-inducing hair. Still, at least they're not expected to be both invisible AND silent in public. *Afghanistan enters the chat - but only the men*

It's unbelievable how many women are brainwashed to think that covering up is their choice...

As free thinking human beings, we are entitled to believe in any religion we want (so long as it doesn't hurt anyone else). It is clear in this instance that the mother is forcing her daughter to convert, which is evil. I would be very interested in what their local Iman feels about forced conversion, as that will say a huge amount about the religion.

There is a very good reason why all religions need to indoctrinate children as early as possible. It's because they know that if they wait until the children get a proper, secular education before introducing them to religion, there's no way their religions will survive. Yes, I know that adults swap religions all the time, but essentially they're only switching to a different version of what they were brought up believing. They're just changing their old comfort blanket for one of a nicer texture, if you will.

It is said in the holy quran "You follow your religion, and I shall follow mine" Surah al Kafirun Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said in his farewell adress, "Never go towards forceful conversions" Islam looks down upon forceful conversions and it is a belief of one's will. The woman is the AH. It is sad that not a lot of people are unaware of the rules of Islam, judging by some AH. Every religion has AHs.

Daughter is 12, that's oldnenoughbij most places to have a day in custody. I would also help your daughter research the age of responsibility in Islam, my understanding is at some point soon she will have to positively declare herself a Muslim, somewhat analagousnto Catholic confirmation or Baptist baptism. Have her back and make sure she doesn't swear to anything she doesn't believe.

... and the YTA's at it again. Oh my. Of course, has he every right to consider Islam, or any and even every, religion stupid. He never called for it being banned, for peoples' rights being compromised based on their religion, or anything that would overstep - it's just his opinion, and, frankly, he's not obligated to know, or seek knowledge, about islamic rituals or standards. He has a right to not care, even when considering, openly so, it stupid, he doesn't need to know all the details. Guess the mother, or her new husband, don't know all too much about consequentialism, or about preference-utilitarianism. If that's not to be demanded from religious persons, it's certainly not the other way round!

Religion is terrible.

F**K THAT! I lived through having people forcing their religion on me and it messed me up for life. Fight for sole custody and save your kid! Kids have a right to choose not to believe in magic, no matter the age. None of this "I'm a parent and I decide their religion" b******t. That kid is being abused by having a faith forced upon her and as her father it is your duty to protect her!

Honestly its a really stupid and nonsense aspect to that religion hes not wrong. Its incredibly toxic and has NEVER ONCE since the founding of Islam has a single positive outcome.

Wrong to call being Muslim stupid? Oh no sir, I call all religion stupid. The person worried about her taking the daughter to another country is all too real though.

Religion. Do I need to say more? I will anyway, but do I need to? First, I don't have anything against muslims. But, I have a lot to disagree about with Islam, consider it a useless form of spiritainment at best, as that's all religions' place in a society that went through a process called "enlightenment". Hate towards people, of course, isn't justified nor does it serve any, but that does not need to extend into their ideologies including religious ones, let alone automatically so. With secular reasoned ... modes of life, habits, restrictions even, I see a way to deal with, but religion has made itself exempt from justification, exempt from being questioned, and never seems to have an issue with forcing stuff on other people, and doesn't even receive any heat of it. Now, compare that to a vegan who dares to explain upon being asked, and the heat that is sure to be received then - and they even have a point that is rooted in this reality and not some ancient fairy tale about people flying into the heavens on winged horses, and they sure don't call for disagreeing people to be fed to the flames for ever and eternally. I'd say, get full custody of both children. Make no mistake here - if it were freely decided by herself, all is fine. Even at that young age. But, as it is a forced transition, there's worse to come. Like every religion, the more serious it's taken, the more influence it has over being just some sort of spiritainment, the worse it is. Her mother forces her. That's the first point that, regardless of the point as and in itself, is wrong. The role women, or girls, are assigned in a devout muslim society - is that really desirable? After all, I can't bring myself to not state that I don't really have a high opinion of Islam. It's something we gotta accept exists, but further than that, I'm not interested in any of it. I've read the Quran, and that made me an even more convinced Atheist. Same happened with the Bible - had I believed prior to reading, I certainly wouldn't have afterwards. So ... a 12 year old is forced to wear a symbol of female suppression. And she's your daughter. Do something about it, and do something that doesn't seek a compromise - unless your daughter states, without the slightest pressure, believably so, stemming from her very own thoughts, asks for a hijab, she shouldn't wear one, and if she has one with her when entering your house, make sure it's gone when she's gonna leave.

I am not on reddit... does anyone have an update??

And there again goes Bored Panda digging for a few opposite opinions that completely miss the issue.

That daughter is so going to go NC with the mom when she's older. The dad is totally in the right for siding with his daughter, and good for him for it. The daughter is definitely old enough to make her own decisions about this stuff.

The only time that a judge will tell a parent that they have no say over the reigion at the other parents' house is if it has been the religion of that family all along, or if it was the religion of the other parent and the reason for the split. Forcibly converting your child to the religion of their stepparent is heavily frowned upon, And OP will likely get full custody of his daughter if he pursues this.

It doesn't sound as though it's the ex's new husband that's enforcing this. It's THE MOM who converted and like many converts, now she thinks she has to control everyone around her. No parent can force their child to convert to ANY religion - you can make them go through a ceremony but if their heart's not in it, they have not converted. Deanna needs to accept that Jane is not interested in practicing Islam. The same would be true if her father tried to force her to be atheist.

All religions are the AH

Islamically, the daughter is an adult. If she has not accepted Islam, the rules do not apply to her. If she has, then the hijab only comes into play when in public. She does not need to wear hibaj, etc. when she is only in view of her brother, father, or other women. Muslims are to dress modestly in public (regardless of gender) but Islam does not actually require women to wear hijab or ni'qab (face covering which itself is even more optional). However some fundamentalist groups and cultures do make them required (just like Christian religious conservatives enforce more rules on their families and try to on societies than what is actually required due to their interpretations). But from actual Islamic law, the head covering was only required for the Prophet's (s) wives to distinguish them from others and was not a blanket requirement for ALL Muslim women though many women do choose to wear it because they feel empowered by it (not oppressed, ask a Catholic nun if she feels oppressed).