The ban on the abaya in French schools has sparked widespread controversy, while the French Council of Muslim Faith issued a statement today, Tuesday, in response to the French government's decision to ban the wearing of the abaya in schools, deeming the ban an "arbitrary" decision that creates "high risks of discrimination" against Muslims.

The official body representing Islam in the country considered that the ban on the abaya in French schools is an "arbitrary" decision that creates "high risks of discrimination" against Muslims.

The body clarified that the lack of a "clear definition of this clothing creates in reality an ambiguous situation and a lack of legal security".

It specifically pointed out that the abaya can sometimes be considered "Islamic," thus prohibited, and at other times "non-Islamic," thus allowed.

The French Council of Muslim Faith expressed concern over "arbitrary control," as the criteria for evaluating girls' clothing are based on "presumed origin or surname or skin color".

Furthermore, the council warned that it reserves the right to take legal action "if the concrete application of this ban leads to forms of discrimination," adding that the abaya "has never been clothing or a religious symbol".

According to the figures announced by the Ministry of Education on Tuesday, about 300 students out of 12 million who began the school year this week attended schools on Monday wearing the abaya, and 67 of them were sent home due to their refusal to comply with the government decision.

French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed earlier that the government's decision to ban the abaya in schools aims to "defend secularism and the principles of the republic," according to his claims.

The announcement of the ban on the abaya in schools came from the French Minister of Education, Gabriel Attal, last month, emphasizing his effort to establish "clear rules at the national level" for school principals.