Bianca Frazier once said “Dress how you want to be addressed.” With this quote she was suggesting that the way people dress effects how other people approach them. People from different cultures dress differently and have different beliefs in what is acceptable and what is not. In the Islamic culture, women beyond the age of puberty are required to wear what is known as the hijab, in public. Hijab is worn differently in different parts of the Islamic society, but the main parts associated with the hijab are the headscarf, the abaya, and the niqqab. The way the outsiders and the insiders view the Islamic dress code for women in the Islamic culture is very different.
When outsiders view the hijab what they see is something mysterious and unfamiliar. They do not understand the reason behind wearing it. They look at a Muslim woman and her fully covered body and see something rigid and restrictive. In their culture, for a woman to wear what she likes with no restriction is the norm and having a certain dress code to put up with is considered to be restraining. A woman’s body is seen by non-Muslims as a great art that can be displayed and hiding it means being unappreciative to that art. Furthermore, when outsiders look at the scarf tied around the Muslim woman’s head, they see something oppressive and backward. They believe that the headscarf is forced on girls and women to oppress them and deprive them of their fundamental freedom. It is also considered to be backward due to the fact that it is not in the same fashion line with the rest of the western clothing. Outsiders look at the long, black, abaya and see something unbearable to wear. In their understanding, having to wear such a long and dragging cloth is intolerable; wearing sh...
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...hijab. Muslims look at the niqqab and see it as something worn by women with high religious statuses. It is worn by people who believe that a woman’s face is also a sign of beauty, hence hide it as an extra step towards preserving themselves.
The Islamic dress code for women is viewed very differently by the outsiders and the insiders. Outsiders view the hijab as something backward that suppresses freedom of Muslim women. Insiders view the hijab as a way of representing purity and modesty and a path to getting close to God. The two views has led to misconceptions and misunderstandings between Muslims and non-Muslims. Non-Muslims should educate themselves more about the different aspects of the hijab and be more open minded and understanding towards it. Muslims should not use the hijab as a fashion or political statement and try to maintain its purpose of modesty.
For some women wearing a veil is not something that is forced on them but rather a choice of their own. Martha Nussbaum and Maysan Haydar are both authors that try to explain their reasoning that veiling isn't an oppressive tool used against women. Martha Nussbaum's article “Veiled Threats”, is a political and philosophical take on why banning the burqa is a violation of human rights. On the other hand Maysan Haydar’s article “Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering”, is a more humorous and personal take on why veiling shouldn't be as judged or stereotyped. Though Nussbaum and Haydar have equal goals this essay is being used to understand the main argument, claims and whether or not each article has any weaknesses.
Ever pass by Muslim woman in a hijab at the mall or park and think how oppressive and restraining her culture must be? Maysan Haydar, a New York social worker who practices the Muslim tradition of veiling, believes otherwise. In her article, “Veiled Intentions: Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering,” Haydar highlights on her experiences as a Muslim living in an American culture, where showing more skin is the “norm.” Haydar speaks specifically to a crowd who unconsciously makes assumptions about certain Muslim practices, in hopes of sharing the truth behind them. Haydar suggests that, contrary to popular belief, not all Muslim women cover themselves strictly as an “oppressive” religious practice, but that some women, like herself, find
The veil illustrates a women’s love for god, their modesty, and to show Muslim identity. The veil itself is not bad and even today is looked as a women’s choice to wear such clothing. The symbolism behind the hijab is very powerful and beautiful to show love for god and self-identity. The hijab gives women power and choice; Although, many women adopted the hijab since they will be treated better in their society. In the article “Reinventing the Veil” by Leila Ahmed, she wrote, “Changing dress sometimes empowered them in relation to their parents… expanded job and marriage possibilities… and ability to move freely in public space.” The idea that women must wear the hijab to be equal to men to demining to women. Some parts of the Islam society look as women differently depending on whether they wear the hijab, but the hijab should only be the woman’s choice and not something women have to wear to be able to walk freely and acquire jobs that men have. The western world looks at this and instantly looks down on the Islam world even when the whole society doesn’t look down on women for their choice on wearing the
Fatemeh Fakhraie’s essay “Scarfing it Down,” explains how Muslim women suffer because of what they wear. Fakhraie blogs about Muslim women in her website she explains; “Seeing ourselves portrayed in the media in ways that are one-dimensional and misleading." Several people judge Muslim's by their appearance because they assume they're a bad person. The author of this essay wants the reader to know that Muslim women wearing a hijab are not a threat to the world.
This article by Lila Abu-Lughod discusses the idea that western culture frequently views Muslim women as inherently oppressed and in need of “saving” by the west. Abu-Lughod specifically focuses on how many view the veil as a representation of the lack of a women’s autonomy in her own life. The article explicitly states that many interpret a woman’s veil as the universal sign of their lack of freedom. Abu-Lughod points out a hypocrisy upon western countries when it comes to their desire to “free” women of the oppression they face, stating they are focusing on the implications of the veil and not on serious issues, such as the safety of women. Similar to Bernadette Andrea’s article, Abu-Lughod discusses the attitudes towards Muslim women, whether it be their perceived societal standing or the fact that they wear a veil.
Professor Leila Ahmed, active Islamic feminist, in her article “Reinventing the veil” published in the Financial Times assumes that there is a connection between “advancement” and veiling, which means that unveiled women are advanced and vice versa. In addition, she supports that it led to increasing rate of violence. She questions why women wear veil, that is considered as “symbol of patriarchy and women’s oppression”. However, research changed her position towards wearing veil. Firstly, she states that wearing veil was essential for women, because it could be beneficial and influence to how people treat women, in terms of job, marriage and free movement in public. Secondly, her assumption was explained while interviewing women, who stated
It is important to keep in mind that each woman should be allowed to decide if she wants to wear a hijab or not regardless of her religion or culture. In a feminist perspective the hijab is seen as constricting and as a form of oppression to the female sex. However this feminist view exists in two forms, the Muslim form and the Western form. Western media and culture has constantly played off that the Hijab or any form of head dress is a form of oppression keeping women below the regular society, however not all Muslim women feel that way. Many wear their hijabs or other respective version of a headscarf as an identity, which is very personal and important to many of them.
According to Doucleff, “‘wearing the hijab eliminates many of the hassles women have to go through — such as dyeing their hair,’ she says. ‘For example, you're getting old, and gray hairs, when you wear the hijab, you might not think about dyeing your hair because nobody sees it anyway.’” By wearing a hijab women do not have to worry about “gray hairs, and can focus on other parts of their lives. Although this seems like a trivial improvement, women in the west spend inestimable amounts of money on beauty products and a surfeit amount of time on their daily regimen. Even though the burqa is therapeutic in helping women with their appearance, it can be physically restricting, “Mariam had never before worn a burqa…The padded headpiece felt tight and heavy on her skull…The loss of peripheral vision was unnerving, and she did not like the suffocating way the pleated cloth kept pressing against her mouth” (72). In this excerpt the burqa is described as “tight”, “heavy”, and “suffocating, making it seem like an unpleasant garment to be ensconced in. The burqa can cause an “unnerving” feeling, which can make daily tasks hard to complete. When interviewing a girl in Afghanistan Daniel Pipes, American historian, writer, and commentator, got her opinion on the burqa, “When I wear a burqa it gives me a really bad feeling. I don't like to wear it…I don't like it, it upsets me, I can't breathe properly.” The discomfort the girl feels in the burqa “upsets” her, linking her physical distress to emotional distress. The girl gets “a really bad feeling” when she wears a burqa, showing that the physical effects of the burqa can be negative. Besides the physical hardships Muslim dress may cause, it can also cover up physical abuse, “A Muslim teenage girl
Women have always been thought of as something that needed to be controlled in Muslim culture. Their bodies are a source of shame that must be covered during prayer and also in the public (Mir-Hosseini 2007: 3). Veiling, done by a hijab or chador, is when women either wear a headscarf to cover themselves or they wear a veil that covers their entire body, excluding her hands and eyes (Mir-Hosseini 2007: 1; Mir-Hosseini 2003: 41; Berger 1998: 93; Smith-Hefner 2007: 390-391; Brenner 1996: 674; El Guindi 1999: 6). Veiling is used as a tool for oppression. By having women veil themselves, it enforces the control by the male run and male dominated society (Mir-Hosseini 2007: 7). Also, the punishment for women appearing without a veil transitioned as the concept of veiling was addressed, transitioning from seventy-four lashes, to being arrested and held between ten days and two months for being “immodest” women and offending public morality, or fined 50,000 to 500,000 rials (Mir-Hosseini 2007: 8). The oppression of veiling is perpetuated through the thought that it is a woman’s religious duty to wear one, condemning foreigners and women in society if they refuse. Although it is a tool for oppression, there was resistance the oppression. In ...
There are many different views towards Muslim choice of clothing especially wearing the veil. “I wear it believing it is necessary, but someone else can be wearing it believing that she is doing something extra” said Hamna Ahmed. One of the many reasons a Muslim can be wearing the veil are their own personal decisions too. Hamna has been wearing it for seven years now, despite her mother and three of her four sisters staying uncovered. Socially this causes an issue with the meaning of the veil and conflict with other groups. With many different consumptions of religion, what it means, what is considered to be practicing and what is not can lead to negative misunderstandings. Ultimately the decisions are up to the individuals although; there is likely to be misinterpretation between the meaningfulness of religion to family and society. On an even bigger scale of things this could also impact society and it...
Hijab is a choice that some women or girls make for their own security, for more privacy, or because it makes them feel comfortable and confident about themselves. It should be a choice though, and as it is not proven to us that it is obligatory, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan should remove their laws that insist every girl puts the veil on. Freedom of choice should be given in these countries. It is not required in Islam so it shouldn’t be forced on anyone anywhere. In addition to this, Islam’s beauty is it’s freedom, the choice it provides you with, let it not be ruined.
Differences in ethics and values lead to different results in making judgments. The ethics and values of some Muslim citizens lead them to believe it’s ethical and necessary for women to be covered, because women need to keep themselves chaste by concealing their beauty. This risks losing the chance to appreciate the beauty of the human body and limiting fashion design as a method of art. Moreover, Muslim women will get hurt emotionally if their bodies are considered unethical and illegal and they will be ashamed of their own body. Many non-Muslim people also believe that dress codes are uncomfortable during hot summers and dangerous for women to do work and also restrain the chance to show personality through clothing. This Muslim ethical judgment on clothing runs into conflict in other...
The headscarf has a role in Islam. It derives its significance from the Qur’an. Qur’an is God’s command to Muslims and the word taught to Prophet Mohammad by Allah. Muslim women wear headscarves to cover themselves. It’s a kind of modesty, and a way that women cover their beauty. They should not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands ‘fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, or their brothers’ sons or their sisters’ sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hand possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no senses of the shame of sex and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments.
...not mean if I am wearing hijab and niqab I would have to just stay at home and does not mingle with other people. I realize that during Prophet Muhammad era, he encourages woman to go out of house and seek knowledge as seeking knowledge is compulsory in Islam. Prophet Muhammad also appreciates those women who come forward and ask question that making them feel confuse as the only references that they had is a men and those women does not feel shy to know the truth.
In the Islamic faith, Muslim women are required to dress modestly by God. In the Qur’an, God speaks directly to all Muslim women and says “...guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment (The Qur’an 24:31)”. Muslim women have to wear a hijab, or a head covering, when they are in public places and when they are around men who are not close relatives. In fact, countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have a mandatory dress code enforced. Muslim women in these countries have to wear a hijab and an abaya, or a full-length, loose fitting garment on top of their clothes. Although God requires Muslim women to dress modestly and Saudi Arabia and Qatar have a dress code, it is entirely their choice on what they would like to wear.