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What it really means to be a Shia Girl
Have you ever wondered about what it would be like if you weren’t allowed to wear a simple outfit like a pair of jeans and a t-shirt ? Or even be allowed to cut your hair ? To Americans, life would kind of suck because we wouldn’t be able to do the things that we wanted to do. In Kathleen Jamie’s essay “ Among Muslims”, she talks about the women in Pakistan and how they aren’t allowed to wear what they call “immodest clothing” because it’s disowning to their culture. She records their daily lives as well as their social life and the role they play in the world, all in an effort to reveal what it really means to be a Shia girl.
She begins the essay with a letter excerpt from Rashida. In the letter Rashida
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explains how Jamie’s way of living is different from hers because of the way she lives in an apartment with her friends and Rashida isn’t allowed to live on her own until she finds someone to marry. “Your lifestyle is very strange and very difficult to us… we live in home and safety. And you know, how much we are happy and full to satisfy” (62). Also in her letter she offers her to come and live in her country and says that she is purdah-observing; which means that she is sequestering women to live a safe and Islamic lifestyle free from harm and danger. The majority of the essay focuses on the differences and similarities of Shia Girls and foreigners. The way men and women are required to dress in Pakistan is completely different from the way we dress. When Jamie first meets Rashida she observes that her clothes were of a modest content and her hair was neatly pulled back and how she was wearing a dupatta: “ For a moment I forgot I was in Pakistan and thought “Victorian”. If she was a Victorian, then I was a ghost; the brash ghost of the future which she was puzzled to find in the drawing-room” (34). This tells us how strict of a religion Islam is because people who are not a part of a strict religion wouldn’t dress like that on a daily basis. This isn’t something that is required here in the United States that you need to dress or act a certain way. Nuns for example who are apart of a catholic religion, are required to wear this long, warm looking dress all day. Even if you’re Jewish there is a certain way that you should conduct yourself. When going to a synagogue, women are required to wear dresses and the men have to wear suits. The men also wear these little hats on their heads called yamakas. So this just goes to show that even here in America, people have to abide by certain rules and standards depending on their religious backgrounds. Throughout the essay, Jamie is mainly “reporting” how the lives of Pakistanis are both similar and different to the lives of Americans. By doing this she is creating an open mindset for the reader and herself. One thing she notices is their formality and the way they dress to impress. When she is at Rashida’s home she points out how Rashida’s older sister Jamila is dressed in an “astonishing outfit of turquoise rayon, splashed with leopard prints. In her arms she carried another polyester creation and, worse she was giving it to me” (35). It makes you wonder what their reaction would be if we offered them a pair of jeans or some tennis and a designer shirt. There’s also misconceptions between Pakistani and American women. While Jamie is still on her bus trip to Gilgit, a young boy starts talking to her. “Love Me ? Five hundred rupees you love me ? A thin slant-eyed youth with a scarf tied around his brow… he was taking out a 500-rupee note, and holding it up to the moonlight to prove to me it was real” (68). To us this would be considered prostitution. The misconception here is that the boy thinks that all American women are easy. To them this is a natural act because they are used to marrying at a young age unlike us who usually marry at a later age. Another one is that the men think that all foreign women are immodest. The perceptions that are made about the Pakistani women in movies is that they always wear scarves covering their faces, they wear colorful clothing, they aren’t very social, or they stay at home and take care of their families. The way men treat the women would be best described as what Pratt would call a “contact zone”.
Reasons regarding this is that Pakistani men think that they have a dominance over the women. For example, when everyone is at Rashida’s house for lunch, Fatima’s husband brings a feeling of uneasiness for the women because of the rude remarks he starts to make. “This Hussain is thirty, very old. I was too thirty. She… pointing at Fatima, she was fourteen! A baby! He stuck his thumb in his mouth and made sucking noises” (78). Islamic women are mainly viewed as nothing more than simple and of a quiet nature. They really aren’t privileged to do anything except receive an education and have children. An example of this would be when Jamie was still on the bus ride and they stopped to get tea and she noticed that all the men were inside getting tea while the women stayed behind. This is giving the perception that women have certain rules that they need to follow and are only allowed to do the things that their husbands tell them. “Her husband was indoors with the rest of them, tearing bits of Chapati up to eat with his tea. didn’t his wife want some ? No! She is simple womans. Water only” …show more content…
(70). The changing behaviors of Rashida and herself are significant.
Rashida really opens up to Jamie about many things. One of those things is her husband Ali. “What’s he like, you’re Hussain Ali ? Very good man. He wants me to continue my education” (82). She is also very open the diary he gives her. She uses the diary to describe the insecurities she has with being away from her family. “I tried to imagine never having been alone in all my life. No solidarity walks, no quiet evenings alone with a book or the telly, no cycling or smooching about galleries, no shopping, running, driving. Another curiously Western pleasure, being alone” (83). The meaning of what she is saying is that their version of being alone is living at home with family but you aren’t married. But one thing that really catches my attention is when she talks about couples getting tired of each other after being together for a short time and how this man beats his wife. She shrugs her shoulders and says that the woman was compelled because of the makeup she wears to cover to her scars. Rashida’s attitude towards this is that there’s really nothing you can do and she quickly moves away from the topic and wanting Jamie to continue reading her
diary. Towards the end of the essay, Rashida, her mom, and her sisters are waiting for the men to pick them up. They are going to a glacier but while they are waiting Jamie notices the way they are dressed up. “Each woman wore a richly coloured shalwar-kameez, with a yoke of mirror-work and beads” (96). The first question that comes to mind is why are they dressed the way they are ? The main reason is that they are Shia Girls and they have to present themselves in that manner because it’s a part of their culture. My main purpose for writing this is to explain how the similarities and differences of customs in Pakistan and the United States. Jamie’s purpose for writing this is to show her readers what it’s like to live the life of a Pakistani woman and the challenges and pressures they are up against.
The World’s Religions by Huston Smith is a novel based on the different religions found around the world. The main area of focus within this book was to expand the knowledge of different cultures and their religions. The chapters that were specified to focus on include Islam, Judaism, Christianity and the Primal Religions. Go into detail about each religion. Smith goes into great detail about each religion, concentrating on the teachings and essential elements of each religion, important people that helped form the religion, and traditions. He specifically discusses how these three religions are very similar rather then how different they are, with the main studies on Moses, Jesus, and Mohammad. Finally he discusses the Primal Religions – meaning the traditions that are passed down through oral communication.
One of Sultana Yusufali’s strongest arguments in “My body is my own business” is her scrutinization of the exploitation of female sexuality. Initially Yusufali writes about the injudicious individuals that assume she is oppressed by her hijab. Thereafter, she describes them as “brave individuals who have mustered the courage to ask me about the way I dress”. Moreover, Yusufali’s word choice is intriguing as she utilizes the word “brave” when laymen hear this word they habitually associate the aforementioned with heroic, valiant and courageous. Consequently, Yusufali ensues to comprise her opinions on the hijab and how it carries a number of negative connotations in western society. Furthermore, Yusufali proceeds to strike on the importance
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.
The article “My Body Is My Own Business” by Naheed Mustafa is about an Islamic women’s principle that putting on her usual headscarf, or Hijab, actually empowers her as a female, contrary to the popular principle that the hijab represents male oppressiveness. She ex...
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
Lila Abu-Lughod’s article titled, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?” takes a closer look at the problematic ethnocentric approach many have when trying to gain an understanding of another culture that may be foreign to that individual. In this analytical paper, Lughod looks at women in Islam, specifically the treatment of women and how it might be utilized as a justification for invading into a country and liberating its people. The country Lughod refers to in her article is Afghanistan, and Lughod points out the misunderstanding from the people to the Bush administration like First Lady Laura Bush who believed that intervention was necessary to free women from the captivity of their own homes. It is important to consider the role that different lenses play into all of this, especially when one’s lenses are being shaped by the media. Depictions of covered women secluded from society leave a permanent image in the minds of many, who would then later support the idea of liberation. This paper will discuss that the practice of using propaganda when referring to the lifestyle in the Middle East is not exclusive to the U.S; rather it has been utilized throughout history. Additionally, we will take a closer look on the importance of symbols, such as veils in this case; help to further emphasize the cause to liberate. Finally, we will analyze Lughod’s plea towards cultural relativism and away from liberal imperialism.
In the Koran women are repeatedly regarded as inferiors to men. Women are given less rights and privileges in contrast to men. Women are seen as objects to own and control, and not as equals.
Muslims, Sikhs, and many other religious affiliations have often been targeted for hate crimes, racial slurs, and misfortunate events. We are all different in our own ways some are good and some are bad yet one event changes everything for everyone affiliated with the group. The book The Politics of the Veil by Joan Scott a renowned pioneer in gender studies gives a detailed and analytical book of about the French views towards the Muslim females in France during 2004. The author talks about why the French governments official embargo of wearing conspicuous signs is mainly towards the headscarves for Muslim girls under the age of eighteen in public schools. The main themes of book are gender inequality, sexism, and cultural inequality historical schools used in the book are history of below, woman’s history, cultural history, and political history. In this essay, I will talk about why Joan Scotts argument on why the French government’s ban on wearing conspicuous signs was
Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis introduces the Islamic veil as an attempt by the Iranian government to control women. Islamic radicals promised safety and security for those who abided by their rules. Rebels who refused to wear the headscarf were threatened with beating, rape or death. These modern women who fought against religious oppression met the minimal requirements of the government rules to safely live in the hostile environment. Through being forced to wear the veil, the control of the Islamic government drives its people to a rebellion.
The religion of Islam was imposed upon Iranians, whether they liked it or not. Marjane and her classmates “...didn’t like to wear the veil, especially since we didn’t understand why we had to”(Satrapi 3). The young girls were against wearing the veil because they were not practicing
“I could tell Rashida was smiling, because her eyes crinkled up. She pressed her cheek to mine. We are Shia girls.” (p.97) This is a defining line, which closes out the section “Shia Girls” from Kathleen Jamie’s 2002 book Among Muslims: Every Day Life on the Frontiers of Pakistan. To dive into why this line is so defining right away, would be overwhelming. First, some background information. Jamie (b.1962) is a writer from Edinburgh, Scotland. She attended Edinburgh University where she studied philosophy and began writing. Jamie traveled to the northern areas of Pakistan for the purpose of experience and to be able to write a piece of travel writing -------- which she titled The Golden Peak (1993). Ten years after her first visit, the writer returned to Pakistan as she had always hoped to do, but upon her return found a drastically different Pakistan. She summarizes her newfound experiences that she has, in her book Among Muslims: Every Day Life on the Frontiers of Pakistan. Here she reproduces the people and situations she’s encountered while evaluating all of the things around her.
This can be attributed, in part, to Ayatollah Khomeini ’s want to include “women in social, political, educational and economic activities. He took every opportunity to make clear that he didn’t want women to go back into isolation.” This understanding of Khomeini’s ideals might seem contradictory to his strict fundamental Islamic beliefs, but they may have served his more of a political purpose than religious in some cases. When looking at the
My mom wears a hijab, but with mounting anti-Muslim sentiment she hasn’t felt comfortable being herself in a post – 9/11 America. After the flashback, I muttered to myself, “I wish I wasn’t a Muslim in America.” At this precise moment I realized that I had failed myself, my mom and all of those before me by dissociating myself from, rather than embracing, my culture. I let my classmate’s bitter words turn into my own bitter thoughts and that has been my biggest lesson learned in life – to find the strength to be myself when my way of life is constantly
In Pakistan the honor of a man rely on the behavior of her woman Women are always expected to behave modestly.