Clothing is perhaps the simplest form of expression used by people to differentiate themselves from other members of society at both the collective and individual level. Clothing has the ability to simultaneously delineate an individual’s identifying attributes such as gender, profession, religion and ethnicity. Likewise, religious symbols entail wearing particular garments, amongst many other articles, and individuals choosing to wear it to overtly demarcate their religion and faith. Many traditions have distinctive religious symbols, such as Sikhs wearing the turban and Catholic nuns wearing the black veil. In Islam, there are several religious symbols such as the hijab, the burqa and the niqab intended to be worn by Muslim women. In recent …show more content…
years, the veiling of Muslim women, particularly the niqab, has created a contentious and controversial political and human rights issue in various countries around the globe and ought to be fully addressed. This assignment will argue that although some find the veiling of Muslim women to be problematic, the niqab should not be banned because it is not itself a symbol of oppression. The following paragraphs will demonstrate how the niqab is perceived to be problematic and how they are not justifiable reasons in banning the niqab. The ideology behind banning the niqab is partly because Western societies, which follow the footsteps of European Society, perceive it as a symbol of non-integration. “The escalation of the niqab controversy has resulted in the utterly false implication that Muslims do not want to integrate” (Natasha Bakht, p.1). It is essential to correctly understand the lexical meaning which defines integration as “the bringing of people of different racial or ethnic groups into unrestricted and equal association, as in society or an organization.” Running counter to this narrative is the evidence of countless Muslim women who are regular law-abiding citizens, educated, working in the public and private sectors, voting, paying taxes, and being good neighbors. Yet, the media narrative of non-integration due to their wearing of the niqab continues to dominate. It is more than apparent that the niqab itself does not prevent Muslim women from participating in society in any significant way. Putting forth the argument that the niqab is a sign of non-integration is not motivated by altruistic concerns on social cohesion but rather an obvious result of ignorance or bigotry. If one accepts the notion that the Islamic doctrine is fundamentally incompatible with Western and principles, one can also suppose that wearing the niqab will be the cause of some degree of friction within society but not to the extent of saying it is a symbol of non-integration. Of course, the niqab represents the more extreme end of the Islamic theological spectrum. Consequently, it is reasonable to put forward the idea that wearing the niqab is a potential flashpoint between both cultures. It is not acceptable to ban the niqab on the premises that it is a blatant obstacle to integration when in fact it may lean more towards a cultural issue and the continuous demonization of Islam. Another argument advocating the banning the niqab is that the niqab is a representation of male domination that symbolizes the subjugation of women by forcing them to cover their faces.
“Perhaps the most commonly heard opposition to the niqab is that women cover up at the command of domineering men, that the veil is a sign of Muslim women’s oppression, as well as a general indicator of the “backwardness” of Islamic culture” (Natasha Bakht, p.10). These stereotypes of Muslim men dominating women confuse Islam with cultural practices and fail to recognize that Islam has empowered women throughout its history. Former Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper stated that such a garment is “rooted in a culture that is anti-women,” but never once took initiative to ask the niqab-wearing women if that is in fact the …show more content…
case. In the Qur’an, the primary Islamic scripture, an entire chapter, Surah An-Nisa, is dedicated to women and thereby raising their status. Islam gave women the right to education, employment, consent to marriage, divorce. In fact, one of the most influential scholars of Islam was the Prophet Muhammad’s wife, A’esha. In addition, Allah instructs all men to be kind towards females. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The best among you are those who treat their wives in the best manner." (Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 217). The Prophet Muhammad said that a husband’s treatment towards his wife reflects a Muslim’s good character, which in turn is an indication of the man’s faith. This is a command to husbands, fathers, brothers and others to treat women kindheartedly and to give them their rights as opposed to oppressing them. These positions in the primary texts of Islam negate the idea that Muslim women profess a patriarchal religion and wear the niqab because men tell them to. Furthermore, many aspects of our media and society treat women as objects but are not afforded the same scrutiny as instruments of partriarchy. “The first thing we should say about this argument is that the people who make it typically don’t know much about Islam and would have a hard time saying what symbolizes what in that religion. But the more glaring flaw in the argument is that society is suffused with symbols of male supremacy that treat women as objects” (Nussbaum). The argument that Islam is a patriarchal religion is applied hypocritically mainly due to Western media continuously objectifying women by promoting sex magazines, nude photos, plastic surgeries and skinny jeans. The media suggests in a very unsubtle way that thin women are desirable and attractive, but that does not project male domination. Another compelling reason why the niqab itself it not a sign of oppression is obscurely believing that Muslim women lack agency. “The problems inherent in this line of thinking are manifold, but of particular note is that women who wear the niqab are stripped of any agency” (Natasha Bakht, p.10). Muslim women should not have to validate the clothes that they choose to wear and they undoubtedly should not have their rights revoked by a government that simply doesn’t like or understand their cultural differences, yet claims to be hold liberal values. “Finally, I need to make a crucial point about veiling, not only are there many forms of covering, which themselves have different meanings in the communities in which they are used, but also veiling itself must not be confused with, or made to stand for, lack of agency” (Abu-Lughod, p.4). It is the lack of recognition of women’s agency and the inclination to view women as passive victims that has flawed the current debate, distorted the image of niqab-wearing women and contributed to further creating division between women who do wear the niqab and those who do not. Furthermore, the niqab is not a religious requirement – it is a choice. Many scholars have interpreted the verses of the Qur’an and established that the hijab is compulsory but the niqab isn’t. Since the wives of the Prophet wore the niqab, it is considered Sunnah in the Islamic tradition – meaning it is recommended to be worn, but not religiously required. If it is indeed a personal choice, the media is falsely accusing of Muslim women of lacking agency. Muslim women choose to wear it to overtly display their faith, immense spiritual devotion as well as temporal significance. It is not to be regarded as mere cultural paraphernalia. The niqab is to be regarded as a symbol of sovereignty, dedication, self-respect, courage and piety, and not part of a system of oppression. “First, we need to work against the reductive interpretation of veiling as the quintessential sign of women's unfreedom, […]” (Abu-Lughod, p.4). Muslim women who have adopted the niqab did so by their own decision and freedom of choice and expression, in order to be closer to God, which further negates the proposition that Muslim women lack agency. Canada is a truly secular, multicultural and democratic state one where everyone should have the right and agency to manifest his or her religion and culture, which is precisely what niqab-wearing women are doing, without being perceived by the larger community as narrow-minded or oppressed. Identification problems are another reason why some may argue that the niqab should be banned.
When travelling or immigrating, Muslim women would need to reveal their identity for the sole purposes of security. “Identification arguments play a key role in claims to ban the niqab in public spaces” (Natasha Bakht p.23). However, technology has truly advanced, especially in a well-developed country like Canada and there are means of recognizing someone using fingerprinting machines and eye-recognition devices. “When these superior technologies spread to police on patrol and airport security lines, we can do away with the photo […]” (Nussbaum). There are methods in which states could balance those particular situations, without infringing upon individual’s right to freedom of religion and expression. In cases where national security is at stake and the possibility of personal identification is fundamentally required, Muslim women will be more than willing to corporate if they feel that their religious and cultural identity have been well respected and accommodated. “A reasonable demand might be that a Muslim woman have a full face photo on her driver’s license or passport” (Nussbaum). Once again, most Muslim women would never disagree to uncover their faces to be identified or have a passport or driver’s license picture taken for security reasons if the person verifying them was another woman which is more than a reasonable
request. To conclude, although some find the veiling of Muslim women to be an issue, the niqab should not be banned because it is not itself a symbol of oppression nor of non-integration. The niqab is not a requirement on a religious basis, but a freedom of expression thereby making it an individual’s choice. Muslim women have the basic human right and agency to willingly and deliberately choose to wear it or not. Justice systems and bureaucrats can determine simple solutions to overcome this issue of accommodation in relation to security and identification purposes. Western society should definitely live up to their multicultural and democratic tradition by encouraging freedom of religion and expression.
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
“Mariam had never before worn a burqa...The padded headpiece felt tight and heavy on her skull, and it was strange seeing the world through a mesh screen.” (pg 72). The burqa in this book is a symbol of how Mariam, Laila were forced against their will to wear a piece of cloth that stole their identity from them. Burqas are a way to hide women so that husbands are reassured that their wife is not looked at by other men. It is a way for men to control their wives and become dominant. This is not always true for all women, but for the women in this book it is.
Fakhraie launches her essay by explaining how Muslim women struggle every day because of what they wear. In her essay, she talks about a teenage girl that was killed by her father because she refused to wear her hijab. Also, many women that wear a hijab are being banned from sporting events in the United States. A hijab is a “traditional Muslim garment” (Fakhraie 461) that several Muslim women wear every
Religious Symbolism in "Sweat" Zora Neale Hurston's "Sweat" is a short story rich in moral and religious parallels. This story is about a common African- American working woman in the deep South and how she clings to her faith in God to see her through the hardships caused by her faithful and abusive husband. Throughout this story there is religious symbolism that characterizes Delia and Sykes Jones as two people on opposite ends of the moral spectrum yet bound by marital vows that have lost their meaning. Delia Jones is a hard working woman who uses her faith in God to guide and protect her from her husband's relentless physical and emotional abuse. From the very beginning, Delia represents diligence in work, humbleness, and saintly virtue.
The Turban is predominantly worn by women. According to the text, “To the Moslems of the west, it represents purity and is considered a crown. It is truly a symbol of modesty and respect for self”. Additionally, turban patterns or clothing determine social status.
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
In the novel, The Awakening, Kate Chopin takes Edna Pontellier on a journey of self-discovery. In doing this, she uses many symbols to show the relationship between Edna and the world. Clothing, or rather, the lack thereof, displays this relationship well. As Edna progresses throughout the novel, she discards more and more layers of the confining ìclothingî that surrounds her body and soul. By taking off her clothing, one piece at a time, she disobeys the rules that society has set for her, and in doing this, she exerts her independence. In this summer voyage, Edna becomes a free woman.
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
On the other hand Muslims relate to a person who follows or practices the religion of Islam. According to Muslims, God sent a number of prophets to mankind to teach them how to live according to his law. Jesus, Moses, and Abraham are respected as prophets of God. To Muslims, humans are the greatest of all creatures created with free will for the purpose of obeying and serving God. They also believe that Allah is invisible to the human eye. Women who were raised into the Muslim life have to wear a hijab in the presence of males outside of their immediate family or females who do not practice this religion. This serves to cover-up to hide their whole body except for their eyes. By covering up it is a symbol of modesty and privacy according to the Muslim world, while most men wear
The video “I wear a niqab” is about a muslim girl called Margaret Wente who is passionate about politics. She says “the only features she sees about niqab are are in a war torn area, or a woman who was honour killed or a woman who was beaten by her husband, or a woman who was forbidden from going or studying what she wanted” which she doesn’t like. For her the significance of niqab is that she sees a woman talking and speaking her mind and that it is her choice to wear it. She says that she can’t just sit down next to people because they intensely fear her which she comments is reasonable because all the stuff the media says about muslim people. She says it's not as hard for her to see and interact with others now because it's getting better
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.”
299). The study consisted of having in-depth personal interviews to share their experiences of being a Muslim American woman (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 300). Veiling to these women was a way of freedom while also having a Muslim identity (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 301). It was also a source of behavior control, to not be sexually objectified, a way of commanding respect from others and even a source of checking their own behavior (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 301). One of the women interviewed said, veiling to her was a way to feel connected to other Muslim woman who veil (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 302). Veiling can be a way to feel connected to your religion and God as well as being connected to those who practice the same faith, it can be considered an act of membership. Many of the women interviewed noted they have been removed from planes, been treated unfairly, and have had strangers shout at them all for just being Muslim and being more visibly recognized from veiling (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 303). This is an example of how media can affect the general population. When the media only shows radicals and compares all Muslims to being terrorist or dangerous they are actually putting Muslim people at risk of being assaulted in public. Muslim woman in particular are more at risk for being assaulted as they are more identifiable. So while veiling can be a source of empowerment and freedom for women it is a double-edged sword because it also puts them at further risk of being
Wearing the burqa and veil by Muslim women in France has become a controversial topic. The burqa and veil are recognized in France as a conflicti...
The hijab is a very important and powerful Muslim symbol that is worn by billions of Muslim women all over the world. Many wear the hijab as a symbol of faith, while others wear it to protect themselves from society’s expectations of women. Some people think that banning the use of the hijab in public is a violation of freedom of religion and freedom of expression. However, others think the banning of the hijab is a necessary precaution. The wearing of the Muslim hijab should be banned in public because it is impractical, Muslims use it to separate themselves from society, and it is a security risk.
For centuries, clothing has played a significant role in the interpretation of people’s identity. It is an undeniable fact that people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds may dress differently, however their choices in clothing do not necessarily define or categorise who they are as a person. Stereotyping can have a negative influence on people’s self-esteem, and consequently, negatively affect how they identify and view themselves, unfortunately it is human nature to categorise people in order to identify them. For this case study I have chosen to concentrate on the “hijab” – the traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women, and the stereotypes associated with it.