The Religious Debate on Muslim Women Wearing the Hijab

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Should Muslim women be required to wear the traditional hijab is a religious debate I was never aware existed, I just always believed it was mandatory to wear the veil and that was that. There are many that say the hijab is a symbol of their religion but they are being challenged by the view that it is a personal choice. The Islam religion has five fundamental requirements: Ramadan fasting, believing that the only God is Allah and that Prophet Mohammed is Allah's messenger, praying five times daily, giving to charity, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca if possible. Is the covering of a women's head a personal choice or mandatory? That is one of the most frequently asked questions concerning Muslim women.

I never found out the answer to that question while doing my research. There are so many different opinions when the issue of the hijab comes up. There are people who feel very strongly that a Muslim woman should cover her head in public, and there are many that disagree.

The word "hijab" comes from the Arabic word "hijaba". Hijaba means to hide from view or conceal. Even though the wearing of the hijab is not one of the five fundamental requirements for the Islamic religion, many Muslim women say they wear the hijab because Allah has told them to do so.

"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw

their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That

is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not be annoyed…"

(Qur'an 33:59)

Another reason for the hijab is the issue of modesty. The women want to be known for their skills and intelligence as opposed to being evaluated by their looks and sexuality. An Iranian schoolgirl once stated that, "W...

... middle of paper ...

...cover their faces so that men would not think of them in sexual terms since they were the "Mothers of the Believers." They feel that this requirement wasn't intended to be extended onto other women.

There are not passages in the Koran that say a women should not cover up with the hijab and the passages that say a women should are argued about the true meaning. Both sides of the issue argue strong points and that is why people believe strongly that the hijab should be worn and why others believe it should be the women's choice. Manal Omar said it the best when he said "Though I strongly believe it's (the hijab) required, I would hate to see our community overemphasizing this, especially since it's a women's choice." The wearing of the hijab has been a controversial issue for many years and many Muslim's believe the issue will continue on for many more years.

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