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Removing the Hijab
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A bbc news article has a senior muslim figure states that Women of the Muslim faith should remove their Hijab to stop them becoming a target of hate crime. Many people seem up in arms, others agree, whats everyone elses view. Does what you wear have any bearing on your faith?
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The Quran states that the hijab is worn by Muslim women as protection from molestation.
The argument used by Dr Badawi is that, in the current climate of anti Islamic feeling following the terror attacks on 7 July, the hijab could be seen as endangering women and in that case they shouldn't wear it.
I think it should be up to the women themselves to decide. The last thing most women need is advice on clothes from a man, however well intentioned!
fascinating reading. I guess that one of the problems that Islam is facing at the minute is dividing religion from culture and politics. There doesn't seem to be any doubt that at present a significant number of the people whose religion is Islam come from cultures where women are traditionally raised to different expectations than their male relatives.
Speaking as a middle aged female who is constructed more like Nellie the Elephant than Nellie Fuertado. I find the concept that walking around showing my hair neck and ears will incite men to ungovernable lust a Iittle farfetched and my immediate and probably not innoffensive reaction is "I wish!!!!!"
I do get the concept that if you walk around in a hipster mini skirt, thong underwear and a bra top (assuming that you are female) then people are going to assume that you don't mind your assets being looked at and, indeed commented on.
While I have no problem at all with people wearing whatever they want, it does seem to me to be a pity that one of the reasons for wearing Hijab is that some woment feel that they have to do so in order to be taken seriously.
This was the major 8.10am interview on the Today programme this morning. I also heard an interesting claim there that it has been statistically proven that a woman's hair is the part of her most alluring to men (hence cover it up). I have missed this all my life then, I would have put it about 7th.
By the way, woofgang, isn't Islam a whole package of religion/culture/politics ? And therein lies some of the problem which the western world finds so hard to understand.
seemingly not
What is Islam?
"Islam" is an Arabic word that means peace and submission. The "peace" in Islam means to be at peace with oneself and your surroundings and "submission" means submission to the Will of God. A broader meaning of the word "Islam" is to achieve peace by submitting to the Will of God.
Islam is a unique religion with a name that signifies a moral attitude and a way of life. Judaism takes its name from the tribe of Judah, Christianity from Jesus Christ, Buddhism from Buddha, and Hinduism from the Indus River. However, Muslims derive their identity from the message of Islam, rather than the person of Muhammad (salla Allah 'alyhi wa sallam-peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, Muslims should never be called "Mohammedans".
from this website, also look here. I should emphasise that I am not Muslim and have only done some looking around the websites
I have to admit that seeing nice colourful hijabs or just one which is like a regular headscarf isn't something i've a problem with...however those ones which cover up the face and just leave the eyes exposed (or less) seem a bit sinister to me. Personally I think chavs should be made to take their burberry caps off to stop discrimination....or...to stop descrimination totally how about everybody buys an Afghan burkha then we'll all be the same...fantastic!
Just had an interesting thought. No offence is intended and please bear with me.
The requirement that women should cover up came from the Qu'ran which as I understand it God revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. This revealed book contains truth for all time and place, ie not limited to the customs and mores of the time and place of its revelation...much the same the Bible. Why then are these books limited to dealing with circumstances and conditions which relate entirely to the time and location of the revelation? Why does God never say to Moses (for instance) "sail to Greenland and eat seals"
You might argue that God was being gracious and merciful and giving people the guidance that they needed at the time and this is fair enough. Much of the requirements (don't kill steal or lie, be kind to your neighbours) do transcend time and place and form the basis for a stable society anywhere, but I can see that some requirements, for instance the kosher rules, are incredibly important in a hot country with no refrigeration and doubtful standards of animal husbandry. While they still might be of religeous importance, they become of less practical importance when meat processing and storage behaviour changes.
Which links back to that essay on the history of the veil. When you live in a climate where veiling outdoors is a practical necessity, an unveiled woman in public might definitely be seen as flaunting it! The practical need vanishes but the religeous belief lives on.
okay, I've finished rambling now
(blushes modestly) but isn't it difficult? Women stand up and say that they are choosing to be Hijabi. As a woman who believes on gender equality and the woman's right to choose, I support that, BUT are they choosing to do that because of the upbringing that they have had in a male dominated society? personally I think that the reason given (for modesty because men cannot be trusted to behave otherwise) then as LeMarchand says, it seems that the Prophet didn't have a very high opinion of men!
