Al Amira Headscarf

Within the Middle East, the largest population of the men and women are Muslim. The Muslim religion suggests that the women wear a veil or hijab, which is a headscarf that only exposes a woman’s eyes, accompanied by a burqa which is a full body cloak. The sole purpose of the clothing is to cover a woman’s feminine features from men’s eyes. The Qur’an, an Islamic scripture supports, and slightly obligates the uniform by saying that women are to be conservative, “Let them wear their head covering over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments.” (Qur’an). Muslim women, instead of feeling oppressed, view this as a positive aspect in their lives, influenced by their devotion to Allah. Their acceptance could be influenced by their

Abayas, shailas, burkas, and chadors: all are forms of veiling in the Middle East, and all are perceived as symbols of oppression and patriarchy by the West. The veil worn by a Middle Eastern woman is striking and beautiful in its simplicity and elegance. The hijab, the most common form of veiling, leaves only the face visible with the neck and hair completely covered. Onlookers are in awe at the mystery and symbolism associated with the many veils created out of fine, exotic silk. But such notions of oppression and patriarchy often associated with veiling are not only inherently biased and ironic – it would be interesting to explore the symbolism behind a mini-skirt or a pair of five-inch heels, no? – but they are also inaccurate. Although veiling has most definitely been used in the Middle East as a “mechanism in the service of patriarchy, a means of regulating and controlling women’s lives” (Hoodfar, 5), it has also been used as a mode for rebellion and self-expression. Marjane Satrapi, an Iranian woman who grew up during the Islamic revolution, resisted the regime and the universalizing nature of the veil in the hope that she could maintain her individual identity whilst communicating her political ideologies. By examining the way in which the veil is represented in Satrapi’s graphic memoir, Persepolis, while also considering the history of veiling in Iran, it will become evident that the veil is not just a political tool used by male chauvinists; it also presents an

The hijab and niqab are headscarves that are worn by Muslim women. The hijab is a veil covering worn by Muslim women to cover themselves within the public and it is to represent their faith the Islam while being modest (Litchmore, 2016). Another popular article of clothing that is in the Muslim community is the niqab which is like the hijab except the woman would cover their face as well, with the same purpose as the hijab. According to the Survey of Muslims in Canada 2016, over half of the Muslim population choose to wear some sort of headscarf. There are many reasons why Muslim women choose to wear the hijab or niqab, such as it represents their devotion to Islam. But most importantly it is a symbol of modesty for these women and is part of their identity.

Culture permeates every part of life. As Americans, maybe this is harder to see. Yet, everything from the way we talk to what we choose to wear is the result of culture. This makes it vital to understand that many things have a cultural significance. Abu-Lughod expresses her dismay over the “obsession with the plight of Muslim women” being focused on the burqa (209). Many people have adopted the burqa as the symbol of the oppression of Muslim women. Yet, the burqa is simply a form of covering originally specific to the Pashtun people. Each form of covering is part of the Islamic religion. Each holds significance for the community that wears it. The purpose of women wearing a veil of any kind is to “assure their protection in the public sphere from the harassment of

Some Muslim women believe that although the principles of modesty are clearly outlined in the Qu’ran, they perceive the wearing of the headscarf as a cultural interpretation of these scriptures. These women sometimes believe that the values espoused by the wearing of the headscarf can be achieved in other ways. Some women believe that while the hijab allowed women in the past to engage in public society without garnering attention, the headscarf in contemporary Western society brings more attention to women and is thus contradictory to its original purpose. Others believe that the hijab and other external practices have become inappropriately central to the practice of Islam, and instead choose to focus on their internal and spiritual relationship with God.While some women might choose not to wear the hijab, most Muslim women agree that it is a woman’s choice whether or not she wears the hijab. Many Muslim and Arab women who have chosen not to wear the hijab are often staunch advocates of a woman’s right to choose to

Saudi Arabian women should feel free about the way they present themselves in public places. There’re a lot of rules and regulations about what women can wear and do in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Women aren’t allowed to drive, they must always have a guardian, and there are separate buildings and lines for women and men. For example, women must cover her whole body in public and in front of men. In the essay “Saudis in Bikinis” by Nicholas D. Kristof, talks about a time where he was in Saudi Arabia, and women were wearing a abayas. An abayas is a long black cloak worn by Muslim women, it covers the whole body head to toe, but their eyes. Kristof calls them, “black ghost”, it’s part of the women’s culture to wear

There is also a great deal of conflict found in Americans’ misunderstanding and ignorance of issues regarding women’s rights and gender equality within the religion and practices of Islam. In the context of American society, the traditional wear of Muslim women is often misinterpreted and misunderstood. The hijab, which is used to veil the heads of Muslim women, rarely goes unnoticed in the eyes of most Americans. Non-Muslims frequently associate this piece of traditional Islamic attire with ideas of subordination and oppression, while disregarding the religious, cultural, and personal motivations that influence a woman’s decision to wear such an article of clothing. While many American women might view Islamic dress code as being confining and restrictive, many Muslim women feel that their clothing actually frees them from the negative attention that can stem from one’s physical attire and appearance. Wearing hijab liberates women from “the constricting mores governing appearance such as fashion trends and the societal expectations of how a woman should look.” The modest covering of the hair and body allows a woman to walk freely in public without being subjected to the suggestive glances and flirtations of men.

In America it is quite unusual to see women wearing veils. In some parts of the world it is odd to see women with their faces exposed in public. Most women who wear veils every day are Muslim; the veil is called a hijab. The word hijab means a screen or curtain. Muslim women wear these veils for a few different reasons, to some it is a symbol of modesty, for others it is forced on them either by law or by the men in their family. Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey, Iran or Afghanistan have such laws. The women are only required to cover themselves when they are in public. In their home they are allowed to keep their faces uncovered.

Among the Islamic community, there is a wide range of views from those who believe that head and face covering is required, to those who believe it is un-Islamic. This is due to individual’s interpretation of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Sura, a chapter of the Qur’an calls for “the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close around them”. As this phrase is somewhat unclear, traditionalists believe that women should cover their face and head whilst from the same passage Moderate Muslims believe that it does not explicitly dictate that women should cover their heads and faces. Another phrase from the Sura also causes divergence amongst Muslims followers as it tells “believing women to lower their gaze and be modest and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent and to draw veils over their bosoms”. Again, moderate Muslims believe that this passage only refers to the covering of the breasts. There is no unified position in regards to the veiling of women because of multiple and individual interpretations of the Qur’an and different cultural expectations. Because of this, there are a range of options of veils, from covering just the head to cover the face and body. The most commonly seen veil is the Hijab which covers the shoulders and head, opposing this is the Burqa which is a full body veil where the wearer’s face and head are covered and one sees through a mesh or grill over the eyes. It is important to note that it is not

Within the Middle East, the largest population of the men and women are Muslim. The Muslim religion suggests that women wear a veil or hijab, which is a head scarf that only exposes a woman’s eyes, accompanied by a burqa which is a full body cloak. The sole purpose of the clothing is to cover a woman’s feminine features from men’s eyes. The Qur’an, an Islamic scripture, supports and slightly obligates the uniform by saying that women are to be conservative, “let them wear their head covering over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments.” (Qur’an). It could be inferred that women wear the burqa and veil willingly because of their geographical location. However, when Muslim women are withdrawn from the Middle East, and are placed

The wearing of a hijab or also known as a veil has lately become a problematic issue in numerous locations around the world, in particularly the Western part of the world. Hijab or veil is a headscarf that is regularly worn by Muslim women. Muslim women will wear a veil as a sign of favor to their faith. On the opposite side, others will wear it because they have no other choice from the pressure of their family members and religion. Individuals will even argue that the wearing of a hijab is a spiritual liberation. Other individuals will have a difference in opinion by saying that by wearing a hijab is an unjust to women, they believe that the wearing of a hijab is part of a Muslim system that brings women under command and control.

Hijab – a covering which is worn by women of Islam faith this wrap covers their “head and chest” this is used to shows the woman’s modesty (Hijab)

Muslim females, starting in their early teens, began wearing head scarves of many different types. The first kind is a niqab. This is a full face veil (Awan para. 17) with an opening for the eyes (Edmonds 2). Secondly, islamic women may wear an abaya. This is a full body cloak that covers everything except for the eyes (Edmonds 2). Also, they may wear a hijab. The word hijab can be used to describe all religious headscarves (Edmonds 2), but it usually refers to a specific headscarf that covers the head and chest area (Awan para. 9). Finally, they might wear a burkini, a full body swimsuit with an attached burqa, so they can participate in summer activities. No matter what type an Islamic women decides to wear; they start wearing them around ten to twelve years old to show their commitment to Allah, and express their purity, dignity, courage, and self

Most people have seen a woman walking down the street or in a mall clad in what appears to be scarves wrapped around her head, covering her hair, ears, and neck. In some situations these women even have a veil covering up most of their face. This is becoming a common occurrence in the United States as the Islamic population grows. Some may view this as a way to make these women subservient, making it seem like they don’t have an identity or a voice. This leaves many to wonder why they would wear such a thing in modern America where women are treated as equals and do have a voice. The truth behind the headscarf does

The hijab used as a symbol of the Muslim culture is just one characteristic of how it can be perceived; the hijab is also a sign of life, safety and personal identity (Tabassum, 2006, p. 37). Tabassum (2006) interviews an individual by the name of Raheelah who identifies the hijab as not just a piece of clothing that covers a Muslim women’s face, but also as a portrayal of themselves as a person (p. 37).