First, the website Arabs in America allowed me to have background knowledge on the hijab. It also provided different examples as to why Muslim women wear hijabs or do not wear hijabs in order to better understand the perspective of those women that are interviewed in CNN and NPR. Additionally in CNN’s article, two teenagers explain why they wear the hijab and their experience wearing it.The first girl interviewed, named Rowaida Abdelaziz, explains that she does not want the public to think she wears the hijab because she is submissive. Nor, does she want to receive pitiful stares, or hear people whispering about her. "It represents beauty to me," says Abdelaziz. "My mom says a girl is like a jewel, when you have something precious, you usually
As Hijab is a covering that portrays ones level of sophistication, When a Muslim woman wears Hijab it is a sign of poise and vanity and a way to earn respect from others. Moreover a woman who wears the Hijab is bearing the flag of Islam. Yet people do not apprehend the fact that Hijab protects a woman from unsolicited attention and it also prevents from making them sexual displays. Frequently Hijab is alleged as a demonstration of men’s power over women, why? Could it be because they do not follow the latest trends or fashions? A Muslim woman should be looked upon equally as opposed to a woman who is not wearing the Hijab. I believe that they should be respected equally in the society just as any other religions customs wearing the Hijab in Islam is given momentous prominence. During an interview with the Nobel peace prizewinner about the hijab she states, “Man in early times was almost naked, and as his intellect evolved he started wearing clothes. What I am today and what
After all, the journalist writes about her own experience, not Muslim women’s experiences. Despite good intentions, this practice reinforces a common image that Muslim women can’t speak for themselves and need someone else to speak for them. If journalists really want to write about what it’s like to wear a hijab, there are plenty of hijab-wearing women out there to ask.
Despite all the values that the hijab is representing in different countries of the world, the only value that is demanded is the egalitarianism and justice value, whether a woman is wearing the veil or not, they are “calling for equal access to divorce, child custody, and inheritance; equal opportunities for education and employment; and abolition of
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
Muslim women wear the veil for a variety of reasons, which vary from individual to individual and from culture to culture.
My name is Sloan Marmaduke; I am 20 years old, and I wear a hijab. Arabs in America (2016) describe a hijab, an Arabic word for “cover”, to be a veil or headscarf. I chose to wear a hijab shortly after turning 14 to express my love for the Islam faith. Wearing a hijab can be very difficult at times. When I walk in public, I sometimes find people staring at me and it makes me uncomfortable and I have this feeling that I’m not appreciated or wanted. Sometimes, I wish people would step into my shoes for a day to observe and interact with my daily lifestyle. I find myself to be a privileged woman, and I love my life but sometimes, other people’s assumptions about my life based on what I wear on my head can be unnerving.
“The Hijab limits me from doing certain things. When I have the Hijab on…as a Muslim woman, I consider myself basically representing the whole community” (Ruby 29). Aspects like this set this woman apart from her peers because she is now labeled as just one thing, a Muslim, when in fact she is much more than that. Women who wear the Hijab, Muhajibah, living in the western world, I believe, have it harder than they do living back home. Here, they are subject to a lot more attention when not necessary such as weird looks walking down the street and subject to stereotypes ie. being a terrorist. Islamic women are not the only ones being oppressed by their choice of clothing; in fact every woman around the world is target towards oppression. Islamic women are just targeted more than women of other religions. This is because of the strict faith that they endure from the Qu’ran telling them that they need to dress a certain way. However, it has been debated that the Qu’ran actually doesn’t mention anything about a women needing to wear a Hijab to be a good Muslim. (Kawaji)
How you choose to dress yourself shouldn’t be the main focal point of judgements that are passed on to you. Hijabs, and other garments similar to Hijabs such as Turbans, aren’t a way of oppression. They’re also not just a piece of cloth that one has decided to cover him or herself
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.
More than a few people believe it to be about sexual repression and making sure that the only man that is allowed to look at a woman is her husband. That is not true for many Muslim women. For some, it is to worn to express modesty and their devotion to God. Some women choose not to wear them because it is completely their choice. Whether it is based on prejudice or the disbelief that a non-English speaking country could allow its women this basic freedom, some Americans choose to not believe this. The lives of Muslim women became the focus of inaccurate Subject Appropriation, which is when an “outsider represents members or aspects of another culture” (Young
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
Muslim women are one of the fastest growing demographics of the United States population that reflects the breadth of this country 's racial, ethnic, and multicultural heritage. This includes U.S.-born Muslims of diverse ethnicities, immigrants from many countries and regions, and converts from various backgrounds. Many Muslim women practice hijab in accordance with their religious beliefs. These women may sometimes wear a headscarf, also known as hijab or khimar, and loose-fitting clothing when they are in public and
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.
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
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).