The Islamic Practice Of The Hijab

The first chapter explores questions of possible Islamic liberation and why, given the choice, women don’t remove their burqas. In response to that first query, the author advocates that freedom and liberation for a country should be based on its people’s desires and values instead of what Westerners believe is the best way of life. Unfortunately, a key finding in this chapter was that the United States took advantage of Afghan women’s situation by using their rescue from the Taliban-and-the-terrorists as a justification for the War on Terror. Westerners view head coverings like burqas/hijabs as restrictive, a symbol of the patriarchy. In fact, many Middle Eastern women describe burqas as ‘portable seclusion’ that enables them to move out of segregated living spaces. Veils are worn as fashion statements or to express piety/virtue or belonging to a household. This exact worrisome practice of colonial feminism focuses more on the religious and cultural practices that persecute women, rather than more destructive issues like poverty, illness, malnutrition, politics, or lack of

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

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

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.

Even though there are some western feminist ideas that see hijabis as oppressed or silenced. Dalia Mogahed, director of research at the institute for social policy and understanding, a non profit organization working to empower American muslims, to assume that “the hijab oppresses women narrative is not only racist, it is also sexist. To say that hijab oppresses women is to say that the source of a woman’s power is her body, not her mind.” A lot of hijabis see the hijab as a way to protect them from being viewed as a sexual object rather than an individual person. Fatima khan, a 20-year-old student studying social sciences, said she finds the hijab empowering and said “By covering my body, I am able to limit how much someone can objectify me and instead have the power to only be judged for my intellect, abilities and personality rather than simply my appearance.” Sharifa kalakola, a Muslim science journalist in the US, said in a article by USA Today that, “everyone deserves to choose their self identity. If it is ok in the society for women to show her skin, then it should also be ok for them to cover up.” Wendy Shalit, author of “A Return to Modesty, Discovering the Lost Virtue”, said in a article by Huffpost that the “hijab is a symbol of empowerment and feminism wherein the woman not only accords herself self-respect but also…

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

The specific topic of this book is the oppression of women. Its overall purpose is to understand the women behind the veils and why the Muslim women take up the hijab. The purpose is also to show how

Abu Lugod argued that in order to move past this separation, we must: “First, we need to work against the reductive interpretation of veiling as the quintessential sign of women's unfreedom. Second, we must take care not to reduce the diverse situations and attitudes of millions of Muslim women to a single item of clothing.” (2002:786). As a result, creating a better understanding and better terminology of the “east” will allow feminists in these different social locations to communicate and to create a better strategy to move beyond the basic and into the complicated nature of feminism around the world.

In spite of the fact that the hijab is a symbol that draws lines between different groups of women, the engagement in boundary work does not seem to produce sharp conflicts between the covered and the uncovered women in this sample. Both covered and uncovered women participate in several activities together, such as children's groups, the women's committee, fundraising, food preparations, and interfaith activities; and they socialize at mosque events, such as picnics. (FURSETH)

Homa Hoodfar addresses the misconceptions the western population often makes towards Muslims, especially, Muslim women. Hoodfar focuses mainly on the misunderstanding of the veil and its symbolism. Western ignorance has led us to believe for years that the veil is a sign of oppressive religion, patriarchal home life, as well as illiteracy as a result of their oppression, when in reality, this stereotype is the most detrimental to the female Muslim population. People don’t see the women defying the de-veiling act to devotedly follow their religion. They don’t see hardworking women, receiving an educations and searching for a job. Western culture sees one thing: the veil. Because their religious beliefs differ from ours, and because of

Mohja Kahf’s The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf uses the perspective of Khadra Shamy to examine many facets of Islamic culture both within America and the Middle East. One such facet is the subject of gender roles and identity in Islam; the narrative takes pains to discuss a wide variety of topics under this banner, and covers both sides of the argument on most. Some subjects, such as the patriarchal attitude towards female sexuality and sexual violence seen in Khadra’s community, are heavily criticized. Others, such as the scripted responsibilities of men and women within marriage and the choice to wear a hijab, and presented more positively and acknowledge both sides of the debate fairly equally. Each of these topics is examined through

Muslim women have been the centre of intercession being utilized as proofs of 'cultural backwardness'. Intervention in Muslim communities by focusing on women as a vehicle for social change has a long history.44 In Europe, the contention over the hijab has been especially extreme with the most grounded rejection happening in France where hijab as a religious image is illegal in state organizations, particularly schools.45.46 Nevertheless, enactments denying female circumcision and arranged/forced marriage have been seen as Muslim practices needing direction, despite the fact that there is no reference to culture in these laws. The attention on Muslim women viably uses them as a measure of Muslim incorporation. The headscarf is by a wide margin

One of the main disputes in the battle of Islamic women’s rights is the conflict over dress. According to a popular Islamic leader and Egyptian television personality, the sight of women is so alluring that it can be “intolerably distracting to men” and can “even

Ryland Towne Prof. Sayeed Intro to Islam November 21, 2014 Thesis Statement: The Hijab throughout much of history symbolized the individualistic humility that Muslim women claimed for themselves, yet in today’s modern world the Hijab is portrayed as a negative element of the Islamic community. I. Why current news media mainly focuses its articles on the damaging effects of Hijabs rather than on constructive articles concerning Hijabs.

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).