The many faces behind the veil

This article appeared in today's edition of The Independent:

A symbol of female subjugation? These women believe their Islamic headwear is a liberating way of expressing their identities.

By Arifa Akbar and Jerome Taylor

[...]

Today The Independent speaks to five British women from different walks of life about what form of hijab they choose to wear and why they wear it. From a graduate who became the first one in her family to cover her face entirely, to the mother of four who chose to take off her headscarf and sees no problem with remaining a devout and practising Muslims – their stories are as varied and colourful as the scarves on their shoulders.

[...]

Click to expand...

Hmm,interesting, thank you for sharing with us.

people are funny. they claim that women in hijab/niqaab are subjugated and start debates, write newspaper articles, etc becuase of it and some go to the extent of wanting it banned but even if that did happen women still be subjugated to their own laws so how is it any different.

call me biased, but i've never seen a more intelligent, mature and insightful woman then one veiled!

^
I thought that enabling muslimahs to share their own reasons and thoughts about the veil by writing an article in a much-read mainstream newspaper was a great way of informing readers about it.
Much better than having politicians and other folk harp on about it.
Why not ask the women themselves? Congratulations to The Independent for doing so!

Sis, I have no problem whatsoever with women wearing the veil in any way, shape or form - but how you can conclude that wearing the veil is a sign of intelligence, maturity and insightfulness is beyond me ...

glo said:

Sis, I have no problem whatsoever with women wearing the veil in any way, shape or form - but how you can conclude that wearing the veil is a sign of intelligence, maturity and insightfulness is beyond me ...

Click to expand...

because having your body covered is a good deterrent of being obsessed with your looks. if you live in a society where most people go around half naked (putting it nicely), you are bound to want to fit in and usually "fitting in" denotes extremes such as being a certain weight, and conforming to certain fashion trends, not to mention these fashion trends change frequently. being in a hijaab, you generally don't have to worry about that and thus can make your own decisions as to what to wear and when.

Appreciate your share on this hot topic, glo. I understand, there is a certain need to define what is veil by its wearers now a days when every-where it is subjected as a matter of debate which no doubt is baised, as there is no member of the debating group wear, hence knows the actual comfort and benefits of veil.

True, Rafeeq ... although there are accounts of non-Muslim women who have tried wearing the veil, just to experience what it is like.

Granted, that may still not give them an understanding of the spiritual meaning, and they may associate the experience more with embarrassment, harassment and insecurity than with security, walking in the will of God and comfort ... but it is a gesture of non-Muslim women to their Muslim sisters, and an expression of a desire to know and understand each other better.

glo said:

True, Rafeeq ... although there are accounts of non-Muslim women who have tried wearing the veil, just to experience what it is like.

Granted, that may still not give them an understanding of the spiritual meaning, and they may associate the experience more with embarrassment, harassment and insecurity than with security, walking in the will of God and comfort ... but it is a gesture of non-Muslim women to their Muslim sisters, and an expression of a desire to know and understand each other better.

Click to expand...

hmm, such reactions are not surprising. see, when one has a true and sincere intention to do something (in this case wearing the hijab), it is usually done for a greater purpose (in this case, to please god) and thus any hardship etc that may accompany carrying out this "something" is so minuete (if one feels it at all) that such hardship becomes insignificant.

but here, these women aren't trying to please god by putting these hjaabs on, they are merely experimenting..
so them feeling uncomfortable and not feeling as they are walking in the will of god is no surprise ;D

Umm ul-Shaheed said:

but here, these women aren't trying to please god by putting these hjaabs on, they are merely experimenting..
so them feeling uncomfortable and not feeling as they are walking in the will of god is no surprise ;D

Click to expand...

That's the point I was trying to make.

Just wearing hijab as an experiment won't give you an insight into the spiritual meaning behind it - but it is still a gesture of solidarity and friendship from one non-Muslim woman to her Muslim sisters.

I guess none of us can truly understand the spiritual journey the other is taking - unless we have shared the same.
I am sure that there are things on my journey with God, which you would find very alien, would not understand or not agree with ...

Thankfully, we are all in God's hands and trust that he will guide us and protect us.

Hi Glo,

The non muslim will never understand the meaning of the veil and what it stands for.

A veiled woman who wears it genuinely for the right reason, is far more protected and has before her many bounderies to cross before she even reaches the starting point of immorality. On the other hand a women who isn't conscientious of preserving her dignity is already at the thin line between what is immoral and what isn't, and therefore given the 'right' circumstances can easily cross the line.

Even Adam and Eve, when they became aware of their nakedness, used fig leaves to cover themselves. There was no fear of rape, molestation, being forced into prostitution/pornography in heaven, or other evils we see in the world today. Yet Adam and Eve still acted to protect their modesty as much as their natural disposition required in their surroundings.

Here, there is a greater need to protect ourselves from the evils within society. It is far more easier to exploit a woman who is on the thin line between morality and immorality. But harder to exploit the woman who has taken measures and placed great distances between herself and the evils of mankind.


But, given the way of life and the lack of religious devotion, I'm not surprised that non muslims cannot understand this.