And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands fathers, their sons, their husbands sons, their brothers or their brothers sons, or their sisters sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.
To clarify my perspective, I am an American and it is completely alien to me for women to wear a veil that covers their head, neck, and body.
A few days ago, my daughter who is four was pretending to be a ghost. She wrapped a blanket completely around her so that only her eyes were showing. I thought to myself, "She looks like a Muslim girl." The way the blanket folded over her head gave this impression perfectly. So I took a picture of her.
Since I took this picture, I have looked at it many times, because I noticed something very interesting happening with my line of thinking. In the picture, I can see nothing of her body, or her features. Only her eyes. What I found was that each time I looked at this image, I was thinking of many different aspects of her. I would think about the things she's done, things she's said, things she's made. As ironic as it seems, I feel as though I was seeing a clearer picture of her in my mind.
I found myself thinking more about the aspects of her which made her her. Most pictures showcase certain memorable events, or how particularly beautiful or cute she is being. But those events and appearances are only small parts of her, falling desperately short of who she truly is. It's hard for me to fully express exactly why I felt this particular covered image of her has stood out to me, except for how I have.
To clarify my perspective, I am an American and it is completely alien to me for women to wear a veil that covers their head, neck, and body.
A few days ago, my daughter who is four was pretending to be a ghost. She wrapped a blanket completely around her so that only her eyes were showing. I thought to myself, "She looks like a Muslim girl." The way the blanket folded over her head gave this impression perfectly. So I took a picture of her.
Since I took this picture, I have looked at it many times, because I noticed something very interesting happening with my line of thinking. In the picture, I can see nothing of her body, or her features. Only her eyes. What I found was that each time I looked at this image, I was thinking of many different aspects of her. I would think about the things she's done, things she's said, things she's made. As ironic as it seems, I feel as though I was seeing a clearer picture of her in my mind.
I found myself thinking more about the aspects of her which made her her. Most pictures showcase certain memorable events, or how particularly beautiful or cute she is being. But those events and appearances are only small parts of her, falling desperately short of who she truly is. It's hard for me to fully express exactly why I felt this particular covered image of her has stood out to me, except for how I have.
Does this make sense to any of you?
I think it makes sense. I think that some muslims go overboard with it but in the end it is done in honour of the female, not the other way around. Atleast that is how it was initially meant.
The values are more based on what a person has to say than how the person looks.
I think the best example is to go in the total opposite. Do men think highly of women that are half naked?
From my experience the scantly clad women are not thought off too highly.
I do not think that any father goes and tries to imprint in his daughter to reveal herself. But you can of course become extreem and the covering might not be practical.
But you can of course become extreem and the covering might not be practical.
I think we should be careful about using the word 'extreme' simply because we think the covering might not be 'practical'. We have been given a command from Allaah and that comes first. Sadly, it is all too common for people to disregard the example of the Sahabiyat and instead show greater concern over following fashion trends through their Hijab.
To clarify my perspective, I am an American and it is completely alien to me for women to wear a veil that covers their head, neck, and body.
A few days ago, my daughter who is four was pretending to be a ghost. She wrapped a blanket completely around her so that only her eyes were showing. I thought to myself, "She looks like a Muslim girl." The way the blanket folded over her head gave this impression perfectly. So I took a picture of her.
Since I took this picture, I have looked at it many times, because I noticed something very interesting happening with my line of thinking. In the picture, I can see nothing of her body, or her features. Only her eyes. What I found was that each time I looked at this image, I was thinking of many different aspects of her. I would think about the things she's done, things she's said, things she's made. As ironic as it seems, I feel as though I was seeing a clearer picture of her in my mind.
I found myself thinking more about the aspects of her which made her her. Most pictures showcase certain memorable events, or how particularly beautiful or cute she is being. But those events and appearances are only small parts of her, falling desperately short of who she truly is. It's hard for me to fully express exactly why I felt this particular covered image of her has stood out to me, except for how I have.
Does this make sense to any of you?
Your first sentence did not make much sense to me.
Which part of America have you been living in where you have never seen women with something covering their hair, for a start? Don't women in your place wear scarves when they go to the beach? Nobody wears hoodies?
Your first sentence did not make much sense to me.
Which part of America have you been living in where you have never seen women with something covering their hair, for a start? Don't women in your place wear scarves when they go to the beach? Nobody wears hoodies?
Maybe you can add some sense to that.
Such garments do not conceal much, and are typically not kept on all the time. I've never seen anyone wear a scarf to the beach, though granted I don't spend much time there.
To summarize what I said: it is strange for me to see women conceal themselves in the manner of Islamic tradition. The hijab is markedly different from a hat or a hoodie from my perspective, and clothing is, more often than not, designed to showcase women's bodies rather than conceal them.
As ironic as it seems, I feel as though I was seeing a clearer picture of her in my mind. . .
I found myself thinking more about the aspects of her which made her her. Most pictures showcase certain memorable events, or how particularly beautiful or cute she is being. But those events and appearances are only small parts of her, falling desperately short of who she truly is. It's hard for me to fully express exactly why I felt this particular covered image of her has stood out to me, except for how I have.
Substitute 'most pictures showcase certain . . . . falling desperately short of who she truly is" you will probably see why the skimpy dresses distracts a person from being able to 'conjure up' the other aspects to a person which is nothing to do with 'appearances'.
That is a part of what you were able to see, 'experience' and notice to be able to remark on it. How many people are not even aware of the possibility of this thought? . . . and it is only the tip of the iceberg. . .
Peace
As long as my heart does beat, I shall live, not lie
For when my heart does stop its beat, with truth, I die.
Indeed, they are not aware. Many people see such coverings and laugh. It was my own nature to laugh, as well, for that is how I have been trained to respond. Things which are unusual are almost always automatically funny, or at least made to be. But of course this is ignorance.
It opens the mind to a very unique perspective. Many of my neighbors here in the US believe that the covering of women is a way to devalue and ultimately subjugate them. They have been trained to believe this, and it is yet another way of enforcing the idea that Islam is an enemy. And I believe this perspective cannot be changed through education, rather only through experience. When it becomes more common place to actually see women wearing hijab, that will start changing people's perspectives.
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and that comes first. Sadly, it is all too common for people to disregard the example of the Sahabiyat and instead show greater concern over following fashion trends through their Hijab.
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