In light of the hijab, which we have been talking about all week in my Arabic class, I just thought I'd share an essay I wrote last semester which perfectly sums up my feelings about it:
Although there is no doubt that the oppression of women has and does take place in the Middle East, it is not a common Islamic or cultural practice. Unfortunately many people do not associate freedom, dignity, and faith with Islam, particularly regarding its female adherents. As a result the hijab, a religious headscarf worn by many Muslim women, is often attacked and associated with oppression and misogyny. In reality the hijab is meant to be a respectful demonstration of piety and dignity, which can allow Muslim women to express their dedication and love for God as well as those around them.
The first time I encountered the hijab was during a high school study abroad trip in Norway. I attended a Norwegian language school for immigrants in order to study the language and I was the only American. Most of the students were from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. One day during a class break, I saw an enormous black cloak walk past me. Within seconds I realized it was a woman, carrying her books to class with nothing more than a slit allowing her to see. The thoughts that ran through my head did not include the word dignity. I immediately felt uncomfortable in the sense that this women was such a foreign concept to me. I had no idea why she was wearing it, but I assumed that she came from a “less developed” country or an ultra-conservative religion.
I am not proud of how I felt towards that woman, but in my defense I knew nothing about the Middle East, Islam, or the hijab. Sadly, this is how I imagine most Americans feel. Similar to my first encounter with the hijab, which was a very superficial/outward expression of Islam, many outsiders see just that: a very external expression of Islam which they know nothing about. When they look at the hijab I believe that most Americans see oppressed, underappreciated women whose husbands are part-time terrorists part-time abusive husbands. Yet why is it that “when we see a nun covered from head to toe in her habit we commend her on her devotion to God” (TBI Iftikhar 222)?
An Islamic hijab is properly worn when it is worn out of self-respect and devotion to God. I think the majority of Americans would agree that “human dignity is respected and it must be followed; all human beings share in this whether man or woman, black or white, or whatever nation of creed. Every individual has the right of human dignity” (Mutahhari 361). Unfortunately they do not understand that the hijab can be a way by which human dignity is experienced and demonstrated. According to Haddad, Americans should think of Arab and Muslim women in terms of a Betty Crocker model instead of a bin Laden model, “with women choosing to attend their family responsibilities rather than to their personal freedoms” (4). Strategies such as these, i.e. seeing the hijab and the rights of Muslim women from a different perspective, can help rid the hijab of any negative misconceptions.
Another important aspect of the hijab which most Americans do not understand is the fact that not all Muslim women wear it. As Haddad continues to explain: “This [the hijab] is a religious mandate, but whether or not a woman decides to wear it is an issue between her and Allah because the Qur’an categorically states, ‘There is no compulsion in religion.’ Hijab symbolizes empowerment, not oppression of women.”
Although interpretations differ regarding wearing the hijab, when worn correctly it is seen as a sign of dignity in Islam, and not something to be forced upon someone else. Contrary to widespread stereotypes, the hijab can also be seen as a demonstration of the power to choose. Muslim women who decide to wear the hijab should not be automatically deemed as oppressed, because it is not a practice in which all Muslim women participate. Instead the hijab should be seen a tangible way to show devotion for many Muslim women; it does not signify oppression.
Hijab Does Not Signify Oppression
Although there is no doubt that the oppression of women has and does take place in the Middle East, it is not a common Islamic or cultural practice. Unfortunately many people do not associate freedom, dignity, and faith with Islam, particularly regarding its female adherents. As a result the hijab, a religious headscarf worn by many Muslim women, is often attacked and associated with oppression and misogyny. In reality the hijab is meant to be a respectful demonstration of piety and dignity, which can allow Muslim women to express their dedication and love for God as well as those around them.
The first time I encountered the hijab was during a high school study abroad trip in Norway. I attended a Norwegian language school for immigrants in order to study the language and I was the only American. Most of the students were from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. One day during a class break, I saw an enormous black cloak walk past me. Within seconds I realized it was a woman, carrying her books to class with nothing more than a slit allowing her to see. The thoughts that ran through my head did not include the word dignity. I immediately felt uncomfortable in the sense that this women was such a foreign concept to me. I had no idea why she was wearing it, but I assumed that she came from a “less developed” country or an ultra-conservative religion.
I am not proud of how I felt towards that woman, but in my defense I knew nothing about the Middle East, Islam, or the hijab. Sadly, this is how I imagine most Americans feel. Similar to my first encounter with the hijab, which was a very superficial/outward expression of Islam, many outsiders see just that: a very external expression of Islam which they know nothing about. When they look at the hijab I believe that most Americans see oppressed, underappreciated women whose husbands are part-time terrorists part-time abusive husbands. Yet why is it that “when we see a nun covered from head to toe in her habit we commend her on her devotion to God” (TBI Iftikhar 222)?
An Islamic hijab is properly worn when it is worn out of self-respect and devotion to God. I think the majority of Americans would agree that “human dignity is respected and it must be followed; all human beings share in this whether man or woman, black or white, or whatever nation of creed. Every individual has the right of human dignity” (Mutahhari 361). Unfortunately they do not understand that the hijab can be a way by which human dignity is experienced and demonstrated. According to Haddad, Americans should think of Arab and Muslim women in terms of a Betty Crocker model instead of a bin Laden model, “with women choosing to attend their family responsibilities rather than to their personal freedoms” (4). Strategies such as these, i.e. seeing the hijab and the rights of Muslim women from a different perspective, can help rid the hijab of any negative misconceptions.
Another important aspect of the hijab which most Americans do not understand is the fact that not all Muslim women wear it. As Haddad continues to explain: “This [the hijab] is a religious mandate, but whether or not a woman decides to wear it is an issue between her and Allah because the Qur’an categorically states, ‘There is no compulsion in religion.’ Hijab symbolizes empowerment, not oppression of women.”
Although interpretations differ regarding wearing the hijab, when worn correctly it is seen as a sign of dignity in Islam, and not something to be forced upon someone else. Contrary to widespread stereotypes, the hijab can also be seen as a demonstration of the power to choose. Muslim women who decide to wear the hijab should not be automatically deemed as oppressed, because it is not a practice in which all Muslim women participate. Instead the hijab should be seen a tangible way to show devotion for many Muslim women; it does not signify oppression.
Very good information, certainly ideas to ponder. Thanks for sharing your experience and the evolution of your perception, very eloquently stated. Keep "talking"... we are "listening"!
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