_thumbnail.jpg "Akhawat Designer Abayas London")
(Saudi half face)
(Saudi niqab-the style I wear)
(Emirate Burqa)
(Omani Bedouin Burqa)
(Afghan Burqa)
Many Muslim women from all over the world wear face coverings. Some for religious reasons and others for cultural reasons. Face coverings have proven to be controversial all over the world with countries such as France banning them. I personally was never one to judge people and honestly could care less if someone wants to drench themselves in chicken blood and walk around. I mean its a pretty big world and guess what? No one is the same. I used to not understood it but I definitely did not question it.
Even after I became Muslim I was not quite sure why God would want a woman to cover her face. But years later as I started gaining more knowledge I understood it. Some Muslims believe it is a must for women to wear the face covering and others believe it is optional. I guess I would fall into the optional category but I defiantly believe that the hijab (head covering is a must). I applaud all women who wear the face or head covering though as I do feel that are acting correctly per Islam. I have wore the niqab(Saudi style face covering)for the past two years. I believe sometimes the face covering is needed in certain countries, Saudi in general. It is really hard to explain this unless you have lived in Saudi seeing the way that Saudi is.
Islamic scholars have had various conflicts when it comes to the question if the face veil is a must or not as many Muslims have as well. As people we all have the choice to decide what we feel is right or wrong and to follow our religion the correct way. It is up to us to be knowledgeable in our religion, I mean we did choose to follow it. In a country like Saudi Arabia where the majority of the women do wear the face veil you still see men trying to flirt or pick women up. They have no idea how she looks like or what her facial expressions are but they continue trying, its pretty pathetic but I guess its all they can do. I could only imagine how they would act to a bare faced woman. Like sharks in a meat filled ocean I suppose.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you posted this topic, because since I've read A thousand splendid suns, it has been in my mind and I don't have any girlfriend who is covering her face.
Well as I was reading this book (I do not imply here it is representative for muslims or anything) and I read the part where the Afgan girl has married and her husband requires her to cover in a burqa, I was very intrigued.
How does a woman feel to hide her face in front of everyone? I think the face is part of the personality and not to be able to show it is like being invisible or nonexistent. Like nobody knows how you look like so you don't exist.
About the part where man would try to pick up women even if they don't know how they look like, would you think that if maybe the women were not covered so much the men would not be so aggressive? I lived mostly in countries where women don't cover at all and they do not get so much bugged by unwanted attention.
I'm all for the freedom for women to wear whatever they want but I do wonder the same as eshgheman: are men just so used to women being totally covered, that this has in itself necessitated niqab? Is this a positive thing or a habit to be broken? Or is it that 'this is the way it is now, we can't change it so let's take the easy road and just cover up'?
ReplyDeleteCovering the face is a choice for most women so I think that they want it and it does not bother them what so ever. But like you mentioned I think some families and husband force this which is not correct as far as I am concerned. Anything religious should be from the heart and not forced.
ReplyDeleteI have got so used to my niqab now that I actually like not having to worry so much about what I am wearing or look like. You can throw a pretty abaya, shayla and niqab on and look nice here and no one knows if your wearing your PJ's even, lol. But I think people should never have to prove their existence on the way they look or dress. We as a society should judge people on how they treat us and the mind alone. This is something else I like about covering. You force that and you really see peoples true colors I think. Maybe if you see me covered I am just some ugly black dot but who knows maybe underneath it all I am gorgeous. So my mind is the same no matter what, right?
Saudi is along way from being modern. Even my husband who is a Saudi but was raised in the states says this country will never move forward bc the people are so backwards. You can have a lot of money and a city that is up to date but with people who are not willing to do that it can be hard. I think the face covering does make men like they are here but it has been done and I can not imagine what would happen if women uncovered more or even drove. They would attack them and no I am not joking.
Hi Noor,
ReplyDeleteI really liked what you said about the mind. That a person should be only judged on the beauty of their mind. This is really a nice way to think about it.
I have been to Iran and there some of the girls would rather not wear the scarf and they are forced by police. On my trip I have visited this most beautiful mosque. I had to wear a chador, not face covered, and I have to admit I was thinking exactly like you, that it does not matter what you have underneath and even you can be in the PJs or not have to make your hair, etc.
I also believe (I hope you don't get upset) religion is not about what you wear, is about what you do and think... When religion becomes tradition and puts emphasis on some earthly habits like wearing a long beard or some different clothes it looses its purpose. Of making people better and more spiritual.
I am not criticizing anything, but I just think men should not have to cover a woman from head to toe not to be attracted to her! They should control themselves no matter how she looks like, even if she is very beautiful and shows her beauty. The purpose is to be controlled and spiritual not to take away any temptations.
I would like to hear your opinion on that.
Have a great day!
What a lot of people do not know is that men also have to cover parts of the body as well so its not just women. I think you could look at covering in different ways. You could say its the men doing it to the women bc they cannot control themselves but you could also say that its a test to see if we use our beauty to our advantage or if we will bare with it all and do what God tells us. There are many ways to look at it and people feel that way for sure.
ReplyDeleteHello Noor,
ReplyDeleteI have a question for you and would like to hear your opinion:
A few months ago I watched an imam preaching on TV in Canada. I thought it was interesting. AT one point, he said that all the sisters should wear a hijab like Mary because it empowers them.
Could you explain to me why or how wearing the hijab empowers women? I just can't figure it out and I'm really curious.
As you can see, I'm not Muslim and I don't have Muslim friends I can ask so I really appreciate your input.
Thank you,
Ana
Ana hi how are you? I hope your well. The reason being that Muslims believe the hijab is empowering is because we do not use our beauty to our advantage. We hide our adornment and that forces to society to actually listen and not judge on the way we look or dress. Sadly so much of society judges on the way we look. Before I was Muslim I was into fashion and all that, I even went to uni for that. I could get anything I wanted and I knew it on my looks alone. Is that sincere? Is that fair? Was I taken seriously ever or judged on my mind?
ReplyDeleteI hope that explains it a bit more. Since I started covering I have felt so much more respected. It is hard to explain but people respect a woman they see as a nun, a covered Muslim in many places. It is so nice to feel respected for myself and how I am for once in my life.
Thank you for you reply, Noor. I understand a little bit more now :)
ReplyDeleteHi Noor,
ReplyDeleteYour post was very interesting and I would love to hear more about your personal experience with wearing a niqab.
Since you are from the West, how does it feel to go through such a change? How does it feel to not only not drive, but not be able to drive if you wanted to? How is it for you to have experienced all these "luxuries" of freedom, such as going where you please by yourself, driving, going to the beach in a bathing suit, etc. and now living without them?
I hope you do not find this antagonistic, because I am merely curious. You have such a unique perspective on this culture and the fact that you wear a niqab only increases it. I'd love to hear your answers and/or musings.
Thanks
Milana, thanks for your comment and I do not mind to answer at all. I guess you could say I lived my life so I do not miss out on a lot of things :p lol.
ReplyDeleteBut I do miss swimming lol. My husbands work has a private pool with days for women and I plan to go sometimes swimsuit and all :)