I do not understand why both liberals and conservatives have been going crazy over Muslim women wishing to cover up. Whether they are completely covering up or just adding head scarves to their wardrobe, I do not understand the hysteria, if they are doing this by their own choice. I read an article about Malaysian women choosing to wear more head scarves as a sign of piety and I think that's great. Then I listened to a conservative talk show host rant about Muslim women being oppressed by being "forced" to cover up and how this is a recent trend, not one that can be justified in the Quran or other religious traditions. Huh? Let me enlighten those puzzled folks with a little context setting.
Have you noticed that conservative Jewish adult/married women cover their heads with at least a small hat? This is a custom thousands of years old. It comes from the belief that a woman's hair is the hallmark of her beauty. Girls and unmarried young women would not wear hats or veils, because they were showing their beauty. When they married they would cover their hair, either completely or partially, to show modesty that they are now married and committed to their husband. Because beauty is a quality of self esteem, this is also a reason that a covered head indicates piety, because one is not in a beauty contest when one is in dialogue with the Lord. The earliest Christian women held this same belief, since they obtained it from their Jewish roots. That is the origin of Christian women wearing some sort of hat, veil, or mantilla when attending Church. So the custom of covering up at least one's head is thousands of years old and not invented by "brainwashed oppressed" Muslim women! In fact, I bought two beautifully hand made scarves in the old town of Ankara Turkey.
To be honest, I don't blame any Muslim woman who chooses to cover up. I find that especially true in this time of ubiquitous rude intrusive people wielding cell phone cameras everywhere. I also think that some Muslim women are reinventing their own fashion sense and belief in propriety. Shouldn't true "liberals" or "conservatives" be applauding this? I sometimes wonder if the Western societal coarseness has not resulted in a deep seated unconscious resentment of women who do not choose to dress for the overly sexualized parade of our global society today. Again, I'm not talking about anything except free choice by the women who choose the hijab (head scarf) or a fuller veil or covering. For such a "politically correct" and "sensitive" society, Westerners sure are quick to scream suppression as soon as a trend toward dressing more modestly or showing piety and devotion arises. I say, sisters, dress how you want! Be secure in your beauty AND your faith. I know there are many times I would like to cover up. Thirty years of listening to cracks about whether my figure is too large makes me realize how much modesty has gone by the wayside, and even strangers think they have the right to judge one's body. And the struggle to pray in schools or wear religious jewelry makes me, a Christian, very sympathetic to Muslim women who choose to wear whatever devotional clothes or clothes that supports their piety or modesty that they wish (so long as it's not T shirts advocating violence.... but wait a moment, isn't that a Western specialty?)
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2 comments:
Preach it, Sister! I have often admired their dedication to dressing modestly and I wish that instead of criticizing these Muslimahs we would learn from their example and perhaps evaluate the message that we are sending with our clothing choices.
I agree! I had an Iranian friend years ago. She told me that women would cover up in public, and then have fantastic fashionable clothes to wear at home for family, and at private gatherings with friends. That sounded somewhat liberating to me, and that was in the 1970's-1980's!
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