Response to Kate and Alex

Well, this started off as another comment, but my inability to stay concise forced me to make a post of it.

Sorry for the late response.

Kate,

Thank you very much. It means a lot to me when people acknowledge my views as at least rational thoughts. You have a very good point, and thanks for asking my opinion. The name "burqa" may mean "barrier", but this is only to the extent that the woman's physical features below it cannot be perceived. It is actually unislamic to be socially inactive - our beloved Prophet (p.b.u.h.) looked after his neighbours, even if they were not Muslim, in their times of need. Every Muslim should emulate the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to the best of his/her ability. Not too long ago, I heard of a sister who wore the like of a burqa (niqab included - i.e. only her eyes were uncovered) and taught at a mainstream school - it didn't prevent her from taking part in society. And it shouldn't.

Of course she can accept the culture, because it stands for many morally just principles, e.g. brotherhood, but it mustn't be forced upon her in forms she cannot relate to, or views to be morally wrong. Here in Britain, we are proud to have our own multicultural society, to which each can add (curry is now considered a thoroughly British dish), but we retain the traditionally British values of modesty and politeness because they are what make us proud to be part of such an inclusive society. However, beer-sodden football chanting can not be considered an "initiation" into British culture. I mean, not exactly all Britons do it anyway. I'm not so sure that North America is quite the same... I don't know. Would you tell me your views? It seems to me that there is much more nationalism in the U.S. than in Britain (until the World Cup comes around, that is), and this discourages people from adding to its culture, because they feel that if they don't conform, they don't fit in.

Also, regarding wearing a headscarf and modest clothing, well that's just fine. This is all Allah asks of us in the Qur'an. No specification of shape or colour is given - only that clothes must not be tight or transparent. People choose to wear burqas, or abayas, mink coats, or whatever. If you ask me, I don't really mind what material they use, or how they sew it. Does it really bother people that much? I realise people have some kind of burqa-phobia, but seriously... it's not that hard to get over. Actually talking to a person wearing it would show you that there are real people under there... their outfits aren't that different to hoody-wearers anyway.

Don't get us wrong, though. We choose to cover up, but I am one of the only ones in my school, let alone my group of friends, who wears a headscarf. I don't impose anything on them. As the Qur'an says, "There is no compulsion in religion". Forcing one to adopt your values is futile - it leads to resentment. Neither do I look down on them. It's not down to me to think better of myself than I do of them - they're good people, and that's why I value them as friends. They've done a lot for me, and the fact that they choose to wear things that I wouldn't cannot be something I discriminate by. My only job with regard to them is to convey how very unoppressed and content I am as a person.

I just don't get Jacques Chirac, though. France is built on Fraternity, Liberty, and Equality, yet liberty is denied to schoolchildren who have the human right to practice their religious beliefs. This in turn destroys any chance of equality in schools, as some can wear what they want, and others must not go any further than a bandana. And surely this defeats fraternity, separating the religious from the others, as the former feel victimised and distanced from society. I mean, sure, be secular, it's your country - but don't impose atheism on your people.

Alex,

Thanks. However, I have to disagree. I very much enjoy the opportunity to put my own point across - even if prompted by disagreeable arguments. If there wasn't discussion, there would be largely ignorance.

And don't pretend that that's not dangerous. No matter how unworthy you may consider them to be of your enlightenment, you and they both deserve to put your opinions across... or neither will ever learn. But I do draw the line at obscenities.

"After all, how is it any less oppressive or authoritarian to force a women to remove her headscarf than it is to foce her to wear it?" Exactly. Ditto. Totally what I think.

Now that I'm done laughing... have a look at this:

Below are two comments on a post from Ann Althouse's blog.

Sloanasaurus said...

I don't have a problem with the religious garb either - as long as they do it in their own country. However, if you are a muslim woman and you live in the United States, you need to get rid of the Halloween costume. I saw a woman in a burka the other day in Minneapolis - how absurd and ridiculous. She should be arrested at a mximum and ridiculed at a minimum. The whole thing is distracting, and in this country it is viewed as oppression and not as religious. If you want to move and live in the United States, then you need to assimilate.

Sorry, am I reading this right? Is Sloanasaurus really suggesting that Muslim women (who, by the way, are clearly under no obligation by the government or society to wear the burka in Minneapolis, and so are most probably doing so by their own choice) should be arrested on sight just because she chooses to don an extra length of fabric?

Careful, there, Sloanasaurus, you're getting dangerously close to the oppression that people claim that Muslim women are put through in Muslim countries... only, over there, they're not arrested for being seen in public.

Here is the eloquent response that I found quite amusing:

Simon said...

Yes. She should know better; this is America. As we all know, the sine qua non of America is that people should be ridiculed and even arrested for the free exercise of their religious views and sartorial
proclivities.

It really is quite good once you understand it.

The following is an extract from an article I found, written by a woman whose sister converted to Islam (obviously to the former's displeasure).

Muslim women claim to wear the headscarf, or other more voluminous covering, out of modesty. I suspect that, in fact, the veil is attractive to women because it subtly appeals to their vanity. Islam tells women that, no matter how plain, old or ill-favoured she is, the sight of her uncovered hair will be so stimulating, that any man who sees it will lose control of his passions. Thus, beneath her modest covering, a Muslim woman can imagine herself the most desirable creature possible. Women who operate freely in society, conversing with men on a daily basis, are, in the end, forced to form a just assessment of their desirability. Unless she is particularly young and pretty, a woman will be made well aware of most men's indifference to her charms. She will find, in the long run, that likeable men will like her as much for her character, skills and wit, as for her beauty. It is when woman's sexuality is not shrouded that it ceases to be an object of mystery and passion to men, and women have the greatest chance of being treated as more than sexual objects.

(The highlighting is mine)

• I am not so shallow as to have to pretend to be a supermodel underneath my headscarf. Neither are other Muslim women. Unless you imagine that our intellects/levels of sophistication are so underdeveloped that we haven't the capability of accepting who we are and have to "make believe" by throwing on a cloth to hide our true selves.
• Islam disciplines a person in order to eradicate vanity. We consider all beauty a gift from God, and so nothing that we should pride ourselves on. I'm sure all of us didn't create ourselves, so why praise ourselves for our looks?
• "Islam tells women that, no matter how plain, old or ill-favoured she is, the sight of her uncovered hair will be so stimulating, that any man who sees it will lose control of his passions." Quasi-pornographic billboards and magazines actually make it happen, and degrade women in doing so. I feel sad that women treat themselves as circus attractions. Islam does not tell women anything of the sort. It merely protects their dignity.
• Dignity, integrity, and modesty are dear to any practising Muslim woman. The form in which she expresses it is the hijab.
• I don't consider any woman "undesirable" because of her looks. Islam teaches people to marry first and foremost for piety, and then consider other assets. It teaches that however pretty/handsome, a woman/man without a good character will not be as good a spouse.
• "She will find, in the long run, that likeable men will like her as much for her character, skills and wit, as for her beauty." Well, yeah. The hijab means to let the woman's character shine through. The thing is, you get people not taking those who aren't so attractive seriously, or holding them in such high esteem. The hijab is a preventative measure. I dare anyone to take a survey and prove to me that the hijab was less effective in achieving the above than no hijab.
• So she's trying to say that... when it's not covered... it has the least effect on the beholder. Does this explain the significant problem of anorexia that we face today?

Another very, very important point. People actually insist that we're oppressed. No matter what women say...http://althouse.blogspot.com/2006/06/survey-of-muslim-women.html It seems laughable, doesn't it? But it happens. And to top it, the actual women who they suppose are oppressed are abused because of what they wear. I don't see how this works.

The moral of this post:

“I know that ridicule may be a shield, but it is not a weapon” (Dorothy Parker)