Salam-a-lekum,
Check out this article. Its an awesome one:
http://www.ezsoftech.com/akram/Hijab.html
Humble.
Knowing that the following may cause consternation, here goes -
One of my officemates is a U.S. raised Pakistani, and recently married a girl from Pakistan. She moved over here to the U.S. after marriage.
Initially, she wore her Hijab because she was (and is) a good Muslim. However, because most women here do not wear a hijab, and even many Pakistani women do not wear such conservative clothing, she received undue attention from most facets of society. Whether it was that she was a "terrorist", or "unliberated", or simply "different", by simply wearing the hijab, she was drawing attention to herself away from other women, and this was making her feel very uncomfortable.
Her husband finally allowed/convinced her to dress less conservatively (yet modestly, of course), in order that she would no longer be an object of attention, but rather just another face in the crowd.
It is my impression that the Hijab is meant to keep attention away from the lady. If, instead, the hijab draws undue attention, would what my officemate did make sense?
Astrosfan,
I always welcome feedback on issues and specially when somebody asks outta curiousity, therefore I'd love to answer your question.
The word "Hijab" means covering or protecting. Its not only the Hijab outside thats important, when we talk about Hijab, we talk about the Hijab of our soul, our words, our actions, our body, our eyes,and so on.
Those women are really lucky and admirable who do hijab in other countries where its tough to do. It is jihad-e-bin-nafs (killing the evil desire) to do Hijab in such an atmosphere and surrounding.
My salam to all my sisters doing Hijab.
**A very important aspect here is that Hijab or for that matter any good action to please Allah "should only be for Allah". Once, we get this idea into our mind and soul, then nobody can influence us. A girl who does hijab "only" because her husband or father tells her to do it, is "NOT understanding" the message here. The message is to do it for Allah and only Allah. If one does that action for Allah and only Allah, then that person doea NOT care what so called modern society say. And again as I mention, she needs to feel it. Why is she doing Hijab? It will protect all the ugly evil eyes to see me.
Hijab is also for guys. Their hijab is to have haya (respect) in their eyes while talking to ladies.
**Its just a wonderful feeling to do anything only and only for Allah. Try it sometime and you'd love it.
Tears,
Humble.
I understand that wearing hijab in western society does draw attention. By why should u care what anyone thinks. This is a part of our religion and to be ashamed or self-conscious of wearing hijab is not right.
Sikh men wear their turbans, even in the Canadia parliament, the police force and other high places. I guess they should stop wearing their religious head dress as well then?? They fight the government to be allowed to wear turbans.
But why is it that when it comes to women, more importantly Muslim women, everyone starts getting concerned. This is sexism, discrimination.
People dont have a problem with a woman walking on the street with almost no clothes on but when a woman wearing a hijab walks by, she gets people staring at her???
I think that women who wear hijab should be applauded for being courageous enough to follow their beliefs despite the hypocricy and prejudice of western society.
well humble bhaeeeee.......as a muslim women/gal we suppose to wear hijaab in front of stanger and men !!!!!
but unfortunately as i saw in pakistan.....the women who wear hijaab usually get bothered by guys cuz guys think that may b she is prettier thats y she is wearing hijaab!!!!
i graduated from high school this year and i have been in US for about 2 and a half year.
may b i mentioned b4 that i use to b in SAUDI ARABIA and i was kindd a use to wearing hijaab and looove wearing it tooo!!!!
its not for others it was for my own soul!!!!
i use to feel natural comfort by wearing hijaab!!!!!
believe it or not i have weared the hijaab for the whole year in my senior year of high school and every body use to ask mee that y i wear it.... no matter what the weather use to b but i use to wear SKARF every day!!!!
and i was really proud to tell about every body that y i wear it casually!!!!! my parents never asked and never TOLD me to wear skarf or to do hijaab ..it was mee who set this up and i still wear it!!!!!
i daaaayyym care whether wat the enviroment is and whether the ppl r noticing u or not...i loove wearing it and i will wear it!!!!!
now i wana to share one story with ya guys...it happened in maryland !!!
it ws like that.. two women from QATAR they came in USA nad they use to wear hijaab, one day both of them went to MALL (wearing hijaab) and somebody from MALL called the police and the police arrived and start asking question to those women ..then those omen told that its a part of their religion!!!!the funny thing is tht , the person who called the police thought that came there as a robbers and they gonna do something suspicious!!!!!!
well this kind a thing never happened with mee but as far as i know it shoudnt be cuz in USA u have a right of religion and no body can forbid u for doing any thing religiously!!!!!!!!
a message to a muslkim women that NEVER FEEL LOW SELF ESTEEM WHILE WEARING HIJAAB IN USA, ITS PART OF OUR RELIGION AND V SHOULD B PROUD OF IT!!!!!!
hI MaAR sUttEa
[This message has been edited by black beauty (edited September 12, 2000).]
Good answer, Huble and HQ. I really like your thinking and I hope every muslim understands your point.
I'd have to agree with black beauty.
At this point, I will have to somewhat disagree with you, hk and Humble. Seeing as how I'm not Muslim, I know I'm probably competely wrong, but, my thoughts are like this:
If the ultimate goal is submission to Allah, and if, by feeling uncomfortable due to dress, one's ability to submit is reduced, then there needs to be a change. Let us say, hk, that you were made to run around nude. You would feel uncomfortable, no? Possibly uncomfortable enough to interfere with your ability to think correctly (see Humble's definition of hijab).
If a person felt that they are able to reach Allah quicker in a way that somewhat breaks conventional rules, is that really wrong? You have said that a lady should not feel low self-esteem for wearing the veil. But, what if she does? Fundamentally, what if she really does feel lower by wearing the veil than when not wearing the veil.
As as aside, and on a somewhat more insidious level - both of you pointed out that a person should not care what other people think. If that is the case, why should a lady cover herself, especially if she is convinced that she will only give herself to Allah. If one has reached that point of realization, what does it matter?
(Hoping that everyone understands that I am simply trying to find answers, and not trying to incite anyone)
Thanks for the feedback and support,
hk
Black Beauty
pando.
Its so wonderful to see you guys coming here in support of hijab. May Allah bless you all.
Humble
salam all!!!!
well ASTROSFAN.....u have asked that if the women feel low self esteem while wearing hijaab and what should b done fo that????right???
well tell ya one thing that in ISLAM muslim women suppose to covere their whole body no matter whether they r use to it or not!!!!
v women need to cover ourselves from head to down to ankle!!!!
v r not allow to wear those clothes in which our parts of body show!!!!! and there is no other choice for a women either... not even in a really hot weather!!!!! i'll say that thats y gals/women in USA get raped by men cus the way they dress up and wander around in the street in the night!!!
to prevent our selces from it v r told to b covered specially when v go outside !!!!
now whether a muslim women/gal dont wana wear hijaab....well tell ya one thing that there is no other option for a women and wearing veil is not optional in islam ..this is what v r suppose to do and will do it!!!!
and if there is such women who cant stand doing and wearing veil/hijab , she'll understand someday that y v r suppose to do it!!!!
hI MaAR sUttEa
Subhan-Allah,
I am impressed by your answer Black Beauty. May Allah bless you.
Humble.
[quote]
Originally posted by Humble:
**Subhan-Allah,
I am impressed by your answer Black Beauty. May Allah bless you.
Humble.**
[/quote]
thanx humble bro!!!!!!
hI MaAR sUttEa
sister black beauty,
did u read that article?
It is a good analysis regarding Hijab.
Humble
I have to admit, I didn't read the article in its entirety. What I did read I thought made sense. Personally I think women should be permitted to dress the way they want to, with limits. I don't believe the covering of ones head, should be enforced.
The section that bothered me is the section on rape in America. The author goes to some length, giving us numbers for amounts of women raped in the US. The numbers are actually underestimates, cause most rapes don't go reported. Actually I think in Canada at least, only 6% of rapes are reported to police. The rest go unreported. But thats not the problem I'm having....the problem I have with this type of logic, is that it is 'victim blaming'. Women who dress, however they wish to dress....even if they are NAKED, do NOT ask to be RAPED. The fault is entirely that of the man. Men should learn to control themselves, it shouldn't have to be the woman's responsibility to constantly have to guard herself from attack.
I do support women who dress modestly, and I support women who choose to wear the head covering...but I don't think that particular portion of the authors argument is a valid one. Women who wear the hijab, are completely covered in the Muslim world are raped too, and neither they or a less conservative women in the west deserve that type of treatment.
Achtung
achtug,
*
The hijab should be from both sides. Yes, I agree its very important for a guy to have hiya (respect or hijab) in his eyes, words, and actions too. But that does NOT give an option for girls to be without hijab. Hijab is a part of religion, though Islam is "Against" the use of pressure or force. But doing Hijab, itself makes sense. Doesnt it? Ask yourself this question sister, Dont you feel safer wearing Hijab?
*
**
I still remeber some of my freinds use to make fun of girls from Islami Jamiat Talba who wore Hijab (purda) and used to call them ninja turtle. I discontinued my friendship to those guys because they were making fun of an Islamic Value. I really dont understand why people dont analyze their own selves before commenting on others.
I had alot of respect, and I mean alot of respect for those girls of Jamiat Talba.
My salam to all my sisters doing Hijab.
**
Humble
I agree with Achtung about the Hijaab issue.
The last line of the article had a quote from Imam Jaffer Sadiq(AS) : "Imam Jaffer Sadiq(A.S.) says: Modesty is the symbol of faith and whoever has no modesty (Hijab), has no religion "
My question is , who is Imam Jafer Sadiq ? and is there any hadith confirming to what he says in his quote ?
Salam-a-lekum brother Zman,
Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) was the greatest faqeeh of his time. His students include Imam Abu Haneefa (l.a), Imam Maliki (l.a), and Imam Shafai (l.a).
Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) was the great grandson of Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.w) and most of his quotes have origin from Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.w.).
The shajra-e-nasab (ancestory link) of Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) is as follows:
*The word ibne offcourse stands for "son of"
*binte stands for "daughter of".
Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) ibne
Imam Mohammed Baqar (a.s) ibne
Imam Zainul-Abedein (a.s) ibne
Imam Hussein (a.s) ibne
Fatima Zahra (s.a.a) binte
Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.w.)
/b*
Your brother,
Humble.