I’m pro burqa in that I think every woman should have the right to dress how she wants to but recently my dad was telling me about a distant cousin back in Pak who is wearing the burqa at the age of 12.. He was furious about it and I was thinking surely it’s not that bad if it’s her choice (turns out her mum is pressurising her to wear it but strictly speaking not forcing her)..
I’ve read on Islamic forums ppl saying ‘mashAllah’ when someone mentions their daughter is wearing the burqa at the age of 8 or 9 which I do admit worries me.. I mean at 12/13 at least the girl has some sort of understanding of it..
What do you mean by burka? If you mean a long abaya/gown type thing that you stick over your clothes, well I've seen little girls wear that in my local mosque and they look so cute! :) I personally wouldn't make a girl that young wear it all the time but a trip to the mosque or something is okay for me. You mentioned she's being pressured into it: if that's in a negative kinda way or really really strict about it then no I wouldn't like that, but if it's just a bit of encouragement to dress modestly then theres nothing wrong with that.
If however you mean Afghani style burka with the netting for the eyes or something, that's not something I'd be comfortable enforcing upon a child. A child is a child at the end of the day. If she's not allowed a bit of freedom now when will she ever be? On the other hand, definite kudos for gently talking early on about modesty, especially with puberty around the corner. It's all about being moderate and not taking on any extreme.
^^Nah Princess, I don't mean abaaya, I mean covering the entire body and face like a tent.. Abaaya to me is just hijab but with a long robe/gown.. Nomi, it's not normal for little girls in the west to wear padded bras (hence the outcry in the media) and whilst they do wear skirts (generally not really short either) and bikinis/swimsuits to the beach I've yet to see v.young girls wearing skimpy clothes like that on a regular basis or being told they must dress like that..
I don't like burqa and think it is bad at any age, but still I have no right to be "furious" if someone distantly related to me is forced to wear it. I would rather concentrate on my daughter and be furious for what happens to her or what she does.
I've lived in Pak for ~5 years and I attended primary school there. A short walk from my home to and from the bus stop was more than enough to make me feel so uncomfortable because of the disgusting pervy creepy retards (I was just a child for flips sake!!) on the way that I CHOSE to wear naqaab at that young age. Mum never wanted me to wear one but she also understood why I was so creeped out... Dad was away and I didn't really have anyone driving me to school in fancy cars. And this was years ago when things weren't even as bad as they may be now. I can't remember when I stopped wearing the naqaab, definitely before I turned 12.
If anyone has authority over your 12 year old cousin, thats her parents and I don't think naqaab is such a torturous thing that we should condemn the mother for asking her daughter to wear one for her own good in a place like Pak. Outside of Pakistan, I don't see why anyone would pressurise their young daughters to cover up. I wouldn't want my daughters to wear a burqaa and definitely not at such a young age.
*observing Hijaab becomes obligatory when a girl becomes an adult. It's NOT at age 18. a girl becomes an adult as soon as she gets her first period. so if it happens at age 12 or 14, she is religiously required to wear Hijaab. there is nothing there to be embarrassed or think about. *
^Do you consider burqa compulsory?
Burqa's is NOT a must...a girl has to cover her satar which is her whole body except fer face, hands and feet. you may wear anything that's NOT revealing the contours of the body. so, a chadar, a scarf, loose-fitting clothes [including jeans and shirts]. It doesn't have to be a Burq'a.
it's not a must... but scholars do say it's preferred that an outer garment should be worn when a woman goes outside her house.
Personally I do think... 12 is too young for that. I would teach my daughter the basic satar requirement, she can choose to wear a burqa or not when she is old enough to think for herself.
I think the hijab is fine enough.. Honestly if you can maintain your hijab, keep it positioned and keep your clothing halal, I don't see why you need to go full out burqa/niqaab. And at 12? That's f'ed up.
Once you hit puberty, you're considered a woman and covering of the body becomes compulsary on you. Some people say nikab is not fard, some say it is so I guess that depends on the family.
What bothers me is the way people assume that nikab is opression and anyone who wears a nikab is somehow a "bichari" that is ignorant.
Yes no one should be forced into doing anything, but it's typical for muslim parents to strict for hijab, but if they do so for nikab, people act like it's the end of the world.
Once you hit puberty, you're considered a woman and covering of the body becomes compulsary on you. Some people say nikab is not fard, some say it is so I guess that depends on the family.
What bothers me is the way people assume that nikab is opression and anyone who wears a nikab is somehow a "bichari" that is ignorant.
Yes no one should be forced into doing anything, but it's typical for muslim parents to strict for hijab, but if they do so for nikab, people act like it's the end of the world.
I wouldnt force a child.... Its just wrong and I would let my children think for themselves. Idk I m not a mother so mayb my thinking will change once I have kids
I've lived in Pak for ~5 years and I attended primary school there. A short walk from my home to and from the bus stop was more than enough to make me feel so uncomfortable because of the disgusting pervy creepy retards (I was just a child for flips sake!!) on the way that I CHOSE to wear naqaab at that young age. Mum never wanted me to wear one but she also understood why I was so creeped out... Dad was away and I didn't really have anyone driving me to school in fancy cars. And this was years ago when things weren't even as bad as they may be now. I can't remember when I stopped wearing the naqaab, definitely before I turned 12.
If anyone has authority over your 12 year old cousin, thats her parents and I don't think naqaab is such a torturous thing that we should condemn the mother for asking her daughter to wear one for her own good in a place like Pak. Outside of Pakistan, I don't see why anyone would pressurise their young daughters to cover up. I wouldn't want my daughters to wear a burqaa and definitely not at such a young age.
Pakistan is not that bad place where girl cannot survive without Abaya or men would eat them. I have been in Pakistan since my childhood and i never wear Abaya in my life but my mother wears it and she get as much stares as we girls get (yes even my mother). That's how some men are here, they just stare every girl or woman. Abaya is not guarntee of any kind of security. Girls get raped even when they wear Abaya not in Pakistan only but anywhere. Men in any country stare you because staring in their nature (i am not talking about every man).
It doesn't mean that i am against Abaya. If girl is wearing it by her own choice then it is really good but if parents are forcing them then ........ I have seen girls who wear Abaya because their parents force them to. But what i have observe that these girls dismissed Abaya as soon as they get a chance before or after marriage. So forcing Abaya on girls is not a wise thing to do.