Why Do Women Have the Right to Wear the Hijab

Why Do Women Have the Right to Wear the Hijab

  • Submitted By: nourad
  • Date Submitted: 03/06/2009 8:43 AM
  • Category: Social Issues
  • Words: 390
  • Page: 2
  • Views: 614

Women Have The Right to Wear the Hijab

Faith the author of the article “ Lisa Valentine: Hijab and Expletive”, responds to an incident in which a Muslim woman in Georgia named Lisa Valentine, was jailed for refusing to take off her Hijab (head scarf) when requested to do so by the bailiff , because of general court policies. An incident such as this captures the public’s attention, in particular Muslims, and invokes their anger. Muslim women have the choice to wear the Hijab; it is a symbol of freedom, not a compulsory order (as the disinclined individuals claim). Hijab is an Arabic term which means “cover up or conceal”. The Hijab functions as a modest way to cover Muslim women. In addition, this is the result of the divine order in the Qur’an, which states: “and say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty…. they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not and splay [sic] their beauty except for their husbands...” (24:30-31). Wearing a Hijab distinguishes Muslim women from other religions. On the contrary, most modern western women have not preserved much traditional religious attire; consequently, when a Muslim woman is seen retaining her religious identity through her Hijab, she is seen as being suppressed by her religion. This confusion arises when the “suppressed” Muslim woman leaves her “repressive” country, where it demands her wearing the Hijab in public, into a secular society where citizens will reject her because they can not understand her strict adherence to continue to keep the hold of wearing her veil. Rejection that stickler woman is due to a superficial view by an unversed. However, this reaction is defined as discrimination not “racism” (as the author proclaims), because the Hijab is not confined to a race, but to all female followers of the Islamic faith around the world. Ironically, Christian nuns cover their hair as a sign of modesty and self-respect, but are not judged by their...

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