For Muslim women, a headscarf — or hijab — is a visible sign of their faith and identity,
and whether to wear one or not is a big topic of discussion. Today we’ll be talking a
bit about the reason why muslim women cover themselves.
This is something I've also been curious about. Are head coverings cultural or religious based,
or both?
Question: What do you think about Muslim women covering themselves?
If you are a muslim woman, do you wear any form of veil? Why or why not?
The history of the veil
Scarves and veils of different colors and shapes used to be customary in countless cultures
long before Islam came into being in the 7th century in the Arabian Peninsula. To this
day, head coverings play a role in many religions, including Orthodox Judaism and Catholicism.
Since the seventh century, Islam has grown to be one of the major world religions. And
as it spread through the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and to many different societies
around the Arabian Sea. With that said, various local veiling customs for women have been
adopted
Some critics of the Muslim veiling tradition say that women do NOT wear the veil by choice,
and that they are often forced to cover their heads and bodies. On the flipside, many daughters
of Muslim immigrants in the West argue that the veil symbolizes their devotion and that
veiling is their own choice. They say it is a question of their religious identity and
self-expression.
Types of headscarves - Know the difference:
The Hijab:
is one name for a variety of similar headscarves. These veils consist of one or two scarves
that cover the head and neck.
The Niqab:
The niqab covers the entire body, head and face; however, an opening is left for the
eyes. Although these veils are popular across the Muslim world, they are most common in
the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
The Burqa:
The burqa is a full-body veil. The entire face and body are covered. There is a mesh
screen over the eyes where you can see through. It is most commonly worn in Afghanistan and
Pakistan.
To veil or Not
The tradition of veiling has been influenced by different religious interpretations as
well as by politics. Muslim religious writings are not fully clear on the question of women
covering themselves in these ways. Various statements in the Quran make reference to
Mohammed’s wives veiling, but it is debatable whether these statements apply only to the
Prophet’s wives or to all Muslim women.
Many Muslim women say that the Hijab not only promotes modesty but also prevents the objectification
of women that happens in Western society.
The hijab helps force onlookers to take their focus off of physical appearance and focus
on a womens’ intellect alone. There are many others who feel that wearing a hijab
has also protected them from focusing on their bodyweight and appearance in comparison to
their other female friends.
Wearing the hijab sends the message of: ‘I am Muslim, and I have a presence here.’”
The most common misconceptions about Muslim women seem to be that they are oppressed and
that their religion sees them as inferior to men. For instance, the former French President
Nicolas Sarkozy referred to the burqa as “a sign of subservience… a sign of lowering.”.
Many Muslim women disagree with this because If there are women who are oppressed, it is
because of the people and the culture around them, not Islam.
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Do muslim women have to cover up with a hijab, burqa, or niqab based on Islam? The short
answer is No. It's really up to ones own religious convictions, because as stated before, depending
on the culture and society a woman lives in, the method and style of veiling changes.