Women issues

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THE FREEDOM TO WEAR A VEIL
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Published: Jan.10.2007 @ 6:34 am
THE FREEDOM TO WEAR A VEIL Author Aminah Naila johansen. www.aminah.shiahosting.com That the veiled Muslim woman by all means should be regarded as oppressed is a myth that ought to be killed. Many people are scandalized by the veil, but only few seek an explanation from the Muslim woman herself; her voice is often overheard in this matter. If she is asked, on the other hand, the veil represents freedom and dignity. O Prophet! say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that they let down upon them their over-garments; this will be more proper, that they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (Sura 33, 59) Say to the believing men that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts; that is purer for them; surely Allah is Aware of what they do. And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons... (Sura 24, 30-31) In the Quran, the term hijab is used of the attire of the Muslim woman as a whole, but also includes the way she lives and acts. In everyday language it often only refers to the veil or scarf itself which must cover the head and chest. This is, so to speak, the exterior sign of the way of life of the Muslim woman, but you also speak of having hijab in ears, tongue and heart. Here there is no reference to a specific veil, but to a suitable behaviour in accordance with the precepts of Islam. This prevents her from hearing, speaking or feeling negative things of other people. Hijab is derived from the Arabic word hajaba, which means to conceal or to prevent from being seen. The garb must be loose and opaque and must be worn, whenever the women either leaves the house, or whenever male visitors not belonging to the family are received. Only the hands and face may, according to the prophet Mohammed, be visible, but this point is rather controversial. Some also choose to cover these parts of the body, but more often than not this is the result of the personal choice of the individual woman. THE VEIL IS A PRIVILEGE, NOT A BURDEN We know the veil from the antique Hellas, for instance, where the established women of society had the right to wear one, while the prostitute and the female slave had to go about bare-headed and thus unprotected against being accosted. Throughout History, noblewomen have worn veils when walking about among the lower classes, or they have hidden their faces behind fans. The bridal veil and the nun's habit had a similar purpose. In the New Testament, in his first letter to the Corinthians Paul states that during prayer, women should cover their head (11, 5-6). Nowadays, some people are astonished daily by seing women wearing veils. Most have an idea that the veil is oppressive, and many protest loudly and publicly on behalf of these women. One thing that these officious persons have in common is usually that they have never found it necessary to ask the women themselves, not to speak of making themselves acquainted with the religious and cultural background of the veil. Even so, they are busy imposing on others their personal opinions as to what is oppressive. If one asks the women behind the veils, the story is quite different. The orthodox Muslim woman does not perceive the veil as inhibiting or oppresive. Quite the contrary. The veil guarantees her the full respect of the surroundings, and thus must be considered a privilege rather than a burden. The dignity of the wife or the daughters, or the dignity of any Muslim woman, for that matter, must be respected and protected. Many Danes entertain the erroneous notion that the veil represents a compulsion from the husband and the religion. But women wearing veils, on the other hand, normally radiate devotion towards their religion. They have chosen the veil as a clear demonstration of their Muslim identity. Forcing anyone to do something against their own will is against Islam. This point is stressed by all the women we have spoken to. There is no demand of compulsion in the Quran. On the other hand, every human being should see it as a religious duty to act out of a clean heart. Of course there may be families where the woman is forced, for instance to stay at home. But that does not imply that doing so is Islam. There are oppressed women in all cultures, Danish or Muslim. And as in all other situations it is important to consider each particular case for itself instead of generalizing. For a woman is not oppressed unless she feels it that way. THE VEIL GIVES CONFIDENCE AND FREEDOM The scarf contributes to creating equality between man and woman. He does not see her only as a sex symbol. When a man looks at a woman wearing a scarf it is because he is interested in her personality and the way she thinks instead of her appearance, her sister complements. A woman who covers herself is hiding her sexual charm, and yet allows her womanliness to remain visible. Islam does not attempt, as some people erroneously think, to exclude sexuality. It is canalized in its full strength into the marital relationship, and is not »flaunted« in other contexts. Hijab therefore guarantees the integrity of the Muslim woman. The clothes must not be tight so that the forms show. In this way, we avoid problems like sexual harassment and rape. When we wear these clothes, we feel secure. We are more protected. And then a man does not stare at other women than his wife. She elaborates on the relationship between a man and a veiled woman: When a woman covers her beauty, the man does not look at her as a woman, but as a fellow human being. Instead, he concentrates upon her intellect. : You cover your head and chest, but not your brains. For me, the notion of the oppressed Muslim housewife is a myth. In Islam, the husband has a duty to maintain his family. It is therefore a matter of course that he must work. But, of course, the woman may also work. It is not so that she cannot go out and get an education or a job. But she is allowed to sit at home, it is not her duty to maintain the family. Examples of professional women in Muslim countries: About 60% are illiterate in Egypt, but I have met more female professors in Egypt and Jordan than in Denmark. Islam encourages everybody, both the man and the woman, to go out and read and study. It as a Muslim duty to seek knowledge. In many ways, Muslim women have more freedom than women in the West. First of all, the veil has meant that I can walk around without being judged by my appearance. Secondly, the women are equally respected and appreciated whether they choose to be housewives or professional women. For the Muslim woman, the veil therefore represents freedom. Only this freedom has another character and expresses itself in another way than that of the West. But must the women of the West be the only ones to define freedom? Are they the only ones who know what the right to choose for oneself and to decide over one's own body means? We wonder if not the many millions of Muslim women would claim otherwise! Of course, every woman must have the right to wear a veil as well as the right not to wear one. Aminah..

The Hijab as Daw'aa
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Published: Jan.10.2007 @ 6:14 am
The Hijab as Daw'aa *www.aminah.shiahosting.com* Most Muslims are familiar with the various reasons that Allah has required women to wear hijab: The hijab reflects modesty, purity and respect; it lessens temptation so that more serious sins will be avoided; it protects women from the harm and molestation of evil men; a woman who wears hijab will be evaluated for her intelligence and skills rather than her appearance. One important aspect that is often overlooked, however, is that the hijab is a symbol of Muslim identity. A woman who covers her head is making a statement that she is a member of the Muslim community and that she follows a particular code of moral conduct. Allah says: "O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them. That is more suitable that they will be known (as Muslims and chaste believing women) and not be abused."[Qur'an, 33:59]"...that they will be known..." In America,and Europe where Islam is the fastest growing religion (alhumdullilah), many people are coming to know what this head covering really signifies and to understand the religion that mandates it. The hijab, in effect, is an amazingly powerful tool for dawah; one that Muslims themselves are probably not even aware of. As with any tool, the key for effectiveness is appropriate and knowledgeable use. The most obvious first step would be for Muslim women to actually wear the hijab. It is a tragic and upsetting phenomenon to see so many Muslims dressing in the manner of the disbelievers (blue jeans, T-shirts, short skirts, even shorts). The Prophet, sallalahu allahe wa salam, said; "Whoever resembles a people is one of them." This is not only happening in America and other Western countries as people attempt to assimilate and adopt the practices of the prevailing culture, but it is also occurring in Muslim countries at an alarming rate. A woman who refuses to wear the hijab is disobeying Allah and committing a serious sin, putting worldly pleasures above spiritual attainment, and neglecting her duty to the religion of Islam. Many scholars agree that the only reason a Muslim may live in a non-Muslim country is to conduct dawah and bring people to the true religion. How can a woman perform dawah for Islam when she is not even practicing it herself? To do this would be a form of hypocrisy and it will not be successful. Once a woman begins to wear hijab she completes a large portion of her responsibility for dawah with very little effort. Each time that she goes to the grocery store, the library, to work, to school, or to any other public place, she is spreading the magnificent message of Islam. This is not only because of the outer hijab that she wears, but more importantly, the modesty of her behavior that accompanies it. When a woman refrains from flirting with men, limits physical contact, and is reserved and respectful, people may become curious and want to learn more about this intriguing faith. It may just sow the seeds of something wonderful. At the places where I come , women are often interested in my manner of dress and demeanor. Each time I have at least one who requests my involvement in a talk for another person, usually comparative religions. They are surprised when they learn the rationale for this injunction and the fact that it was part of their religious heritage as well. If I chose not to wear hijab, I would miss these wonderful opportunities to share the beauty, peace and universality of my faith. When there is the possibility for further discussion with those who are interested, knowledge and understanding of the topic are imperative. A very effective technique is to relate the concept to something that is familiar to the other person. Some examples of questions that could be posed include: "Did you every wonder why Mary, the mother Jesus (alayhes salam) wore clothing very similar to that of Muslims?" "Why do Catholic nuns dress the way they do?" "Did you know that in the Canon laws of the Catholic church today there is a law that requires women to cover their heads in church?" "Have you read in I Corinthians (Bible, 11:3-10) the verses that Paul wrote: 'Every man who prays of prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And evey woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head - it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman doesn't cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved off, she should cover her head." "Did you know that there are some Christian denominations, namely the Amish and the Mennonites, who still require women to wear the head covering?" "Were you aware that is was the custom of Jewish women to go out in public with a head covering and that some denominations still practice this today?" These discussion points demonstrate the obvious fact that the head cover was not introduced by Islam, but rather that this requirement has been in place for thousands of years. This can also be a cogent segue to more crucial topics such as the fact that Moses, alayhes salam, Jesus, alayhes salam and Muhammad, sallalahu allahe wa salam, were all prophets of the same God and that they each carried the same basic message. Islam corrected the errors that had been introduced into previous revelations by humans and completed the process that was planned by Allah. We should be proud to be Muslim. We should also be grateful for the gift that Allah has given to each one of us: The perfect truth of Islam that is our key to paradise. All others are being deluded by Satan and following paths to destruction. With our gift comes the responsibility to share the truth with those who are less fortunate. We are all responsible to carry the light of Islam. The hijab is an outward manifestation of this light that burns within, and it can be an effective tool for fulfillment of our obligation. We choose whether to develop this light into a bright, radiant star or let it be extinguished by foolish and selfish desires. May Allah guide each of us to the true path. Aminah.

Distorted Image of Muslim Women
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Published: Jan.10.2007 @ 6:01 am
Distorted Image of Muslim Women www.aminah.shiahosting.com Since the height of the feminist movement in the late 70's there has been a magnifying glass placed over the status of muslim women. Unfortunately, the magnifying glass that has been used is an unusual one. Unusual in the sense that it is very selective about which items it will magnify; other items itwill distort to such a degree that they will no longer look familiar. I remember once reading in an "in depth" article about the lives of muslim women. This article "explained" that at any time a man can divorce his wife by simply stating "I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you". This article can lead anyone ignorant of the Islamic ruling regarding divorce to believe that in less than five seconds the woman is left with no husband and is left to care for herself (and possibly children) by any means necessary. The question that immediately popped up in my mind was, "Did the author innocently write that out of sincere ignorance or was it another of the many attempts to degrade the religion of Islam and its followers (muslims)?" It may be my own paranoia, but I tend to believe it was the latter of the two. The truth of the matter is that Islam has the most humane and most just system of divorce that exists. Firstly, many options are taken and tried before coming to the decision of the divorce. If the man and woman decide that they can no longer live together successfully as a husband and wife, the husband (in most cases, not always) pronounces the divorce by saying "I divorce you". At this point the waiting period begins. The waiting period lasts for three menstrual cycles to assure the woman is not pregnant. This period allows the couple time to think about what they are doing and if this is what they really want to do. There are no lawyers involved to antagonise an already delicate situation. In the case that it is realised, that the woman is pregnant, the waiting period lasts the entire time she is pregnant. During the waiting period (whether the woman is pregnant or not) the man is obligated to provide food, clothing and shelter to the woman as he did before the divorce pronouncement. If the couple carries the divorce through to the birth of the child and the woman suckles the baby, the man is obligated to feed and clothe both his ex-wife for the time the woman suckles (the maximum being two years). After this weaning, the child will be provided for by the father until he/she is no longer in need of support. It is quite ironic that in such an "advanced society" as America, there are divorce cases in which women are being forced to pay alimony to their ex-husbands. Can this and many other things we know about the American system of divorce compare to the Islamic system of divorce? I have also read stories wherein it is stated that women are forced to marry men without their consent. This in no way resembles the marriage system in Islam. In Islaam the woman marries the man of her choice. She may even marry someone that her mother and/or father objects to. The point is that it is the woman who makes the final decision as to whom she will marry. Once the man and the woman decide that they are interested in one another for marriage, a dowry is decided upon. A dowry is not a brides price but, it is a gift from the groom to the bride. They agree upon a gift that is affordable by the groom. In the time of the Prophet (sas), often things such as livestock and money were given. This is a wise decision in the event that a woman becomes divorced or widowed, she has some financial security to fall back on even if it is for a limited amount of time. Once the man and woman are married, the man is required to clothe, feed, shelter and educate her (or allow her to be aducated) in the same manner as he does himself. The last distorted image that I will cover is that of the muslim women's dress. The western influenced media portrays our dress to be outdated and oppressive. Needless to say however, I differ with these adjectives. Our dress code does not hinder us from doing anything productive in our lives. Muslim women maintain a variety of jobs [under necessity], non of which are devalued nor hampered due to their dress code. And as for the timing of muslims women's dress during these contemporary times, it seems most appropriate due to decreasing morals in the world today. For those who say that Islamic dress is outdated, they speak from great ignorance. The decreasing molarity and trials of this time makes Hijaab even more in need. More than ever before sex crimes are rampant. Although this society tells women they can wear what they want to wear, anytime a rape occurs the woman is the one put on trial an one of the first questions is, "What were you wearing?"This concept seems as though it is a set up directed against the so called contemporary woman. Also there is a direct correlation between the respect a man has for a woman and the amount of her body her body she displays flauntigly. In conclusion, I hope this article helped to clear up some distorted/misunderstood aspects of Islam and women. Women in Islam are respected and held in high regard. We will never find success and/or solutions to our problems until we realise that Allaah knows best and that this disbelieving society will ruin itself.

To Separate Fact From Fiction
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Published: Jan.10.2007 @ 5:50 am
To Separate Fact From Fiction www.aminah.shiahosting.com Contrary to widespread erroneous belief, Contrary to widespread negative stereotyping, and Contrary to regrettable practices in some Islamic societies where anti-Islamic culture traditions have won over Islamic teachings and where women are subdued (and men even more so) This information has been written with the objective of briefing you on the true Islamic teachings regarding women laid down by the Quran and prophet Mohammad over 14 centuries ago. Islam declared women and men equal. Islam condemned pre-Islamic practices degrading and oppressing women. The same injunctions and prohibitions of Islam equally apply to both sexes. Islam gave woman the right of inheritance and the right of individual independent ownership unhampered by father, husband, brother, son or anyone else. Islam gave women the right to accept or reject a marriage proposal free from pressure, and by mutual agreement to specify in the marriage contract that she has the right to divorce (if she misses that option she has the right to seek court divorce if she deems the marriage to have failed beyond repair). Islam does not require woman to change her name at marriage. Islam protects the family and condemns the betrayal of marital fidelity. It recognizes only one type of family: husband and wife united by authentic marriage contract. "Heaven is at the feet of mothers", is a basic Islamic teaching. "The best of you are the kindest to their wives and I am your best to mine", is a teaching by prophet Mohammad. Islam enjoins sounds morality in thinking, behavior and appearance. Dress fashions and social patterns that reduce woman to a sex object and exploit her as such are not acceptable to Islam. The observance of chastity and moral standards is equally demanded by Islam from both men and women. "Women are the siblings of men", is a saying of prophet Mohammad.

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