To Veil or Unveil?

To veil it .. or Unveil it?

 A Hijab (Arabic: حجاب) is a veil worn by certain Arab women in the presence of any male outside of their immediate family or sometimes by men, which covers the head and chest. Note the use of term"Arab" as not all Muslim women across he globe wore hijab which is traditionally an Arabic feature.

Last week, a controversy over Hijab in Government PU College, Udupi, Karnataka became viral news. A large group of South Indian young men were seen harassing and chasing female Muslim students wearning traditional black "Burqa" to the college. This act is shameful and demonstrates the narrowmindedness of the right wing Hindu activists. My hero of the event is the young girl who faced the mob of hooligans with dignity and couragely raised her own slogan in protest.

Brave Young Women in Udupi, Karnataka

Whether I agree with the concept of Hijab or not, I commend the courage of this young girl who demonstrated her conviction with grace. Ths event prompted me to do some research on the "Hijab" and I would like to share that here.

Head Coverings of Middle Eastern Women

The face veil was originally part of women's dress among upper classes in the Middle East centuries before the arrival of Islam. Early third-century writer Tertullian clearly refers The Veiling of Virgins to some "pagan" women of "Arabia" wearing a veil that covers not only their head but also the entire face. The veil was common among the Jews and Christian women too.

NotCustomary Arabic Outer Garments for Women

 

The women of Arabia wore head covering but it was used liberally and  not as stricly as the hijab of today.

Arab Women in 20th century

Arabic women from North Africa particularly the Bedouin tribes never used to wear a head covering. Also the wearing of head covering was limited to women from upper class and not used by the commoners in Middle East. Note how hair are not fully covered in the picture below.

Arab Women in Traditional Attire

Hijab and Islam

Islam began as a small faith community in the Arabian Peninsula. The community was established in Medina by the prophet Mohammed (c. 570–632 CE). From there it spread through the Middle East to North Africa, to Central Asia, and to Iran, Afghanistan, India, and Malasia. 

The Holy Quran commands both men and women to behave modestly and contains no precise prescription for how women should dress, Certain Quranic verses have been used in exegetical discussions of face veiling. Coming after a verse which instructs men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty, Verse 24:31 instructs women to do the same, providing additional detail:

Tell the believing women to lower their eyes, guard their private parts (furuj), and not display their charms (zina) except what is apparent outwardly, and cover their bosoms with their veils (khumur, sing. khimar) and not to show their finery except to their husbands or their fathers or fathers-in-law [...]

The Lowered Gaze

Another passage, known as the "mantle verse" (33:59) of Surah Al-Ahzab, has been interpreted as establishing women's security as a rationale for veiling:

"O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be recognized and not be abused. And ever is Allah forgiving and merciful."

Arab Women in Burqah

Islamic scholars who hold that face veiling is obligatory base their argument on a narration from one of the canonical Hadith collections (sayings attributed to Prophet Muhammad), in which he tells Asma', the daughter of Abu Bakr:

"O Asmaʿ, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this", pointing to her face and hands (Abū Dawūd, Book 32, Number 4092).

Exposing Face and Hands

According to this point of view, it is obligatory (fard) for a woman to cover her entire body when in public or in presence of non-muslim men. Some interpretations say that a veil is not compulsory in front of blind, asexual or gay men.

Different Kinds of Arabic Head Covering

Hijab: It is a headscarf that covers the hair and neck. These veils consist of one or two scarves that cover the head and neck. Originated in Arabia, it is recently been adopted by Muslim women across the globe.

Neqab: It is a veil that covers the face and head, keeping the eye area open. These veils are most common in the Gulf State like Qatar.

Curious Neqab

Burqah: It covers the whole body of a woman. It can either be a one-piece garment or a two-piece garment. This style of outer garments are most common in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Full Body Burqah

Khimar: It is a long scarf that covers the head and chest but keeps the face uncovered. 

Khimar scarf

Shayla: A rectangular piece of cloth wrapped around the head and pinned in place. 

Shayala scarf

Covering of Head Outside Arabia

As Islam propagated through different societies, it incorporated local veiling customs and influenced others. The women of these socities adopted various headcoverings to conform.

Traditional Chunni in Punjab

Punjabi Muslim women historically did not adopt the "Burqa" or "Naqab" or the "Hijab". They had "Chunni: or "Dupatta" as their own head covering that gave them dignity for centuries before Islam arrived here.

Punjabi Muslim Woan

Use of Hijab in Pakistan and India was not common as women preferred their traditional Chunni or Dupatta for modesty. The use of Hijab in Pakistan and India is a more recent phenomenon probably influenced by menfolks going to Arabic countries for work.

School Girls in Pakistan

Reason to Wear Hijab

The women have right to wear what they want to wear. Nobody has the authority to dictate what they should wear. If they choose to wear Hijab, it should be because they want to and not becuse a Mullah dictated them to. Similarly, if they choose not to wear Hijab, it should be thier right to choose.

Women's Right to Wear

However, its important to understand why are you wearing it? or why you chose not to wear it?

Are you wearing it because you feel that its your dutu to conform to Mullah's desire. But why does Mullah want women to cover themslves?Is it beacuse the Mullah and the men in general feel that these women are their personal property and they need to secure them exclusively? This interpretation stinks of treating women as an object of lust and as a personal property of men.

Women as Object of Lust

The same men who cover up their womenwithouter garments, can be seen ogling at semi-nude dancer at night at a belly dancing performance of Raqs sharqi (Arabic: رقص شرقي,. I would call it double standards,

Women as Object of Lust at Raqs Sharqi

Equality of Modesty

I see the use of Burqah or Hijab as a method used by men over time to subject woen as inferior and as an object to own and secure. Women should be treated as equal and have the same rights as men. No man has the right to treat women as his property and cover her up for his exclusive pleasure.

What happens if the role is reversed where women are free but the men are considered the property of the woman and he has to wear a Hijab or a Naqab?

Role Reversal or Equality

Interesting? The world would look something like this if men are required to cover their body for modesty and lower thir gaze.

Men in Burqah

Hijab vs. Sikh Turban

Some people are questioning if Sikhs are allowed to wear turbans then why Muslim women are denied the right to wear Hijab. Allow me clarify the key differences between a Sikh Turban and Islamic Hijab:

• Sikh Turban signify Equaity. It represents equality of all men regardless of caste, lass, or race. Sikh women have the equal right to wear a turban just like their men. 
• Islamic Hijab signifies Inequality. It represents oppression of women making them inferior to men. Its used as a method to subjugate women as personal property of men and and object to own and deny personal freedom

I would recommend watching this 3 minute video by a Non-Sikh Indian describing the difference between the two:

The Choice

In the modern world, there is no place for a two-tier system where women are considered inferior to men and she needs to be secured as personal asset of a man. This makes her not an individual but a controlled property of him. I would say, leave the choice to the women. 

Do not force that they will have to cover their head, hair, or body from men. Leave the decision to her. if she wants to wear Hijab, Neqab or a Burqa, its her choice. if she wants to step out of her Burqa and wear a short skirt or a bikini, its still her choice. 

Women's Right to Choose

No religious zealot, Taliban, ISIS, Mullah, Ayatollah, or Government should have a say in what a woman wants to wear!