Religion & Spirituality

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I Am Enjoying Being A Muslim

If a woman is free to show her body, then why isn't she free to cover it?

A nun can be covered from head to toe in order to devote herself to God, right? But, then when a Muslim woman does the same, why is she "oppressed"? [i]Hijab[/i] is my right, my choice, my dignity, and my life.

My [i]hijab[/i] ennobles me. [u]It's a personal choice[/u]. It’s a personal choice [u]to submit to Allah[/u] rather than the fashion of society. [u]To be beautiful to Allah[/u] rather than people.

Compelling a woman to wear a headscarf is against Islam, and compelling her to remove it is against human rights.

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UserNameSW · 46-50, M

Too many are forced to wear it

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UserNameSW · 46-50, M

my point exactly, Thank you for coming to the realization.

Moe was a pedophile and slave trader, yet too many say he is great and should be praised.
Education is good :)

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@UserNameSW: May God guide all of us to the truth. This life is so limited to be arrogant to submit to our Creator.

UserNameSW · 46-50, M

@Madeleine: well said

SW-User

I didn't know that. So a Muslim woman can choose to wear western style clothes without any form of abuse from fellow Muslims? Or is this only true in some freer Muslim nations?

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UserNameSW · 46-50, M

The Islamic Etiquette of Disagreement, was created by imams and clerics. They wrote this because of the disagreements that exist.

If there was one and only one universally accepted interpretation there would not be Shia and Sunni. There would not be wahhabi and ismaili. There would not be the 100s of denominations.

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@UserNameSW: My point is.. Interpretation of what? Give me the text.

UserNameSW · 46-50, M

See below. ...I gave a few of my favourites

BitterSweetPotato · 31-35, F

[quote]If a woman is free to show her body, then why isn't she free to cover it?[/quote]

Because for most of the time, Muslim women are forced to wear Hijab and don't do it out of complete consent, they are either pressurised by their family or by the society, that's why you can't really say "free to cover it" without having a big question mark on that - I come from a Muslim society and I know that for a fact!

That nun vs Muslim woman thing is really getting old - Who are you talking about when you say people view nuns as "devoted" but view Muslim women as oppressed? Whoever is against Hijab will most probably be against the ridiculous "devotion" of nuns too. Plus, you can't really compare individuals who are members of a religious community with regular Muslim women, whom as a majority wear Hijab regardless of how religious they are, I mean, nuns are expected to adhere to strict religious rules given their religious status, but it is not realistic that all these female Muslim women are as as religious as nuns and therefore are willingly wearing Hijab! It doesn't make sense, which brings us to the point that so many of them are forced to wear it..... and FYI, so many verses and Hadiths have made men in charge of women and gave them the liberty to decide on women's way of dressing and living for that matter, so please, do not claim that compelling women is against Islam, further, when Islam says that women who don't cover themselves will go to hell, I don't think it left much of a choice, did it!

Finally, if your dignity is in a piece of fabric, that's a very worrying thing. If you lose it on a windy day, you lose your dignity!

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@BitterSweetPotato Thank you for your comment. It's true that there are women who are forced to wear hijab, but also there are women who are forced to remove it. In my post, I made it clear that I'm against both.

There's no punishment in this world, in Islam, for women who don't wear hjiab, neither in the Quran nor in Hadith, that's why it's against Islam to force them to wear it. It's her choice to follow God's commands or not. It's between herself and God. A woman who is a true believer would wear hijab happily and she will find joy in it as much as she would pray, fast and practice Islam.

Northwest · M

Nuns habits' have never been associated with subjugation of women. The hijab/burka have.

The issue is not with those who choose to cover up, it's with the laws of certain countries that take away their right to choose what to wear.

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@Northwest: Exactly. A woman has the right to wear whatever she chooses to, whether it's to wear hijab or not. Depriving women from this choice is my issue. Plus, women experience hate-comments on streets for wearing hijab, and those women chose to wear it.

goagainsttheflow · 26-30, F

@Madeleine: Some people are harassing anyone who wears a scarf. Muslims, Sikhs, and women who just wear scarves for the fashion. Last summer, a woman stomped up to me yelling, "Excuse me miss, are you Muslim?!" because I was wearing a head-scarf. 1.) I'm not Muslim or part of any religion, and 2.) The city I'm in has a lot of Muslims so I was surprised she had such a negative opinion of them. People can be crazy!

Northwest · M

@Madeleine: women get beaten, arrested and cast out for not wearing a hijab in some Muslim coiuntries.

It is not illegal to wear a hijab in the US, but yes, bigots are out there. A few weeks ago, a guy, in Portland, who was harassing a teenager wearing a hijab, attacked and killed 2 men who came to her rescue and severely injured another.

Benny5678 · 41-45, T

I have no problem with a hijab. Completely agree with you

Where do you stand on wearing a burka?

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TheProphet · M

@Madeleine: They are still property. Can't travel without a male relative, can't divorce, can't worship together ect.

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@lastbabyboomer: A woman can divorce in Islam, it's called [i]khula[/i]. She can even demand the right to divorce on the marriage contract. Men and women worship together, they can be in the same room, but not in the same line for spiritual reasons.

UserNameSW · 46-50, M

@lastbabyboomer: and 9 year olds

goagainsttheflow · 26-30, F

I agree. People need to stop overreacting just because someone decides to dress modestly and wear a scarf on their head. Good grief.

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@goagainsttheflow: Thank you very much.

Sourdad · 56-60, M

ALL of the religions practiced today have a dark side. We who care about enlightenment suffer for this. The abuses sidetrack us from our journey.

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Sourdad · 56-60, M

@Madeleine: I can't see it. It vexes me. It's like I see around it.

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@Sourdad: I respect your view regardless.

Sourdad · 56-60, M

@Madeleine: Thank you. I respect yours as well.

TheProphet · M

If it is your choice then why are women whipped for not wearing it.

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TheProphet · M

@Madeleine: Then you should speak up for the oppressed muslim women and girls.

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@lastbabyboomer: We must all speak up for all people (men and women) who are oppressed around the world.

UserNameSW · 46-50, M

@Madeleine: That was well said. I couldn't agree more.
Everyone should stand up for those that can't

Khenpal1 · M

Its OK if you live in a Muslim country , but wearing anything for religious reason is nuts. Your argument doesn't stand a closer scrutiny in case a new Hitler is born.

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Madeleine · 41-45, F

@Khenpal1: There are a lot of great traditional values that are lost in our modern age; such as modesty, chastity, and self-restraint. People now are enslaved by their desires and material world. What a shame.

Khenpal1 · M

@Madeleine: Yes , but it has nothing to do with religions, looking back in history you will have no human rights at all due to religion in power. Religion works as corporation , so yes you are enslaved.

Islam in man is like Rabies in a Dog. Sir. Winston Churchill.

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@Khenpal1: All good morals came from religion. Including, marriage, respecting parents, charity, good manners ..etc. Islam gives structure to someone's life, and a great purpose to live for.

Sourdad · 56-60, M

One is a spiritual path, the other is a symbol of oppression. The path is personal. The symbol is subject to interpretation. People have strong opinions either way.

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Sourdad · 56-60, M

@Madeleine: The right to choose is paramount. Only you can walk your spiritual path. You cannot walk mine, and I cannot walk yours. People can appear to walk the same path, but that is illusion. Perhaps there is NO path.

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@Sourdad: The truth is one. So it's one destination we must aim to.. and in order to get to it, there's one path. We might walk other paths, but a sincere person will eventually find the right path to the truth in their own pace.

Sourdad · 56-60, M

@Madeleine: Yes. I couldn't agree more.

Sourdad · 56-60, M

I have enjoyed our conversation. Thank you.

mrmoose · 70-79, M

very true

Coyotedave611 · M

I respect people for who they are, not for what they are. On behalf of the someone sane people of the USA I want to apologise for having the worst president and the crap he says about muslims. May you go in peace and happiness.

Sourdad · 56-60, M

You speak well.

bijouxbroussard · F

In some cultures the covering [b]is[/b] imposed by others, and is something women are [b]required[/b] to wear, or face social ostracism, even legal penalties. Sounds like oppression to me.

Madeleine · 41-45, F

@bijouxbroussard: It's oppression. I agree with you. Hijab has to be a personal choice made by a woman herself. It's a spiritual thing that makes her feel closer to God. It's unfortunate how women are abused for not wearing it in some countries, and abused for wearing it in other places.

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