How can a Muslim woman consider it Honorable to wear the headscarf?

[Rainbow Mage]

I guess this is something I've always been curious about, and am hoping some Muslim women can give me some insight. How does one consider it an honor to do something a man is not required to do, that so clearly distinguishes women from men and their role in society? I appreciate all answers from female Muslims.

 

[Starsoul]

I guess this is something I've always been curious about, and am hoping some Muslim women can give me some insight. How does one consider it an honor to do something a man is not required to do, that so clearly distinguishes women from men and their role in society? I appreciate all answers from female Muslims.

If i was to ask you to choose between a candy uncovered and a candy all wrapped up nicely, which one will you choose? I guess we know the answer to that.

If someone gives you a gift all nicely wrapped and decently covered, you will Value it over a gift that is handed over to you by someone non-chalant enough not to wrap it, you will naturally assign more value to the gift that was given to you with consideration, respect and its value intact.

Muslim women treasure and honor the decision to cover themselves up, and immensely enjoy the freedom of movement and the boost of confidence that it gives them. It defines our role in the society very aptly by liberating women of any sexual objectivity that some other societies are used to extort out of their women in the name of women rights when infact being uncovered hasn't helped the state of their social order in any way.

Precious valuables don't lie around uncovered , And women are considered very precious in Islam. Hope that answers your question.

 

[Harmonious]

This was a beautiful and informative answer. Thank you.

 

[YmirGF]

If i was to ask you to choose between a candy uncovered and a candy all wrapped up nicely, which one will you choose? I guess we know the answer to that.

If someone gives you a gift all nicely wrapped and decently covered, you will Value it over a gift that is handed over to you by someone non-chalant enough not to wrap it, you will naturally assign more value to the gift that was given to you with consideration, respect and its value intact.

This is a really poor analogy. I am trying to fathom why someone would liken women to wrapped candy. The mind reels...

Muslim women treasure and honor the decision to cover themselves up, and immensely enjoy the freedom of movement and the boost of confidence that it gives them.

Actually it tells us more about the male dominated society they live in that precipitates such a need. Why, for example, would women NEED a boost of confidence? Are they not nurtured enough without covering themselves like a sweet treat?

It defines our role in the society very aptly by liberating women of any sexual objectivity that some other societies are used to extort out of their women in the name of women rights when infact being uncovered hasn't helped the state of their social order in any way.

I am seeing this as prejudiced puffery. I highly doubt you could produce any meaningful studies that bear out this line of thought.

Precious valuables don't lie around uncovered , And women are considered very precious in Islam. Hope that answers your question.

Sweet treats in need of ego boosting? Spiffy.

 

[Harmonious]

This is a really poor analogy. I am trying to fathom why someone would liken women to wrapped candy. The mind reels...

How about this?

I'm not Muslim, but as an Orthodox Jewish woman, I was married, and I also covered my hair.

But besides hair, we used terms to describe all issues of modesty when it comes to the human body.

If you had a precious jewel that was worth thousands of dollars, many people would take it, when it isn't being used, and put it in a safety deposit box. Is anyone ashamed of the jewel? Certainly not, but the owner shows how precious it is by keeping it hidden until it is necessary to be used.

This is often the way Jews think of the modesty of the human (most particularly female, but nonetheless) body. Because sex and marital relations are the holiest activity humans can participate in, and because it is one of the most private, private parts of the anatomy (including the hair of Jewish wives) is considered titillating for one's spouse. As such, the human body is kept hidden until it is needed for its purpose, sex and marital relations.

It is respect and honor of a woman that is being maintained by covering that which we do.

Muslim women have the same respect for themselves, although I understand that they start covering hair at the onset of puberty (or sometimes earlier).

It is no shame, but an honor to cover one's hair in modesty, especially as it is being saved for one's husband.

It's one of those things that Jews and Muslims agree upon. It's a beautiful thing.

 

[Starsoul]

This is a really poor analogy. I am trying to fathom why someone would liken women to wrapped candy. The mind reels...

.

First of all, Are you a muslim woman? The Op wasn't the least indicative of random trashy feelings about muslim women, but Its nice to see your rather daft opinions on it, speaks volumes of your ignorance and disrespectful personal sense of intolerant bigotry.

And as for your reeling mind, I suggest you to stop entangling the left overs of your whatever rem-anent sanity on Muslim women Ymir, it is just so deplorable to see you talk like you speak for them, thanks we're doing much better without your non-sensical jargon.

 

[Starsoul]

How about this?

I'm not Muslim, but as an Orthodox Jewish woman, I was married, and I also covered my hair.

But besides hair, we used terms to describe all issues of modesty when it comes to the human body.
If you had a precious jewel that was worth thousands of dollars, many people would take it, when it isn't being used, and put it in a safety deposit box. Is anyone ashamed of the jewel? Certainly not, but the owner shows how precious it is by keeping it hidden until it is necessary to be used.

This is often the way Jews think of the modesty of the human (most particularly female, but nonetheless) body. Because sex and marital relations are the holiest activity humans can participate in, and because it is one of the most private, private parts of the anatomy (including the hair of Jewish wives) is considered titillating for one's spouse. As such, the human body is kept hidden until it is needed for its purpose, sex and marital relations.

It is respect and honor of a woman that is being maintained by covering that which we do.

Muslim women have the same respect for themselves, although I understand that they start covering hair at the onset of puberty (or sometimes earlier).

It is no shame, but an honor to cover one's hair in modesty, especially as it is being saved for one's husband.

It's one of those things that Jews and Muslims agree upon. It's a beautiful thing.

So nice of you to share this Its only a woman who covers up can understand the thought and value behind it, It is quite awful to hear comments like Ymirgf from people.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I've found that defining things as "honorable" is generally a way of brainwashing people into feeling good about doing what someone else wants them to.

 

[Harmonious]

So nice of you to share this

It is truly a pleasure.

Its only a woman who covers up can understand the thought and value behind it, It is quite awful to hear comments like Ymirgf from people.

It is a foreign concept to people who only see the covering as different, without understanding that "separate but equal" actually works in various belief systems, even though it failed miserably as a concept in racial relations.

Men and women have different roles to fill, and as God created us, He assigned them to us. And when we live according to the dictates of our faith, we see how what we do gives greater glory to God and to those who live the lives of the faithful.

Other people who don't understand the whys and hows are sometimes threatened by the unknown.

And the fact that, unfortunately, there are coreligionists who are known to be abusive and because the squeaky wheel gets the attention, people in the "outgroup" are quicker to notice the cases of abuse rather than the perfectly functioning dynamic of when everything goes according to Hoyle.

 

[Starsoul]

I've found that defining things as "honorable" is generally a way of brainwashing people into feeling good about doing what someone else wants them to.

Another generalization. Maybe some people don't quite like to be respected or have never tasted what it is like to be respected, I feel for them, speaks more of social values being lost than anything.

 

[Harmonious]

I've found that defining things as "honorable" is generally a way of brainwashing people into feeling good about doing what someone else wants them to.

It could be, but then you are imposing your sense of values on people who understand the functioning of the tenets of our assorted belief systems.

For the same token, rude remarks can be made about the lewd behavior of women who have nothing better to do but show off their bodies in immodestly revealing outfits.

Are women nothing but sexual objects that have no value but to display their assets to find self-worth?

(See, the proverbial knife cuts both ways.)

But is it worth the effort to make rude value judgments against people who have the freedom of religion and choice to wear what they choose for the reasons that they choose?

I would say not.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

It could be, but then you are imposing your sense of values on people who understand the functioning of the tenets of our assorted belief systems.

For the same token, rude remarks can be made about the lewd behavior of women who have nothing better to do but show off their bodies in immodestly revealing outfits.

Are women nothing but sexual objects that have no value but to display their assets to find self-worth?

(See, the proverbial knife cuts both ways.)

But is it worth the effort to make rude value judgments against people who have the freedom of religion and choice to wear what they choose for the reasons that they choose?

I would say not.

If there's anyone imposing their sense of values here, it's you. The only value judgment I'm making is about the general use of the word "honorable." I don't find value judgments against words rude. Please read for comprehension.

 

[UmmSqueakster]

I don't think about it in terms of honor. For me, it is an act of worship. It's something that is required of me by my Lord, so I do it gladly because it is something He loves.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Well thank you for the answers. Though I really didn't get the analogy of wrapped candy either. I guess I still understand that it's about modesty. So the head covering really makes a woman feel guarded against people who would look at them like a sex object? I'm just asking.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Another generalization. Maybe some people don't quite like to be respected or have never tasted what it is like to be respected, I feel for them, speaks more of social values being lost than anything.

Irony is most revealing when it's unintentional.

 

[Rakhel]

There is a difference between being forced to wear a head scarf and wanting to wear one. I know many women who wear one for religious reasons, many who wear them for cultural reason(non-Muslim/Jewish), and many just because they like the look.

Being Jewish, and not Orthodox, I only cover my head during Shabbat, because I feel naked without one that day. I can't explain why I feel that way on that one day and not the rest of the week. I was raised in an atheist home and thought Jews were those ancient people found in the Bible who all became Christian, so my wearing one would not be that of brainwashing or force. It's more of my respecting who I am as a person.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Yeah Rakhel raises another question in my mind. Should a woman be forced to wear the head scarf, or should it be a choice? Because I have heard in some places it's illegal not to wear it. I'd appreciate if someone could verify.

 

[Willamena]

I've found that defining things as "honorable" is generally a way of brainwashing people into feeling good about doing what someone else wants them to.

The thing described as "honourable" here is a decision regarding self. It has nothing to do with something done for others, or what others want.

 

[Starsoul]

Well thank you for the answers. Though I really didn't get the analogy of wrapped candy either. I guess I still understand that it's about modesty. So the head covering really makes a woman feel guarded against people who would look at them like a sex object? I'm just asking.

I gave a very simple example for a simpler explanation, whats so complex about not wanting an unwrapped candy? The analogical explanation is definitively different for different people, since you're not a muslim i don't expect you to understand of respect, honor, and etc, the way Muslims do. A better analogy was probably about jewels like harmonious said.

You can infer from the infringed agruments in this thread that other people just dont relate to the concept of respect and honor even for themselves, leave women aside. What muslim women 'feel' about covering is what you asked in the Op and you got few reflections on it. As for why we do it, is another question.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

The thing described as "honourable" here is a decision regarding self. It has nothing to do with something done for others, or what others want.

Yeah, many people are unaware that decisions regarding self are often about doing something for others.