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Islam is a religion that puts a premium on purity. Purity of mind, body and soul. And anything that interferes with this purity (i.e. able to concentrate on God and worship Him and keep your priorities straight), Islam discourages, prohibits or tells you ways to go around such problems.
The main issue here is that Islam does not allow pre-marital conjugal relationships. The wisdom in this commandment is not, I think, lost on anyone. So, how to make sure this does not happen is what the entire issue is based on.
Now, this being the case, let us move onto Women. There is not difference between men and women is regards to their spiritual worth or reward from God. Each is judged equally based on their beliefs and actions in this world. That being said, onto the veil.
It is general knowledge that the more powerful a force, the more precaution must be taken to safeguard oneself from it. In the case of women, that force is the biological force of Sex. Extremely Powerful, to say the least. The force that ensures our continuation as a species would not be effective were it not so dominant in our psyche.
Now, Islam recognizes the power of sex, and instead of letting it run wild and run a man's life, provides means for him bring this force under control. For Islam wants to elevate a man from being a slave to his baser desires to loftier ideals goals. Firstly Islam tells men not to stare at women, nor freely mingle with them. This limits the chances of a man and woman being able to start a romantic relationship. Women are also told to wear the veil, to help facilitate this ordinance. The most attractive part of a woman is her hair. A bald woman is the biggest turn-off, and thus Islam tells woman to cover their hair when in public, so as not to tempt men and to help remind them of their duty to control their gazes.
This is the gist of the answer. The matter invariably turns to a question of women's rights and women should be allowed to wear what they want, men should control themselves, etc. Islam does not allow this. Islam acknowledges that a society can only work if everyone helps each other, and a pious society will only be able to stand if everyone works to help each other. The Quran says that believing men and women are friends of each other. Do friends devilishly tempt each other by displaying their charms to each other, tempting the other to break a commandment of God? No, friends help each other, facilitate ease for the other in reaching their goals, and a muslims goal is always to reach Allah. Sexual attraction to someone who is not "legal" for you in Islam (or halal) gives you no benefits. None. Instead, it merely causes you to burn on the inside, and incites you to sin.
Islam is a religion that puts a premium on purity. Purity of mind, body and soul. And anything that interferes with this purity (i.e. able to concentrate on God and worship Him and keep your priorities straight), Islam discourages, prohibits or tells you ways to go around such problems.
The main issue here is that Islam does not allow pre-marital conjugal relationships. The wisdom in this commandment is not, I think, lost on anyone. So, how to make sure this does not happen is what the entire issue is based on.
Now, this being the case, let us move onto Women. There is not difference between men and women is regards to their spiritual worth or reward from God. Each is judged equally based on their beliefs and actions in this world. That being said, onto the veil.
It is general knowledge that the more powerful a force, the more precaution must be taken to safeguard oneself from it. In the case of women, that force is the biological force of Sex. Extremely Powerful, to say the least. The force that ensures our continuation as a species would not be effective were it not so dominant in our psyche.
Now, Islam recognizes the power of sex, and instead of letting it run wild and run a man's life, provides means for him bring this force under control. For Islam wants to elevate a man from being a slave to his baser desires to loftier ideals goals. Firstly Islam tells men not to stare at women, nor freely mingle with them. This limits the chances of a man and woman being able to start a romantic relationship. Women are also told to wear the veil, to help facilitate this ordinance. The most attractive part of a woman is her hair. A bald woman is the biggest turn-off, and thus Islam tells woman to cover their hair when in public, so as not to tempt men and to help remind them of their duty to control their gazes.
This is the gist of the answer. The matter invariably turns to a question of women's rights and women should be allowed to wear what they want, men should control themselves, etc. Islam does not allow this. Islam acknowledges that a society can only work if everyone helps each other, and a pious society will only be able to stand if everyone works to help each other. The Quran says that believing men and women are friends of each other. Do friends devilishly tempt each other by displaying their charms to each other, tempting the other to break a commandment of God? No, friends help each other, facilitate ease for the other in reaching their goals, and a muslims goal is always to reach Allah. Sexual attraction to someone who is not "legal" for you in Islam (or halal) gives you no benefits. None. Instead, it merely causes you to burn on the inside, and incites you to sin.
This is invaluable in teaching younger members of the community of the importance and use of the hijab, and provides another reason for the community to wear to hijab: social pressure. Not a bad thing, when the pressure is for the good of the people involved.
Also on a societal scale, seeing something as the norm of a society would discourage people from trying to go against it.
Boy am I glad to live somewhere that I can dress how I see fit.
Muslim women can dress how they see fit too, what makes you think they can't?
Just because the religion promotes a certain dress, doesn't mean they have no choice.
The fact that in some cases, this is taken to a different level, a despicable one, where men sometimes influence the woman's choice in one way or another, doesn't mean thats what normally happens, or that this is the way it is with Muslim women all over the world.
So, can you tell me honestly that in predominantly Muslim areas women who don't dress in headdress/etc. are socially accepted -- they don't receive any social pressure that they're somehow socially inferior for not wearing it?
I find that hard to believe, but I've never lived in a predominantly Muslim area so I wouldn't know.
=control.[quoteto.win;2147947]Islam is a religion that puts a premium on purity. Purity of mind, body and soul. And anything that interferes with this purity (i.e. able to concentrate on God and worship Him and keep your priorities straight), Islam discourages, prohibits or tells you ways to go around such problems.
The main issue here is that Islam does not allow pre-marital conjugal relationships. The wisdom in this commandment is not, I think, lost on anyone. So, how to make sure this does not happen is what the entire issue is based on.
Now, this being the case, let us move onto Women. There is not difference between men and women is regards to their spiritual worth or reward from God. Each is judged equally based on their beliefs and actions in this world. That being said, onto the veil.
It is general knowledge that the more powerful a force, the more precaution must be taken to safeguard oneself from it. In the case of women, that force is the biological force of Sex. Extremely Powerful, to say the least. The force that ensures our continuation as a species would not be effective were it not so dominant in our psyche.
Now, Islam recognizes the power of sex, and instead of letting it run wild and run a man's life, provides means for him bring this force under control. For Islam wants to elevate a man from being a slave to his baser desires to loftier ideals goals. Firstly Islam tells men not to stare at women, nor freely mingle with them. This limits the chances of a man and woman being able to start a romantic relationship. Women are also told to wear the veil, to help facilitate this ordinance. The most attractive part of a woman is her hair. A bald woman is the biggest turn-off, and thus Islam tells woman to cover their hair when in public, so as not to tempt men and to help remind them of their duty to control their gazes.
This is the gist of the answer. The matter invariably turns to a question of women's rights and women should be allowed to wear what they want, men should control themselves, etc. Islam does not allow this. Islam acknowledges that a society can only work if everyone helps each other, and a pious society will only be able to stand if everyone works to help each other. The Quran says that believing men and women are friends of each other. Do friends devilishly tempt each other by displaying their charms to each other, tempting the other to break a commandment of God? No, friends help each other, facilitate ease for the other in reaching their goals, and a muslims goal is always to reach Allah. Sexual attraction to someone who is not "legal" for you in Islam (or halal) gives you no benefits. None. Instead, it merely causes you to burn on the inside, and incites you to sin.
I don't think there is a Muslim on this thread that feels that hijab is nothing more than clothing. Hijab is certainly a mindset, but when you say it is about presentation, what do you think clothes signify? The way I dress tells a lot about me. It doesn't tell the whole story but it starts you off. You perceive people differently depending on their cloths and demeanor.
Again this is not about men, this is about Allah and whether or not as a Muslim woman you would abide by even the law of hijab, whether you thought it meant you were a better Muslim for it or not. I don't think that clothes make you who are, but they can certainly reflect who you are or who you wish to portray yourself as. I am a Muslim woman who not only wears a headscarf but a face veil. The clothes don't make me Muslim, they don't make me pious, they don't make me evil or good, but they do reflect the fact that I choose to obey Allah's law. Even the one that is sometimes inconvenient. My clothes send a clear message that I am closed for the business of fornication and lewd sexual contact. When men see me, they do not see an easy sexual target and in fact many feel quite uneasy giving me much of a look in any case. People in general look at me with either interest or disgust. However, they don't look at me with a sexual interest, and if they do they do not make me aware of it.
It is blindness to assume that the way a person dresses does not affect the way we perceive them. A woman with full hijab and abaya on who is also acting modestly, will get a different type of attention than a woman with a tight pair of jeans and a halter top on. Even a woman who is dressed in a nice tunic and a long loose skirt on,and her hair is done nicely, and she looks well kept will attract the sexual attentions of someone. Even relationship experts or people with good common sense will tell you that what you wear says a lot about you. The tight jeans and halter girl will attract a different type of man and approach than the woman with the tunic and skirt. A woman with a long maxi dress and cute sandals gets a different type of reaction than a woman with a very short very tight mini dress on and 6 inch lucite stilettos.
So, can you tell me honestly that in predominantly Muslim areas women who don't dress in headdress/etc. are socially accepted -- they don't receive any social pressure that they're somehow socially inferior for not wearing it?
I find that hard to believe, but I've never lived in a predominantly Muslim area so I wouldn't know.
You mean women who don't wear a headscarf?
Inferior or not socially accepted in general, no not at all.
However, in some families, in one way or another women who doesn't wear a headscarf would be faced by pressure, varying on its levels of course. In others, which are much much fewer, they would go ahead and force it on her. Finally in other families, that is entirely up to the woman.
In general, women not wearing a headscarf in my country is not as a big deal as you might get the impression. People in general are not all that religious to start with, even if they belong to a certain religion. Lots of women do not wear headscarfs, and do not face any kind of pressure from the society, while others would. Generally again, the kind of pressure usually posed to the women who experience it, thankfully is not enough to change her mind. As in, its might usually be just certain comments from family members and so on. But not in the sense that if a woman who doesn't wear a headscarf walks into a place, people would look at her strangely or something. Women not wearing headscarf is a very common sight that people are used to, and lots of them realize quite obviously that it doesn't speak negatively of her.
in theory i understand what you are saying, but your undertones still lead me to believe that you believe that somehow a woman who completely veils herself is fulfilling her duty to Islam more than one who is not, and i respectfully disagree. i never said wearing hijab makes you a Muslim, because it certainly doesn't. however, i personally know many Muslim women who do not wear the hijab, yet have dedicated themselves to improving Islamic relationships via interfaith meetings, working with Greg Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute to educate young, poor GIRLS in Afghanistan and Pakistan...no, they don't wear the hijab, but their actions and deeds will not go unnoticed. perhaps they are doing a great good for our community.
i have the right to my opinion regarding covering, as do you.
i feel that if something was SO very important to Allah for us to follow without fail, He wouldn't have left it so vague. not once does the Qur'an specifically say "cover each and every strand of your hair". yet the Qur'an is extremely specific when it comes to inheritance, property laws, the rights of women, orphans, children, neighbors...
i agree with you mostly Badran, but i dare a Muslim woman to walk around Saudi Arabia and a few other select places (even northern Pakistan) without a hijab on.
Women who don't wear a headscarf, are not in anyway, shape or form less good than those who do. Not to mention that it shouldn't be our concern in the first place who is better than who.
I quite realize you are at least much more inclined, if not completely convinced that hijab is not really a requirement. While i do think it is, i still agree with you that it should say nothing bad on the woman.
Hijab is for me, one of many things that a woman should do. So, just because i think its a requirement, doesn't mean that a woman not wearing it would come anyway near having her good deeds unnoticed, or be any less good. Like i said there are various things that Muslims should do, hijab is one of the things i believe women should do. Non of us do everything we should do, so naturally, a woman not wearing a hijab, is just like any other person.
Just wanted to add how i view it. I wanted to clarify that although i view it as a requirement, that still doesn't mean in anyway that women who don't wear headscarf, are in anyway less than those who do. One more thing, is that hijab as i understand is not the headscarf, its the entire idea of wearing modestly in a certain way. So i guess you mean the headscarf when you say you don't think its required, right? Just curious.
sorry, yes. i mean the headscarf; i think the ruling on this is ambiguous and vague. i respect your take and opinion on the hijab/headscarf issue...i wish more people agreed with you. sadly, they don't.
i currently wear a headscarf (although probably not like others feel i should)...but i feel i put it on for the wrong reasons and am struggling with it every minute of every day. it's gotten to the point where it's interfering with other aspects of my life. my husband thinks like you; it's something i should do, but it doesn't make me "better"...we have daughters and he fears that i'd be confusing them to remove it. i think it can be handled ok if i discuss it with them first. anyway, i dress very modestly otherwise...i do wear jeans, etc. but i don't find them to be immodest in the least.
I know, and thats very sad. As you very well know, and certainly don't need me to tell you, that this is just another example of how these countries misrepresent the religion.
you're correct; i know we feel the exact same way about this.
sorry, yes. i mean the headscarf; i think the ruling on this is ambiguous and vague. i respect your take and opinion on the hijab/headscarf issue...i wish more people agreed with you. sadly, they don't.
i currently wear a headscarf (although probably not like others feel i should)...but i feel i put it on for the wrong reasons and am struggling with it every minute of every day. it's gotten to the point where it's interfering with other aspects of my life. my husband thinks like you; it's something i should do, but it doesn't make me "better"...we have daughters and he fears that i'd be confusing them to remove it. i think it can be handled ok if i discuss it with them first. anyway, i dress very modestly otherwise...i do wear jeans, etc. but i don't find them to be immodest in the least.
Well, no body said that unveiled women are not capable of doing good yet they don't follow God's commands in this specific area and we pray for them. No inferior look but compassion and love for guidance and obedience of our Creator.in theory i understand what you are saying, but your undertones still lead me to believe that you believe that somehow a woman who completely veils herself is fulfilling her duty to Islam more than one who is not, and i respectfully disagree. i never said wearing hijab makes you a Muslim, because it certainly doesn't. however, i personally know many Muslim women who do not wear the hijab, yet have dedicated themselves to improving Islamic relationships via interfaith meetings, working with Greg Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute to educate young, poor GIRLS in Afghanistan and Pakistan...no, they don't wear the hijab, but their actions and deeds will not go unnoticed. perhaps they are doing a great good for our community.
i have the right to my opinion regarding covering, as do you.
i feel that if something was SO very important to Allah for us to follow without fail, He wouldn't have left it so vague. not once does the Qur'an specifically say "cover each and every strand of your hair". yet the Qur'an is extremely specific when it comes to inheritance, property laws, the rights of women, orphans, children, neighbors...
It depends where you live and your social class. The case in Egypt is different from KSA from Tunisia...etc. I can speak about Egypt, there is kind of yeah social pressure to wear hijab in many cases but not really socially inferior because as Badran said, it's common. On the other hand there is also a social pressure not to wear hijab and the girl can face strong opposition from the family and friends in some cases. Very generally speaking, I can say wearing hijab is encouraged and considered as a good step.So, can you tell me honestly that in predominantly Muslim areas women who don't dress in headdress/etc. are socially accepted -- they don't receive any social pressure that they're somehow socially inferior for not wearing it?
I find that hard to believe, but I've never lived in a predominantly Muslim area so I wouldn't know.