Don’t Speak-On My Behalf
In the recent months the media and newspapers have flooded their papers with articles about Muslim women’s Islamic dress. They have set up a wave of controversy throughout the world. The UK and other European countries have set the pace to have the issue of the Islamic dress made a pressing issue on their political agenda. They are now talking about whether Muslim women can wear the Niqab or Hijab in the public domain and still co-exist within society. They are saying this without considering how Muslim women have already co-existed for the past 50 years or so. They say they want co-existence within the society yet disregard and abandon religious tolerance, religious rights and freedom, taking away a personal choose of dress and lifestyle of the Muslim women.
It is clear that those who want to ban islamic dress hate Muslims in general and the Muslim dress specifically. If this is untrue, why then discuss our wardrobe? I do not see the same politicians discussing the conservative catholic nuns or the orthodox Jewish dress and how they contribute to society and co-existence.
Some male politicians have wondered, how can the Muslim women coexist in the Western countries while wearing her Islamic clothing?
A ridiculous question- A question which is only raising prejudice and hatred, causing a backlash and anger towards the Islamic women within the British society and farther aboard.
The Muslim women who live in England and other countries worldwide contribute to their society the same as any other women in the world. Muslim women are known for being upstanding citizens who are law abiding. I challenge anyone to prove otherwise. She is also a wife and a mother, who like any other mother and wife spends her time helping her husband and taking care of his needs, rearing children, teaching and helping her children and supervising her children. The Muslim women with Niqab or Hijab may be a professional, working in the workforce. She may be a teacher, doctor, lawyer, or someone working at the local store. She is then a tax payer and contributes to the salaries of the political representatives and the up keeping of the country. And if she does not work her husband pays the taxes. She is a consumer and buys products in the stores and frequents other areas of business. So she spends her money helping to keep the economy booming. How can Muslim women contribute to society, they say? Such an ignorant statement I say.
The Niqabi (women who wear full face veil) and the Hijabi (women who cover there head with a scarf) love to wear their Islamic clothing out of obedience to God. They would feel naked going outside without it. It is prescribed in Islam for the Muslim women to wear the Hijab or Niqab full stop. She is obligated to wear this type of dress if she infact has totally submitted to her Creator and is adhering to the religious teachings.
Make no mistake those who say the Hijab is not prescribed in our religion, do nothing but spread lies, and the Non Muslims run with it, thinking they have something to use against us to try and stop us wearing our Islamic garments.
The Practicing Muslim woman is fearful of Allah and wants to please her Lord by obeying his commands to guard her modesty. For her modesty consists firstly about how she dresses in the public and her lowering of her gaze around men who are not blood relation with her, her interaction within society is to remain noble. When she goes out of her home she puts on her head covering, so no one can see her true beauty, this is only for her family, female friends and husband to see. Inside her home she wears what she likes and it may be even the latest fashion. But outside the home she covers her body with her Islamic attire to maintain her dignity, her self respect, and her comfort.
Her beauty, her sexuality, her charm, she keeps safe for only one person to take pleasure in-her husband. She looks attractive for the man she loves. She has an intimate relationship with her husband which is heightened by keeping her beauty for his eyes only. He in turn keeps his eyes away from those other than her, thus does religion direct him.
The Muslim women would feel ashamed, abused and their rights violated if they were prevented from wearing their dress. This would be a form of sexual abuse to them- to be made to go outside the house not fully covered. If laws are past that do not allow her to wear Hijab then the practicing Muslim women will be prisoners in their homes, never to venture out in the public. You will have put her under House Arrest. For what crime I say? To prevent extremism and promote integration they say! Dress does not create extremism nor is the Islamic dress a new thing displayed. This dress has been visible for over 1400 years now. Twisted mentalities and corrupt ideologies cause mischief and mayhem on Earth- not clothing. If it were limited to just opinion that would be one thing, but the media and Non Muslim speakers have now began to speak on our behalf, describing how we supposedly feel in our own garments. With some saying this and some saying that, I say- don’t speak on my behalf.
by Kareema (USA)
