Morocco # English board

my hijab
at the college i had an islamic teacher who does not stop talking about Hijab , any girl with hijab he give her high points in the exams , girls without hijabs he treats them like *********
one day i thought why not try it so i put on a scarf for a few days
i just could not bear it , i started loosing hair , sweaty , i get panic attacks , i felt sufficated
my hair roots could not breath and started getting bold anyhway despite all this i could not take the scarf off i was scared the reaction of the teacher , at home my dad said that s good , you are a respected girl now i won t worry about you wjen you walk in the street on your own
the reasons i put on the hijab then is what the teacher has explained :
- hijab is a sign of respect
- hijab is a protection (that wasn t the case always , still get men stirring and throwing words on me in the street ...........)
- hijab is part of religion

when i joined the university and started reading and doing more research in my religion i discovered that one of thye main reasons a woman need to put scarf and hide her body from head to toes is : not to turn strange men on , in an other word , not to make men horny when she walks in the street
so the woman need to cover up = men won t feel turned on = the woman won t be attacked sexually by him

this logic consider men as animal with no brain , why i have to cover up , sufficate my hair wear uncomfortable clothes for the men sake , isn t it more logical that men control himself , behave in a civil manner , and learn that in a society ther are laws to protect every individual , why make the women responsible for this
some people here may say : well thats allah orders , idid read the st quran so many times, the hijab is not a pillar of islam , and the hijab subject is interpreted in so many ways , some explain al hijab as curtain et doesn t mean mummifying the woman in a long cloth from head to toe
ther are a lot of stories and hadiths about the prophets wives full description of what they wore specially aicha which prove covering up the head and all that black material wearing is just an invention by some fondamentalist who wishes to slave women
i make sure i wear smart clothes but i don t cover my hair , i don t beleive that i have to make my life uncomfortable by covering up everything even in summer

i even read that in saoudie arabia women are not allowed to run in the street if they are in a hurry
in the street because despite wearing those black long outfits when they run you can still see their hips , and the body shape underneath!!!!!!!!!! and that could turn men on

religion should not be reduced to a dress code !

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spring2009
this logic consider men as animal with no brain , why i have to cover up , sufficate my hair wear uncomfortable clothes for the men sake , isn t it more logical that men control himself , behave in a civil manner , and learn that in a society ther are laws to protect every individual , why make the women responsible for this
some people here may say : well thats allah orders , idid read the st quran so many times, the hijab is not a pillar of islam , and the hijab subject is interpreted in so many ways , some explain al hijab as curtain et doesn t mean mummifying the woman in a long cloth from head to toe

Finally someone who comes to the same conclusions ! And from a woman no less ! I totally agree, if men can't behave themselves why should women adapt to counter their primal tendencies ?
And yes, the hijab is not a pillar of islam, it's a custom adapted and imposed on women by interpreting the Quran to fit men's vision of what place women should have in society.
What I never understood is how women wore it with pride, how do you feel pride in something that degrades your status in society because it is imposed by the other gender to remind you that you are less than ?

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spring2009
religion should not be reduced to a dress code !

If God wanted to force women to wear the hijab he would have created them bald so they would have no choice but to wear the veil as protection from the sun. God created women with beautiful hair that grows longer and faster than men's so they could use it as seduction tool to find a futur husband, a soolmate.
Is the muslim woman so ashamed of the beauty that god gave her that she has to hide her hair?
I'm not against wearing hijab, to me it should be nothing more than a fashion statement but should never be considered as a fashion obligation.

Hi spring2009!

I understand yur frustration and anger directed at Hijab and its interpretation in Islam. I have also read the various comments that people have put forward, for and against the hijab.

First, I would like reasonably to answer your anger directed towards the hijab. The religious teacher is accountable to Allah if he does not convey to his students the respected aspects of religion. You are right, there is nowhere in the Quran where it mentions the hijab but thre is the Sunna. Our prophet (SAW) did tell us that a woman should only live the face and the palms uncovered. Again it is not what the Quran says but it is part of the Tarbia Islamiah.

Second,your father,as a man who loves you and cares for you, must have felt very proud that you finally have come to respect Allah, your religion and his obedience. One day you will have your own children and feel what your father and mother felt. He was proud of you because he loves you.

Third,you blame the hair falling because of hijab. I am not a doctor but I can assure you that the hair did not fall because of the hijab. It is an imbalance of the body. I am a man, I do not wear hijab and my hair has been falling since I left Morocco and that is 43 years ago. Can you imagine how much of it is left? I asked the doctors when I was young and his answer was that if he knew, he would have become a millionaire. He never mentioned the hijab.

Finally, I am a man and was young once, but I always thought that the women who wore hijab looked more attractive and there is a certain noor on their faces that only Allah can give them that noor. As a man I was too shy and I looked at this women as a future partner in Islam and not as a sexual object. Because I always thought that woman one day will give me good children to continue with my beautiful religion. As for this horney business, it is only natural that man feels like that, if he sick and he keeps looking at the back of a cow, he will get like you say, ho....!

Take care young lady. May Allah give you heart to love your religion and sorround yourself with the right people! Ameen

A

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amzigh01
Third,you blame the hair falling because of hijab. I am not a doctor but I can assure you that the hair did not fall because of the hijab

Not a doctor either but the facts prove her right, my own cousins had the same thing, gave up the hijab and noticed considerable improvements.
Don't have to be a doctor to figure out that the hair folicules need to breath, if you smother them they'll die and the hair falls. Why put oneself through that when it's not even a requirement in islam. If I follow the fundamentals of islam, anything that causes harm is to be avoided.
Maybe islamists have a bald women fetish for pushing that thing onto them...

Hi chelhman!

Point taken mate.
May Allah give us more knowledge and do by it. Ameen

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amzigh01
Hi spring2009!

I understand yur frustration and anger directed at Hijab and its interpretation in Islam. I have also read the various comments that people have put forward, for and against the hijab.

First, I would like reasonably to answer your anger directed towards the hijab. The religious teacher is accountable to Allah if he does not convey to his students the respected aspects of religion. You are right, there is nowhere in the Quran where it mentions the hijab but thre is the Sunna. Our prophet (SAW) did tell us that a woman should only live the face and the palms uncovered. Again it is not what the Quran says but it is part of the Tarbia Islamiah.

Second,your father,as a man who loves you and cares for you, must have felt very proud that you finally have come to respect Allah, your religion and his obedience. One day you will have your own children and feel what your father and mother felt. He was proud of you because he loves you.

Third,you blame the hair falling because of hijab. I am not a doctor but I can assure you that the hair did not fall because of the hijab. It is an imbalance of the body. I am a man, I do not wear hijab and my hair has been falling since I left Morocco and that is 43 years ago. Can you imagine how much of it is left? I asked the doctors when I was young and his answer was that if he knew, he would have become a millionaire. He never mentioned the hijab.

Finally, I am a man and was young once, but I always thought that the women who wore hijab looked more attractive and there is a certain noor on their faces that only Allah can give them that noor. As a man I was too shy and I looked at this women as a future partner in Islam and not as a sexual object. Because I always thought that woman one day will give me good children to continue with my beautiful religion. As for this horney business, it is only natural that man feels like that, if he sick and he keeps looking at the back of a cow, he will get like you say, ho....!

Take care young lady. May Allah give you heart to love your religion and sorround yourself with the right people! Ameen

A

thank you for your contribution to the topic , i would like to correct few points which you discussed
first of all i am not a young lady , i am nearly your age so please don t try to classify my opinion as some furstrated teenager ! , i have seen both worlds with and without hijab , been there , done that got the t shirt , i have kids as well i teach them how to be good members of the society , i don t look or talk to my daughter as an object but as a human being , i teach her how to have strong personnality , to be smart , intelligent , to treat people the way she likes to be treated , and never give up her rights for the sake of anyone else, she is equal to her brother i treat them the same

regarding the loss of hair : i am not a doctor , but i did seek the doctor opinion , done few tests and analyses , the conclusion was the hair is like skin needs to breath , it s a living organ , oxygen is vital for it , specially in high temperature climats , the sweat sufficate the root of the hair , it dies then it falls simple as that , when i stopped using the scarf my hair did recover , it became thicker and healthier

if you ask any sheikh , if you read riwayate during khilafa , all stories say : the woman need to cover up because men is unable to control himself to behave in a civil manner when seeing a beautiful woman , he is a weak creature and to compensate for this the women need to bear this responsibility
they need to wear black , look hidious , cover up , sweaty unhealthy materials while men have no restrictions or dress code
he could wonder in the street freely in his jeans , shorts no one will bother him !!!!!!!!!!
the truth is a lot of islamists think of women as a sex object nothing else , they invented a dress code for her so they could pretend she doesn t exist , underneath the bir9a or those black hijabs , ther is a human being , a citizen, not just a piece of meat which need to be hidden otherwise it will turn men on !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
beauty is a sin the most funny quote i have ever heard from some saoudian sheikh is :
beautiful women need to get married when they are 9 years it s haram for them to work they represent a danger on the society , the ugly women have the right to work !!!
i think it s a bout time to start thinking of women as citizens

Hi spring2009!

Thanks for your reply and I am sorry in refering to you as a young lady. I accept your valid argument and I would like to add that I have never treated my wife as you termed it s.. object. She is my partner and has given me wonderful children. God has created her and blessed her with things that I am not blessed with. She can do things that I can not and so on. Things like giving birth and feeding the babies etc... In fact she can do more things than me so there goes the theory s.. object.

In all sister I am not the stereotype you referred to. I am sorry about your hair and all the sisters hair and I leave Allah as your judge. May Allah increase our knowledge. Ameen!

Hi amazigh01
just a little note to say : i appraciated your answer the only word to describe it is : you respect other people s opinion and you accept it even if it is different than yours
you did not jump into conclusion doubting my faith or my religion thank you
i wish you all the happiness with your wife i did like the way you refered to her as your partner in life, hope this mentality spread in our society this is how nations develop

Allah has his own way of doing things
bizzare
his way is very bizzare

I wear hijab and proud of my religion which is Islam. I put my hijab few months ago and nobody obliged me to do it even my husband because when we got married I was not wearing it.
I'm not an ugly lady neither I have a bad hair HamedouAllah, I have evtg and I'm thanking Allah SWT for giving me many things in life.
each time I read about people who are against hijab and I see the same response which hijab is a culture thing and not an obligation.
well, maybe I'm from old school and hijab is my right outfit,uh my God! losing hair of hijab since when? it means Allah SWT didn't make a good calcul about it and he need us to be bold ca ce qu'on appelle du n'importe quoi

ps: Spring2009, how come you live in Islamic country and you think like that?

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NYorkaise
I wear hijab and proud of my religion which is Islam. I put my hijab few months ago and nobody obliged me to do it even my husband because when we got married I was not wearing it.
I'm not an ugly lady neither I have a bad hair HamedouAllah, I have evtg and I'm thanking Allah SWT for giving me many things in life.
each time I read about people who are against hijab and I see the same response which hijab is a culture thing and not an obligation.
well, maybe I'm from old school and hijab is my right outfit,uh my God! losing hair of hijab since when? it means Allah SWT didn't make a good calcul about it and he need us to be bold ca ce qu'on appelle du n'importe quoi

ps: Spring2009, how come you live in Islamic country and you think like that?

NY, scientifically speaking, if you wear hijab 24/7 since you're a teen, you will end up a bald woman by the the age of 40, End of story.
why don't you wanna accept science?

good for you if you are proud of your hijab thats something you choose to thats your opinion and you are entitled to it , as you noticed i have the opposite opinion , i don t beleive in hijab
most women don t have the luxury like in your case to choose because they come from a poor family or a male dominated culture , if the woman says no or even dared to express her opinion she knows in advance the consequences
majority of women are forced to wear hijab :

- because their brother or father has forced them to do so
- because it s a way to get a husband thats a fashion recently in morocco , a woman is judged by her outfit and dress code not by her intelligence , education , or contribution to society as a good citizen which is a bizarre way to judge caracters and what destroy the credibility of this practice is that a lot of mohajjabates now in morocco are prostitues hiding under a scarf , students at the universities with hijabs snogging everywhere so hijab is not a sign of integrity or values or self respect
i would like to comment on your last sentence which i found strange , judgemental and lacks tolerence
how you live in an islamic country and you think this way?the only answer which comes to my mind is
every human being is entitled to express his or her opinion , what do you expect ? do you think should i be executed because the way i am thinking !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!do you think because i don t think hijab is a pilar of islam i need to be deported and stripped of my nationality thats just sums it all up
if you live in N.york thats a multi cultural town which means tolerance and accepting others
debatting in a civil manner

you could wear your hijab and be proud of it good for you and carry on in wearing it if it makes you feel good i encourage you to do things you choose to with your free will , personnally i feel it s a symbol of slavery , men dictatorship, and it is a pure myth and invention by some sexually furstrated so called religious people who hardly could spell their names and spend their times thinking what women should wear

hijab is not a proof that the person has good values
the beard is not a proof that the person is a good person
those are just appearances
religion is a very private thing between the person and his creature i hope one day people understand this and stop using the fashion shows as a termometer to measure peoples faiths

this is a question to n yorkaise , if you don t mind it will be nice to enrish the debate if you share with us , why you love your hijab? how do you cope in a hot day with long clothes and a scarf covering the hair?doesn t it make your hair flat untidy sweaty and uncomfortable ?
i presume you cover your ears as well don you feel like it is an obstraction ?
the proper hijab for some is covering up the whole face and wear gloves , socks ? don t you feel sometimes that you just want to sit in a restaurant like any other human being and eat with no restrictions or clothes over the mouth , the nose and ears ?

share your love to hijab with us that will be great



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2009 12:37 by spring2009.

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spring2009
good for you if you are proud of your hijab thats something you choose to thats your opinion and you are entitled to it , as you noticed i have the opposite opinion , i don t beleive in hijab
most women don t have the luxury like in your case to choose because they come from a poor family or a male dominated culture , if the woman says no or even dared to express her opinion she knows in advance the consequences
majority of women are forced to wear hijab :

- because their brother or father has forced them to do so
- because it s a way to get a husband thats a fashion recently in morocco , a woman is judged by her outfit and dress code not by her intelligence , education , or contribution to society as a good citizen which is a bizarre way to judge caracters and what destroy the credibility of this practice is that a lot of mohajjabates now in morocco are prostitues hiding under a scarf , students at the universities with hijabs snogging everywhere so hijab is not a sign of integrity or values or self respect
i would like to comment on your last sentence which i found strange , judgemental and lacks tolerence
how you live in an islamic country and you think this way?the only answer which comes to my mind is
every human being is entitled to express his or her opinion , what do you expect ? do you think should i be executed because the way i am thinking !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!do you think because i don t think hijab is a pilar of islam i need to be deported and stripped of my nationality thats just sums it all up
if you live in N.york thats a multi cultural town which means tolerance and accepting others
debatting in a civil manner

you could wear your hijab and be proud of it good for you and carry on in wearing it if it makes you feel good i encourage you to do things you choose to with your free will , personnally i feel it s a symbol of slavery , men dictatorship, and it is a pure myth and invention by some sexually furstrated so called religious people who hardly could spell their names and spend their times thinking what women should wear

hijab is not a proof that the person has good values
the beard is not a proof that the person is a good person
those are just appearances
religion is a very private thing between the person and his creature i hope one day people understand this and stop using the fashion shows as a termometer to measure peoples faiths

this is a question to n yorkaise , if you don t mind it will be nice to enrish the debate if you share with us , why you love your hijab? how do you cope in a hot day with long clothes and a scarf covering the hair?doesn t it make your hair flat untidy sweaty and uncomfortable ?
i presume you cover your ears as well don you feel like it is an obstraction ?
the proper hijab for some is covering up the whole face and wear gloves , socks ? don t you feel sometimes that you just want to sit in a restaurant like any other human being and eat with no restrictions or clothes over the mouth , the nose and ears ?

share your love to hijab with us that will be great

Good morning Spring2009
well, maybe the way that I'm looking for wearing hijab is completely different than the one you discribed, the prostitution, the pauverty...ect.
I'm new with my hijab, just few months and I won't lie to you that I meet discrimination on my outfit, the big reason I put my hijab is that contradiction to pray and to read Coran for long time and to behave the way it should not... how come I could spend the whole day naked in the beach and at night to do my prayer, how come I could go out with no hijab and I knew in Surat Noor, that hijab is an obligation...
I read about hijab and I'm convinced that it's our outfit , it's not just a piece of scarf, it's a protection and honor for us ladies, we are that pearl which is covered!
you will be surprise if I'm telling you that I still enjoy my life, I go to the gym, I go to the restaurant, nice places, I talk to everybody. I'm not wearing all the time that long dress or skirts. I'm not hiding my face, I'm not complicating life because it's already complicated!
for me I'm proud to be Muslim and I'm not hiding it and for the people who discriminate me about my outfit are just ignorant about my religion which is Islam, Islam for me is a lifestyle



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2009 04:14 by NYorkaise.

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NYorkaise
how come I could go out with no hijab and I knew in Surat Noor

Hi, below is Surat Noor regarding the veil, please show us where the hijab is mentioned, where does it say that you need to cover your hair ? Let's take it even further, show us one surat, one sentence where the hijab is mentioned specifically in the whole Quran, leaving no room for interpretation.
It says "bosoms" here, even in the most permissive societies, it's not exactly a good idea to show your boobs.

24.31 . And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest , and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent , and to draw their veils over their bosoms , and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands fathers , or their sons or their husbands ' sons , or their brothers or their brothers ' sons or sisters sons , or their women , or their slaves , or male attendants who lack vigor , or children who know naught of women ' s nakedness . And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment . And turn unto Allah together , O believers , in order that ye may succeed.

"Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?"
This question is one which is asked by Muslim and non-Muslim alike. For many women it is the truest test of being a Muslim.

The answer to the question is very simple - Muslim women observe HIJAB (covering the head and the body) because Allah has told them to do so.

"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." (Qur'an 33:59)

Other secondary reasons include the requirement for modesty in both men and women. Both will then be evaluated for intelligence and skills instead of looks and sexuality. An Iranian school girl is quoted as saying, "We want to stop men from treating us like sex objects, as they have always done. We want them to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities and mind. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals and not just chase us around for our bodies and physical looks."

A Muslim woman who covers her head is making a statement about her identity. Anyone who sees her will know that she is a Muslim and has a good moral character. Many Muslim women who cover are filled with dignity and self esteem; they are pleased to be identified as a Muslim woman. As a chaste, modest, pure woman, she does not want her sexuality to enter into interactions with men in the smallest degree. A woman who covers herself is concealing her sexuality but allowing her femininity to be brought out.

The question of hijab for Muslim women has been a controversy for centuries and will probably continue for many more. Some learned people do not consider the subject open to discussion and consider that covering the face is required, while a majority are of the opinion that it is not required. A middle line position is taken by some who claim that the instructions are vague and open to individual discretion depending on the situation. The wives of the Prophet (S) were required to cover their faces so that men would not think of them in sexual terms since they were the "Mothers of the Believers," but this requirement was not extended to other women.

The word "hijab" comes from the Arabic word "hajaba" meaning to hide from view or conceal. In the present time, the context of hijab is the modest covering of a Muslim woman. The question now is what is the extent of the covering?

The Qur'an says: "Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.

"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." (Qur'an 24:30-31)

These verses from the Qur'an contain two main injunctions: (1) A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes, and (2) the head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck and the bosom.

Islam has no fixed standard as to the style of dress or type of clothing that Muslims must wear. However, some requirements must be met. The first of these requirements is the parts of the body which must be covered.

Islam has two sources for guidance and rulings: first, the Qur'an, the revealed word of Allah and secondly, the Hadith or the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (S) who was chosen by Allah to be the role model for mankind. The following is a Tradition of the Prophet:

"Ayesha (R) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (R) came to the Messenger of Allah (S) while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asmaa! When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face and hands." (Abu Dawood)

The second requirement is looseness. The clothing must be loose enough so as not to describe the shape of the woman's body. One desirable way to hide the shape of the body is to wear a cloak over other clothes. However, if the clothing is loose enough, an outer garment is not necessary.

Thickness is the third requirement. The clothing must be thick enough so as not to show the color of the skin it covers or the shape of the body. The Prophet Muhammad (S) stated that in later generations of his ummah there would be "women who would be dressed but naked and on top of their heads (what looks like) camel humps. Curse them for they are truly cursed." (Muslim)

Another requirement is an over-all dignified appearance. The clothing should not attract men's attention to the woman. It should not be shiny and flashy so that everyone notices the dress and

the woman.

In addition there are other requirements:

(1) Women must not dress so as to appear as men. "Ibn Abbas narrated: 'The Prophet (S) cursed the men who appear like women and the women who appear like men.'" (Bukhari)

(2) Women should not dress in a way similar to the unbelievers.

(3) The clothing should be modest, not excessively fancy and also not excessively ragged to gain others admiration or sympathy.

Often forgotten is the fact that modern Western dress is a new invention. Looking at the clothing of women as recently as seventy years ago, we see clothing similar to hijab. These active and hard-working women of the West were not inhibited by their clothing which consisted of long, full dresses and various types of head covering. Muslim women who wear hijab do not find it impractical or interfering with their activities in all levels and walks of life.

Hijab is not merely a covering dress but more importantly, it is behavior, manners, speech and appearance in public. Dress is only one facet of the total being.

The basic requirement of the Muslim woman's dress apply to the Muslim man's clothing with the difference being mainly in degree. Modesty requires that the area between the navel and the knee be covered in front of all people except the wife. The clothing of men should not be like the dress of women, nor should it be tight or provocative. A Muslim should dress to show his identity as a Muslim. Men are not allowed to wear gold or silk. However, both are allowed for women.

For both men and women, clothing requirements are not meant to be a restriction but rather a way in which society will function in a proper, Islamic manner.

-- Mary C. Ali

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Only For Allah

On the morning of Thursday, November 6, 1997 my identity became clear not only to me, but to every person I would encounter from that day forward. I decided to wear the hijab and begin to develop myself as a more conscientious Muslim woman. It was on that very day that I revealed to the world that I am a Muslim and that I was no longer afraid to be who I was.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, hijab, it literally means 'barrier' or 'something that covers or conceals completely'. In today's non-Islamic societies, the true meaning of the hijab is often replaced with such notions as scarves, kerchiefs, or 'head-pieces' - as one of my co-workers eloquently put it. Many people are simply uneducated about the why Muslims must dress modestly and because of this profound lack of knowledge and understanding many stereotypes and misconceptions arise.

I am not going to go into the intricate details about the purpose of the hijab or submerse myself in the ongoing debate as to whether or not the hijab is an obligatory practice for Muslim men and women. There are many fabulous books available that go through the ins-and-outs of appropriate Muslim dress. Better yet, I implore all of you to pick up a Qur'an, and read over the verses concerning modesty and dress.

In surah 24: Al Nur (or The Light), verses 30-31 it says:

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity of them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: they should not display their ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty..."

Today, I am simply here to share with you my personal experiences in hope that you may find some meaning and sense of inspiration in what I have to say.

Raised in a Muslim family, I was brought up with the basic, fundamental principles and values that Islam instills. I was taught to pray, to fast, to be kind-hearted, generous and to share the deen of Allah graciously with those around me. The thought of one day 'covering my head' occasionally popped into my mind, but the thought that almost always followed was - "Not until I'm ready!" I never really understood what hijab meant. I often thought that it was man's clever way of keeping woman under his control.

I soon came to realize that I very wrong. In fact, the hijab was the perfect outlet for women to seek liberation, respect and ultimate freedom from sexual harassment and the liking. For years and years I would wake up extra early to style my hair according to what was 'in' at the time. I would spend over an hour caking make-up onto my face, trying to look beautiful - but never quite sure for who? Each morning I would eventually make my way out into the world - not really prepared to be judged, solely on my physical appearance, by every person I was to encounter along my path.

Now that I look back at who I was then, it makes me grateful to Allah (SWT) to see how far he has brought me. For a time, I was confused and somewhat lost, as are many young women in non-Islamic nations - trying desperately to fit in to a society that dictates that beauty is naked, emaciated teenagers on a billboards selling perfume and underwear. I recently read that some of those models and actors that I once adored, practically have to kill themselves to look the way they do. From face-lifts to lipo-suction. Some even go as far as having their ribs removed so they can have tiny waists!

The harder I tried to fit in, the more frustrated I became. It finally dawned on me that the images being flashed in front of me 24 hours a day could not possibly be true representations women's liberation. I was convinced that there had to be a simpler answer somewhere.

It was at this point that I decided it was time to put some more thought into this whole 'hijab' issue. And I did. For 3.5 years I contemplated the thought of wearing hijab, but the fear inside of me was overwhelming. I was afraid of what my friends would say. I was afraid of what my professors and colleagues might think. I was terrified that I would be harassed at work, or even worse - fired! All of these thoughts raced through my mind, day in and day out. Each time I seriously though about doing it I would say, "But, I'm not ready yet!" A very convenient excuse I must say!


I finally said to myself, "Jennifer, look at the big picture!" Now, when I say big picture, I don't mean next week, or in a few months or even 25 years down the road. I mean the akhira - the hear-after. I asked myself a very straightforward question. Who am I going to fear? These strangers who I know not or Allah? I finally convinced myself that it was time for me to take this step closer to Allah, as difficult as it may have seemed at the time.

......

As I was having my very last doubt the verse in Surah Al Baqarah (verse 286, I believe), continued to penetrate my heart: "La yukalif Allah nafsin ila was3ha". "On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear". These are the very words that gave me the courage to finally make the right choice. It was at that very moment that I said, "Allah, I will wear this hijab because I believe in my heart that you have asked me to do so. Please guide me and give me the strength to do this."

Just over a year has gone by now and I can honesty tell you that I have never felt more free or more at peace with myself and the world around me. In all fairness I will be honest and tell you that it wasn't an easy thing to do. Quite frankly, it was probably the most difficult challenge I've had to face in my life. Isn't it ironic how that works? The things that will benefit us most and that make the most sense are often those we fail to realize or have difficulty accepting.

I've had to deal with a variety of off-the-wall comments. But what it all boils down to is me making a personal decision to increase my faith and become what I believe to be a better Muslim. To me the hijab not only represents modesty, purity, righteousness and protection but truly is the ultimate state of respect and liberation. Alhamdou lilah, I am free!


I am a Muslim woman
Feel free to ask me why
When I walk
I walk with dignity
When I speak
I do not lie

I am a Muslim woman
Not all of me you'll see
But what you should appreciate
Is that the choice I make is free

I'm not plagued with depression
I'm neither cheated nor abused
I don't envy other women
And I'm certainly not confused

Note, I speak perfect English
Et un petit peu de Francais aussie
I'm majoring in Linguistics
So you need not speak slowly

I run my own small business
Every cent I earn is mine
I drive my Chevy to school & work
And no, that's not a crime!

You often stare as I walk by
You don't understand my veil
But peace and power I have found
As I am equal to any male!

I am a Muslim woman
So please don't pity me
For God has guided me to truth
And now I'm finally free!

Reprinted with Permission

(c) Jenn Zaghloul 1998 [[email protected]]

Hi again NYorkaise, thank you for the copy/paste, but you've given us nothing, just the usual multiple interpretations, which leaves us with the only fact at hand : there is absolutely nothing that mentions specifically the word "hijab" in the Quran.
Covering oneself is the first sign of civilization, it's not specific to islam, it's just common modesty as you would have in any society regardless of the creed.
The Quran is the best wisdom of its time, it can not be taken literally, otherwise we would be whipping women in public for the slighest error in judgment, I would simply refer you to surat Noor you just mentioned.
Anyway, this is an endless debate between those who use their brain and take the scriptures with a grain of salt and those who prefer the comfort of not thinking and follow them like a manual.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2009 11:41 by chelhman.

Quote
chelhman
Hi again NYorkaise, thank you the for copy/paste, but you've given us nothing, just the usual multiple interpretations, which leaves us with the only fact at hand : there is absolutely nothing that mentions specifically the word "hijab" in the Quran.
Covering oneself is the first sign of civilization, it's not specific to islam, it's just common modesty as you would have in any society regardless of the creed.
The Quran is the best wisdom of its time, it can not be taken literally, otherwise we would be whipping women in public for the slighest error in judgment, I would simply refer you to surat Noor you just mentioned.
Anyway, this is an endless debate between those who use their brain and take the scriptures with a grain of salt and those who prefer the comfort of not thinking and follow them like a manual.

hello Mr.
you keep repeating the same word like everybody:"where is the word hijab in Coran"? I cannot explain as mofty or cheikh but as a femal who is wearing hijab, I really feel proud of it. for you men(not all of them) our hijab is an obstacle or a prison but for us Hijabies ladies it's our freedom and happiness, yes, we also we use our brain to think and this is why we take the best decision for wearing hijab and trust me hacha following and obeing to Allah SWT and our prophet Mohamed SAW, we are going in a wrong way! no way

ps: the topic only for Allah is the answer of what I need to say

Quote
chelhman
Hi again NYorkaise, thank you the for copy/paste, but you've given us nothing, just the usual multiple interpretations, which leaves us with the only fact at hand : there is absolutely nothing that mentions specifically the word "hijab" in the Quran.
Covering oneself is the first sign of civilization, it's not specific to islam, it's just common modesty as you would have in any society regardless of the creed.
The Quran is the best wisdom of its time, it can not be taken literally, otherwise we would be whipping women in public for the slighest error in judgment, I would simply refer you to surat Noor you just mentioned.
Anyway, this is an endless debate between those who use their brain and take the scriptures with a grain of salt and those who prefer the comfort of not thinking and follow them like a manual.

mr chelhman , i have just read our sister Nyorkaise her comment about: frapper la femme par son marishe is all for it , no problem for her get a good beating in the name of religion

what i am trying to say , no point to explain to people who benn brainwashed by a strong bleach , CELITE BANG

Quote
whatsup

Quote
chelhman
Hi again NYorkaise, thank you the for copy/paste, but you've given us nothing, just the usual multiple interpretations, which leaves us with the only fact at hand : there is absolutely nothing that mentions specifically the word "hijab" in the Quran.
Covering oneself is the first sign of civilization, it's not specific to islam, it's just common modesty as you would have in any society regardless of the creed.
The Quran is the best wisdom of its time, it can not be taken literally, otherwise we would be whipping women in public for the slighest error in judgment, I would simply refer you to surat Noor you just mentioned.
Anyway, this is an endless debate between those who use their brain and take the scriptures with a grain of salt and those who prefer the comfort of not thinking and follow them like a manual.

mr chelhman , i have just read our sister Nyorkaise her comment about: frapper la femme par son marishe is all for it , no problem for her get a good beating in the name of religion

what i am trying to say , no point to explain to people who benn brainwashed by a strong bleach , CELITE BANG

in the name of Allah the most merciful SLAP SLAP SLAP..
Allah gave who the right to dictate what a woman should wear or how she should be treated according to his books?
Hypocrits are worse than kafirs, at least a kafir is honnest by denying the existance of Allah and his messengers.

Quote
whatsup

Quote
chelhman
Hi again NYorkaise, thank you the for copy/paste, but you've given us nothing, just the usual multiple interpretations, which leaves us with the only fact at hand : there is absolutely nothing that mentions specifically the word "hijab" in the Quran.
Covering oneself is the first sign of civilization, it's not specific to islam, it's just common modesty as you would have in any society regardless of the creed.
The Quran is the best wisdom of its time, it can not be taken literally, otherwise we would be whipping women in public for the slighest error in judgment, I would simply refer you to surat Noor you just mentioned.
Anyway, this is an endless debate between those who use their brain and take the scriptures with a grain of salt and those who prefer the comfort of not thinking and follow them like a manual.

mr chelhman , i have just read our sister Nyorkaise her comment about: frapper la femme par son marishe is all for it , no problem for her get a good beating in the name of religion

what i am trying to say , no point to explain to people who benn brainwashed by a strong bleach , CELITE BANG

first of all ,I've never participated in that topic then it's my turn to treat you of a big liar if you think I'm brainwashed then you are ignorant about the Islam.
brainwahed of who? American Christain? or American Jewish? because both are my best friend here and they repsect my religion,God Bless America
you just talk

I don't know why you MEN(I don't generalize) you don't want to accept us Women to cover herself? why? because she 's hard to reach you guys , you need us to be the way you want her, tall, skiny, overweight, you are the ones who try to control the woman not Islam, you judge her more i her apparence than who she is this is why Islam is defending her , it's giving her that hijab because when you hire her for a job you look her skills, her papers not her boobs or her shape when she walks in your office
It's Islam who give the privilge to the woman, it didn't put her picture in the bottle of wine or matches to be sold in the street, Islam didn't put the woman as merchandise.
Anyway! learn more about Islam before you judge anyone!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2009 10:02 by NYorkaise.

Quote
NYorkaise
I don't know why you MEN(I don't generalize) you don't want to accept us Women to cover herself? why? because she 's hard to reach you guys , you need us to be the way you want her, tall, skiny, overweight, you are the ones who try to control the woman not Islam, you judge her more i her apparence than who she is this is why Islam is defending her , it's giving her that hijab because when you hire her for a job you look her skills, her papers not her boobs or her shape when she walks in your office
It's Islam who give the privilge to the woman, it didn't put her picture in the bottle of wine or matches to be sold in the street, Islam didn't put the woman a merchandise.
Anyway! learn more about Islam before you judge anyone!

Dieu a pris bcp de temps pour creer tes cheveux alors que toi tu veux cacher ces cheveux car un homme, ton mari ou ton pere voulait que ca soit comme ca.
ca sert a quoi creer des cheveux juste pour etre caches et couverts?

Hello boys!

Leave sister NYorkaise alone! You are ganging on her unnecessarely. Read her comments. She has given you more reasons why she loves her hijab than you have given her why you do not like the hijab. Please do not make mockery of our beatiful Islamic traditions.

I am honestly very confused. I thought I was dealing with Moroccans and Muslims but I have more of chance in converting the kafirs than convencing you. Help us here and stop mocking our sister NYorkaise.

Good on you sister! May Allah Bless you and keep up the hijab. It is your choice and the rest can go to hell literally!

A

wear hijab so as not to seduce men!
i think if this is the main reason behind the myth of hijab , it s only fair to say that men too need to wear some sort of hijab , a scottish long skirt a long pakistani shirts and an indian turban
this way seduction between men and women won t exist thats justice why picking on women in everything

thanks everyone for your opinions

peace to all

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FreeThinker

Quote
NYorkaise
I don't know why you MEN(I don't generalize) you don't want to accept us Women to cover herself? why? because she 's hard to reach you guys , you need us to be the way you want her, tall, skiny, overweight, you are the ones who try to control the woman not Islam, you judge her more i her apparence than who she is this is why Islam is defending her , it's giving her that hijab because when you hire her for a job you look her skills, her papers not her boobs or her shape when she walks in your office
It's Islam who give the privilge to the woman, it didn't put her picture in the bottle of wine or matches to be sold in the street, Islam didn't put the woman a merchandise.
Anyway! learn more about Islam before you judge anyone!

Dieu a pris bcp de temps pour creer tes cheveux alors que toi tu veux cacher ces cheveux car un homme, ton mari ou ton pere voulait que ca soit comme ca.
ca sert a quoi creer des cheveux juste pour etre caches et couverts?

oui, hamedouAllah, c'est pour cette raison que je dois couvrir mes cheveux pourque ca soit un mystere pour vos genres de tjs deviner comment ils sont
no seriously, I'm happy with my hijab and nobody can convince me to take it off. even my family tried until they gave up.
I admit that wearing hijab is not easy which not all ladies can do it, Chapeau a vous mes dames surtout celles ki ne vivent pas dans un pays Musulman I think we should accept our difference, to be Muslim, Christian or Jewish

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spring2009
wear hijab so as not to seduce men!
i think if this is the main reason behind the myth of hijab , it s only fair to say that men too need to wear some sort of hijab , a scottish long skirt a long pakistani shirts and an indian turban
this way seduction between men and women won t exist thats justice why picking on women in everything

thanks everyone for your opinions

peace to all

wearing hijab for me is obeing to Allah SWT and I don't care if man needs to wear a skirt, a dress, a burka. koula kaytehasseb wahedou=chacun sera juger seul I don't know why some people look at Islam as a complicated religion, a religion of destruction, a war, a terrorist...ect.
my Islam is peace and Love with everybody it doesn't matter his /her religion or beliving
Yallah Peace and Luv Yabie/es