An issue that has been discussed in many parts of the world at one point or another; wearing the veil. Why do Muslim women wear the veil? Is it voluntary or obligatory? Throughout the histories of several Muslim countries, the wearing of the hijab and the veil, have raised many questions similar to these. It has become a controversial issue and kept its spot in the news.
In the Koran, it is told that both women and men should dress modestly. Different people interpret this phrase in the Koran differently; “[24:31] And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their sisters, other women, the male servants or employees whose sexual drive has been nullified, or the children who have not reached puberty. They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to GOD, O you believers, that you may succeed.”
For some people it means covering the hair only, for some people it means wearing the niqab and for some it is neither wearing the hijab nor the niqab. The women are told to cover up their private parts. This “private parts” over the centuries have been interpreted very differently by different cultures and different people. For some women, wearing a veil is restricting and for others it doesn’t have the same effect. They wear the veil because they believe in God and that’s the way they interpret this verse. They are not forced by men to wear it, it is faith that drives women to put on the veil.
There can be many different reasons behind women wearing veils. Some women believe that it represents close-mindedness. They cannot possibly be liberal and modern women if they believe in God and follow Islam. The fact that they restrict themselves by wearing head covers shows that they are not modern women. For some wearing a veil is not essential to be a proper Muslim. Others who wear it though believe that covering your hair, your face or certain parts of your body is an important part of Islam. The interesting bit is how in certain places like Cairo you are subject to harassment if you do not wear the veil. When you go to Iran, you have to wear some kind of veil to cover up yourself, even if you’re not a Muslim. In other places though, like America, it is difficult to walk around with a veil on. It’s astonishing how the views can differ so much depending on the place. But this is Turkey, and we’ll see how the recent changes in government will affect the view on veils here??
A woman in Cairo who refused to wear a veil at first claims that later on in her life, she found the hijab freeing not constraining. She started wearing it because she felt more connected to her religion by putting on the veil. Another woman though, in Iraq, after the recent developments was forced to wear the hijab. The men who stopped her car directed their guns toward her to make her put on the hijab immediately. She had to put it on, it wasn’t a voluntary action.
Women should be the ones to decide either to wear or not to wear the veil. Why do they decide to wear it? Is it because they’re trying to prove something to the society or is it to express themselves, is it for themselves that they wear the veil? In most cases it’s society…women put on the veil because they see it from their parents; they listen to what other people around them think. They try and fit in. They don’t want to hear insults and put up with harassments. Is this the right thing to do? Shouldn’t women, if they really want to put on the veil, do it for the right reasons and not because of society or politicians? |
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