A very well-educated, intelligent man once told me, that ‘little knowledge is dangerous’. That man was my husband. I think a lot of women who call themselves ‘converts’ have little knowledge and tend to focus on the superficial cosmetics of parts of Islam that aren’t really the fundamental cores of what the religion is truly about. Using words such as ‘purdah’ and ‘hijab’ are totally taken out of context in the English language and have been bastardized. Actually, I am suprised that this commentary about this ‘hijab competition’ has lasted this long. But anyhow, I have to reiterate that having a competition about design fashionable hijab is totally pointless and absurd. The reason I say this is because so many women who do wear ‘hijab’ are hypocritical in their manner of dress. Covering the head in a way that attracts more attention to the head or face and then wearing tight jeans or body-hugging fabrics defeats the purpose of ‘modesty’. You can still be a righteous belieiving Muslim woman without having to draw attention to yourself. Too much emphasis is put on cloaking the head or body and not enough on being a good human being and treating others with respect, helping people, educating their children and so forth. Covering of the head has also changed over the centuries and has had different purposes and impact on time. Why were Indian Muslim women in Hyderabad, India for example, wearing saris out and about and nothing else in the 70’s and now those same women are wearing burkas? It is indeed because there is a correlation between forcing women to cover and violence against them in many parts of the world. Having said all this, I still firmly believe that women who chose to cover their heads should do so because they are absolutley sure that it is the right decision for them and for no other reason. You cannot accept Islam or any other religion and cover your head and say your are a devout follower without truly understanding the fundamental tenants of the religion too.

I think that every woman should choose for herself how to dress in public. The problem I have is when women are more or less forced to cover up. Look at pictures from Egypt in the 50s or 60s and see what’s happened now. Seems like a correlation between forcing women to cover up and increased violence against them, not the opposite.

After I decided to cover my hair, one teacher friend remarked to me that she could never do such a thing. She would feel claustrophobic. So, she is not doing that. I am. I can live with it. When I get home, I usually take it off, but it becomes so comfortable that I often find myself running around doing my chores with it still on. I always loved scarves and hats. The men are not taught “that hair is just too much for them to handle.” It was meant to distinguish the righteous believing women from the women who are not righteous and did not believe. According to Islam, the men are taught to observe purdah too. When my husband looks at a woman who observes purdah, he looks down as he talks to her. Recently, while talking to a Christian about charity, I noticed the man checking out my curves despite the fact that I wear a coat and scarf to hide them. It is a man’s nature. We accept that we cannot change all men. All we can do is cover ourselves. I am a Canadian who adopted purdah. My family is Christian. Generations ago, women dressed modestly in public for the same reason. Back then it was probably called common sense.

Kim, I bow to you, I’m not worthy 🙂 Well said!

Hedi, I see your point. You feel that the hijab puts pressure on you to be the “ideal Muslim woman.” I converted from Christianity, so I think of it as a continuum. When I was ready to wear it, I started wearing the hijab. I have no regrets. I feel happy, actually, because my husband wanted a wife who observed purdah. So, from my point of view, I was not ready for my marriage to him until I got there.

I really don’t feel that it is my place to judge anyone because I have been on both sides of the fence. I felt I was Muslim when I did not wear a scarf, but I just felt like I had completed my Islam when I decided to wear a scarf. It gives me a feeling of satisfaction that I can put Islam first.

What I wasn’t prepared for were others reactions to me. You know, sometimes I am just trying to relax and someone is giving me a hate stare. So I am getting the opposite reaction to what you are getting. What they really mean to say is: “Why do you observe purdah?” I think that Islam is on the hot seat. It is a clear religion from a clear book and Christians don’t understand why we would commit to something that hides women.

Well, I would like to write an article called, “There are no dumb blondes in Islam,” because we are not judged by our hair color.

In the end, it is your decision.

Ayesha-Allison,
this is what I was talking about. I have never heard of this translation and I have researched many, and until Muslim women are willing to re-educated themselves on a few points than we would all be a lot happier and a lot less oppressed. I am not saying that a woman who chooses to wear hijab would consider herself oppressed, it is society that sees her that way. Why is it always the Muslim women who DON’T wear hijab get landblasted and told that they are basically going to hell if they don’t wear it? I am also aware of the word ‘khimmar’ which is not truly translatable in English but refers to an ancient garment worn by women which was like a giant shawl or wrap and used in the Arabian penninsula. It was used for different purposes according to the climate, sun, sand, etc–protection from both as well as a garment that covered ‘the bosom’. This is how it is translated by Yusuf Ali and there is no where in that translation of the Qu’ran that even mentions the word ‘hair’. So I go by this translation, and any hadith that mentions covering refers to doing so whilst praying (for both men and women). Don’t be angered at my response–everyone has their opinion and is entitled to it. I am tired of this hijab battle and because I design clothing and I am a Muslim woman who chooses not to wear hijab, I am scrutinized by the Muslim community no matter what I do. Therefore, I repeat, making fashion shows out of hijab is totally irritating to me–no offense, but it’s just my opinion!

Assalam o alaikum! Congratulations on the very first hijab contest. I think it was a wonderful idea! Al humdolilah for all of you who made it happen. This is what we need to do–create positives for ourselves.

Hedi, This is the interpretation of Mirza Bashiruiddin Mahmood Ahmad on 24:32. He was the second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. His interpretation is based on the key Arabic words: “When they go out, women are to wear an outer and wrapping garment which should cover their heads and bosoms in such a manner that the garment should come down from the head to the bosom covering the whole body including the face. ” (p.1853)

The Arablic word means 3 things at once: “an outer or wrapping garment; a head covering; the garment with which a woman covers her head and bosom.” (The Holy Quran With English Translation and Commentary, Vol. 4, p.1853)

The Quran is for everyone. Therefore, while we can now afford matching coats and scarves which look dignified, this looser description allows women with less money to buy a chador or veil to cover themselves with.

Personally, I feel women can look beautiful and dignified at the same time. We are giving respect to the Holy Prophet when we follow his instructions. That, in turn, earns us blessings. But in the end, the choice is yours.

My dear sister,
all I want to ask you, is what translation of Qu’ran are you reading, because according to the most authenticated translation by Yusuf Ali, there is NO mention in the English translation that a woman must cover her HAIR. NONE WHATSOEVER. If millions of women have misinterpreted the Qu’ran than that is their issue. There are millions more out there who don’t wear it and are devout Muslims and are educated enough to know that modesty is well drawn out in the Qu’ran as it pertains to women AND men, and as far as I know, and as far as what I have read, scholars I have spoken to and so forth, it is not REQUIRED for a woman to cover her head and should keep her modesty in other ways including ‘covering her bosoms’/ I could go on about this for a decade because I have researched it up and down and if we are getting into linguistics about the ‘hijab’ and what it means in Quranic Arabic, then this whole topic needs to be started elsewhere….I already said that I have absolutley no issue with Muslim women who cover their head, I am Muslim and I chose not to, so you should respect me the same way I would respect you except you don’t because a lot of people like you, like to throw Hadiths at everyone, a lot of which are NOT authentic and still push the notion that a Muslim woman is only truly Muslim if she wears a headscarf!! I am sick and tired of hearing this, that’s why I posted about this nonsensical fashion out of hijab thing, and I will say it again, it’s a totally pointless argument!