The notorious HEAD SCARF!!! dun dun DUN!!!

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So, I'm sure everyone back home is wondering what Islamic "conservative dress" is all about, and I am wondering how to explain the hijab (one of multiple forms of female coverings) and wondering how to dispel the average stereotypes surrounding them (anyone knowing more than I is encouraged to comment)--disclaimer: I am, by no means, an expert on headscarves.....heck, I don't even know the names of them other than the hijab....I'm just gonna tell all ya folks what I've been seeing with my own two blue eyes.....and perhaps a little bit of a ranting post script about society, just for a little desert 😉 we'll see. (yes, everything must be about food....Katie, you've taught your young paduan fat kid well.....)


There are many different types (as in length and body parts covered) of headscarves whose names I have no idea in Arabic, and in English they are simply conglomerated into the notorious "headscarf" category (or misnomer: BURKA----big boo boo) that is usually equated with oppression and patriarchal societies (more on that later). Here in Cairo I have seen almost everything (I THINK!)--first there is the hijab which is what most of the younger women and girls wear. The hijab just covers the hair and neck (although sometimes the more fashionable women will have a little lock--perhaps even died bleach-blonde peeking out on their foreheads)---these come in all kinds of materials and colors from drab black/gray/brown to bright pinks with silver sparkles woven in--and almost always matching the outfit. The next most modest scarf covers the head and neck but is also draped over the shoulders almost to the elbows--most of these are more subtle in color than some of the hijabs, but not always. I would then say the next would be the same except the material would continue into the actual garment covering everything down to the ankles--I haven't seen any of these except in black. And finally, the most conservative I have seen is this last one plus the face veil that has a little connection to the head covering at the bridge of the nose....can anyone say Zorro?

So this is my thing with covering, (again feel free to comment if I'm off base, and I apologize for the small parenthetical tangents in advance):
So the Holy Prophet Mohammed (p.b.u.h = peace be upon him.....which is what Muslims say any time they make a reference to their prophet) had many wives (I don't know how many, but 4 officially I think...somebody help me out here) and as a testament to their faith they covered themselves (I don't believe it was forced upon them by any means). In present day I would say there is more or less 3 different reasons a female would cover herself (a reason which may also determine to what extent she covers herself): 1) as the prophet's wives did, as an admirable adherence and symbol of their faith and spirituality (that being said, while I do admire those Muslims who wear hijab's for this reason, I don't question the faith of those who chose NOT cover---it's like accusing a Christian who doesn't wear a cross a non-believer). 2) Because society dictates that women should cover and it is simply easier to make this sacrifice instead of fighting the unwritten rule. Now this rule has its own spectrum of sources and implications. For instance, on one hand it is a problem with the men (and the disapproving women that hiss) in the culture harassing any uncovered woman (including revealed ankles and a little shin, if you will) with cat calls and insults, making them want to simply hide under a hijab just in order to go about their day peacefully (I will rant about this later.....although this is already getting super long). But this slight annoyance is nothing compared to what Iraqi women are going through now that they have their western "democracy." According to an Iraqi girl whose blog (http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/) I've read for the last few years (thanks Brit)--and whose book I am currently circulating amongst friends, which was published containing the first year of her blog and the war (Nicole, do you still have it?), before the war women had the choice of wearing a scarf or veil (she herself, a computer programmer, rarely wore one), and those of her friends that did chose to wear it often opted for brightly colored fashionable styles. But now she, and even her Christian friends, rarely dare to venture out of the house, let alone with out a scarf--not because they will be emotionally harassed and slightly annoyed by petty hisses, but because they fear being kidnapped or killed by any of the radical mafia that are terrorizing the country (those whom we let in, gave power, and are now just sitting by and watching kill more and more Iraqi innocents......sorry if you all don't agree with my political opinions....I really don't want this to become a political blog...but you can't expect me to keep quiet ALL the time!). And finally 3) because those in power require it: ie) in Saudi Arabic where women must cover everything except their eyes--even if they are swimming in a resort pool (I'm only 99% sure that it's everything except the eyes.....anyone?) or when the Taliban controlled Afghanistan and forced women to wear those horrible suffocating Burkas. Note: I have never seen a BURKA, which is NOT a headscarf; instead, it is those big sheets with little pin holes at the face as the only source of air that kind of look like a child's Halloween ghost costume.....you all should see the movie "Osama" btw--it has nothing to do with Osama bin Laden, but it is a very powerful and heart-wrenching film about a young girl in Afghanistan under Taliban rule....just don't watch it alone in the middle of the night like I did because I almost went crazy.

Okay....so to my point: many people in the west view headscarves/veils as demeaning to women and a symbol of the oppressive macho Islamic culture, but we must take everything in context. When wearing a hijab is 100% the woman's choice it is purely a testament to her devotion and only religious: and I admire that. Of course there will never be a time when culture and law are completely separate from daily life and decisions; we have to realize they have different effects everywhere. For those that argue that men force/urge/whatever women to wear scarves for their "own protection" from the wandering eyes and lude behavior of men I say this: if the men are the problem then let THEM have consequences---in cultures around the world a man wouldn't dare make such rude remarks because it is both socially (being labeled a pig) and sometimes legally (sexual harassment) unacceptable behavior. Why aren't women allowed to go to soccer matches in Iran? Because they want to "protect" them from the lude language and raucous behavior of the males. I say culture should hold men responsible for growing up (and same for the women if it is argued that the reason is woman should not see the bare legs of men that are not their husbands). Why do women pray behind the men in mosques? Because the men don't want to be distracted by other thoughts while praying to Allah. I say it is a better test of their devotion if they can close their hearts off to the temptations of this world and concentrate only on Him.

Why is one sex put in chains when it is the other sex that needs to have a cultural attitude adjustment away from the adolescent?

Thanks for letting me rant.

😊

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Comments

[Katie]

Well done
I completely and utterly agree with you I hope many other people do too xx

[Jake Neilson]

mohammed etc (p.b.u.h.)
I'm not muslim, but i study arabic and so i interest myself in islam as a tangent, but mohammed's wives didn't initially wear the hijab, they only did so when, after a while of mohammed living in medina, mohammed accumulated enough believers to have people constantly coming in and out of his house. His house was the first mosque, and so as a public place, where him and his wives lived, he got kinda insecure about that. So between him and his wives they agreed that they would wear hijabs in public, as a sign of modesty. no other women wore them during the prophet's life. I thought he had like 6 wives (not counting his first with whom he was monogomous(sp?) until her death), but i may have forgotten.

[Looking for something]

thanks!
Awesome...thanks for clearing that up!