Unless you have been living under a rock, you'll know that there has been major talk about niqab. The Muslim Canadian Congress released a statement in response to the issue (which first surfaced in Egypt): http://www.muslimcanadiancongress.org/20091008.html
I have nothing intricately intelligent to say with regards to the niqab issue. I have nothing to say about the religious backing for niqab, or the opinions of Islamic scholars. Essentially, this issue has nothing to do with that. It's about intolerance and racism.
But I would like to say is this: men need to stop telling women what and what not to wear. The thing that angers me the most is the presumptuous positions that people and groups take on issues that they have no experience with.
If you're a man, you've never had to experience the racism that comes along with wearing hijab or niqab. If you're a man, you haven't made that choice to wear something that will forever change the perceptions of people about you. You haven't, so what right do you have to speak on the issue as if you own it?
As for women who are speaking out against niqab - what if you're next? What if your clothing and way of life comes under the scrutiny of the government, and you feel powerless and hurt and defensive? If a niqab-ban is put into place, what and who is going to be next? When your turn comes, no one will be left to fight for you.
So stop talking, or we might make you stop.
14 comments:
last week the khateeb (graduate student picked because of his accent + beard) went on for a bit about how the niqab is mandatory. there were nearly a hundred men but only 4 women in audience.
i did a double facepalm.
@ yaser...i know what u mean!
@ asmaa...ur final link is hilarious though!!! i still can't stop laughing...haha But yea...it's terrible some guy has to go through that.
I agree. And I have already complained about this a million times but if another Muslim man equates wearing hijab to having a beard, he deserves a slap and a kick in the groin. Beards are freaking trendy!!! THERE IS NO COMPARISON!
sorry, I know it was off topic, but I had to rant about it. Men should shut it is basically my point.
How can you even say that? Just because the person speaking about ISLAMIC LAW happens to be a man, you judge him? What state would the ummah be in if RasulAllah(pbuh) didn't speak to the Muslims about hygiene of women when they are menstruating? Did the women who were present when he (pbuh) was speaking say, "you don't know what you're talking about, you don't go through it"??? They didn't. These men that are apparently "telling you what and what not to wear" are merely trying to rectify the akhlaaq of the Muslim community. If their delivery is unwelcoming, forgive them and take their knowledge with an open mind, that's your job.
And another point, why is it so common nowadays for people (i'm not targeting you specifically) to say the statement, "I have no knowledge of the subject, I mean, i'm no scholar or anything" and then go ahead and speak their mind about the subject??? If you're publicy saying you don't know what you're talking about, DON'T TALK ABOUT IT!!!
May Allah guide us all. Ameen.
Anon, when I said "men" in my post I meant the likes of Tarek Fatah of the Muslim Canadian Congress who insists that niqab is an oppressive practice. I am allowed to discredit him, am I not? And pardon me if it bothers me more to hear him saying things like this, than to hear a woman saying bad things about the niqab. Both are wrong, both have very little knowledge, but one of them has no experience being a woman. Clearly I would be more offended if a man told me this.
I wasn't referring to scholars or prophet Muhammad (saw). How could you even bring that into your comment? Please read my writing carefully and fully before you make hurtful assumptions about what I'm trying to say.
Further, when I said I had no knowledge, I meant it - and thus I didn't go around making fatwas or imparting Islamic knowledge. It's simply my perspective as a woman.
So chill.
Anonymous,
Easy in her, my estimate is that she is between 20-25 years old, so she is still have/need more to learn about how to lay a good judgment about others.... mind you, she will marry a man one day.. and maybe look a like of how she was designed and how she is thinking, and then she will know and find out how men thinks.
My thoughts as follow,
A- I truly believe that the Niqab is more of a choice and not "A divine right" mind you Hejiab is for sure A divine obligation it is written in bold in the Holy Quran.
B- I have been told by a Saudi student i know for years now, that it is more of a pre-Islamic practice, also from other readings I have done, it seems to be a mainly a culture practice and many sisters attached to identify them as more religious practicing sisters from the not so or too much or more practicing sisters," The Hejabi sisters" I am not sure if this is a really measure to judge the women spirituality.
Imam Shafii once said
" The sincere one is the one who hide his/her Obediences or his/her worships acts as he/she hide his/her mistakes/sins"
3- Sisters who have normal head scarf or Hejabiee sisters already in troubles, and having difficulties walking around with the head scarf on their head. some of them can't bare the pressure of other people looks on her, my heart is really with these sisters, because i believe they are doing their best to obey Allah almighty, beside I have seen my mother and my sisters for years with the head scarf and they are among the best women in today's world.
I have more respect to them than a niqabi sister trying to confuse the rest of us and make it hard for hejabi sisters and the whole society like my mother and my sisters.
4- What is the message that the Niqabe sister(s) wants to tell the society by wearing the niqab??
what is the fruit behind it to the society??
5- Niqab doesn't serve the purpose in the North American or Europeans society, it brings more attentions, sadly to say?!!!
"I am allowed to discredit him, am I not?"
NO, you are not allowed to discredit anyone at all, it is not your job, or you are not qualify yet to do so.
"Both are wrong"
No, they are not wrong, and if they are, it is their right to be wrong, as your right to be wrong, as my right to be wrong...Please don't take this right from anyone again,
We all have the right to be wrong and it is okay.
My advice to you, if you think someone does something wrong in your eyes, just wait and tell him/her " I think you are wrong, but I am not sure"
even if you are sure, just say it in a way that he/she will get your message in a non-direct way. that is even way better than
" You wrong, and I know better than you"
Now, you chill, and remember you are a WO-MAN, Allah Almighty created MAN first and then the WO from the MAN.
Is that tells you something
Think about it.
8 Year Old, please click the final link in my post. That's my reply to you.
Thanks.
Fair enough. Forgive me as I know I came off sounding rude. That really was not my intention. I misinterpreted your post is all, you had no mention of who the men you were speaking of are so you can understand my understanding right? Khair inshaAllah.
May Allah guide us all. Ameen.
You such an artist,
But how you going to kick 6’7 in height male like me in his groin, groin-kicker??
Tell ya something, I will lie down on my back and spread my legs wide open to make it easy for to kick me in my groin, but I am afraid that you may hurt your Bigfoot.
You can't force a woman to take off her niqab. Period.
No matter what opinion you follow, or hadith you present, it's not up to some random man who self appointed himself into power to tell me to remove any article of clothing.
Is it that difficult for people to just mind their own business?
Alister, agreed =)
“No matter what opinion you follow, or hadith you present”
You got to be kidding, who you are trying to fool????
Alister,
What left for us Muslims without the Ahadithes of the prophet Mohamed and the four opinions of the four schools of thoughts?!!! Are you one of these uneducated Salafi who claims Islamic knowledge only by reading five books or may be six?? If you are, maybe that is something has to do with your foundation or your way of thinking, and I am not saying you are wrong as clearly I don’t know what you know, but as you know that in Islam the Ahaidths of the prophet Mohamed (PBUH) are important Islamic references and the opinions of the four schools of thoughts are crucial and without these two things, from where should we Muslims take our legislations and our knowledge???!!
Be real please. Stop these emotions thinking.
And who said anything about a man, a lot of hejabies sisters and women are against it as well, please do your home work.
One thing, the prophet himself in a very sound and correct hadith says:
“That a woman who reaches her menstrual cycle, only two things shows in her body, and he pointed to his hand and his face”
And that is the prophet Mohamed (PBUH) himself, now do you know any better than him??
I am afraid that one day you may come among the people who made it hard for other Muslims to practice or to understand their religion, what are you going to tell him when you stand before him??
“Is it that difficult for people to just mind their own business?”
Islam is my business too, not only yours, what makes you think that Islam is your business alone and not others business as well??
Alister.,
It seems that you also insecure or have an identity crisis. My apology if I was harsh on you, but you left me no choice but to lay down this lame judgment, and I truly hope I am wrong.
Asmaa,
Your reply is lame and so low; I cannot go to that low level, however if I had to go that low level, my reply to you would be
You ugly too, and you know it.
Sorry, truth hurts.
Clearly to me that you been challenged in your intellect, your thoughts and in your ways of thinking and it seems that you cannot/don’t want to accept it, too Bad.
So either you up for the challenge or raise your argument(s) in a polite and intellectual manners and respect the understanding of each other or else http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuNVFUExiCA
8 year old, you're entitled to your views.
You're right, I am ugly & I know it. Thanks for elucidating. I'm also a bad sport, so no more further comments.
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