Hijab- A sign of oppression! By Halima Ahmed
Door: Sahro Ahmed
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Sahro Ahmed Koshin
13 December 2009 | Nederland, Leiden
Often times, I come across non- Muslims who vehemently despise the Hijab. For them, the Hijab symbolizes everything the modern women fought so hard to break away from – it is viewed as a sign of oppression for women of our times. Unfortunately, many Muslim women just get annoyed with these daunting questions of why do you let people oppress you, why do you cover your beauty, why do you let them do that to YOU and so on and so forth?
As Muslim women, I think it is high time we address these questions with more patience and understanding. I have realized that some of the concerns our sisters of other faiths have are nothing but genuine concern! They just fail to comprehend why you would cover your hair – and it is their right to know. As humans, we learn about other cultures and religions by asking – and no question is every a stupid question. Last year, I meet a Christian classmate who asked me “Halima, you obviously seem a smart person then why do you cover your hair? I was speechless for a minute. And, then asked her “Does the shorts you wear symbolize your intellectual ability?” To which, of course, she replied “No, clothes do not represent a person’s smartness or learn, but that thing on your head is just a tool for YOUR people to oppress you, dear.”
I told her how no one in my family oppressed me to wear the Hijab, and that I basically started wearing it after I came to America. I could say my answer really shocked her. Why would you cover in the land of the free? I told my classmate that my freedom is my Hijab and that it symbolizes me and helps me observe – that which my creator Allah Ta’aal has made obligatory on every believing woman. I showed her the verse from Surah Al-Nur verse 31 which clearly established the dress code for Muslim women:
“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; 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, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, or their brothers’ sons or their sisters’ sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss.” (Quran 24:31).
A few days later, I gave her a copy of a poem I wrote regarding the Hijab. She did not ask me anymore questions about the reason I wear the Hijab…but rather why didn’t so many other Muslim women wear it – if it was in the Qur’an…Her questions were no longer – why I wore it now, but rather why didn’t I wear it before? To which I just said, we are just humans and we are bound to make mistakes.
This poem is titled “For my sisters of other faiths” and is in no way meant to offend any Muslim sisters who do not wear the Hijab – if anything I hope it just serves as a reminder to all of us to turn to our creator and ask him for forgiveness. And, for non-Muslim sisters I hope it will serve as a direct way of knowing that the Hijab does not oppress us, nor does it take away our freedom, if anything I hope you will see my Hijab as a symbol of my freedom to practice my faith in my new adopted home – America.
“For my sisters of other faiths”
You see me as one, who is trapped in darkness,
One who is held back in time,
One who is subjected to the ruling of men,
One who is a follower of a faith that oppresses her,
One who is veiled,
One who is tortured and disrespected all under the acceptance of her religion.
You see me as the illiterate woman who cannot know
Right from wrong
Left from right
Darkness from light
Happiness from sorrow!
You think my sense of dressing as a sign of obedience to men, out of fear for men
but do you know my hijab symbolizes my sincerity to my faith?
My love for my creator
My respect for the Mothers of the believers
The respect for my body
My need to be independent
My desire to be recognized as a woman of intellect
Why did most of the respectable women in history cover?
Virgin Mary!
Mother Therese?
Play boy women seldom make history!
I am independent!
Islam is not a religion that traps or enslaves me but rather a religion that liberates me
makes others view me as a woman and respect me.
Indeed, the status of women in Islam can never ever be equal to that of the western perception
the first person who accepted Islam was a woman
and the first martyr of Islam was a woman!
The Prophet peace be upon him said “paradise lies under the feet of your mother”
How can you possibly say Islam oppresses me?
Tortures me?
Abuses me?
Don’t you see sister for interviews you wear clothes that reveal your body, in order to be selected.
You sell your dignity in order to please the men;
your self-esteem depends on the men who praise you, the more you show, the more you are showered with praises.
You are dependent on men!
You waste your soul and beauty,
You sell your dignity and respect,
You’re fooling yourself,
And you think I am slave to men?
If your definition of freedom is pleasing men and enslavement defines respecting oneself, then I chose the latter with pride!
Halima Ahmed
Email: halimaahmedd@gmail.com
Visit Halimo's blog
http://phenomenal20.blogspot.com/
As Muslim women, I think it is high time we address these questions with more patience and understanding. I have realized that some of the concerns our sisters of other faiths have are nothing but genuine concern! They just fail to comprehend why you would cover your hair – and it is their right to know. As humans, we learn about other cultures and religions by asking – and no question is every a stupid question. Last year, I meet a Christian classmate who asked me “Halima, you obviously seem a smart person then why do you cover your hair? I was speechless for a minute. And, then asked her “Does the shorts you wear symbolize your intellectual ability?” To which, of course, she replied “No, clothes do not represent a person’s smartness or learn, but that thing on your head is just a tool for YOUR people to oppress you, dear.”
I told her how no one in my family oppressed me to wear the Hijab, and that I basically started wearing it after I came to America. I could say my answer really shocked her. Why would you cover in the land of the free? I told my classmate that my freedom is my Hijab and that it symbolizes me and helps me observe – that which my creator Allah Ta’aal has made obligatory on every believing woman. I showed her the verse from Surah Al-Nur verse 31 which clearly established the dress code for Muslim women:
“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; 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, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, or their brothers’ sons or their sisters’ sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss.” (Quran 24:31).
A few days later, I gave her a copy of a poem I wrote regarding the Hijab. She did not ask me anymore questions about the reason I wear the Hijab…but rather why didn’t so many other Muslim women wear it – if it was in the Qur’an…Her questions were no longer – why I wore it now, but rather why didn’t I wear it before? To which I just said, we are just humans and we are bound to make mistakes.
This poem is titled “For my sisters of other faiths” and is in no way meant to offend any Muslim sisters who do not wear the Hijab – if anything I hope it just serves as a reminder to all of us to turn to our creator and ask him for forgiveness. And, for non-Muslim sisters I hope it will serve as a direct way of knowing that the Hijab does not oppress us, nor does it take away our freedom, if anything I hope you will see my Hijab as a symbol of my freedom to practice my faith in my new adopted home – America.
“For my sisters of other faiths”
You see me as one, who is trapped in darkness,
One who is held back in time,
One who is subjected to the ruling of men,
One who is a follower of a faith that oppresses her,
One who is veiled,
One who is tortured and disrespected all under the acceptance of her religion.
You see me as the illiterate woman who cannot know
Right from wrong
Left from right
Darkness from light
Happiness from sorrow!
You think my sense of dressing as a sign of obedience to men, out of fear for men
but do you know my hijab symbolizes my sincerity to my faith?
My love for my creator
My respect for the Mothers of the believers
The respect for my body
My need to be independent
My desire to be recognized as a woman of intellect
Why did most of the respectable women in history cover?
Virgin Mary!
Mother Therese?
Play boy women seldom make history!
I am independent!
Islam is not a religion that traps or enslaves me but rather a religion that liberates me
makes others view me as a woman and respect me.
Indeed, the status of women in Islam can never ever be equal to that of the western perception
the first person who accepted Islam was a woman
and the first martyr of Islam was a woman!
The Prophet peace be upon him said “paradise lies under the feet of your mother”
How can you possibly say Islam oppresses me?
Tortures me?
Abuses me?
Don’t you see sister for interviews you wear clothes that reveal your body, in order to be selected.
You sell your dignity in order to please the men;
your self-esteem depends on the men who praise you, the more you show, the more you are showered with praises.
You are dependent on men!
You waste your soul and beauty,
You sell your dignity and respect,
You’re fooling yourself,
And you think I am slave to men?
If your definition of freedom is pleasing men and enslavement defines respecting oneself, then I chose the latter with pride!
Halima Ahmed
Email: halimaahmedd@gmail.com
Visit Halimo's blog
http://phenomenal20.blogspot.com/
-
13 December 2009 - 22:25
Sahro Ahmed Koshin :
I came across this thought provoking and at the same time enlightening article on the hijaab and thought i would share it with those of you who might be interested in it.
Sahro -
13 December 2009 - 22:50
Hussein:
`Play boy women seldom make history!`
I liked that part. This girl has put on paper what we wanted to hear for so long. Too long.
So long, H.A.H
-
13 December 2009 - 23:02
Proud Hijaabi:
i choose the latter with many pride as well. Thank you Xalimo.
nonmuslims must understand how i feel
aziza
-
13 December 2009 - 23:18
Modelaan :
Hi Sahro,
Nice to hear from u really! Are u back in Leiden? Let me know please! Wonderful things from u always. Goed inspirerende persoon!
Aloys
-
14 December 2009 - 16:05
Abdurashid Ali :
Hello Sahra,
Good reading, however, I do not agree with the writer where she stated " it is their right to know." The writer could say "It is understandable the others to be curious, why you guys cover your hair and body".
Just for a quick comments.
Thought for now.
A- -
06 April 2010 - 13:40
Mohamed:
SO what soution does she put forward??? -
04 Juni 2010 - 09:47
Klaas Kerkstra:
ik ben homo -
04 Juni 2010 - 09:48
Feiko:
feiko is een rotzak
-
04 Juni 2010 - 09:49
Klaas Huizenga:
En hij doogt niet en zit anderen uit te schelden. -
04 Juni 2010 - 09:50
Feiko Heikamp:
Ik ben een lul en Klaas niet.
Reageer op dit reisverslag
Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
