A major concern about Islam from the western world is that an Islamic woman is oppressed. Many westerners view the fabric on her head as a human rights violation, without really understanding the veil’s meaning. At East High school, I sometimes hear slurs about Muslim women supported by hurtful misconceptions; it makes me sad to hear such ignorance.
The first, and one of the largest, misconceptions about a women’s veil is that it is required. Islam the religion does not force a woman to cover herself, although the cultural traditions and the society she lives in might. I recognize that some authoritarian Islamic nations commit multiple human rights violations, but I would like to define how the doctrine of Islam differentiates from these societies. Veiled women today are associated with alienation or fundamentalism, and are looked upon with pity by “liberated women”. The veil in reality is a measure to maintain modesty and a symbol of devotion to Allah.
The Quran says:
"O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw upon them their over-garments. That is more appropriate so that they may be recognized and not molested." [Quran 33: 59]. Notice this verse says “recognized and not molested”.
The veil is worn to protect women from being considered sexual objects and to demand respect as the intelligent individuals they are.
Islamweb.com describes this well:
“Why does one need to show a semi-clad woman in a car's advertisement? Why do we not see a veiled woman? In the first case, because the advertisers are trying to sell the image of the woman with the car. Unconsciously, you buy the car wishing it will provide you with such a "babe." In the second case, the woman has refused to be treated as an object for trade and has worn the veil, a sign of dignity rather than humiliation.” (www.islamweb.net).
Last year my friend from the United Arab Emirates and I discussed her veil. She flicked her veil as if it were so insignificant and expressed to me that it was just a piece of fabric, not an oppressor. When she removed it and unleashed her beautiful dark curls, I better understood why the veil protected her from unwanted male attention.
Other misconceptions include that Muslim women can’t inherit property (they can), can’t keep their name (the practice of adopting the males last name actually came from England), and that the veil must be worn at all times (it is only worn in the presence of males outside of the family).
This week I had the privilege to speak with Imam Shuaib Din from the Utah Islamic Center about the significance of women in Islam. He explained to me that women are “highly respected and honored” because they have the ability to “fulfill the important role in society that makes life complete and whole”. He also explained to me that Islamic women are encouraged to get an education, but are privileged because they have the “right to refuse work”. By this he means that it is the man’s job is to provide for the family, but if I woman desires to also seek a career, she may, as long as it does not prevent her from fulfilling her duties within the family.
Islam is not the only religion to request women to wear veils either. For example, this quote from the bible states in is a disgrace for a woman to pray without her head covered.
“Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered disgraces his head. But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered disgraces her head” [1 Corinthians 11:14-15].
Mr. Din also explained that unlike Christianity, Islam does not blame Eve for tempting Adam with the forbidden fruit. In Islam, it is said that the devil caused both man and woman to sin.
Next time you see a veiled woman in the car next to you or checking out at the store, don’t pity of fear her. In my opinion, oppressive societies and governments abuse the Muslim woman, but the oppression is not justified through Islam as a religious philosophy. In Islam, women are “spiritually equal (to men) in the sight of god” (Imam Shuaib Din).
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