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What is a hijab?
A common
misconception is that the word hijab means "headscarf" but really the word
Ħijāb means 'dressing modestly' in
Arabic. Dressing modestly is a part of the Islam religion that is dictated
in the Qur'ran.
"And say
to the believing women that they should lower
their gaze and guard their modesty,. and 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..."
(Qur'an 24:30-31)
There is no official law for Muslims that
forces them to wear the hijab, it is more of a religious expectation.
In the Western world, people connect
the
term hijab with a square scarf which is folded diagonally to cover the hair,
ears and throat, but not the face. The actual word for a headscarf in Arabic
is 'khimar'.
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Article Response
All four of the articles are from
reputable
sources, including CNN and BBC
news. Most of the articles only show one side
of the issue, but they don't dispute the opposing argument either. The first two articles promote that the hijab is not oppressive to Muslim women.
Article #2 takes an interesting look into the everyday life of a Muslim
woman who is faithful to Islam. The purpose of the first two articles is to
share with the non-Muslim community the truth behind the hijab or headscarf.
The articles attempt to break the misconceptions of the hijab.
Articles #3 and #4 are related
to the issue of the banning of the hijab, specifically in France. In 2004,
the French government planned on banning the wearing of the hijab in public
schools, much to the protest of the French-Muslim community. These articles
take an unbiased view on the issue and presents
the facts of both sides,
which allows the reader to take a stance on whichever side of the issue they
feel most strongly for.
All of the articles are
tasteful and are not disrespectful to Muslims or non-Muslims. Each article
presents the same issue of oppression vs. dressing modestly, because it is
the biggest issue concerning the hijab.
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ARTICLES:
Article
#1: Hijab- Suppression or Liberation
Article #2: 'I want to open people's minds'
Article #3 - U.S. to defend Muslim girl wearing scarf in school
Article #4 - Muslims protest at headscarf ban
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Do you feel the hijab defiles women's rights?
2. Do you feel the hijab promotes decency or opression?
3. Do the benifits of the hijab outweigh the downfalls of it?
Personal Thoughts
We believe that it is a personal choice to dress what you feel comfortable
in. For Muslim women, they feel comfortable wearing the hijab because it
is part of their religion. Everyone has the freedom or right to practice
their own religion, and should therefore be allowed to practice all
aspects of that religion. For Muslim women, wearing the hijab is part of
the decree to dress modestly. By wearing the hijab, Muslim women are not
harming any other social groups or infringing upon anyone else's rights.
If as Christians we can say grace before dinner, as Hindus we can offer
pujas to Ganesh and as Jews we can light the menorah. All of the major
religions are embraced within our western culture, so why not Islam?
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