Thursday, August 24, 2006
In Response to a Bigmouth
I'm stepping out of "Just Thinkin'" for a moment and adopting more of a "Finding Islam" sort of stance. This is a response to something that the one person who has ever made a nasty comment on this blog has tried to say to me. I didn't go to his video link, as there is no need for me to see anything of the kind. I am under the impression that this commentator is trying to get me to believe that my husband would turn on me and beat me should I ever choose to remove my hijab. Poppycock!
"Commentator" should not make such judgments on my husband, since he does not know him at all.
I do not agree with beatings, but I am not such a simpleton to believe that beatings for such things do not happen. I have seen people beaten for various reasons in the Middle East by Muslim and non-Muslim alike, but more often, I have seen people beaten for NO reason in my own country. Take a look at the plight of the abused child. How many domestic abuse shelters are there in America for women who flee from their abusive husbands?
A woman that chooses to wear hijab does so with the knowledge that it is a lifelong commitment. It is not only a sign of respect for Allah/God, but it is also a way to protect a woman's self-respect and to keep men from ogling her in a DISrespectiful manner. I fail to see the difference between a Muslim woman who wears hijab and a Jewish woman who covers her hair when she's out. What about the Christian woman who covers her hair in church as a sign of respect to God...or nuns? So, if I cover my hair, but call myself a Muslim, I'm setting myself for a beating, is that what my commentator is trying to say? I know for a fact, that SHOULD I choose to take off my hijab in public, astaghfirAllah al Azeem, my husband would neither beat me nor divorce me. He would be upset with me, yes, but he would understand my reasoning, as it would be sound reasoning based upon my own personal safety, I am most certain. We have discussed this issue at length, he and I, and if my life were ever to be in danger (I live in hostile, Muslim-hating America), I might possibly remove it. However, I doubt that will ever happen.
Most Muslim women are very proud, as I am, to wear hijab, and wouldn't dream of removing it. Why should we conform to a society that preys on loose morals and scantily garbed females? Why should we subject ourselves to the leers of men who think that women were simply created for their sexual pleasure? Why should we give in to this simplistic, materially carnal way of thinking only to find ourselves in the end old, used, and out of the grace of God? I would rather do what I feel God wants me to do, with full knowledge of WHY I'm doing it, than to make God unhappy with me. After all, it isn't necessarily for my husband that I do it. If "commentator" knew Karim, he would know that I had to "fight" to WEAR the hijab, as Karim wasn't too keen on the idea in the first place. He is much happier about it now, and is quite pleased that I'm growing in my spirituality enough to wear it. However, in the beginning it was quite a different story.
I do not wish to cause a debate here, because this site was not set up for it, (and I have been known to enable comment moderation to keep myself sufficiently introverted as I am extremely sensitive to negative comments, obviously). I am simply stating why Muslim women CHOOSE to wear hijab. Yes, we are required to wear it, as MOST scholars will agree, according to Qur'an. However, many women do NOT believe that the Qur'an says that the hair itself must be covered. Others believe EVERYTHING should be covered. This is what the Qur'an says: "O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Al-Azhab 59. According to 1 Corinthians chapter 11, starting at verse 4 and continuing on, a woman is considered shameful if she prays without covering her head. (The argument that the "new testament supercedes the old testament law" does nothing here, as Cor. is in the new testament...AFTER Christ!)
I didn't read anything at all at "commentators" site, except to return a comment that his negativity is not welcome on my blog, as I'm not in the habit of going over to people's blogs that have nothing to do with me, unless it is something I agree with. Therefore, I do not know what "commentator's" religious preference, (or non-preference) is. However, isn't it strange that one can feel that this is a "free" country and yet not let other people be free to worship God the way they choose? (I don't want to hear the same ole "yeah, but, Islam is evil and violent", because ISLAM isn't evil and violent. Evil and violent PEOPLE are evil and violent...please see the t-shirt that says, "guns don't kill people, people kill people.")
"Commentator" should not make such judgments on my husband, since he does not know him at all.
I do not agree with beatings, but I am not such a simpleton to believe that beatings for such things do not happen. I have seen people beaten for various reasons in the Middle East by Muslim and non-Muslim alike, but more often, I have seen people beaten for NO reason in my own country. Take a look at the plight of the abused child. How many domestic abuse shelters are there in America for women who flee from their abusive husbands?
A woman that chooses to wear hijab does so with the knowledge that it is a lifelong commitment. It is not only a sign of respect for Allah/God, but it is also a way to protect a woman's self-respect and to keep men from ogling her in a DISrespectiful manner. I fail to see the difference between a Muslim woman who wears hijab and a Jewish woman who covers her hair when she's out. What about the Christian woman who covers her hair in church as a sign of respect to God...or nuns? So, if I cover my hair, but call myself a Muslim, I'm setting myself for a beating, is that what my commentator is trying to say? I know for a fact, that SHOULD I choose to take off my hijab in public, astaghfirAllah al Azeem, my husband would neither beat me nor divorce me. He would be upset with me, yes, but he would understand my reasoning, as it would be sound reasoning based upon my own personal safety, I am most certain. We have discussed this issue at length, he and I, and if my life were ever to be in danger (I live in hostile, Muslim-hating America), I might possibly remove it. However, I doubt that will ever happen.
Most Muslim women are very proud, as I am, to wear hijab, and wouldn't dream of removing it. Why should we conform to a society that preys on loose morals and scantily garbed females? Why should we subject ourselves to the leers of men who think that women were simply created for their sexual pleasure? Why should we give in to this simplistic, materially carnal way of thinking only to find ourselves in the end old, used, and out of the grace of God? I would rather do what I feel God wants me to do, with full knowledge of WHY I'm doing it, than to make God unhappy with me. After all, it isn't necessarily for my husband that I do it. If "commentator" knew Karim, he would know that I had to "fight" to WEAR the hijab, as Karim wasn't too keen on the idea in the first place. He is much happier about it now, and is quite pleased that I'm growing in my spirituality enough to wear it. However, in the beginning it was quite a different story.
I do not wish to cause a debate here, because this site was not set up for it, (and I have been known to enable comment moderation to keep myself sufficiently introverted as I am extremely sensitive to negative comments, obviously). I am simply stating why Muslim women CHOOSE to wear hijab. Yes, we are required to wear it, as MOST scholars will agree, according to Qur'an. However, many women do NOT believe that the Qur'an says that the hair itself must be covered. Others believe EVERYTHING should be covered. This is what the Qur'an says: "O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Al-Azhab 59. According to 1 Corinthians chapter 11, starting at verse 4 and continuing on, a woman is considered shameful if she prays without covering her head. (The argument that the "new testament supercedes the old testament law" does nothing here, as Cor. is in the new testament...AFTER Christ!)
I didn't read anything at all at "commentators" site, except to return a comment that his negativity is not welcome on my blog, as I'm not in the habit of going over to people's blogs that have nothing to do with me, unless it is something I agree with. Therefore, I do not know what "commentator's" religious preference, (or non-preference) is. However, isn't it strange that one can feel that this is a "free" country and yet not let other people be free to worship God the way they choose? (I don't want to hear the same ole "yeah, but, Islam is evil and violent", because ISLAM isn't evil and violent. Evil and violent PEOPLE are evil and violent...please see the t-shirt that says, "guns don't kill people, people kill people.")
