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Sep 19, 2008
Is Islamic Dress Demeaning to Women?
Muslim women who observe various forms of Islamic dress in the West frequently get asked about why they "have" to dress the way they do. Sometimes people are genuinely curious, and other times they're a bit confrontational. Take as example the following comment left by someone who read What is Hijab?:
"I respect your belief but, as a woman, find this concept (and the Koran) demeaning to women. How dare we be told to 'cover up.' Do you ever wonder why the men don't?"
Although the woman feels strongly about this, she's made three wrong assumptions:
- Women are demeaned because Muslim men don't observe a dress code or guidelines for modesty.
- Dressing modestly and covering the hair are demeaning to women.
- The Qur'an is demeaning to women.
First, men do have guidelines for dress and modesty. Definition of Hijab for Muslim Men and Modesty (Haya) in Islam delve into that a little.
Second, I am not sure how a woman's protecting herself from lewd looks or dressing in a way which suggests that she is religious and has high morals is demeaning. Anything but!
Third, Allah (God ) is above giving demeaning directives in any of the revealed scriptures. Consider the fact that many Orthodox Jewish women -- and a growing number of Christian women -- wear long, loose clothing and cover their hair because they believe it is a religious obligation. Look at the depictions of the Virgin Mary and the habit of a nun.
So, why has God commanded women to dress modestly and not display themselves? In the Qur'an, God commands women to draw their outer garments around them because: "That is better that they will be recognized and not annoyed. And God is ever Forgiving, Gentle." (Surah al-Ahzab: 59)
"Recognized and not annoyed" -- that doesn't sound demeaning to me! God asks women to observe modest dress so they are identified as Muslim and protected from lustful looks and improper advances.
Sadly, many women in the West have come to base much of their worth on how appealing they are to the opposite sex. This has carried over to the Muslim world where many Muslim women who don't observe hijab actually dress quite provocatively -- even more so than their Western counterparts. Shorter hemlines and tighter, revealing clothes have become equated with progress and women's liberation. Women have closed their eyes to the fact that their breasts, hair, legs, figures, skin, faces -- and therefore women themselves -- are exploited.
Note that men's bodies are rarely exploited. It's almost always women. The reason is simple. Men take greater sexual pleasure in looking at women than the other way around. It makes sense, then, that God commands women to cover to a greater degree than men.
But, God has given us free will. If a woman feels comfortable or liberated by dressing less modestly in public than others, so be it. If her husband or father and brother don't mind that other men might look at her with sexual desire, there's not much point in arguing with them.
I will argue, however, that an Islamic dress code which encourages modesty and helps uphold a moral society is anything but demeaning.
Comments
Dec 8, 2008 2:18 PM
Lizz Shepherd :
All of it made perfect sense until this statement, "If her husband or
father and brother don't mind that other men might look at her with sexual
desire, there's not much point in arguing with them." What does their
husband or father have to do with it? Either the point is to protect women
and make sure others know that they have high morals, or it's simply to
give pride to male relatives. One is empowering to women and the other is
simply not.
Dec 10, 2008 1:43 PM
Christine Benlafquih :
Actually, male relatives have a lot to do with a woman's modesty. The
values of a father will naturally influence how he raises his daughter and
the clothing she wears. A husband with strong modesty would not want his
wife to be ogled by other men. A modest brother would be ashamed to have
his friends objectifying his sister. None of these men can impose modesty
on an adult woman, but they clearly might advise and be influential in her
choices.
Jan 11, 2009 12:31 AM
Guest :
Thank you for this article. As a non-muslim woman, I used to feel
uncomfortable at the sight of muslim women. This helps me understand the
reasoning and benefits of doing so, but could you explain why some Muslim
women cover their faces and others do not?
Jun 2, 2009 1:34 PM
Guest :
A lot is made of the assertion that by covering-up a woman protects herself
from lewd looks, etc. What onus is put on males to restrain themselves? Why
is it the woman who must cover her head and even face(which is an unnatural
practice) and drape herself from head to toe, in order to remove temptation
from the male? Why is there this obsession wih sex? Can males and females
not interact in any other way?
The writer's reference to
"husband or father and brother" is patronizing and sexist in the
extreme. Why on earth would an adult woman need her dress approved by a
male relative? The writer mentions free will, but then tempers it with
this reference -- it's not free will if the males in the family must
approve. Is there a hierarchy of "free wills" in Islam -- the
will of a male supercedes that of the female?
Jun 2, 2009 3:09 PM
Christine Benlafquih :
Another reader was also put off by the reference to male relatives. I've
addressed that in an earlier comment. I will add however that I never said
anything about the free will of a man superseding that of a woman. In
mentioning male relatives, I'm pointing out that it takes a unique man in
this day and age who cares enough to advise his wife or sister or daughter
about modesty. In a loving family relationship, a woman is apt to be
influenced by the men around her.
Which brings me round to the
other point in the recent reader's comment...should a woman have to cover
herself from head to toe in order to remove temptation from a man? Muslim
women first and foremost observes modest dress is because God has commanded
it and in His wisdom knows it's better for her. It's not rocket science
that men are wired to be stimulated visually. An observant Muslim man will
lower his gaze in the presence of women, but plenty of men enjoy seeing
whatever they can see. A Muslim woman is not helping such men to be
virtuous by a long shot, but they certainly are protecting themselves from
being reduced to eye candy.
Jun 9, 2009 10:46 AM
Guest :
And this purported aim of female veiling, to prevent oneself from being
reduced to "eye candy" also would apply to seven-year olds,
ninety-year olds?
As for observant Muslim males lowering their
eyes in the presence of a woman, how does that facilitate females and males
working together in hospitals, schools, offices, banks, etc.? How does that
work in heterosexual friendships? How would it work with a female pilot and
a male co-pilot? With a female police commander, and a male recruit?
There's a divide in thinking here: Muslim women seem to think of
themselves as female first, persons second. Christian and Jewish (aka
"Western") women see themselves first an foremost as persons,
then as female.
As for being "reduced to eye-candy" --
well, that fate isn't so bad as being stoned to death, or flogged for
adultery, or even chatting with a male(as happens regularly in Afghanistan,
Pakistan, Somalia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, etc.). These are not cultural
practices, since these countries are diverse in other ways -- the common
thread, and justification given for these cruelties, is Islam. Why is it
that societies which according to the writer here, reduce women to
eye-candy, don't impose these medieval, cruel punishments on women? Why is
it that Muslim societies which supposedly "respect" women, act so
cruelly towards them, but Western societies which supposedly
"exploit" women, treat them fairly and equally (or, at least,
attempt to do so) --- in other words, as persons?
Do those
countries I just mentioned exemplify the type of moral society the writer
is referring to?
Eye candy or doormat? Surely the choice is not
so stark as that. Can we not just be persons?
6 Comments
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