Comments on: Hijabi Or Not: Here’s What I Think

By: A.Rehman

A.Rehman — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:14:03 +0000

Bashing muslims for wearing hijab is a manifestation of the bigger issue of bashing islam in general. Sikhs is England are exempted from wearing a helmet on a mobike because they wear turban. In Canada they won the right to carrry the ceremonial sword ( a religious symbol) -even to schools- by the supreme court. Simply most of the west view muslims as terrorists and are picking on muslims for wearing hijab or growing a beard when they don’t find other issues to target. Can you imagine a bearded muslim being allowed to schools and colleges carrying a daggar or a sword?

By: UmAbbas

UmAbbas — Tue, 20 May 2008 13:19:07 +0000

about the right of choice what to wear and how to look and other choices which changes the life is possible to discuss on a new forum over here http://umabbas.net/forum/index.php … thanks and have a great day.

By: Tololy

Tololy — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 21:05:35 +0000

Thanks for the comments everyone.

The post is not exclusively about Americans, Jordanians, or any other specific
people. It is not spurred by my being in New
York right now. It is about anyone who in my opinion
has such low standards of people as to judge them by their hijab or the lack
thereof.

I can go on and on about how so many veiled women are very religious and how so
many of them are very unreligious, like myself. Some of us do not even think of
themselves as Muslim and you really would be surprised what they do in their
leisure time. We can argue for hours on their living double lives but that won’t lead us anywhere. Do not generalize.

The point is this and it is very focused: if a woman is forced to wear the veil
and you think you’re liberal and still judge her, then you really aren’t
helping at all. If she has chosen to wear it and you are not religious and
claim to be liberal, then accept her choice and move on. But do google the word
"liberal" anyway.

Whether or not the hijab is a political statement, a tool of patriarchal
control, or a religious requirement is not what I am concerned with here. I
just wanted to express my wish that people would be more tolerant on both ends
of the "hijabi-or-not" debate. Maybe I’m just too open-minded.

On a different note, I don’t eat dead pigs and I try my best to eat anything
else. And as for the "hide your shame" remark, I can only say that some people consider the quality of their audience before flashing. Just a thought.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 19:49:15 +0000

People will always have pre conceptions based on the appearance of people. The hope is that people are able to make a proper judgment of a person based on something less "shallow" as you say

I think it can be hard for people to see the hijab as just another piece of clothing because it represents something to the person wearing it. I think if someone judges someone unfairly because they are wearing a hijab then it tends to be from a lack of understanding

Good post

By: Craig

Craig — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 19:14:01 +0000

I think most people here in the US have decided that hijabs are a political statement, Tololy. And people make political statements for the express purpose of drawing a reaction. If I saw somebody wearinga Che Guevarra tee shirt, I wouldn’t confront them about it, but I wouldn’t interact with them any more than I had to, either. Why would I? I already know I won’t get alonmg with them. Same as others wouldn’t associate with somebody who was wearing a "I support the troops" tee shirt, right?

Everyone is free to wear what they want, but they are also free to react to what other people wear in whatever way they want. That’s the way it works.

If you really feel that hijab should be treated as religious dress and nothing more, you should (in my opinion) be more concerned with the women who wear it for other purposes and create a bad impression. I personally tried to be open minded the first time I worked with a woman in hijab, but as I got to know her I realized there was a lot more going on with her than religious beliefs. I doubt I’m the only one here who had that experience. I don’t think I’ve ever been anything but polite when I’ve met a woman in hijab, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to be sociable.

By: Devil's Mind

Devil's Mind — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 18:50:26 +0000

My words might hurt, but I will say them anyways. I believe any decent and self-respecting person should have nothing to hide! [Please don't take my words personally, its meant to be a general statement.]

I cannot embrace the idea of taking pride in what you refuse to show!! People hide their weaknesses and cover their shame… Thats what I know!

By: Hareega

Hareega — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:04:30 +0000

Here’s what I think:

1- No woman should be forced to wear hijab or take it off.

2- Hijab has been associated with political movements. With the rise of political Islam (and not the number of Muslims) the number of women who wear the veil increased. Even though quite a lot of women who wear hijab have nothing to do with politics even may have opinions completely opposite to those of political Islmaic movements the association between both has been consistent.

3- Most people who are very zealous about hijab are men and not women, for me it sounds like a way to control women.

By: Peter S

Peter S — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:44:34 +0000

"My opinion is that if we stop at the level of clothes, clothes people!, "

I reserve the right to judge those guys who go around beltless with their trousers have down and underwear showing.

By: Sam

Sam — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:57:35 +0000

The word Hijabi is Pakistani. The real Arabic word is Mohajabah.

Great article :)

By: Batir Wardam

Batir Wardam — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 11:55:15 +0000

Our problem is not the Hijab ON the head but the Hijab INSIDE the Brain. I have met a lot of smart and dynamic girls with hijab and countless shallow girls in modern fashion. It is always bad to judge people based on what they wear. I have never judged women based on hijab but I have always knew that I will never marry a girl with hijab since we will be different in our opinion regarding religious figures. On the other hand I have to admit that I do not feel comfortable with men with untrimmed beards which reflect salafi ideologies. There is no right or wrong here but only a set of preferences that should be respected.