meggie
Hijab in the West: Is there a point?
It's a question I've started to ask myself lately. I used to be very firm and steadfast when it came to hijab but now I'm starting to have second thoughts. Maybe it's because of a conversation I had with someone (( For all you Hawaii muslims, you probably don't have any idea who this person is and I won't tell)).
I was walking with a new friend I met recently ((through a mutual friend)) and he clearly showed even a bit of fear of being seen with a hijabi. Don't get me wrong, he's a practicing muslim from a country where women are KNOWN for covering up but he made a pretty good point to me.
Somehow the topic changed to hijab and I said " Well you clearly don't seem to like it..." and then he says " Well... It's not that I don't like it. I think it's a good thing but you draw unnecessary attention to yourself."
Since hijab is meant to keep people from looking at you and to be modest I looked at him with a confused face and he elaborated. He said " Well you see... Hijab is meant so that you don't draw undue attention to yourself. It's not the norm here." he then pointed at a couple of women with relatively modest and normal clothing and said " That's the norm." and then looked at my hijab and said " That's not. So you're just defeating the purpose by wearing it."
Maybe it's just because he's new here and a male so he doesn't know that people in Hawaii generally handle hijab quite nicely and that I've gotten more compliments than insults... But It makes me question myself.
What do you think?
I'm trying to convince him that Hawaii isn't Kentucky and hijabis are treated pretty well and that I don't draw as much attention as perhaps... My sister (( who's a total scene kid with bright purple hair, a septum, madonna and monroe piercing and crazy make up and clothes)).
Assalam aleikum,
I got through a lot of arguments with myself about the hijab and its necessity, I agree with your friend to a point especially when it comes to niqab. I came to the conclusion that the hijab is more of an identification of "I AM A MUSLIM" than being modest. Lots of arab girls put on extreme makeup and not so modest clothing yet they have hijab/ head gear. But looking at her you know she is a muslim coz of her headgear, while others may dress quite modeslty without the scarf yet you cant tell if she is a muslim or not. I parallel the hijab to a muslim man's beard. The prophet says they should keep a beard to identify them as muslims, my concoius tells me hijab is the same thing. Though to dress modestly is a must, oh and to look good too.
brother wudu salaam
Have u noticed that the Hijaab ayaah in surah Al Ahzaab verse 59, Allah SWT also says " and the believeing women"??
And sis meggie,
Like that dude said Hijaab isn't the norm, not there in Hawaii nor in anywhere in the states or Canada. Did u know the prophet SAW said that there'd be a time in which muslims would be considered complete strangers( in the way they dress, act etc)? and those people are people of Jannah.
So yeah, I'd rather wear hijaab n be outta the norm and attain those blessings the prophet SAW mentioned.
1. Your friend is a foreigner, so he has no experience living in the West and speaks from the disproportionate perspective of a foreigner. When I set with my relatives (ie. foreginers) they have to lecture me on the beard and they start to say to me weird things and I'm like (where are these people coming from? don't they know canada is different than backhome?) So, this is what is happening to that guy.
2. "Hijab is meant so that you don't draw undue attention to yourself." Must be rephrased as "Hijab is meant so that you don't draw undue SEXUAL attention to yourself."
3. As jatumilugu said, beware of this guys because as you described him, he's definitely far away from being a good Muslim, so watch out.
I live in NZ....and in ALL of NZ there is only 40,000 muslims. I live in a city where when I walk down the road...I am the first muslimah that many people have seen in their lives face to face. This comes with shock...insults....weird stares...and many many questions of why I wear it.
I wear hijab and at times abaya (but buying muslimah clothes is like only online...cos there is NOT shops in NZ for muslimah clothes). People that know me can spot me a mile away cos I am the ONLY muslimah in the street and you will be walking around in the city center ALL day and not see another hijabi. At times you do feel the odd one out. But you can either use it in two ways....to do dawa in a nice friendly way (so people can see the real meaning of Islam) or let it effect your iman.
But just because it is not easy being a hijabi muslimah in NZ....I would NOT take my hijabi off to blend in. I would feel naked if I walked around without hijab....hijab is part of me now.
As Salaamu Alaikum
I must say what I find amusing is that NewWuduCity asked for proof about the hijab... it was provided and yet- ya still debating on it...
On that note... Allahu Alim ( Allah knows best) and He knows whats in the heart of his servants... MashAllah
Ma Salaama
Every female at the time wore hijab and I think it's reasonable. If it's not fard then it's EXTREMELY reccomended.
As for niqab (( which I think you're confusing for the head scarf)) then it's NOT fard and that's what the wives of the Prophet wore exclusively until other women saw it and decided to follow it. Though I do give mad props to anyone who choses to wear it outside of Saudi Arabia.
Very true Meggie and Biftu...
The wives of the prophet was order to veil themselve... BUT soon after the wives of the companion wore it and their was tribe whose women wore it...
Pre Islam only the wealthy women wore it...
I believe it's Sunnah and only fard to those who agree to wear it...
Only the prophet's wives wore niqab and I don't think that's mandatory.
But hijab was mandatory and everyone wore it.
