Women in Islam

Before I begin, I want to pose a question to the reader: How come a female Muslim (Muslimah) is labeled “oppressed” when she decently covers her head to toe in order to dedicate herself to God. Yet same cannot be attributed to a Christian nun who does same?

We live in a world today that questions the legitimacy of Islam, and for the matter the status of women in Islam. Unfortunately, many Muslims have subconsciously (or consciously) incorporated many cultural views and practices into the religion of Islam that limit the freedom and status of women in society. As a result of this ‘incorporation’, the status of Muslim women has been comprised in most societies, largely due to the influence of men who cannot accept women as capable, intelligent, and strong women. Accordingly, Western society and the media view Islam as ‘oppressive to women’ and unfortunately does not draw the distinction that: Islam in itself is fine; its just that some of the people (the Muslims) who practice Islam misrepresent the true spirit of Islam.

Islamic history has one of the most remarkable legacies of famous women in human history. During the Age of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) to the modern times a select number of prominent women in Islamic history were involved in a wide variety of areas from scholarship, mysticism, and poetry to social patronage, war, and politics.

One of example is Fatma, daughter of Abbas Shiha, named "The Lady of her times" by the historian Al-Makrizi, who described her as having great intellect and wisdom.

There are several tales of Khawlah bint al-Azwar al-Kindiyyah (The Black Knight), a high born Bedouin warrior woman and knight of Islam. Khawlah first came to prominence when, clad all in black armor, she charged a Byzantine army leading a unit of knights who broke the enemy line and rallied the Islamic army. Only afterward, when confronted by the general of the Islamic army did she reveal that she and her followers were all female. She had avoided the general out of modesty, as proper for a woman of her rank. Khawlah married Ali, the fourth Caliph, but did not live is his household, instead she lived and trained with her warriors. Khawlah was said to be “more ferocious than a rain cloud over Yemen.”

The above shows that the status of women in Islamic societies has never been uniform or monolithic but has shifted from place to place, from age to age, and from class to social class. The greatest disparity, however, has been between the norms of the Prophetic period and those of subsequent ages. Prophetic society lacked the rigid divisions of social space that became characteristic of many traditional Islamic societies, and, as a rule, Prophetic society was more open and less patriarchal, giving women greater freedom and allowing them a conspicuous role within the matrix of social and civic life.

Despite this rich history of women in Islam, many people (Muslims and non-Muslims) consider the greatest symbol of women's oppression and servitude the veil or the hijab. As such, the focus of this article will concentrate on the significance of the Muslim woman’s dress.

The Hijab

The word "hijab" comes from the Arabic word "hajaba" meaning to hide from view or conceal. In the present time, the context of hijab is the modest covering of a Muslim woman.

"So why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?" This question is one which is asked by Muslim and non-Muslim alike. For many women it is the truest test of being a Muslim. Islam did not invent the head cover. However, Islam did endorse it. The answer to the question is very simple - Muslim women observe HIJAB (covering the head and the body) because Allah has told them to do so. The Quran urges the believing men first and then the women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty and then urges the believing women to extend their head covers to cover the neck and the bosom:

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty......And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms...." (24:30,31).

The Quran is quite clear that the veil is essential for modesty, but why is modesty important? The Quran is still clear:

"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their bodies (when abroad) so that they should be known and not molested" (33:59).

This is the whole point, modesty is prescribed to protect women from molestation or simply, modesty is protection. Thus, the only purpose of the veil in Islam is protection. The Islamic veil, unlike the veil of the Christian tradition, is not a sign of man's authority over woman nor is it a sign of woman's subjection to man (Refer to I Corinthians 11:3-10 in The Holy Bibile). The Islamic veil, unlike the veil in the Jewish tradition, is not a sign of luxury and distinction of some noble married women. The Islamic veil is only a sign of modesty with the purpose of protecting women, all women. In fact, the Quran is so concerned with protecting women's bodies and women's reputation that a man who dares to falsely accuse a woman of unchastity will be severely punished:

"And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations)- Flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors" (24:4)

Islam has no fixed standard as to the style of dress or type of clothing that Muslims must wear. However, some requirements must be met. The first of these requirements is the parts of the body which must be covered.

"Ayesha (May Allah be please with her) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (May Allah be please with him) came to the Messenger of Allah (S) while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asmaa! When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face and hands." (Abu Dawood)

The second requirement is looseness. The clothing must be loose enough so as not to describe the shape of the woman's body. One desirable way to hide the shape of the body is to wear a cloak over other clothes. However, if the clothing is loose enough, an outer garment is not necessary.

Often forgotten is the fact that modern Western dress is a new invention. Looking at the clothing of women as recently as seventy years ago, we see clothing similar to hijab. These active and hard-working women of the West were not inhibited by their clothing which consisted of long, full dresses and various types of head covering. Muslim women who wear hijab do not find it impractical or interfering with their activities in all levels and walks of life.

Hijab is not merely a covering dress but more importantly, it is behavior, manners, speech and appearance in public. Dress is only one facet of the total being.

Hijab as a form of liberation

As Dr. Katherine Bullock (a Canadian convert and community activist) observes, “The point to covering is not that sexual attraction is bad, only that it should be expressed between a husband and wife inside the privacy of the home. A public space free of sexual tensions is seen as a more peaceful place for human beings, men and women, to interact, do business, and build a healthy civilization.”. Thus, a Muslim woman is liberated from the slavery of ‘physical perfection’.

Society makes women desire to become ‘perfect objects’. The multitudes of alluring fashion magazines and cosmetic surgeries show women’s enslavement to beauty. The entertainment industry pressures teens to believe that for clothes, less is better. When we wear Hijab, we vow to liberate ourselves from such desires and serve only God.

In addition, a Muslim woman is not judged by her hair and curves. In schools and professional environments, women are often judged by their looks or bodies—characteristics they neither chose nor created. Hijab forces society to judge women for their value as human beings, with intellect, principles, and feelings. A woman in Hijab sends a message, “Deal with my brain, not my body!”

Moreover, a Muslim woman is empowered and confident. In contrast to today’s teenage culture, where anorexia and suicide are on the rise, as women attempt to reach an unattainable ideal of beauty, Hijab frees a woman from the pressure to ‘fit in’. She does not have to worry about wearing the right kind of jeans or the right shade of eyeshadow. She can feel secure about her appearance because she cares to please only Allah.

Lastly, a Muslim woman feels the bond of unity. The hijab identifies us as Muslims and encourages other Muslim sisters to greet us with the salutation of peace, “Assalamu
Alaikum”. Hijab draws others to us and immerses us in good company.

In closing, as any Muslim will tell you, Islam does not condone the oppression of women. The decision to wear hijab is not made by the father, brother, nor the husband, but made between Allah and the woman. The mass media would have you believe other wise and so I ask, shall we remain intellectually stagnant and allow the media to tell us how to think?

Or will we use that organ we’ve worked thus far to foster and hence be critical enough to analyze information relayed to us, and in fact endeavor to research the media's target, Islam?

I remind myself as I shall remind you that our ability to think critically must go beyond the parameters of the Faculty of Medicine ultimately encompassing and dictating our daily lives. The evil of speculation, the cash cow of mass media, is that not only does it inhibit thoughtful reflection and well thought out decision making, but, more importantly, when creeping subtly into our diverse and intricate social realm it has the dangerous potential to destroy the very fabric of our great society.

Miss Ramullah Namisango Kasozi, M.B.Ch.B. IV – Makerere University

REFERENCES

Ali, Mary C. “THE QUESTION OF HIJAB: SUPPRESSION OR LIBERATION” The Institute of Islamic Information and Education (III&E)

Hijab: Fabric, Fad, or Faith?. Young Muslims Publications.

Woman’s Dress in Islam by Jamal Badawi

The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam by Yusuf Al-Qaradawi

Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil by Katherine Bullock

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