The Hijab in Europe: What’s All the Fuss About?

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  1. My problem is not with the headscarf itself but its effect in interacting with non-muslim society. The powerstruggle you talk about is a theoretical thing for people who don´t wear the headscarf, but a daily reality – in all its subtleties – for women who do. The problem with wearing a headscarf in western society is that sometimes it reduces you to only that: (a woman with) a headscarf. Non-muslims who aren’t used to and/or don’t like it tend to see and treat you as such, and in reaction psychologically it is difficult to move beyond it. It makes it more difficult to let your personality shine through. In that sense it is objectifying (the exact opposite of what it is supposed to do…) the woman and not necessarily liberating. I understand the political side of the story is important, because yes, women should have the right to wear a headscarf. But I think we must think about the way the headscarf has impact on a womans develepmont as well, and how the headscarf, in the light of the western reality, can be in a woman’s benefit again instead of a hindrance.

  2. Salam alaykoum,

    Thank you for this nice debate, you pointed out the different issues that Hijab raises!! Especially it’s definition as an expression of our own sexuality!!
    Islam is a religion which protects the moral and spiritual values in a society where men and women are meant to work together. The hijab plays a significant role in protecting this moral. “Dine el Fitra” means that Islam suits the human nature; including its instinct and its intellect. In this respect, the hijab, as a religious prescription of protecting the woman’s body, curbs the natural human instinct that can emerge between a man and a woman, to allow the intellect to takeover and decreases the tension that a person can have in his relation with the opposite sex.
    .
    Rejecting the Hijab is caused by its misunderstanding; in fact, it’s hard to explain it to a society which depicts the body as a sign of freedom, it’s even hard to explain it to Muslims and non Muslims, who most of the times see it as a sign of submission to men.

    Our responsibility as Muslim women is to be able to explain it as we do for fasting during Ramadan and praying five times a day. In other words; to be able to explain the role of the hijab as a mean and a key factor in achieving our spiritual values and not to stop the religious prescription only.

    I hope it’s clear; it’s easy to explain …

    • Talking about hijab and its relationship with sexuality has no sense whatsoever without talking about the nature and behaviour of men. If men want us to wear headscarves they have to educate us about why this is necessary. And if women weasr a headscarf men should have respect for them. Not always the case. There is a limit to how much burden the women can take men have and should take their share of responsibility is well.

    • Maybe I wasn’t clear enough. We talk about what women must do to curb sexual desire while it’s men who are more sexually touched (hormones) and active. So what must they do?

    • That’s just a big misconception about western male female interaction. Western interaction is very much so sexually charged! Read western literature, observe men while in the presence of an attractive woman, talk to any mean who is not sexually interested in you (your brother…)and he will tell you how men look at women. The difference is westerners accept some sexual tension (sometimes leading to sexual action) where we muslims ideally would like it to be exclusively a marital thing.

    • Sorry, this was actually a respons to Rivens message. Would you be so kind to replace it, thank you.

    • Salaam. Love this article, every woman should read it! In love, women play a losing game: the awnser is in a collective effort of women who dare to say “NO!” If only we would know how to communicate this message to our daughters, we would give them the greatest gift! I have two daughters and worry for them, considering the state of morals in todays world. Women pay the price.

    • Men are tricky and deceitful and women should be aware. Honourable men (our “brothers”) have a very important role to play in education and protecting women. But first they have to drop the attitude towards women: many women make mistakes because they don’t undertand men and maybe are a bit naive.

  4. I have thought about this issue a fair few times. The Quran orders both men and women to dress modestly. What is modest? In Europe uncovered hair is not the sexual signal it is in other societies. Even bare forearms wouldnt raise an eyebrow. And yes, the hijab does single out the muslim woman as ‘other’ and makes her a target for the right wing haters (and the left wing types who try and ‘free’ the muslim woman)
    In an ideal world a muslim woman should be able to wear the scarf or not wear the scarf without judgement from those around her. Either other muslims, or non muslims. But this is not an ideal world
    So I’m on the fence here as a muslim woman who does wear the scarf except during certain scenarios when the scarf will detract from what I need to say (I am active politically)

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