Last Monday, there was an article by a sister called Jana Kossaibati on finding suitable clothes to go with hijab, complete with a picture feature on various items that the author thought fit the bill. Notice that we are talking about western clothes here; if she had just stuck to shalwar-kameez (oh, I forgot, not all Muslims are Pakistanis, but never mind), there would have been no story and nobody would have known and got upset as a result. Anyway, her article has been the inspiration for two hostile letters; one of them by one Dr Gloria Spicer last Tuesday (second one down), and the second by Kate Melville, appearing yesterday.
This is what Gloria Spicer had to say:
To avoid searches for clothes that “cover everything but the hands and face” which are “loose enough to hide” her body shape, perhaps Jana Kossaibati (G2, 30 March) should consider other approaches to the “sartorial challenges” of hijab-wearing? Questioning, challenging and rejecting dress codes based on irrational beliefs that require women’s bodies to be invisible, swathed in obliterating layers, would be a start.
What sticks out here is the phrase “questioning, challenging and rejecting”, as if that was some sort of natural progress. It’s a bit like the phrase “free inquiry”, which we all know is only ever used to mean inquiry which leads to the rejection of religion. The fact is that some of these women will have questioned them and not found them wanting, or else were convinced by the authority on which they came.
This is what Kate Melville had to say:
I’m baffled. Wearing hijab or niqab in temperate climates makes no sense - it’s far too hot and humid to be comfortable, restricts movement, activity, freedom and hearing. I am constantly amazed by hijab-wearing women’s limited capacity for hearing what’s going on around them, stepping out into traffic, apparently oblivious of other people. When I see young girls wearing hijab, never again to feel the wind in their hair, it makes me weep.
If wearing hijab is about the letter of the law, not its spirit, does she not question such rules? If the dress code is about the spirit of Islamic law, perhaps clothing and appearance generally ought to aim at being unattractive, with no room for “getting away” with wearing western clothing, make-up or anything that anyone - any man? - might find attractive. Isn’t wearing “style”, “on trend” or “beautiful” clothes a challenge to the rules? If, as her friend states, “When you’re wearing hijab all the attraction goes to the face,” is that deliberate? Or to be avoided?
One might think that compelling women to worry about issues for which there are obviously no coherent rules and no sensible rationale is one way for the Muslim patriarchy to make sure that women waste their time, remain ignorant and never quite focus for long enough on things that really matter.
I’ve been a van and small truck driver for years. I’ve never noticed a problem with women in hijab stepping out in front of me — in fact, when driving in areas where there are a lot of Muslims (e.g. Tooting, the nearest such area to where I live), they do so less frequently than others, in my experience. I must say I don’t often notice the wind in my hair, unless it’s cold. Then, I could probably use a head covering (although I actually almost never wear a hat). And “temperate”, when used of climate, actually means “often cold”, as it actually is here in the UK.
As for whether wearing attractive clothes is against the letter of the rules, some do in fact say it does, but this is clearly not Ms Kossaibati’s position; most Muslim women the world over don’t wear a black (or any other colour) abaya. Again, had she stuck to an abaya, there would have been no controversy, but even then, she would have needed something to wear under it, as women take off their abayas when they are at home, or somewhere there will only be women or close family. Wearing clothes that happen to be trendy is not against Islam in itself, of course. However, the notion of clothes which draw attention to a woman’s face, rather than any other part of her body, is not confined to religious Muslims by any means, and surely most women like men who are talking to them to look at their face, not their bust.
Hijab is certainly not a means of wasting women’s time — many, in fact, say it actually saves them time doing their hair in the morning. In parts of Africa, it is common for schoolgirls to have their hair cut short, which is required by some schools, to stop girls spending too much time in the morning on styling their hair, so a headscarf and a simple tie-back seems a less barbaric method of achieving the same thing.
Perhaps a Muslim woman should write a response to Melville’s letter, because explaining the practical benefits of hijab isn’t the easiest thing for a man to do, except to say that I’ve come across a lot of women saying there are benefits, even in niqaab, let alone the normal hijab. However, I’m shocked at the negative response to a cheerful article by a woman expressing a very moderate religious viewpoint about dressing in a graceful and feminine way; it is not as if she was disparaging about women who did not share her opinions. The hostility some of these people have for even the most moderate of religious expressions is nothing new, of course — they would like the public space to be completely free of it, not just government offices and schools but also the airwaves and media.
Possibly Related Posts:
- “Hijab gates” bring out the bigots
- Shelina Zahra takes on anti-hijabists
- Polygamy and sisters’ distress
- Former K-Towners who leave Islam
- Huge mabrouk to Khadija Bradley
I don’t have a dog in this fight as far as headscarves are concerned, as long as wearing them is voluntary - which basically precludes Sharia law, under which it would not be. Face veils are completely unacceptable - like masks they don’t belong here.
But there is another issue, which is that why is everyone so obsessed with women’s clothes? Thinking about the G20 summit, all the talk about the women was about their outfits. Are we living in the fifties all of a sudden?
As one who has actually worn the hijab, I have to say that it wastes, if you will, as much time as doing one’s hair - often more. I really wish men who don’t have to dress this way and never will would stop touting the benefits of hijab by telling us girls how much time we’ll save in prettyfiying ourselves, because it’s not true and you end up spending a lot more time making sure that you look absolutely professional, presentable, and perfect as an Official Representative of Islam (tm).
Salaam Alaikum,
I think the reason that no Muslimahs have responded is that we’re all fed up of hearing such remarks.
Ultimately, the letter writers and their ilk don’t respect Muslim women and don’t listen to what we have to say. The best tactic is to ignore them and carry on dressing as we wish.
Jana’s article does more to dispel myths and normalise hijab wearing then a slew of letters ever could.
P.S I especially love wearing hijab in cold weather. No more cold ears.
Hijabis actually spend a lot of time in front of mirror trying to adjust their hijab or making sure their hijab colour goes with their outfit, trying different styles. Pulling your hair back in a ponytail is practical and modest in my view, i am a hijabi. I do not know any benefits of a face mask unless you want to hide your identity. I am certain Kate Melville does not know or have spoken to hijabis.
I agree. From someone who wore the hijab for 16 years, there’s a lot more that goes into it. You can easily avoid wasting time prettifying yourself by not prettifying yourself: wearing any old thing and tying your hair back. But as a hijabi you have to make sure everything is modest and every bit of flesh is covered. The more items of clothing you wear, the more you have to clean, iron and colour match.
LOL @ the stepping out into traffic bit!
what an utter load of crap.
I am not of Asiatic or Arabic background, and all the females in my family never bother with the hijab except public gatherings such as in a mosque.
The hair is only a big deal if one’s culture of beauty is associated with the length of a woman’s hair. So, this hijab will not make sense to persons of African or European heritage.
Kate Melville’s comments are absurd polemic. They imply Muslim women who wear hijab are self-immolating half-wits. But what angers me more is the presumption that, yet again, Muslims (particularly Muslim women) are unable to speak for themselves without having their views re-interpreted by their far wiser Western cousins.