By the way, I was driving through a leafy suburb of London! I have nothing against any religion or representation of any religion - but I must admit - I do find seeing this quite scary. Not many things anymore make me stop and stare but ashamedly and admittedly this does.
I completely understand that dressing modestly is a very fundamental aspect of all religions, especially when you are very observant. I also understand that by covering yourself you are avoiding the unwanted attention and possible attraction of other men.
All religions have a code of dress of modesty and it is obviously dependent on how observant you are as to the lengths you go to to keep that modesty. But it does make you think...
In the Jewish religion, Orthodox married women cover their hair, either by wearing a scarf or a sheitel (wig). Some wear a scarf over a sheitel and others from very religious groups such as Satmar, shave their heads and wear a scarf. They also wear clothes which include long conservative skirts and tops with sleeves which have to cover at least to the elbow.
There can be an argument in wearing a sheitel as a form of covering your modesty and not appearing attractive to other men. Some of the sheitel's are beautiful wigs and if your natural hair is not that amazing, you actually can look a lot more attractive by donning a sheitel. Although by doing this, you are not revealing your natural beauty - you could actually attract a lot more attention. You can go from a stringy, mousy no bodied look to a full, thick head of hair in whatever shade you fancy that day! And to the extreme, by shaving your head, not only do you make yourself unattractive to other men but also to your husband?
Going back to the burqa though, I found it very interesting to read a story about a Jewish woman who lived in Beit Shemesh, an ultra-orthodox Jewish enclave west of Jerusalem. She had always dressed in the same way as the other woman, until one day she started wearing a dark cloth which she had secured across her face, not unlike the Muslim woman. One day, she was seen at the Western Wall praying, and other worshippers thought she was an Arab and were scared. Obviously thinking they were seeing a woman in a burqa on the wrong side of the wall!
Let us put men in itchy, uncomfortable wigs - although this also might help to hide that bald patch and make them more attractive! Jewish religious men wear couples at all times to show respect for God, but this really is not an uncomfortable thing to do. Let's cover the men head to toe and make them see the world through little eye slits! Would their attitude then change?
If a woman has to dress in order not to attract a man and a woman is the one who has to protect her modesty in order to keep admiring glances away, is this not being looked at the wrong way round? Is it not then the men who have a problem? Is it not the men who maybe should be wearing blinkers to keep them on the straight and narrow? Is it not the men who feel the woman have to be dressed in such a way so they will not be led astray? Is it not the men who make or interpret the rules for the women?
Do religious dress codes create more hatred towards certain groups because it makes them stand out so much?
Does the burqa sometimes inspire fear because you cannot see the person on the inside? Does the person inside cry out for self-expression? Is it God who demands the extremes or is it man?
2 comments:
Great post, Louise. Just to point out, those women are wearing niqabs, not burqas.
But you're right that it's men that has the problem, and the Qur'an actually has quite an enlightened view towards women and seeks to protect.
Coverings like the hijab, niqab, jilbab and burqa are mainly cultural garments. Women in Iran wear different coverings to those in Saudi Arabia, for example.
The Qur'an speaks of veiling only to distinguish Muslim women from non-Muslims and to protect their modesty (sura 33 verse 59), not to oppress them, but because it "so saves them from trouble".
Islamic coverings are only seen as something to be feared or some sort of uniform because we impose that judgement on them. Only a few sects from certain regions use the coverings to oppress women, for example the Taliban in Pakistan or the Wahabbis in Saudi Arabia. In Turkey, for exmaple, you can get coverings of so many patterns and colours you wouldn't believe me, and women wear them as a form of identity by choice to asser themselves as Muslims and as women.
Wearing coverings can be a sign of their femininity and a source of pride. It is far more common for women to be judged on their looks or their figure in the West than it is in the Islamic world (and they have some of the most beautiful women on earth).
So what's preferable? A British girl in London dressing like a prostitute with a nice figure but no class, or Muslim women who - assuming they are choosing to wear coverings - don't want to be judged as objects but engage with society as proud women?
Tzniut in Judaism isn't about power . It's not a power struggle.
When an attractive woman is presented to a man he can do one of a few things. He could stare and think.."cor blimey what I would do if only..."
He could also , as a religious person , struggle with this base side of his nature , aware that God's presence is important to him and would not want it to depart from him , and therefore look away , distract himself and think of his wife's face or Hashem's ( God's ) name etc.
A woman who thinks along spiritual , God aware lines , will be aware of the impact she has on the world around her and help to keep a man's mind and desires on higher things than " cor blimey what I would do if only !"
This is partnership . A man will be loyal in mind and action to both his wife and God , asisted by the modesty of God aware women .
While it IS in within the capabilities of a man to control himself and his gaze with hard work and spiritual refinement..we are not capable of being perfect all the time , a sensitveand spiritually minded woman of valour will understand this .
Burqas , however , are not required in Judasim . Nor are voluptuous wigs .The middle way is always the best way.
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