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Saturday, November 02, 2024

Symbolic Hijab creates challenges while empowering many Muslim women

Over the years, I have been confronted with many questions about my religion. As a female Arab student, most of these questions have revolved around the role of women in Islam, especially the issue of the Hijab. 

 

 

 

The Hijab is a piece of cloth that is used by Muslim women around the world to cover their hair and necks. Many Americans see the Hijab as a symbol of submission and suppression.  

 

 

 

However, others who understand its true value associate the Hijab with freedom: freedom from prejudice and discrimination based on physical appearance and freedom from pressures of Western society to conform to certain appearances deemed as normal. Personally, I see it as freedom to be whoever I want, regardless of how I look. 

 

 

 

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It is ironic then that I don't wear the Hijab. Contrary to its goal of eliminating the view of women as sex objects, the Hijab is instead looked upon as demeaning and an indication of unintelligence. The American Muslim woman is confronted with hatred, anger, pity, hostility and suspiciousness by people who I can only describe as ignorant. 

 

 

 

I believe it is only a matter of time before your female Muslim friends adorn the Hijab and it is only then that you will understand what the Hijab means to the Muslim woman. 

 

 

 

Some of you will be frightened away, as though the person beneath that piece of cloth is not the same person you knew last week or last year. Others will stick around and will learn that covering your hair does mean you are a different person; it means you are stronger because you can hold your head up high when people in the streets stare at you, it means your willpower is unshakable because you are suddenly being shunned by the people you thought were your friends. It means you are more confident with who you are because you are forcing people to judge you based on your character and not on how shiny your hair is, or how pretty your eyes are. 

 

 

 

In an ideal world, none of us would wear a Hijab. In an ideal world, we would not be judged based on our appearances. Unfortunately, this is not an ideal world. This world is plagued by rape and sexual abuse; it is plagued with diseases such as anorexia and bulimia. It is also thick with prejudice and ignorance. There is nothing else to do but appeal to the minds of those who are capable of understanding, understand this: A woman who covers her hair wants something from you, she wants your respect. A woman who covers her hair needs something from you, she needs your respect. 

 

 

 

Manal Hamid is a junior majoring in genetics. She is a member of the Muslim Students Association.This is the fourth piece in a week-long series related to Islam Awareness Week by the MSA. The Web site of the MSA is http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~msa.

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