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Velica — The curious case of the niqab
Published: 2010-02-11 01:16:47 +0000 UTC; Views: 18305; Favourites: 101; Downloads: 871
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Description
All across Europe a strange phenomenon is occurring.Both the left and right wing strongly oppose the use of niqāb and the burqa by Muslim women. Months after the minaret ban in Switzerland commotion begun in France, UK, Germany and other European countries to ban the face enveloping garment.
However, and this is in my opinion the curious bit, the reasons behind this opposition are completely different between left and right wingers.
The right bases its argument on security and integration. This is, of course, a mask for the post-9/11 islamophobia and the result of a conservative bunch not liking to see people dressed differently. Maybe the next ban will be the Sikh turbans, then the tatoos, long hair and so on.
At the left the word of order is equality, female emancipation and fight against patriarchy.
From my description of things you can imagine I sit closer to the left than to the right. Yet, I can not agree with any sort of government-endorsed ban on clothing. I too disagree that women should cover themselves for fear of punishment, shame or any sort of oppressive force but it is up to them to initiate the struggle against it.
The western values of freedom, equality and emancipation should not be imposed to anyone. Instead these values should remain strong here amongst us and seduce other cultures to adopt them. If they want.
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Comments: 245
Where did you pluck those numbers from?
I have plenty of Muslim friends and acquaintances and none of them have professed the desire to chop my head off.
I suggest you travel more.
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WOW! You have so many Muslim friends that it's relevant when talking about 1.6 billion people. I'm impressed.
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I'm sure its a better representation of the Muslim world than your own.
Seriously, pack your bag and check the world. It's not that scary.
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And somehow I suspect that someone who is more worldly them myself would be a little more reluctant to make such an assertion. Suspect being the key word here. I won't pretend to know that I am more worldly then you. Because that is knowledge that I do not possess.
I will however disagree with "It's not that scary."
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I was scared about travelling to some places but once you get there this quickly vanishes.
Where do you live? Surely you can hop on a cheap flight to somewhere different and give it a taste.
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There is a very long list of countries I'm perfectly comfortable travelling to. It's just at that very moment that I was typing that comment I was randomly thinking about those Nigerian schoolgirls who got abducted by Al Qaeda, who also attempted to sell them. I have no idea what ended up happening to them. I wanted to ask my Nigerian roommate how it turned out but decided against bringing it up again because I knew it was bothering him despite not knowing any of the girls involved.
So I agree with you that there are a lot of nice countries and people and whatever. There is also a lot of the opposite. But if you stick to the tourist spots I think you should be OK
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Well, the Middle East and several places in Africa are, at the moment, dangerous not only for foreigners but for muslims as well. Because terrorist groups are killing peaceful muslims too, literally anyone who doesn't agree with them. Muslim or not. I wouldn't travel to those countries, not even for all the money in the world.
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GameOfTricks It’s a shame about what happened to Nigeria. It’s never been perfect but until recently it was mostly only dangerous in the context of safety hazards like traffic accidents and people getting trampled to death at sports games. I know that may not sound so great but it still beats getting blown up or shot or abducted by a psychotic cult.
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I think the Nigerian terrorist group is called Boko Haram.
It's no fun if you stick only to the tourist spots.
Where are you from?
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I swear the TV said it was Al Qaeda. But I'm completely aware that the press are unreliable. That's one of the things I like about the Internet. Until it came along the press always got the last word. Now it's much easier to call them out on stuff. Not that it seems to make much difference to them.
I grew up in the ultra remote Australian outback. That's not a fate I would wish on anyone by the way. I think if someone was to grow up in the fast paced dog eat dog city and then move to a remote location that could potentially be very refreshing and relaxing. However when you're a little kid and you are naturally looking for mental stimulation because your mind is developing you'll be lucky if you don't go insane. It's not a coincidence that most people in the outback are alcoholics.
My mother ended up teaching in Africa so I ended up getting to know that place very well. Your probably thinking you missed something. To keep it simple I'll just say my mother is not a normal person. Upon reflection I don't think I know normal people... For one thing I used to know a Muslim who was perfectly happy to eat pig products. I voiced my surprise when I saw him eating an Hawaiian pizza. I said "I don't think you are meant to eat that." He looked at me with confusion and asked "Why?" I said "Because it has pig on it." He shrugged and went back to eating. I also had a weird masochistic friend in primary school. I swear he was a complete masochist.. I think that's meant to be a bit young for that stuff.
I know I'm getting off subject but while I'm at it I've got a mention The Superman Guy. I have no idea what is name was. But when I was living in the city in Australia I had a neighbour who could often be seen walking around the city dressed as Superman, for no apparent reason. I always called him The Superman Guy. I sincerely believe he was mentally ill. So as amusing as it is there was definitely a dark side to it. Still it would always lighten up my day to see that guy walking down the street randomly dressed as Superman, for no apparent reason.
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Sounds like a treat your hometown!
I come from a small fishing town in southern Portugal so I'm no stranger to village characters. Your superman would fit very well where I come from.
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I think tatoos, long hair are not comparable to niqāb and what it brings
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you and I are in total accord on this
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It seems there are a lot of people on here that think they know what the life of a Muslim female. Only a Muslim female would know, not you.
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I wear Niqab and it's been an overall good experience. No, I'm not from the Middle East and I wasn't born into a practicing Muslim Family. And I don't have a husband, father, brother, uncle, mother, etc. who has influenced or forced me to wear Niqab. For me, Niqab is freedom because it's my choice. Sure most people don't understand it but do you understand the torturous act of piercing ears (mostly of young girls), it's a common practice among many people of all culutres, religions, etc. I don't understand why and I never did have earrings, but people do it so just let it and the Niqab be.
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In most cases when women are suppressed or oppressed, most are unable to stand up for themselves against the tyranny
This is not me saying Niqab is always a form of suppression or Tyranny, many women choose to wear it.
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And please do not compare us to toddlers, we are not mentally disabled, we have the capacity to see what is wrong with any situation, and if we make a choice you do not understant, that doesn't make us dumb damsells in distress.
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If you are not feeling oppressed and you enjoy living like that, if you chose to live like that and nobody forced you to, then you are not being oppressed. Oppression is when people force you to do what you don't want, or prevent you from doing what you want. A muslim woman can choose to wear the veil or not, and all she refrains from doing is by her own choice, her own will power. The freedom to choose is what makes this anything but oppression.
True freedom is choosing what to do with your life, even if the choice is considered "oppressive" by others.
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You're comparing women to toddlers? Who is oppressing women here? It's the person that claims women don't know what's good for them, " I DO!" That's what you're basically saying. It's insulting, I'm telling u from a women's point of you. F.Y.I. the niqab isn't part of islam at all, women volunteered to do it.
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For me, anyone who wants to wear a burqua should be allowed to do so - except when seeing face is necessary, banks, or offices, identity checks, you get the drift. I mean, if I for some reason decided I don't want to show any of my skin and started wearing long dresse, baggy shirts and caps, it wouldn't be much different from a burqua. I think what most people in the west disagree with are the penalities for not wearing a burqua and that women are thoretically 'forced' to wear them. That probably comes from media and titles like 'guy threw acid at girl, because she was not wearing a burqua'. How is that corresponding to reality, I don't know, for my knowledge about the islamic countries' culture is too small.
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Authour comments = win, specially last paragraph.
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I'm not muslim but I weared the veil for a day.
People didn't accept it, they called me a fool and two adult women searched to pull away it from me.
Worst day of my life...
Anyway great job, like all the rest of your gallery.
Hope you don't mind if I watch you.
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Nice work,really interesting.
I really think if women want to wear this,they should be able to do so,it's their religion and they should have that freedom.
I mean in some countries,EVERYONE is equal,but when it comes to Muslims,oh no,it's a different matter.I really can not understand why.
The ban really feels like we're still living in a century where superstitions rule.I mean there are much more important matters to handle than what women wear.
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I think the debate has slightly increased since France officially banned the veil two days ago. Europe can no longer wave the banner of freedom.
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For my way, it's just like the step when Chinese banned bound feet..
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I dont like niqab, simply because these people left Middle Eastern countries to get away from this shit.
Yet, I still see plenty of burqas and niqab, on campus. Cant let go of the ball and chain ....
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Not so, many Middle Eastern families leave the Middle East not to get away from being forced to wear the burqa or the hijab, but rather for the ability to be able to choose if whether they want to wear it or not, and in a lot of cases they choose to, and that's something that should be respected.
If we must respect a woman's right to wear scanty clothing that show her ass, shirts that are too small and her breasts practically fall out and the like, then we must by all means respect a woman's right to cover up her body.
It is not always a means to oppress but an expression of culture, religion and their right to do so.
Human Rights.
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Are you sure they left the Middle East (and many other parts of the world where the niqab is used) just to run away from that?
I moved out of my home country to Britain not to run away from any Portuguese tradition but to get a better job.
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Because Islamophobia is making people edgy and br00tal
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While I support equality and all that jazz I believe this will fail hard.
Do politics really think the muslim will throw away the burqa and niqab only because law say so? lol!
If they do, what if the man will beat woman when they get home? Or what if they just won't let them go out anymore?
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Thats an interesting point. If burqa ban becomes law everywhere, muslim women will be faced with a law vs culture dilema. It could end up really badly for women.
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I agree and you put it so succinctly too.
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*nod*
While freedom in sweden or any other Northwestern country might be one thing, it's another in the muslimic countries. I've always been the kind who believes in "ta seden dit man kommer" (Old swedish saying wich means "take the habit/custom to where you come"), like if I would go to one of these countries I wouldn't dress like I normally do since that would be disrespecting to their culture, but this also means that I think the burqa/niqab should be as nice as to stay out of schools/airports/workplaces/banks/other places where it's important to see the face of someone. I'm totally okay with Hijabs, khimars and al-amiras since these do not cover the face and I do also think these can be beautiful assecories, just like i think old ladies should have the right to wear kerchiefs.
But as I said, you have to respect a places customs and habits, then of course it's sad that quite a few of those who wear these pieces do it not because they choose to but because they won't get respected otherwise. Too bad.
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I'm strongly opposed to face garments like this from any culture, really. These one's just have the wonderful ability to cover up anyone from head-to-toe and easily hide the wearer's gender and identity. You could have anyone hiding beneath some of these things, and you'd never know and no one would question them because we've accepted it as a cultural difference.
Sorry, but if I have someone stealing from my store, I want to be able to describe them to the police with a little more information than "They were wearing a niqāb/burqa".
Feel free to wear whatever you want in private, but don't cover yourself like that in public.
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Have you had a lot of burqa wearing women stealing your store lately?
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You never know, man. Precautions, gotta love them.
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I feel bad for the woman. They are raised to feel they have no freedom and must do all the work. Only because men can be controlled by a womans body. They feel they must cover it up. I heard it is not even in the holy books that they must wear them. It was a cultural thing to stop sand hurting them in the desserts. Apparently those country's were quite the opposite and would have belly dancers and all. No worrys. I was watching a episode of wife swap. Where they swapped a muslim woman and a woman from liverpool. The liverpool woman was talking to the young muslim girls, and you could see they were not happy.
Living in England they see what life they could of had or could have. They weren't even allowed to go out. They said they wanted to marry for love and not because they're parents had arranged it. The muslim woman did all the work around the house. I hope they 2 muslim girls get what they want, it be unfair if they were forced into something they did not want. Its scaring when you hear of all these "honour " killings..
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Hey, you should talk to some muslim people here on DA.
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wrong. You're completely missing the point.
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mmm cause your comment was a very good argument and there was a real point in posting that
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I'm tired of constantly having to explain myself to people who don't understand.
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then why comment in the first place if you aren't going to put the effort in
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just to try to urge you to do some proper research before making a judgment. bye now.
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I did. I guess this is all a matter of opinion. But I've travelled all over the world and seen this for myself. This is my judgement.
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"traveling" doesn't mean "understanding".
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