read the placards carried by demonstators protesting against Kosovo’s ban on headscarves in schools.
France’s ban on the niqab caused uproar throughout the Muslim world that felt Muslims were being targeted for whatever reasons. But when it comes to Muslim majority states like Turkey and Kosovo taking steps that go against religious freedom, we are happy being silent hypocrites.
While there was some talk about Turkey’s headscarf ban a few years back, I am surprised why I never heard of a year old ban on headscarves by Kosovo–Perhaps because our News channels are interested in giving us stupid Bollywood news instead of the world beyond the sub-continent.
From what I learnt after following the news on the recent protests against the ban, the secular state of Kosovo says the ban on wearing headscarves in pubic schools was placed following the ‘constitution’. While this is the official reason given to justify the ban, It is believed that the ban is actually an attempt to join the EU through the display of an inclination towards the ‘European Values’.
Whatever the case, the ban remains unjustified. I wonder what countries like Turkey and Kosovo are trying to prove by taking such steps when the European countries at large do not believe in such discrimination themselves. If there’s no problem with the headscarf in the UK –a world leader - how does it affect the pursuit of ‘European values’ in Turkey and Kosovo? Or is it that the definition of European values is different in countries that are desperately trying to get into the EU umbrella than how the rest of the Europe defines it. Pehaps when they say Europe, they mean France.
The underlying message of the discrimination – The scarf decides your future. It’s a choice between your religion and your education. If you want an education, go against God. If you want to obey God , forget about your basic right.
Unveiling the mind is definitely more important than unveiling the head in the name of ‘equality’ for it is the what is IN your head that makes you ‘modern’ and not what’s ON your head – something these MUSLIMS need to understand more than anyone else.
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Strange – I too was oblivious of the ban in Kosovo. *Sigh*. With Syria in the mix as well, they just seem to be falling like dominoes. I don’t know if it is about assimilation or mere acceptance. Maybe both. Either way, it is your second last para that identifies the essence of ‘subjugation’.
By the way, you might want to give this a read: ‘Turkey in the European Union? The ironies of history’ – Haldun Gulalp.
http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/seesox/opinionpieces/gulalp2005.pdf
I think Scarf is all right bur covering Face is against the basic human values and it degrades human Dignity. Islam never preached covering of face but some people have tried to make it an Islamic Culture which is actually not.
Usman,
Thank you for the comment and for the link. Will go through it InshaAllah.
Yaseen,
The issue is about Muslims curbing Islamic rights and about the hypocrisy of the Muslims who are silent on the issue. What do you think about that?
Let’s not get into discussing how Islamic the Niqab is. It’s a debatable issue even amongst the scholars.
An eye-opener really.
Just to comment from a another angle.Those who fear that this Hijab issue in the West will reach higher grounds,and might get a TOTAL BAN in all places,need not fear…..as long as our ‘ehle kitaab’NUNS keep donning it too! As for some Muslim countries’ sanctions on its wearing in schools/parliament etc…IT JUST COMPLIMENTS THE CONFUSED STATE OF THE UMMAH.
No one is stoping anyone from Scarf ,then y u wana continue it for discussion only sake?
I think you didn’t read the post before commenting- Ofcourse girls are being stopped from wearing hijab.
difficult times for the so called “moderate” Muslims .. if only they could come up with better education so women could shed the hijab on their own..
probably harsh for a 16 year old .. but I am in full support of really punishing parents forcing or coercing young children to develop habits about any religious action..
children don’t have freedoms that adults enjoy.. simply because they don’t understand what their actions imply.. but this lack of freedom should not be used to exploit them .. a Muslim is not born nor “sculpted” by parents .. every religious action must be backed up by solid spiritual reasons and experiences.. not habit inculcated since childhood.. a habit of hijab or prayer or fasting has absolutely no positive value to contribute in a person’s character .. Arabs are a classic case.. and we are experiencing the fruits of this stupid mentality every day.. and every Ramzan brings out the most bothersome “real” character traits of the “momineen” ..
That 16 year old says “Hijab is the most important thing in my life” !!! somebody should thrash her parents in public for reducing her life to a piece of cloth .. as for her.. she needs professional help to teach her to hold on and grow up before deciding what “life” is about ..
I think I just realized the subtle difference between a response ‘laden’ with ignorance and a response ‘dripping’ with ignorance. Well, Mr. Salman, just so you know, I’d rather ‘thrash’ a person who thinks he knows more than he actually does.
I feel like thrashing people who think whoever wears a Hijab is a backward idiot and is either ‘brainwashed’ or ‘forced’ to do so. And I pity those who think a person’s moderate attitude should be judged based on what he/she wears.
“every religious action must be backed up by solid spiritual reasons and experiences”
Right on Salman.
Others , Mr.Salman is NOT talking about not wearing hijab . His point is wear it ONLY if there is a “spiritual reason” behind it.
Not just as a ritual.
Do hijab or burqa or any piece of dress make you a better human being????
My Views:
Let them wear whatever they want to wear.
Mr. Salman is probably not aware of the spiritual experience one gains from following religious obligations. I’m sure he finds no reason in avoiding alcohol or pork etc. There must be no ‘spiritual’ reason for him to stay away from such things too. He’s not a woman and I assume neither are you. There are certain religious obligations and a woman who’s had a hijab experience will tell you about the ‘difference’.
Both of you have not had a life with or without a hijab (which by the way is not only about ‘headscarves’) to ‘experience’ the difference so I don’t get why do you get ‘judgemental’ about women who don hijab.
Islam is a way of life. It’s not restricted to prayers etc.
Thank you.
@Natasha: “a woman who’s had a hijab experience will tell you about the ‘difference’. ”
there is difference between “emotional” experiences and “spiritual” experiences.. every response that I have either heard or read about a women having the “hijab experience” was an emotional one.. thoroughly tied to the circumstances around her…
it either provides her with an “identity” (she didn’t have one before)..
or makes her feel “liberated” (from her own issues !) .. or makes her “proud” of wearing it .. or if not so specific, it makes her feel a “security” and “calmness” (which she did not experience without it, and has no idea that she could have !!).. or any of a number of different “feelings” that are reflective of her material life.. NOT spiritual .. nothing wrong about that.. we all take on behaviours that help us cope with our emotional issues..
obligations.. It is very easy to understand the “spiritual” experience one gains from following religious obligations.. again there is nothing “spiritual” .. its only emotional.. all those who follow the obligations laid down by their fire god.. or some tree they worship .. or even by some clay figure they bought in the market.. experience the same “spiritual” niceties .. just like the hijab-wearing women, all these followers will tell you about their experiences too ..
there are extremely few women, I can say I know one personally and another a public figure, who have absolutely no EMOTIONAL issues connected to the hijab they wear.. and they can prove it by remaining absolutely the same person, emotionally unaffected, even if they removed it ! and yes they have no issues removing it ..
ISSUES are the key to know.. if a woman freaks out on the issue of hijab.. there you got her :P ..
you are probably mixing emotional with spiritual experience.. spiritual experiences cannot be explained..
@Salman.’security’,'calmness’,'identity’,'feelings’….don’t these words have any iota of spirituality ? What exactly are you trying to define? If for you spirituality is that of Salman Ahmed and his band and all those addicts we see at shrines..then so it be for you.
@Salman.Is it a crime getting ‘emotional’?People cry for their departed loved ones due to emotions.Emotions give us requisite energy on certain desired occasions.I don’t see why you are trying to belittle ‘hijab’ by SUGGESTING that it has no place in “SPIRITUALISM’..what are you really trying to make a point about?Or are you trying to toe SALMAN AHMED’s line when he tried explaining his ‘spiritual’concept of Islam to the West by calling Islam,’sexy’. Islam is practical too..not just SPIRITUAL.
TOW not ‘toe’..sorry for the spelling(maybe my spirits got me too emotional while writing it:) )
Well titled!
Unfortunately, we are only ‘born Muslims’. How many of us ‘studied’ and ‘understood’ Islam?
Celebrating Eids, Participating in Salat-ul-Jumma, fasting and ‘verbal’ recitation of Quran (may be, just once a year); is all we know of Islam. Did we ever ponder what Quran says? Have we ever wondered how Prophet(PBUH) lived His life? Never! I am not saying we are not Muslim. Alhamdolillah, we all are BUT unfortunately, the Muslims who don’t know Islam.
So, as long as we don’t understand Islam; our religion, a way of life, a daily life guide; such kind of instances will keep repeating.
@ rehan:
I nowhere belittled hijab as an emotional aid to psychological issues a vulnerable woman faces … vulnerability subsides as long as she is wearing the hijab.
I just pointed to the fact that emotional issues should not be confused with spiritual experience..
the “feeling” of calmness.. security.. identity.. are all related to MATERIAL issues surrounding one’s life.. Also, just to generate the same feelings, they could even be induced using the same chemicals the brain releases to make you feel them. And if someone would remove those physically identifiable organs in the human body, every 1st year medical student knows about, that release those hormones causing those feelings.. no amount of hijab or coverings would help !!
Chemicals are not spiritual. They are material.
Yes we are humans.. and we are very vulnerable creatures. especially because of these hormones. We survive or die because of them. We achieve success or are ruined because of them. And we all use various means to cope with issues concerning them.
Will a soldier fight as efficiently in his khaki or black coloured uniform as in pink coloured pyjamas ?? Well the same is with the hijab. It has a positive effect, on EMOTIONS.
Spirituality has nothing to do with these tips and tricks. And Islam doesn’t forbid you from recognising the difference.
As for what then is spirituality.. if no Prophet, no saint could ever give a definition, how can I do that for you ? You are yourself claiming that Salman Ahmed tried to explain it, and failed..
I can only try to give u advice .. Try to give up all your knowledge, feelings, emotions, judgements and surrender to accept God’s claim that He is closer to your jugular vein.
@Salman.Well explained. But has God ever said of surrendering knowledge,feelings,etc..in a bid to get to closer to him..God infact has told man to PONDER n THINK.
@ rehan:
No, God has very very aptly stopped at the advice to ponder and think.
It is the result of pondering and thinking itself that one comes to the conclusion that the act of pondering and thinking is very limiting due to its confinement to the material world.
One can THINK of God being separate from the universe, by introducing to oneself the analogy of a craftsman, creating a piece of craft in front of him. But how can you “think” of the craftsman being inside the craft he produced ?? I, at least haven’t heard of anybody being able to successfully think of God being closer to every one of the billions of human beings’ jugular vein.
Our thinking capability is limited to the material world. We can think of God in a LIMITED way, like He’s looking at us, or instructing us, or listening to us, or we are bowing before him (as if he is in front of us). Now how can you “think” of God looking at all the billions of human beings at once ? You can’t, unless by an additional “human” analogy of your own, which I’m sure will only be absurd and cannot contain the infinity of God. And just as you are trying to do that, include the attribute of God where He says He is “samad” or bei-niyaaz (in urdu), which almost means He shouldn’t be looking at you ! At least I don’t know if anybody ever could think and ponder over God.
I hope that I have been able to explain that, for example, your “thinking” that God is looking at you can never be a “fact”. It is just an analogy, because WE “look” at things, we attribute that to God, for our own convenience. But looking is a material phenomenon. And God created “looking”, “thinking” and “pondering” and everything material. And He says He is closer to our jugular vein !!
So if God is asking us to think and ponder, He’s is definitely talking about the material universe, which incidentally includes the act of thinking itself.
Being aware of what all is material, helps clarifying what is spiritual. But of course no one can talk about it, except in ways that don’t make sense. Whenever someone talks about spirituality, it can never make sense, because only material stuff makes sense to us. What can be talked about is how one can understand our spirituality, not what spirituality is.
My comment about surrendering thinking, feelings, and all materially limited issues was about facilitating the intention of experiencing our spirituality, out of my understanding that what is material is not the spiritual.
On the same lines, we cannot even “understand” our spirituality. “understanding” is material, it could increase, decrease, forgotten, or even mistaken. We can talk about “getting there”, but we can’t point at what is “there” and cannot talk about what we experienced “there”. And of course there is no “there”, which itself I’ve used only by analogy.
Thinking about spirituality is impossible just like walking upside down on the ceiling. Limits inherent in everything material.
Anyway, I think we both have wrongly taken the discussion in some other way, that was not relevant to the post.
People should be taught how to be social before they are taught how to be religious. No religion was born pure. Other religions are popular because they adapted to modern times and do not engage in religious bullying. But, in Islam, it is exact opposite. Any attempt to question mindless religious practice will be immediately followed by fatwa and in some Islamic countries, a jail sentence.
Hijab and Burqa are symbols of male domination,(no matter how religiously anyone tries to defend it), which the civilised world does not need anymore.
Islam does not need ‘fatwas’ from those who have nothing to do with it.
Thank you.
Perhaps you should ask Islam not to become a fatwa-issuing Organisation. :D
@blognostic
Doesn’t the civilised world also not need the ‘hijab’NUNS?…Oh I forgot,maybe you too..the Civilsed world surely nowadays needs GAYS n LESBIANS… Pray Pakistan gets civilized too,hana??..haey!!..kitna mazza aey ga!!
Blognostic,
Fatwa is an ISLAMIC matter. May be you should stop poking your nose in our issues.