The Lived Experiences of Young Hijabis
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Background and Rationale
The Islamic head-covering known as hijab is one of the most prominent religious symbol in the world. A woman wearing a hijab connotes that the wearer is a Muslim. It has been defined as a sign of liberation or a constraint, obligation to God or submissiveness to men, equality or oppression, and freedom or objectification. The term hijab in Arabic literally means “a screen or curtain” is used in the Qur 'an to refer to a “partition” or “separation”. The Qur 'an tells the male believers (Muslims) to talk to the wives of the Prophet Muhammad behind a curtain. This curtain was the responsibility of the men and not the wives of Prophet Muhammad (www. Wikipedia.com). The practice of wearing a veil in seclusion of women comes from a pre-Islamic and non-Arab Middle Eastern and Mediterranean society tradition. Wearing a jihab is one of the requirements for Muslim women. Head-covering is a sign of purity and dignity. Among the Muslims, it is believed that it highlights the Muslim woman as a pure, chaste woman and sets her apart from the immoral behavior associated with women who dress immodestly. It is an expression of Muslim women’s faith. In Islam, women are appreciated for their knowledge, piety and contribution to society. A Muslim woman is assessed for her mind, and not just for the superficial physical traits. Muslim women dress in modest style to fulfill the obligation in the Quran that God instructed women to observe as part their faith in Islam (Hamdan, 2007). The hijab has generated confusion, misunderstanding, and misinformation with respect to Muslim woman who decide to wear the hijab (Hamdan, 2010). Some women’s groups believed that hijab is a form of oppression and a remnant of conservative ideals. In most countries, Muslim women experienced hostility and discrimination because they choose to cover their head with the traditional hijab. But contrary to what other people believed, Muslim
INTRODUCTION
Background and Rationale
The Islamic head-covering known as hijab is one of the most prominent religious symbol in the world. A woman wearing a hijab connotes that the wearer is a Muslim. It has been defined as a sign of liberation or a constraint, obligation to God or submissiveness to men, equality or oppression, and freedom or objectification. The term hijab in Arabic literally means “a screen or curtain” is used in the Qur 'an to refer to a “partition” or “separation”. The Qur 'an tells the male believers (Muslims) to talk to the wives of the Prophet Muhammad behind a curtain. This curtain was the responsibility of the men and not the wives of Prophet Muhammad (www. Wikipedia.com). The practice of wearing a veil in seclusion of women comes from a pre-Islamic and non-Arab Middle Eastern and Mediterranean society tradition. Wearing a jihab is one of the requirements for Muslim women. Head-covering is a sign of purity and dignity. Among the Muslims, it is believed that it highlights the Muslim woman as a pure, chaste woman and sets her apart from the immoral behavior associated with women who dress immodestly. It is an expression of Muslim women’s faith. In Islam, women are appreciated for their knowledge, piety and contribution to society. A Muslim woman is assessed for her mind, and not just for the superficial physical traits. Muslim women dress in modest style to fulfill the obligation in the Quran that God instructed women to observe as part their faith in Islam (Hamdan, 2007). The hijab has generated confusion, misunderstanding, and misinformation with respect to Muslim woman who decide to wear the hijab (Hamdan, 2010). Some women’s groups believed that hijab is a form of oppression and a remnant of conservative ideals. In most countries, Muslim women experienced hostility and discrimination because they choose to cover their head with the traditional hijab. But contrary to what other people believed, Muslim
References: Allison Jane Severson.2011. Social identity construction of Muslim women: A case study. Retrieved March 10, 2014 from https://www. lib.dr.iastate.edu. Aryanti, Tutin. 2009. Beyond the Hijab: Negotiating the Representations of Muslim Women in America. Retrieved March 10, 2014 from https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/.../Research%20Pro Functionalist Theory Hijab – Wikipedia – the free encyclopedia. Retrieved March 8, 2014 from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijab Labeling Theory. Sociology – About.com. Retrieved March 18, 2014 from sociology.about.com › .. Muslim Women’s Experience. Retrieved March 14, 2014 from i-epistemology.net/.../920_ajiss24-3-stripped%20-... Why Here, Why Now? Young Muslim Women Wearing Hijab. Retrieved March 12, 2014 from myweb.brooklyn.liu.edu/sfali/.../Ali--Hijab.pdf