HIP Hijab

[jordanianprincess 0]

I'm not going to knock you for what you believe in anyway or try to convince you otherwise, but don't you think there are more important factors than that in being a good muslim?

Yes... but one of the pillars of Islam is prayer and I should do that correctly if I want it accepted.

I see, this interests me.

[Veiled Princess 1]

I see, this interests me.

Good

[melly 0]

Actually, if no one else post some info I'll try to find it, but I do believe it is required to cover your hair when making the 5 daily prayers, even if you don't cover at any other time. So if this is correct, prayer is considered invalid if your hair is showing.

[chri'stina 190]

.............

Sacred Clothing for Church

Food for thought....

I missed this earlier.

Cute story.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I wasn't implying that by posting the article you were trying to convince anyone to wear hijab. I asked about the effort extended only because of the the fact that pro-hijab articles (some linked here) are extremely abundant and so easy to find. In contrast, . . . well, there is almost nothing in contrast to that. The reality that this is a complex issue with competing views among the ummah and the scholars is cloaked in a campaign to make hijab a defining characteristic of Muslimness - for women only.

I don't think any of the articles are trying to convince anyone it's mandatory to wear it.

I do believe the media has reported on it a lot lately to try to help non-muslims understand why some muslim women wear it.

I wouldn't say there's nothing in contrast because I've seen many articles stating that it's not obligatory and some muslim countries have even banned wearing it... this goes back to my question... why are they trying to disrobe muslim women?

I also don't agree that hijab is only for women... maybe some do but not me. Men should hijab in their own way. I can't stand to see shaved men wearing tight pants and wife beater tank tops preaching about hijab brother, if you don't worry about your modesty don't concern yourself with mine

There are hundreds of articles by Muslims about how hijab is mandatory; very few in comparison that are not staunchly in favor of it, and those are mostly blogs, open forums, and personal opinion pieces. There has been a huge change in how hijab is promoted by Muslims as an Islamic icon, not only in the narrowing of viewpoints, but in emphasis, since about the mid-1970s, growing louder and stronger since the 1990s. No wonder the mainstream media is captivated by it, we've made it a huge deal ourselves.

Institutionally, it is treated as tho it is obligatory by most scholars, even tho the evidence for that is purely subjective and primarily grounded in tradition, not law. Strangely enough, classical fiqh is much less concerned about women's daily dress than it is about men's dress!

I'm not sure what you mean by why are "they" trying to disrobe Muslim women? To whom are your referring? If you mean secularists, they are latecomers to the debate that has been going on among ourselves. By making it such a priority, we've brought the attention of the world onto ourselves. The whole world thinks it has a say now.

I spent about 15 minutes googling "hijab", non-hijabi", "male hijab", and "hijab not mandatory", looking for what is the norm on well established Muslim internet sites, and these were some of the links that came up:

http://www.soundvision.com/Info/news/hijab/hjb.nonhijabi.asp

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satelli...d=1119503544114

http://www.islamicvoice.com/october.98/zakir.htm

http://www.islamonline.com/cgi-bin/news_se...?service_id=192

http://www.modernmuslima.com/hijabmen.htm

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satelli.../AskAboutIslamE

http://www.themuslimwoman.com/HerDress/WhatHijabIs.htm

http://islam.worldofislam.info/index.php?o...6&Itemid=44

http://www.islamfortoday.com/women.htm#Hijab

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/humanrelations...hatishijab.html

http://www.allaahuakbar.net/womens/virtues_of_hijab.htm

http://www.themodernreligion.com/women/hijab-fear.html

http://www.messageonline.org/2004febmarch/cover1_opt.pdf

http://www.mwlusa.org/publications/positionpapers/hijab.html

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satelli.../AskAboutIslamE

http://muttaqun.com/malehijab.html

I chose those representing themselves as moderate informational sites. I did not include blogs, secular news articles, open forums, apologist or alarmist sites, although it is in those arenas that there is much more varied opinion and debate regarding the subject. That reflects the struggle going on in the real world. On the informational sites, there was very little doubt that hijab is highly preferred if not obligatory.

Edited November 3, 2006 by szsz

[sarah and hicham 3]

I have a question about hijab.

What if someone starts wearing but they feel very uncomfortable and get lots of questions as to why she wears it etc... would it be bad to stop wearing it? Do you think it's bad for a woman to wear it selectively? I hope that makes sense.

[Veiled Princess 1]

I chose those representing themselves as moderate informational sites. I did not include blogs, secular news articles, open forums, apologist or alarmist sites, although it is in those arenas that there is much more varied opinion and debate regarding the subject. That reflects the struggle going on in the real world. On the informational sites, there was very little doubt that hijab is highly preferred if not obligatory.

That first article you linked to was very interesting. Thanks for posting it. I think it's horrible that women treat other women that way in our houses of prayer.

While it is my personal belief that the Quran and Sunnah do make hijab obligatory, there is really no need to be so rude to other sisters, especially in a place of prayer.

A good point that the article makes is that most sisters who don't wear it do believe it's obligatory but they just aren't ready yet and treating them like an insect in the masjid will not help them to prepare in anyway.

It's sad that the places of prayer have become a breeding ground for fitnah.... I have heard of this happening many times... in some of the "salafi" masjids I've heard about sisters being made to feel unwelcomed because they don't cover their faces or because they have another color in their wardobe besides black! This is horrible and should end. If you can't go to the masjid without bringing fitnah with you then perhaps at home by your bed really is the best place for you to pray

I guess there is a lot of info out there to encourage wearing hijab. I don't spend a lot of time googling hijab myself so I guess I never really noticed much.

I have seen quite a few articles making the claims that covering the head is not obligatory and maybe I'll google that and see what I come with. I prefer to spend my time learing about other things though.... I am convinced that it's obligatory to cover so this isn't really something I need to research further. Personally, I would have never started covering if I wasn't convinced of it and I didn't start covering until I was and then it wasn't easy but rather something that I worked my way into.

IRFI

Well that didn't take long

Muslims for Secular Democracy

And there's another.... so they are out there.

[Mrs. Forgetful 2]

Actually, if no one else post some info I'll try to find it, but I do believe it is required to cover your hair when making the 5 daily prayers, even if you don't cover at any other time. So if this is correct, prayer is considered invalid if your hair is showing.

Yes, I do not cover unless I am in the mosque or at home to pray. We wear the hijab during prayer and in the mosque to show respect for God. That's why we make wudu before we pray too.

[Veiled Princess 1]

Male Hijab articles

http://muttaqun.com/malehijab.html

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/6674/61371

http://www.modernmuslima.com/hijabmen.htmhttp://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_401_...n_and_women.htmhttp://www.iol.ie/~afifi/BICNews/Mag/mag4.htm

"They" = Muslim men trying to disrobe muslim women

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate...;entry_id=10052

http://www.prohijab.net/english/turkey-hijab-news.htm

[doodlebug 3]

I'm curious about one thing though... for those of you who don't believe we are supposed to wear hijab, do you wear it when you pray?

I'm not convinced that we're not supposed to wear it, I'm just not convinced that we are supposed to wear it...if that makes sense.

When at work I"m always wearing long sleeved shirts and either pants and socks or a long dress with tights so when it's time to pray I just go make wudu, close my door, put on the scarf that I keep here and lay out my prayer rug and pray.

When at home I have this prayer outfit that I love.

Edited November 3, 2006 by doodlebug

[Veiled Princess 1]

What convinces you that it's required to cover our hair for prayer? Is it in the Quran?

[doodlebug 3]

Ok but in your 5 daily prayers, does it matter if you veil or not?

It does to me. Others may not feel the same.

So you feel your prayers don't count or God doesn't hear your prayers unless you are veiled while you pray?

When I was a practicing Catholic I did veil while at church. I did this because as it was explained to me, it offends the angels when we do not veil because since Paul said to veil it is the least that we could do.

What I was told as a Muslim is the same thing pretty much. It's not so much out of duty as a Muslim to veil and make wudu before we pray our five prayers but it is also not to offend the angels.

To elaborate......when we pray we are talking directly to Allah, and because of this there are tons of angels coming down to listen and to rejoice in our prayer. Angels are so very pure and they KNOW already how magnificent Allah is so when they see a human praying and yet not doing what is requested, i.e. veiling, being clean, for God it makes them cringe..........it's almost as thought they're saying "if they only knew"...which is something repeated over and over in the Quran..."if they only knew". I tend to think that in my belief anyways when I do get to the time of judgement and I am presented with the sheer awe of Allah, I will look back on all of the things I did unintentionally that disrespected Allah and I too will cringe and I too will think of others and say "if they only knew".

That is just my take on it.

What convinces you that it's required to cover our hair for prayer? Is it in the Quran?

I've read so much in the past few months I honestly don't know where I learned it but somewhere in my travels I read what I stated above,....that when we pray we are talking directly to Allah and because of this the angels are there and so we cover so as not to offend them.

[ya falaha! 0]

Sarah,

I wore full higab for years..full meaning higab and jilbab/abaya. It got to a point after all that 9/11 nonsense that ppl started their staring and harassment that I felt uncomfortable wearing higab. At first I thought if I stopped wearing it I would burst into flames or something, lol. After awhile I got used to not wearing it all the time. Not wearing it didn't change the way I feel about Islam or how I practice it. I feel a piece of cloth on my head doesn't define me or my religion. I do wear it to perform prayers or if I'm going to an Islamic center or masgid.

Hope that helps.

I have a question about hijab.

What if someone starts wearing but they feel very uncomfortable and get lots of questions as to why she wears it etc... would it be bad to stop wearing it? Do you think it's bad for a woman to wear it selectively? I hope that makes sense.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

A good point that the article makes is that most sisters who don't wear it do believe it's obligatory but they just aren't ready yet and treating them like an insect in the masjid will not help them to prepare in anyway.

The "just aren't ready" argument that appears in many articles is a very condesending one. I see it often and note that when that is stated, there is usually an omission that there are women who simply do not believe hijab is required, not that they "just aren't ready". That gives the impression that most Muslimas do believe it's required, and aim to comply at some time. That may or may not be true, but it certainly is assumed. There is definitely a bent toward trying to convince people that it is mandatory.

I have seen quite a few articles making the claims that covering the head is not obligatory and maybe I'll google that and see what I come with.

I would appreciate seeing what you come up with that isn't from secular, apologist, alarmist, blogs or open forum sites.

IRFI

Well that didn't take long

Muslims for Secular Democracy

And there's another.... so they are out there.

These are both more secularist sites; IRFI is kind of a mixed bag. That's why I didn't include them in my list.

[Bosco 1]

A good point that the article makes is that most sisters who don't wear it do believe it's obligatory but they just aren't ready yet and treating them like an insect in the masjid will not help them to prepare in anyway.

The "just aren't ready" argument that appears in many articles is a very condesending one. I see it often and note that when that is stated, there is usually an omission that there are women who simply do not believe hijab is required, not that they "just aren't ready". That gives the impression that most Muslimas do believe it's required, and aim to comply at some time. That may or may not be true, but it certainly is assumed. There is definitely a bent toward trying to convince people that it is mandatory.

I also think some women feel that to fit in with their local Muslim community, they have to wear hijab. So for some it could be required for the community but not their belief it is required by God.