Essay: The benefits of Hijab

In recent years, women who wear the traditional Islamic veil or headscarf, or who, in a more general sense, observe “hijab”, have been displayed by western media as “oppressed” or “maltreated” by their religion and/or by their men. Those who maintain this misconception, this prejudice, have absolutely no ground to stand on; nevertheless, the belief is widespread throughout the western world, and has caused observant Muslim women much grief and distress. The truth is, the observation of hijab gives women more liberty and freedom of expression, unlike its nonobservance, (that is, dressing in a conspicuous, revealing fashion) which is not only disrespectful to society, but also demeaning to the woman.
The concept of hijab is nothing new; it had been put into practice long before the time of the prophet Muhammad: images of the Virgin Mary repeatedly depict her with a garment over the head. In fact, most pious women mentioned in the scriptures are represented so. And it is not only Muslims who practice it today: Christian nuns, as well as Orthodox Jewish women, all make use of some sort of a head covering.
But look closer, and you will notice that it is not just the head that is covered: such women wear loose clothing covering the majority of the body, excluding the face and hands. This manner of dress is often accompanied by faithful devotion and righteous values. Though the individual costumes may be different, they all stem from the same philosophy: to protect the woman from unwanted physical attention that would distract her from her goals, and so to allow her the highest possible degree of spiritual and mental growth. So if the custom is so widely spread, why is it that only Muslim women are being singled out as “oppressed”? The Qur’an indicates that hijab is to be worn to prevent women from encountering discomfort:
“O prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed…” (Qur’an 33:59) [1]
The truly oppressed women are those who have succumbed to western pop culture: those who, in having become obsessed with their physical image, are constantly attempting to impress those around them—and most importantly, men—by whatever means they can, including resorting to drastic measures to change the shape of their bodies. These women have no self-identity: they are all simply clones of a popularized generic form, one that is supposedly the most attractive to men, and that, by this virtue, will bring them the most success.
Interestingly enough, the western world, although economically and technologically advanced, has, in general, a very low degree of success in the fundamental arts of marriage and raising families. Half of all marriages in America end in divorce, and yet no one has attempted to get to the root of the problem. The problem is a lack of faithfulness on the part of both husband and wife. Adultery is normalized by the media, and flamboyant women make it all the more accessible. In other words, reckless dressing generates reckless behavior. A woman who dresses in tight-fitting or transparent garments that reveal the shape of her body is looking for trouble, and usually finds it. But this type of dress is encouraged and commended in western culture; so much so, in fact, that even otherwise conservative women have become engrossed in this image that unavoidably leads to destructive behavior.
The solution to this problem is that both men and women dress moderately and modestly, so as to decrease the possibility of ____ acts.
The Qur’an has recommended this in the following verse:
Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well aquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands… (Qur’an 24:30-31)[2]

Notice that the verse, as with all Qur’anic verses, addresses both women and men, and does not ____ one over the other. Despite this, Islam has systematically been accused of discriminating against women. Quite ironically, the biblic verses that promote the veiling of women describe these lasts as inferior beings:
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying having his head covered, dishonoreth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. (Corintians 11 [3-10])[3]


[1] Quoted in “Hijab”, by Mary C. Ali, www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/humanrelations/womeninislam/whatishijab.html

[2] Ibid.
[3] quoted from “Women, Islam, and Hijab”, by Kim Parker, http://www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/Veil.html