In a world obsessed with fashion and laying it all out there for everyone to see, there's bound to be feuding over issues like when is too much skin, tooooo much skin, and when is covering up, toooo much covering up?
As a New Zealander/ Egyptian I am living proof that not all veiled women are veiled out of oppression and ignorance. Many of us have read and studied our religion and have total faith in what we are doing and where we are going. I am also an example that not all veiled Egyptian women wear frightening neon colors, skin tight outfits and see-through shirts. Yes the list is quite long when it comes to fashion mishaps taking place in and outside of Egypt. There's no denying that many women misunderstand the concept of the veil, and what it takes to take on such responsibility. But that shouldn't mean that all veiled women should be put in one category, or that Islam for that matter should be in anyway responsible for how these women dress and behave.
Let me make myself clearer for those who need it. Let's say you walk into a pub and you see a girl wearing a teeny tiny fabric that's supposed to be labelled as a ' cock-tail dress,' and around her neck hangs a big, diamond studded cross. You see this girl look tipsy, she's dancing on top of tables, and I'm sure by now you're getting the picture I'm trying to depict here. Now when this happens which I assure you it does, I don't hear anyone blaming Christianity for it. I don't hear anyone saying oh look that's how ALL Christian girls behave, it's such a hypocritical religion.
So you see when you see a veiled girl walking down your street, or even hanging out in a pub, wearing skin tight clothes, don't get stereotypical and ignorant about it. Don't ignore the modest Muslim women, whether veiled or not, who you see at your work place, in the streets, and on T.V. There are many of us out there and just because some women aren't on the right track doesn't mean they get to mess it up for the rest of us who are trying so hard everyday to fulfill our duties and what we believe in.
Now I must be fair, just as I have addressed those who are quick to judge and those ignorant of any other's believes but their own, I must also address the women who are veiled but don't fall under the veiled category. Now you see I am not here to judge, nor am I here to make fun of anyone. I am simply here to state how I feel and share my knowledge of what I know and what I have read with you. Before I decided to wear the veil, I took a look around me and just like many people I only focussed on the women who gave a bad image to the veil and Islam itself. I saw the skinny jeans, they Carina tops, the mini skirts layered with leggings, it was a horror show I tell you. It was confusing for me when I read in the Qur'an that Muslim women should dress "MODESTLY". And that is the key word here, to be "Modest", to cover yourself up by wearing clothes that aren't tight/fitting and aren't transparent or provocative.
That concept is more important than covering your hair, I don't know why some people mix that up, how can that be so confusing? I mean in all cases you cover your head because a) you believe it's what God wants you to do and so automatically you should cover your body modestly because that TOO IS WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO. Surely God doesn't ask us to cover our hair, but reveal everything else. Or b) because you believe that it's a sign of modesty in which case it would make then only make sense to be also cover up and be MODEST.
Yes, now that being said I must say that everybody, every single person, should have the freedom to do what ever they want, wear whatever they please, be it a veil, a bikini, walk down the street in nothing but lingerie, or with a garbage bag for all I care. But what ever you do just make sure you're doing it for yourself. Do whatever you want but don't spoil it for the rest of us. I won't sit here like many people and preach to you that you have the right to do WHAT EVER I WANT. That's America's attitude, not mine. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't be part of a herd, we should allow those who want to wear the veil to wear it, and those who want to walk around in mini skirts and tank tops to do so.
I don't know why the veil issue is becoming a world wide problem. But I see that the more it becomes so the more that sheds light on Islam and that's always a good thing.
Peace.
a.s x
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