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Hijab issue

20 March 2005, 18:00 PM
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By Shamim Rezwan, Dhaka
20 March 2005, 18:00 PM
. PHOTO: AFP
Mona Eltahawy, a New York based columnist, wrote an article in the international page of DS on March 8 regarding the current issue of Muslim women garments. The title was "Will a Muslim woman ever be more than what she wears?" The article endeavoured to examine the case of Sabina. The civil division of the court of appeal ruled that Sabina's school unlawfully excluded her, denied her right to mainfist & practise her religion. No doubt the verdict was a welcome one. As Bengali Muslims our joys multiplied over Sabina's triumph. Nevertheless, Mona expressed her resentment over the verdict. At the end of her article she confessed, "I wore the hijab for nine years from the age of 16 to 25 and don't feel my identity lies in a piece of cloth."

I just wonder, Mona, why you started at 16? If you had started at pre-puberty age and discarded later, one could easily perceive that it had been imposed upon and finally it took nine long years for you to realise that it's nothing more than a piece of cloth!? We know that the first injunction revealed in the Quran was 'ikra' means read and not worship. One really cannot stabilise in worship unless faith is internalised properly. If you really felt aversion to hijab then why did you start at 16 when a girl is free and mature enough to reason for her action?

You said that to this day Mulsim scholars issue various interpretations about Muslim dress. That is true but one must not seek easy, weak interpretations that suit his or her whims and desires. Moreover, all scholars are not reliable & authentic. So, it is imperative for all of us to know and learn from authentic scholars.

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You also mentioned that some Muslim scholars in America even told Muslim women that they didn't have to wear head scarf if they felt in danger from anti-Muslim attacks. That cannot be sound logic!

Recently, I came to learn a few stories of non-Muslim women practising veil because they feel dignified and secure with it. So, you see the wide spectrum of perception ranges from a piece of cloth to a badge of honour!