I will always respect your right to wear a niqab or whatever else you chose to wear but i say openly that i do not agree with it.
I feel a growing uneasiness at the increased number of young muslim women opting to wear a niqab or the full burka in Britain today. What is the need for it? Why do you make this decision? I asked a few girls around my university on their opinions about this and recieved quite a positive response.
One muslim girl stated that by wearing the niqab these girls acheive a “superior connection to Allah and achieve a higher level of piouty”. The first batch of girls were sure enough muslim but the second batch produced a surprising bag of results.
When asked how they felt about the growing number of muslim women in Britain wearing the niqab, several replied that they would feel “uncomfortable” approach such women as they saw the niqab as a sign of alienation. Sadly i have to agree with this view. Even as a fellow muslim myself, i would feel quite uncomfortable approaching these sisters.
I just don’t understand why modern muslim women, probably born and brought up in the UK feel the need to cover themselves to such an extent as to only show their eyes or not even at all in the case of the burka. In fact i find it quite an insult because as a British muslim feminist i find it a sign of self oppression. As a lot of british-born muslim girls fight against oppression born from predominantly patriachal societies influenced by Islam, for better rights and more modern attitudes, you niqabis take us a step back.
I grew up in quite a strict Bangladeshi-muslim family, where my mother has worn a hijab for most of my life. I was given the choice of whether i wanted to wear one, and i myself chose not to. I remember visiting two very different muslim nations; Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. In Bangladesh, the number of women that wear the niqab is definetly the very few minority whereas as in Saudi Arabia it seemed to be the majority. Whereas in Bangladesh, covering your head is optional in Saudi Arabia, it is compulsory. I came to the conclusion that wearing the niqab is more a cultural thing possibly influenced more by the wahabism predominant in Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries.
Despite this, i’d assumed that the niqabis i would meet would most likely to be middle eastern yet this was not the case, most of them were Bangladeshi or Pakistani. I’m still baffeled as to why. I grew up in a Bangladeshi culture and of all the “aunties” i met i only recall a few who wore the niqab yet see a growing number of their daughters adopting this form of dress.
It leads me to think that maybe the press aren’t wrong or overexaggerating, maybe there is increasing rise in Islamisn and convervative Islam. I almost feel sad to say this, but if the press are right, then i don’t want to be a part of it. Why is it that this generation of young muslims feel that their parents religious values were not enough, were not strict enough? Why do they feel they need to take it a step further. As far as i’m aware, more muslim scholars agree that wearing the niqab is not compulsory whereas waring the hijab is. So where is the need? Why does the hijab not suffice?
It is not just for symbolisms sake that i am against the niqab. I feel it has no place multi-cultural Britain in a practical sense. Especially in the case of niqabis who are studying at university and hope to pursue a career. Whehter you like it or not, niqab does scream out the word “alienation”. You are merely giving in to the negative stereotyping of muslims. How do you expect to get a decent job if you wont even show your face to your employer? It clearly sends out the message, “i do not want to integrate, i do not want to talk to you, i am stuck in the past”
The hijab on the contrary, i absolutely endorse. I think it is a liberating force which allows muslims to stay faithful to Islam but still alows you to be approachable and practical. It does not in anyway hinder communication or give off a sense of isolation. I can imagine and will probably be proven right in thinking that a woman wearing a hijab can have a perfectly succesful career with little obstacles. For women wearing the niqab, i’m afraid i cannot say the same….
Is Islam Fair? 