Turkish parliament should end hijab ban: Tawakkul Karman nobel laureate tawakkul karman

Nobel laureate Tawakkul Karman has said the rights of Muslim women who wear the hijab must be respected and Turkish women MPs should be allowed to wear the Islamic headscarf in the parliament building, Press TV reports.

The Yemeni activist made the remarks in the Turkish capital Ankara on Sunday in response to a question about the situation in the Turkish parliament, which bans women who wear the hijab, Turkish news websites reported.

“I think that women must participate in all political life fields and they should be in the institutions of the public life, even without speaking about her religion or (saying) if she is wearing hijab or not wearing hijab. It is freedom,”? Karman stated.
She went on to say that all women should be allowed to participate in political activities, regardless of their religious beliefs or manner of dress.
Karman, who shared the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, has played a key role in the campaigns for women's rights and democracy in Yemen.

www.presstv.com

Turkey rallies against hijab ban

More than a hundred thousand people in Turkey have staged a demonstration in the Turkish southeastern city of Diyarbakir in protest to the government’s Hijab ban.

Demonstrators called for the freedom to wear Islamic hijab, urging the government to guarantee this right in Turkey’s new Constitution.
Chanting slogans in support of the right to hijab, protesters demanded the ban on wearing hijab in governmental and educational centers to be lifted.

The rally was organized by a group of Turkish non-governmental organizations, Fars News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Despite electoral promises, Turkish government officials have not taken any practical measures to lift the ban on wearing Islamic hijab in country.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in power for seven years, has failed to lift the ban on hijab.

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Iranian girl attacked in UK over hijab

An Iranian Muslim girl has reportedly come under attack in Britain after refusing to remove her hijab amid a new wave of Islamophobia in Western countries.

The incident occurred on Wednesday when London resident Zahra Kazemi Saleh was attacked by four young British women as she was going home from school, Tabnak reported on Thursday.

The Iranian member of the Muslim Student Council was attacked in broad daylight by the girls who did not like Zahra’s refusal to take off her hijab.

Zahra sustained facial injuries in the encounter, which is not the first act of violence against a Muslim in Europe.

London’s Muslim Student Council condemned the attack, and blamed the British government for supporting the spread of Islamophobic opinions in the country.

The anti-hijab campaign in Europe is not limited to the UK, where Muslims account for three million of the country’s 60 million-strong population.

France has also put into effect a new ban on Islamic hijab, enforcing a fine worth EUR 150 (USD 216) on Muslim women who appear in public places wearing a burqa or niqab.

There is a similar ban in Belgium and lawmakers in the Netherlands are also working on a bill to forbid women from covering their faces in schools and government institutions.

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Bible Verses regarding Head Covering

Bible verses regarding head covering or Hijab. It clearly states that the woman needs to cover up her hair.

King James Bible CORINTHIANS 11:1-18


11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

11:3 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.

11:4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

11:5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

11:6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

11:7 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.

11:8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

11:9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

11:10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

11:11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

11:12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

11:13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

11:16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

11:17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse

11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

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Do Muslim women have to wear veils?

In the Qur’an women are admonished to cover their heads and to pull their coverings over their bosoms.
However the style and degree of veil varies according to the situation.
The veil affords women modesty, respect and dignity and protects herself from harm and the evils of society by covering her beauty.


In Chapter 33, verse 60 of the Holy Qur’an Allah says :

‘O Prophet! tell your wives and your daughters, and the women of the believers, that they should pull down upon them of their outer cloaks from their heads over their faces.
That is more likely that they may thus be recognised and not molested.
And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.’

In light of this instruction some women choose to cover their faces whereas others prefer to cover their heads only leaving their faces uncovered and bare of makeup – both of which are valid interpretations according to various schools of Islamic jurisprudence.
Some choose to adopt a compromise between the two by covering their faces when they apply make up.


The ‘veil’ can take many forms.

The Hijab generally refers to a head-covering which covers the head and the neck, leaving the face uncovered.
These head coverings come in many shapes and styles but the primary objective they all have is to cover the hair completely.

The Niqaab is generally understood as clothing that covers the face as well as the head, with the eyes showing, or with a netting over the eyes.

The burqa is a veil which covers the head, face and body of a woman from head to toe, allowing her to see from a gauze like material over the eye area.
This style of veiling is seen in the Middle East more so than in the West and is the way in which some Muslim women choose to cover themselves. (Some cultural traditions can influence the style of veil women prefer to adapt).

The covering of the head is not a concept that is unique to Islam, but is found in Biblical literature also.
The Bible taught the wearing of a veil long before Islam. In the Old Testament we read:
“When Re-bek'ah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
For she had said unto the servant 'What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us?'
And the servant had said 'It is my master' Therefore she took a vail and covered herself.” [Genesis: 24:64-65]


In the New Testament we read:

“But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth 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: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.”(1 Corinthians: 11: 5-6)

There is no law in Islam that punishes a woman for not wearing a veil and according to Islamic law a man has no jurisdiction in forcing a woman to wear a veil or hijab.
He can, if he has some authority over a woman (as a husband or father or brother) admonish, request, and in the case of a father to require it of his daughter, but absolutely no right in actively forcing a woman to adopt the hijab.
However women are strongly advised to veil themselves as appropriate to maintain their honour and dignity.

Perhaps the view that the veil inhibits freedom and equality is a reaction to the original Biblical edict where St. Paul teaches

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 man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man.
Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.’ (1 Corinthians, 11:7-10).

According to St. Paul the veil is a sign of man's authority over her.
It is possible that St. Paul’s pronouncements may have led many in the West to see the veil as a symbol of inferiority, subservience and degradation.
In contrast, the veil in Islam signifies modesty as well as serving as a means of protection.

www.en.rafed.net

Woman's Head Cover in Judaism

In the Jewish tradition when a Jewish woman[1]did go out in public, she always went out with a head covering which also covered the whole face, leaving one eye free.

Going out without a head covering was considered so shameful that it was grounds not only for divorce by the husband, but divorce without the obligation to pay the Ketubah[2]. “
These are they that are put away without their Ketubah... if she goes out with her head uncovered.”
In fact, Rabbi Meir is quoted as saying that it is a duty for a husband to divorce a woman who goes out without her head covered.

In the Book of Daniel (written after 160 B.C.E.) there is a clear evidence that it was customary for women to cover their heads and faces in public.

"Now Susanna was a woman of great beauty and delicate feeling. She was closely veiled, but those scoundrels ordered her to be unveiled so that they might feast their eyes on her beauty."

A Jewish woman in Palestine before and after the Common Era[3], and probably also later in Babylonia , then always appeared in public with their head and face largely covered.[4]

In connection with the previous resources the Talmud[5] relates the following:

"Kimhit, the mother of seven sons who successively held the office of high priest, was once asked by what merit of hers she was so blessed in her sons.
Because, she said: the beams of my home have never seen my hair.” (Yoma 47a)


FACE COVER IN JUDAISM (VEIL)

Veil, a cover for the face, or a disguise, from the earliest times has been a sign of chastity and decency in married women.
As the sign of chastity they had to cover their faces with veils in the presence of strangers.
The putting on of the veil marked the transition from girlhood to womanhood. Rebekah, the bride, covered herself with a veil on meeting Issac, the groom, (Gen.xxiv.65).
A widow did not wear a veil (Gen. xxxviii.19).

In modern times the bride is covered with a veil in her chamber in the presence of the groom, just before they are led under the canopy.
This remaining tradition, resembles the idea that as if the groom is the first whose eyes could celebrate seeing the bride's face and hair.!


Notes:

1. By woman here is meant a married woman.
However, since the usual marriage age for a girl was 13, the distinction is not terribly significant.

2. A marriage contract, containing among other things the settlement on the wife of a certain amount payable at her husband's death or on her being divorced.
‘The Jewish Encyclopedia'1909 prepared by more than 600 scholars and specialists.

3. The period coinciding with the Christian era.

4. Leonard Swidler, women in Judaism, 1976 p.p. 121-123

5. The collection of ancient Rabbinic writings consisting of the Mishnah and the Gemara, constituting the basis of religious authority in Orthodox Judaism.

www.islamic-laws.com

Christianity and Woman's Head Cover

"If a woman does not wear a veil, let her hair be cut; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then let her wear a veil."

"Judge for yourselves. Is it becoming for a woman to worship God without covering for her head?
Does not nature itself teach you that long hair is disgraceful for a man but glorious for a woman?
For her hair is granted her for a covering.
In case, however, anyone seems anxious to dispute the matter, we do not observe such a practice, neither do the churches of God."

www.islamic-laws.com

Hijab in Ancient Iran

By Mahboubeh Gandom Abaadi (A Seminary Graduate and Lecturer)

Iranian women had coverings in different eras such as Median, Achaemenid, Parthian and Samanid periods.
The existing evidences indicate that in ancient Iran hijab was common, among the Jews and probably in India, and even it was stricter than what Islamic rules have prescribed.
Commenting on Jewish people, Will Durant says:

If a woman violated the Jewish rules; for instance, she went out among people without head cover or if she span thread on public roads or if she had chat with different classes of the society, or if her voice was so loud that her neighbors could hear her when she was talking at her home, her husband was allowed to divorce her without paying her dower (marriage portion).[1]

In Zoroastrianism, women had a very high status and they could cheerfully and freely come to public places.
But after Darius, woman’s status declined especially among the rich classes of the society.
Poor women, however, kept their freedom since they had to work in the society.
For other women, the seclusion during menstruation, which was necessary for them gradually continued till it overshadowed their whole social life.
The upper-class women were not allowed to come to public places unless being carried in their litter; they were even not allowed to visit their fathers and brothers since after marriage they were regarded as namahram (non-related men).
Thus, considering the survived historical reliefs of ancient Iran, there is not any face or sights of women.


Notes:

[1] Durant, Will (2001) Heroes of History: A Brief History of Civilization from Ancient Times to the Dawn of the Modern Age.
New York: Simon and Schuster.
Translated into Persian by Abu-AlQasim Mazaheri, Franklin and Iqbal Publishing Center: Tehran, the fourth book, Era of Faith, the third part: The Era of Greatness.

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The Philosophical Reason of Hijab

Social commentators have often presented their reasons for the appearance of the modest dress centered around the idea that even in the first principles of nature, no covering or veil has been made to come between males and females.
They say that there is no instance in nature where a curtain or veil appears between the male and female sex or for the female sex to be set aside behind a curtain and to wear a covering.

It would appear that there are five reasons given for the appearance of the modest dress.
The philosophical reason centers on the tendency towards asceticism and struggling with pleasures in an effort to subdue the ego.
The main source for this thought is perhaps India where a barrier was created between men and women through the pursuance of asceticism because a woman is the highest form of lustful pleasure giving.
If men were to mix freely with women, according to this idea, a man would mainly pursue this and his society would remain underdeveloped in other areas.
Therefore, he had to struggle to conquer his own soul by denying it enjoyment of sexual pleasures.

Other things which, like women, cause lust to arise within the human being are also struggled against such as the resistance towards cleanliness or encouragment of messiness and filth.
Do not think that some people chose this because of carelessness on their part or because of recklessness or lack of concern.
It was rooted in a philosophy which confirmed and even extended it.
As Bertrand Russell mentions in his book, Marriage and Ethics, in the early stages of Christianity, this kind of thinking developed through St. Paul when celibacy was encouraged and moved a large number of people towards the wilderness to destroy satan. Then, he says that the Church even rose in opposition to taking a bath because the body leads to sin.
The Church applauded uncleanliness and a smelly body took on the smell of sanctity.
According to St. Paul, cleanliness of the body opposed cleanliness of the spirit and lice come to be considered as 'pearls of God'.

Then it occurred to me that having long hair among the faqirs who, as you know, practiced asceticism and remained celibate from women, was for this very reason.
They say that in the past, whether or not it is true, whoso ever shortened or cut the hair of the body, that person's sexual instincts were strengthened.
Thus, with this reasoning, long hair would lessen sexual desires.

This idea existed in the past and perhaps it is true that if a person were to cut or shorten or shave all the hair on one's body, one would increase one's sexual desires.
Then the Indians and the Sikhs who forbid the cutting of their hair could have been for this very reason because they were practicing asceticism.

Some have said that the reason why the modest dress was found in the world, in an absolute sense, was because the idea of asceticism appeared.
Then they ask why asceticism was found or began to develop among people.
They have mentioned two reasons for this.

First, because among the deprived class, there were people who carried on with women, had beloveds and then their beloveds were taken away from them, a kind of hatred for women suddenly developed in them, in particular, where women themselves conspired against them.
Thus, a hatred developed against women.
They essentially began to seek celibacy and asceticism and would propagate to the extent possible against women.
This they developed as a philosophy of the priests.

The second reason given for the appearance of desire for asceticism is the opposite of the first.
Persons who were very extreme in their sexual practices, an extent which even exceeded the limits of nature and persons who turned to drugs or stimulators or things so that they were continuously stimulated in one way or another, would suddenly turn away from sex.
It can be seen in human nature that sometimes when one does something to an extreme limit, one then turns completely away from it, even if it were something pleasurable.
If something is imposed, a revulsion towards it can develop.
At the end of their lives, they develop a hatred for sexual activity.
History more or less confirms this in the lives of sultans who had spent their lives in carnal pleasures and harems. At the end of their lives, because of the extremity of their behavior, a hatred for it developed within them.
They say it produced immense exhaustion within them and created a sense of antagonism and rivalry against women.

At any rate, they say that the modest dress and the barrier between men and women was caused by the appearance of the idea of seeking asceticism. The materialists who wanted to justify asceticism and ascetic practices said that it was for one of these two reasons.

As to these two reasons, we do not say that none of these existed in the world.
They could have been and these causes might have had these effects but Islam, as we will mention later, established the modest dress. It did not exist during the Age of Ignorance in Arabia.
We have to see whether or not these causes have been mentioned in Islam and have been given as proof or other reasons have been given for it.
Does this precept conform with other Islamic precepts?
Does the Islamic spirit of asceticism conform with the concept of asceticism which we have mentioned?
We will see that Islam has never presented this point of view and, as a matter of fact, Islam has struggled greatly against this view.
Even non-Muslims agree that Islam never promoted asceticism and ascetic practices.
The concept that began among Hindus and extended to Christianity did not exist in Islam.

It is clear that whatever Islam brought to the concept of the modest dress this reason was not one of them.
Islam has emphasized cleanliness.
Rather than considering lice to be God's pearls, it said, "Cleanliness stems from faith."
The Holy Prophet saw a person whose hair was disheveled, whose clothes were dirty and he presented a bad appearance.
He said, "Pleasure and taking advantage of God's blessings is part of religion.”

The Holy Prophet said, "The worst servants of God are those who are dirty." Imam Ali, peace be upon him, said, "God is beautiful and He loves beauty."
Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, said, "God is beautiful and He loves His creatures to embellish themselves and reflect their beauty.
The reverse is also true.
He considers poverty and pseudo-poverty to be enemies.
If God has given you a blessing, the effect of that blessing must be shown in your life.
” They asked him, "How should the blessing of God be shown?"
He said, "By the clothes of a person being clean, smelling good, whitening their house with stucco, sweeping in front of their house and lighting their lamps before sunset which will add to its splendor of their home."

In the oldest books we have available such as Kafi, which has been used for one thousand years, there is a section called bab alziyye wa tajammul.
Here Islam has strongly emphasized combing the hair, keeping it short, making use of perfumes and oiling one's hair.

In order to perform their worship better and in order to gain greater spiritual pleasures, a group of Companions of the Holy Prophet left their wives and children.
They fasted during the day and performed worship at night.
As soon as the Holy Prophet learned of this, he prevented them from continuing, saying, "I, who am your leader, do not do this. I fast on some days and on others, I do not.
I worship a part of the night and I spend other parts of it with my wives."
This group then asked the Prophet's permission to castrate themselves.
The Holy Prophet did not give his permission.
He said that this was forbidden in Islam.

One day three women went to the Prophet.
They complained about their husbands.
One said that her husband did not eat meat.
Another said that her husband shunned perfume.
The third said that her husband distanced himself from her.
The Prophet of God suddenly became angry, threw down his cloak, left his house and went to the mosque.
He went upon the minbar and cried out, "What should be done with a group of my friends who put meat, perfume and women aside?
I myself eat meat.
I smell perfume and I receive pleasure from my wives.
Whoever objects to my methods is not from among me.

The command was given to shorten the length of dress because the custom among the Arabs was to wear dresses which were so long that they swept the streets.
Because of cleanliness, one of the first verses revealed to the Holy Prophet was, "And thy garments, keep free from stain." (74:4)

Also, the encouragement to wear white clothes is, first of all, because of beauty and secondly, because of cleanliness.
White clothes show off dirt sooner.
This has been indicated in the traditions.
When the Holy Prophet wanted to meet his Companions, he would first look in a mirror, comb his hair, and check his appearance.
He said, "God loves His servants who when they are going to see their friends make themselves ready and look nice."
That is:
Wear white clothes because they are more beautiful and cleaner.

The Holy Quran says that the creation of means of embellishment are among the kindnesses that God shows His creatures and it severely criticizes those who deny themselves the beauties of this world.
The Holy Quran says, "Who has forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of God which He has produced for His servants and the things, clean and pure, (which He has provided) for sustenance?" (7:32)

Islamic traditions say that the pure Imams consistently debated with the Sufis and referring to this very verse of the Holy Quran, invalidated their deeds.

The legitimate pleasures which spouses receive from each other are considered to be blessings in Islam, among the Divine rewards.
It is perhaps difficult for foreigners to understand this concept and perhaps they reflect to themselves, "How strange that they call this filthy act, a blessing, a spiritual reward!" It is surprising for a Hindu or a Christian to realize how much spiritual reward there is in performing the ritual bath (ghusl) after sexual intercourse and washing away the sweat which has been created by this act.

Islam has placed many limitations on the issues but within the area that has been limited, not only does it not forbid it, but it encourages it and it has even presented the kindness and compassion of women as being among the qualities upheld by God's Prophets.

There is a tradition which says, "Within the nature of the Prophets is their love of woman..."
The Holy Prophet straightaway forbids the seeking of asceticism and ascetic practices at the beginning of Islam, practices which may have been in imitation of monks.
What a great encouragement has been given to women.
In the same way that they are encouraged to limit their contacts with men who are not their husbands, they are encouraged to adorn themselves for their husbands.
A woman who does not do so is even cursed; a woman must make herself beautiful for her husband.
At the same time, husbands are encouraged to cleanliness.

Hasan ibn Jahm said, 'I went to see Musa ibn Jafar', peace be upon him, and saw that he has used (hair dye) on his hair. I said, 'Have you made use of henna?'
He said, 'Yes.
A man's use of henna and his dressing well increases the chastity of his wife.
Some women lose their chastity because their husbands do not dress well for them."

In another tradition of the Holy Prophet, one of the reasons he gives for Jewish women committing adultery was because their husbands were so filthy that their wives sought men who were clean and well-groomed."

Uthman ibn Maz'un was one of the recorders of the traditions of the Holy Prophet.
He wanted to put this world aside in imitation of the monks and forbid himself sexual pleasures.
His wife went to the Holy Prophet and said, "O Prophet of God, Uthman fasts every day and he gets up every night for prayer."
The Holy Prophet became angry and went to him. Uthman was performing his ritual prayer.
The Prophet waited until his ritual prayer had ended.
He then said, "O Uthman, God has not sent me to institute monasticism and asceticism. God has sent me to introduce the Divine Law which is primordial and simple and to tell people about the return to God.
I perform my ritual prayers.
I fast and I also have relations with my wives.
Whosoever loves religion which coincides with my primordial nature must follow what I do.
Marriage is one of my customs."

Clearly this philosophy of asceticism cannot be attributed to Islam.
This philosophy might have existed in some places in the world but it does not conform to Islam.

The Islamic Modest Dress , By Murtadha Mutahhari
www.ahlulbaytportal.com

The Perseverance of Society

Taking sexual desires from the bounds of the family environment to society has weakened society's capacity for work and activity.
Contrary to the opinion that 'the modest dress results in paralyzing half of the energy potential of the individuals of society', the lack of the modest dress and the gradual development of free relationships has caused the social force to fail.

That which has caused the paralysis of women's power and that which has imprisoned her talents is the lack of the modest dress.
In Islam, there is no question of the modest dress prohibiting a woman from participating in cultural, social or economic activities. Islam neither says that a woman cannot leave her home nor does it say that she cannot seek knowledge and learning.
Rather, men and women must both learn and seek knowledge.
There is no objection to women's economic activities in Islam.
Islam has never wanted women to be useless and unoccupied.
It has never desired that women bring up useless and indifferent children.
The covering of the body, except for the face and hands, is not to prevent any kind of cultural or social or economic activity.
That which paralyses the working force is the corruption of the work environment by the element of seeking the satisfaction of sexual pleasures.

If a boy and a girl study in a separate environment or in one environment where the girl covers her body and wears no makeup, do they not study better?
Do they not think better and listen to the words of the teacher better?
Or is it better when a boy sits beside a girl who has on make-up and is wearing a short skirt which barely reaches her knees?
Will men work better in an environment where the streets, offices, factories, etc., are continuously filled with women who are all wearing heavy make-up and are not covered or in an environment where these scenes do not exist?
Any company or office that is serious about its work and endeavors to produce good products or services, prevents these kinds of inter-mixings.
If you do not believe this, check it out yourself.

The truth is that the disgraceful lack of the modest dress in Iran (he is speaking before the victory of the Islamic Revolution) whereby we were even moving ahead of America, is a product of the corrupt Western capitalist societies.
It is one of the results of the worship of money and the pursuance of sexual fulfillment that is prevalent in Western capitalism.
It is one of the means they use to manipulate human society and stimulate them by this force to become consumers of their products.
If an Iranian woman only wants to put on make-up for her legal husband or only wants to get dressed up for gatherings with women, she will not be a consumer of Western products.
She will not be obliged to unconsciously corrupt the morals of young boys and girls, to weaken them so that they are no longer active members of society which is to the benefit of the exploiters.

by Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari, The Islamic Modest Dress
www.ahlulbaytportal.com