The Veil of Ignorance by Leila Ahmed

Introduction 

The advancement of Muslim society requires that women begin to unveil as a way of embracing modernity even as they practice their religion. Muslim women do not have to veil to prove their religiosity or purity in character. The notion that women must wear hijabs in the Muslim world for them to be modest is not only alarming but also demeaning. Women are not lesser beings, and thus they too deserve humane treatment and should have the freedom to choose whether they want to veil or not. Religion should not be used to oppress a certain population, such as women (Ajrouch 2007). It is time that unveiling takes centre stage and women allowed the freedom to remove the hijab or the veils if they so wish. 

Background 

Having begun as a small faith in the Arabian Peninsula, Islam has grown to be a world religion today. Since its inception, Islam has followed the teachings and the lifestyle of Mohammed. There are Islamic writings and texts which address the issue of veiling among the women. Still, none lacks a clear cut explanation on who should wear the same and when and as such whatever is happening in regards to veiling is very much subjective. It is the wives of Prophet Mohammed who used to veil and so the big question that many scholars differ on is whether all women should veil or it is just the chosen few and whether the same should be mandatory. The Quran and Hadith only talk about the wives of Prophet Mohammed in regards to veiling but does not give clear instructions on the same in relation to all other Muslim women. The issue of veiling among Muslim women thus seems to be an interpretation issue and therefore requires one to take sides on either to support the same or not. 

Why should veiling be optional? 

Religion should advance freedom and allow for free will just as the supreme beings allow for free will in life. The veil is not the problem in itself but the manner in which some Muslim countries and states treat the same even to the point of arresting women who fail to wear the same is what makes this paper seek to have it be made optional. The Muslim Brotherhood, in particular in Egypt, does not allow women to walk around without hijabs as a mandatory requirement (Ahmed 2011). To the Muslim brotherhood, this is a sign of piety, but again several Muslim women are devoted and committed to their religion but do not veil. The issue thus is the Islamism that one practice and not the veil or hijab that one wears and as such women in the Muslim community should be given the liberty to forego the veil if they feel otherwise about it (Shin 2015). 

Technology and globalization are here with the world, and the Muslim world should embrace the same even as it transforms into the next face. Muslim women should not be forced to veil in a world where there are advancements in technology, and the manner of clothing is growing by the day. If it is a matter of covering the head, there are modern ways of doing so, even by wearing a cap or something. In the heat of the North African deserts, some women are forced to veil just because religious pundits say so (Bullock 2010). This is despite the negative effects the same could have on the health of the women. A good example of globalization and technology effects on the veiling issue of Muslim women has to do with athletics, for instance. Ruqaya Al Ghasara, a Bahraini athlete, did wear a headscarf during the Olympics in 2004 just to show how clothing such as veils are not practical and realistic in modern times (Ahmed 2011). To accommodate such issues and many others in the global and highly technological advanced world, veiling among Muslim women should be made optional. 

There is a reinvention of several Muslim practices, and the Muslim world is adopting the same. Still, when it comes to the matter of veiling, there is a seemingly growing opposition to its reinvention, especially among Muslim radicals. Yusuf al Qaradawi is a Muslim Imam who has featured on Al Jazeera for over 15 years (Ahmed 2011). He has reinvented the art of reaching out to people through the television network something unheard off in the Muslim world. Besides, he is very liberal talking about all issues ranging from suicide bombing to sex to marriage, even touching on female masturbation yet when one wants to address the matter of veiling among women the individual is labelled as one out of order (Elver 2014). If there is a reinvention of everything else, why not reinvent the veils as well? This is only possible if the veiling of the Muslim woman is made optional. 

Conclusion 

No matter how one looks at it, the veiling of the Muslim women is something that requires immediate attention among all the Muslims and the non- Muslims alike. Women, just like their male counterparts in the Muslim faith, deserve to have the freedom and free will even as they practice the Muslim faith, which is Islamism. Islamism has nothing to do with the veiling act and the fact that many people relate hijab and other veils with piety is not wholly true, and as such, some are devout but do not veil. Technology too, is playing a big part as well as globalization. If Islam is indeed a transforming religion, it should allow the women an opportunity to choose whether to veil or not. 

Annotated Bibliography 

Ahmed, L. (2011). VEIL OF IGNORANCE.  Forein Policy , 40–43. 

This article by Ahmed takes a look at the place of the veil and how different people look at the issue of veils. There are those who look at it from the place of piety while others feel that Islamism has nothing to do with veils but the devout and commitment that one has on matters of religion. It will therefore be useful to me in this paper as it offers an insight the veiling that occurs among Muslim women and the perception that follows the same. 

Ajrouch, K. (2007). Global Contexts and the Veil: Muslim Integration in the United States and France. 

Sociology of Religion

In this article, Ajrouch talks about the integration of the Muslim women into the western culture with a specific focus on France and the United States of America. The article specifically takes into keen consideration the issue if veiling among the women as part of the traditional Muslim cultures which appear as oppressive in nature. In fact this article is so resourceful because it looks at the action by France in trying to eliminate the issue of hijabs in schools across the country. 

Bullock, K. (2010). Rethinking Muslim women and the veil: challenging historical & modern stereotypes. Herndon, VA: International Institute of Islamic Thought. 

Bullock in his book looks at the history of the oppression that has followed the Muslim women and how the same is linked to the veil. He looks at the stereotypes that come with being a Muslim woman as well as how the veil has been a sign of stereotype among the women. Bullock digs deep into the women issue in the Islam faith and the various things that denies them the equality and freedom that religion ought to address. This book will thus help me in dealing with the topic especially in regards to the veil being optional rather than being mandatory. 

Elver, H. (2014). The headscarf controversy: secularism and freedom of religion. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Elver handles the matter of human rights when it comes to Muslim women in relation to wearing the headscarf. The book looks at the legal and political issues affecting the women and how the pious Muslim women are excluded from the public in the name of secularism as well as human rights. Muslim women suffer from Islamophobia or the fear of Islam in the western countries and more so with the fact that they are veiled their identity becomes so easy by those who target them. This book is thus a good source on offering insights on the matters of human rights and the freedom of choice. 

Shin, A. L. (2015). Muslim women and the veil: an experimental study of social bias. Retrieved April 17, 2020, from https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5714&context=etd 

In this thesis paper by Shin, there is much discussion on the bias that comes with the veil among the Muslim women. In fact as the thesis begins, Shin offers insight on the bias that one first gets for being a Muslim and then the same even increases for the women who are having the veils. This book is thus resourceful as it gives details of the suffering and bias that comes with the lack of freedom of choice for the Muslim women in relation to the veil. 

References 

Ahmed, L. (2011). VEIL OF IGNORANCE.  Forein Policy , 40–43. 

Ajrouch, K. (2007). Global Contexts and the Veil: Muslim Integration in the United States and France*.  Sociology of Religion ,  68 (3), 321–325. doi: 10.1093/socrel/68.3.321 

Bullock, K. (2010).  Rethinking Muslim women and the veil: challenging historical & modern stereotypes . Herndon, VA: International Institute of Islamic Thought. 

Elver, H. (2014).  The headscarf controversy: secularism and freedom of religion . Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Shin, A. L. (2015). Muslim women and the veil: an experimental study of social bias. Retrieved April 17, 2020, from https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5714&context=etd