By Khadijah Natalie Arbee
I am a muslim women. I wear the niqaab (face veil).
I’m one of those to whom the new law
in France would apply. I’m one of the ones being discussed by politicians,
human rights groups and the media.
I’m one of those whom many feel the
need to liberate.
I’m one of those you may think is
oppressed.
I’m one of those many of you detest
the sight of...
I’m one of those whom you may
believe is uneducated; one of the ones you may think has no voice.
But I do. So let me speak.
I am not Arab, Asian or even
African. I am Australian. No, not ‘first
generation’, ‘second generation’, or an immigrant. On my mother’s side, I’m of
French-Canadian descent, and on my father’s side; British. I grew up as a
Christian, and attended church occasionally. I was in the school swim team, and
district netball team. I holidayed with my family in the summer on the Gold
Coast, and I’m educated. I have a university degree.
When I was 18 years of age I was
introduced to Islam. I studied it, and accepted it a year and a half later. By
the time I reached 20, I was wearing the headscarf, and after I married I
donned the niqaab.
Because of my husband? No.
My husband did not want me to wear
it, although his mother and sister do, and out of respect for his wishes I didn’t
do so for two years. But I wanted to, and eventually did, and knowing it to be
in line with our religion, my husband knew he had no authority to prevent me,
and he now greatly admires my strength.
Then, I wore it because of my
father? No. He’s a catholic.
Because of my brother? Nope, haven’t got one.
My uncle? He’s an atheist.
Then because of my son? My eldest is
only 8 years old. Then why??
Because I want to, that’s why.
And seeing as though my niqaab
does not hurt anyone, that should be sufficient reason for all of you liberals
of a liberal society; I should be able to finish my discussion right here. But
although it may be so for any other style of dress, it isn’t enough when it
comes to niqaab for some reason. You want more. So I will continue.
What makes me want to then? Two
things: Faith and experience.
Faith? Yeah, faith. Faith in my
Creator , faith in His decisions, faith in Islam. A deep faith. Many wander at
the faith of Muslims, at their conviction and their commitment. It’s a faith,
that if you are not Muslim, is hard to explain or describe. The scripture of
Islam, the Qur’an has scientific miracles in it, such that have captivated
scientists globally, leading many to accept Islam. Moreover, the Qur’an has not
been changed in over a thousand years, since it was revealed; not one letter
moved from its place. I dare say there isn’t a religious scripture like it, and
this lends a clue as to the root of such faith.
In the Qur’an, Allah Ta'ala tells us
to cover ourselves, ‘so as to be known, but not
molested’. So our covering is a protection; a liberation.
Protection?
you ask. Liberation? From what?
This is where I move on to my second
reason for veiling. Like I said, I grew up in a Western secular society, in
true Western secular style. I dressed secular, lived secular, and enjoyed all
the ‘liberties’ of such a society. Did I feel liberated, free? Suffice to say,
we were taught we were, so I never thought to think otherwise. It wasn’t until
I became Muslim, and started covering , that I really felt liberated, and
realised , before that I wasn’t.
Yet, time and time again we hear it
said that we Muslim women are forced to veil, are oppressed; treated by our men
folk as nothing more than ‘objects.’ And that niqaab, burqa, hijab; whatever
term you use, is a form of ‘imprisonment’.
But what about the imprisonment of
anxiety and depression?
What about the imprisonment of
anorexia and bulimia?
What about the imprisonment of
frequent rigorous exercise routines?
What about the imprisonment of
always feeling the need to look like the super-model on the cover of Cosmo, or
the pop-singer in the music video?
What about the slavery to fashion?
What about the entrapment of
jealousy??
How many women waste their
hard-earned money, destroy their physical and mental health, expose their
bodies to vulnerability, abuse and extortion in order to...... in order to what??
In order to gain approval and
praise. Who’s approval and praise? Men’s.
And yes, it seems even other women
too. So it seems non-Muslim women are not only slaves to men, but slaves to
society as a whole.
Before you scream your disagreement,
which many of you may do as a knee-jerk reaction to being told you’re also
oppressed , stop and think. Look around you, contemplate society today, and its
values, its aspirations, its goals, its direction, its past-times, its
hobbies....
What good has it done for women to
doff more and more clothing?
What good has it done for images of
uncovered made-up women to be plastered on every billboard and magazine, on the
TV, in the movies, and on the net?
Has it really brought any good for
women?
The women in the images may aptly
feel good about themselves for a while, but what does it mean for every other
women?
Women who look upon these images
usually become anxious, jealous, unsure and critical
of themselves, or all of these things. Many men who view them will
become aroused, or even unhappy, less satisfied with
the partners they already have. What can, and does this lead to?
Cheating, dumping,
chastisement, and even harassment of other women,
and even children by, men who cannot find a legitimate outlet for their
constant arousal. And yes, I can hear some of you; ‘then the men must control
themselves!’ Frankly speaking that argument is well spent, not to mention
futile, as most men are, inherently, only able to react to that, the same way a
hungry lion would react if thrown a juicy piece of steak, and told not to eat
it....
Do the uncovered women captured in
these images and industries, or parading around, realise or even care how many
young girls are starving, purging and stressing themselves trying to mirror
their image? No.
It seems they even take perverse
pleasure in it. One barely-dressed singer even boldly and crudely sung
recently, ‘Don’t you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?’
What?!
What is this women and her ilk
saying??
What are they implying??
What are they doing to their sisters
in humanity??!
So many poor girls, eroding
themselves physically and mentally as they watch with jealousy and anxiety
their partners ogle singers like this. Have the same thing occur to these
women, these ‘idols’; have their partners swoon over another similarly attired,
and witness their reaction! And when their daughters are molested by men they
themselves, or women like them, have aroused, will they reflect?
Will they act?
Will society act?
Yeah, we see it reacting: ban the burqa!
It just amazes me how many women
especially, despise my choice of dress. Yet, would they rather their husband’s
secretary to be dressed like me or otherwise?
Would they rather the waitress
serving the table at their anniversary dinner, be dressed like me or otherwise?
Is it me and my sisters who are
turning their husband’s head, or attracting their boyfriends??
Is it me and my sisters who have led
their daughters to anorexia, or their sons to pornography?
Is it me and my sisters whose bodies
and faces solicit their husband’s/boyfriend’s attention on every corner? Is it
me and my sisters who have aroused that man to rape or harass their sisters?
Whose mode of ‘dress’ is truly
oppressive and harmful to women??
So now I’ve spoken, and although I
am one, I speak on behalf of hundreds. I’ve explained to you that the majority
of us have chosen this mode of dress, especially in the West. I have told you
that we love it, we want it, and I’ve exemplified for you the inherent good in
it. I’ve discussed here the issue of niqaab
based on the suggestion that it is oppressive, or harmful to society, as this
is the main reason stated by the French for the ban.
So to those of you who really are so
concerned about ‘liberating’ me, then you will listen to what I have said, and
let me and my sisters be.
