Genuine question for muslim women. Dd (7) wants to know.............

[Aero]

..........what is the significance of muslim women covering their heads please?

She's learning about muslims at school and understands that how much coverage (just head covering, or with a veil, or the full body coverage - apologies for not knowing what each part is called) is largely down to personal choice, but doesn't understand why it's worn in the first place.

She's too shy to ask her muslim friend's mum, so I was pretty sure someone here would be able to tell us. Many thanks in advance .

.

or anyone who knows?

Isnt is so men cant look at them in a sexual manner? Hence the whole body being covered too?

(im not a muslim though!)

Especially for married women so other men cant "look" at her?

Thanks agbu. That's kind of what I thought, but didn't want to mis-inform. Not sure of the best way to explain it to dd.

She's borrowing a 'headscarf' from her friend to take into class, hence the questions.

Im a muslim and sister teaches islamic law is not compulsory for women to be have heads covered(LOTS would disagree)It is important for both men and women to dress modestly.

Muslim women are only supposed to show their hair to people they cant marry or to the person they are married to so, they can show their hair in front of other women but the only men they can show their hair in front of are their, dads, brothers, grandfathers, uncles and their husbands, this is because if a woman shows her hair more men would be attracted to her as your face and hair are the first parts of your body people really see and are therefore attracted to (hope this makes sense im not very good at explaining this in writing!!!) all muslim woman are supposed to cover their heads but to be honest now days its more about personal choice, I don?t cover my hair and that?s my personal choice but there are members of my family who do, and there are some people I know who go through phases of wearing a head scarf and then not wearing one, then they start wearing one again.

It comes from Mohammed being jealous when his friend looked at one of his wives and so it became part of Islamic dress code.

This may help

Still matter of interpreting Quran

In the (Muslim) RE classes I endured, there was no mention of Mohammad's jealousy as the reason behind the hijab.

It's been two decades since I read the Quran, but what I remember from the context is that that thieves were attacking vulnerable persons, women in particular. God told Mohammad that to avoid this, women should cover 'their adornments'.

This is interpreted in a quite fascinating manner by some who argue that all that is beautiful about a woman (her eyes, mouth, body) are her 'adornments' and should thus be covered up.

"O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the faithful to draw their outergarments (jilbabs) close around themselves; that is better that they will be recognized and not annoyed. And God is ever Forgiving, Gentle."

and

"And say to the faithful women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms (jaybs), and not to display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule (slaves), or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent, and not to strike their feet (on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments. "

Excellent. Thank-you everyone. I feel more educated myself now and will find a way to explain to dd in a way which she will understand. You've all been very helpful.

Its not just about men though - its about equality - some women have scalp problems or no hair due to cancer and going out in public can make them feel awful as hair is very much a part of a woman's look iyswim, so by covering, it makes women equal. Also, it forces people to really speak to your personality and not just talking to you because they love the way you look, hair etc

Never thought of it like that pussinjimmychoos. Really true though as my friend has a beautiful personality and I've never seen her without her head covered.

Pussin, it does not make women equal.... otherwise men would cover too. Mohammad was jealous of his wives and would not trust them because he himself could not take his eyes off other women. He said: "I am indeed a jealous man and none is free from jealousy save one whose heart is degenerate. The only way to avoid jealousy is by having no man enter upon her [the wife] and by preventing her from going into the marketplaces."

Hence he mandated that his women should live in purdah, or seclusion. "Wives of the Prophet, you are not like other women. So, if you fear God, do not be too complaisant in your speech, lest the lecherous-hearted should lust after you. Talk with such people in plain and simple words. Abide still in your homes and do not display your finery as women used to do in the days of ignorance." According to another early scholar, al-Bukhari, the hijab was not meant for slave women but only for wives. But the hijab does not provide safety even within the home: it does not keep husbands from beating them. Mohammed allowed beating of wives, and he himself beat them, including his nine-year-old wife Aisha.

Twelvelegs - Please cite your sources.

I searched for quote ("none is free from jealousy save one whose heart is degenerate") on Google and only one website came up. It does not look like a reputable source.

My understanding is that the Quran does not dictate that all women should stay at home and not mix with anyone else. If that were the case, I assure you that women in all Muslim countries would be confined to their homes.

Indeed, in the passage from the Quran that you have quoted, it clearly says: 'Wives of the Prophet, you are not like other women... stay in your homes...'

Mohammad didn't "mandate" the seclusion of all women. Again, if he did, all Muslim women everywhere would be kept away from men. Which is not the case.

i knew this would end in an argument.

Lets face it, its not about equality for women, its about men exercising their power over women.

Oh dear - was just looking for the answer to op. I think pussin meant equality between women, rather than for women iyswim.

Anyway, thanks again all for your contributions.

I think so, too. It is about men exercising control over women. I did hear it from several women wearing the hijab & even the long coats etc that they liked it, they felt liberated from the 'requirement' to follow fashion, look pretty and all that

I am a lifelong agnostic who has read the Bible, the Torah, and the Quran so I could talk back to RE teacher and other religious people. This was back when you actually had to know something to have an opinion on it because there was no internet to Google and find several websites to support a view you already have.

It winds me up that some people whose sole claim to authority on the subject is having five Muslims in their neighbourhood come online and repeat whatever they read on a couple of dubious websites.

CoteDAzur, I am a Theology graduate and also covered religion and feminism..... I did pull that quote from a website, but my own papers are in the loft and I'm damned if I'm searching through that!! However I always was under the impression that Mohammed hated the way his male friends looked upon his wife and so introduced that rule. I also understood that the Quran asks husbands to take his wife to the bedroom quarters and beat her .
I am an atheist.

I am not a 'theology graduate' (and a bit at nearly everyone on MN saying they studied at university whatever we discuss, fgs) but I do know that the hijab is not introduced by Mohammad. It is in the Quran (i.e. introduced by God). And the context in which it is talked about has nothing to do with Mohammad being jealous because his buddies looked at his wives.

I haven't read the Quran in a very long time but I doubt it very much that you will be able to find a Sura that tells Muslims to take wives to the bedroom and beat them up.

The only time going physical on one's wife is mentioned in the Quran (iirc) is re what to do when wife doesn't obey husband, after talking, leaving them to sulk, etc doesn't work. Again iirc, the word used is closer to 'smack' than 'beat up'. Not that that makes it OK for the women of this century, of course.

May I also say that if you really are a Theology graduate, I would expect you to have access to better sources of information than this sad website full of spelling mistakes and quotes that can't be verified from anywhere else.

Quran 4:34. Why would have have better access to more literature in a two minute internet search than anyone else? I don't have Theological texts and books lying around the place, I have had a job (irrelevant to my degree)children and numerous house moves since finishing my degree. 'Beat them up' is quite a stretch from beat them, no?
If I really am a Theology graduate?.... no I just made it up because.... Ridiculous.

That is your answer to my post. I see.

Very academic of you

It would have been interesting to discuss the multiple meanings of the word used in 4:34, compared with other parts of the Quran where marriage is discussed, but you don't appear to be interested.

Maybe we can continue this conversation once you have located your books.

CoteDAzur, the approaches are two fold, one that it suggests a light beating of ones wife is acceptable (not the face though, how generous) and the more kind seems to be that it stops the wife (who could be a young teen) being humiliated on the street and reserves such actions to private quarters.
I am not looking to appear academic, I have nothing to prove to the jury of MN, I was making a comment that's all. If you want an academic debate you best return to a class just in case a JW knocks your door.

Has the arguing stopped now?????????????

Having lived in Asia, the only times I saw Muslim women covering their heads might be at a Wedding.. in the UK however seems to be a different story. Beeny is spot on saying it is not compulsory though many people have differing opinions, I just find it interesting the difference and it is a clear difference in choice between Muslim women here and then in Asia.. I wonder why this may be.