Na’ima B. Robert takes us behind the veil

Last updated on: November 3, 2014 at 10:48 am by faith

Na’ima B. Robert takes us behind the veil 2014-11-03T10:48:38-04:00 faith

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Normally, whenever I see anything with the phrase “Behind the veil” I automatically cringe and get myself ready for Orientalist stereotypes and generalizations about Muslim women. Na’ima B. Robert’s “Behind the veil: the online diary of a British Muslim woman” isn’t quite so bad. Although at first glance it does seem that way, especially considering that a picture of a niqabi is accompanies the ad for the piece on the Times website (below left). Robert actually does wear niqab, so that maybe why there is a picture of a niqabi.

Even though the piece is entitled “online diary of a British Muslim woman” there is actually very little about Robert’s own life. In fact, most of the essay is Robert telling us that veiled women (whether in niqab or hijab) are just ordinary women trying to negotiate Islam and living in the West. I appreciate Robert reinforcing that point, but I didn’t appreciate how she went about it.

The one thing that I found so wrong with this essay is that Robert committed the same exact mistake that is committed by non-Muslims: she made Muslim women into this monolithic group. There is no diversity in Robert’s view of Muslim women. We are all caught between “secular” society and the “dunya” (worldly life), we all wear the veil, we’re all looking to get married and we all have lots of babies if we are married. It seems that Robert thinks you are an unobservant Muslim if you do fit these characteristics. In fact, she mentions “religious Muslim woman” and “observant Muslim woman” in the same paragraph of her essay almost as if to say “I’m speaking about the real Muslim women.” It’s a very limiting view of Muslim women and it’s even a limiting view of Muslim women who consider themselves “observant”. In fact, I wonder what Robert’s definition of “religious” and “observant” would be. If a woman observes all the five pillars of Islam but doesn’t wear hijab is she non-observant? If a woman wears the veil but has no intention of having lots of children despite being married is she non-observant? Should she be the one to define “observant”?

Additionally, I think Robert actually did more of a disservice to her goal than a service. What is I mean is that even though she sought to normalize Muslim women, she once again otherized us. She made us seem as if we’re just in a Western society instead of a part of Western society. She constantly made the point that Muslim women are negotiating space between two worlds, Islamic and Western, once again setting up the “Islam/West” binary. Why is it that Muslims are only assumed to negotiate two spaces in a Western context? No one assumes that Indian Muslims, Filipino Muslims, or Chinese Muslims are negotiating two spaces even they are all minorities in their societies. This isn’t to say that Muslims don’t have unique customs and practices. However, all groups in every society do. Thus, I wonder why Robert felt the need to differentiate between her “Islamic” world and the “dunya” throughout her article. She does feel part of her community, even saying that chooses to “have a foot” in “both camps”. Thus, I wish that she didn’t feel the need to constantly differentiate and to let her readers know that Muslims are one group among many in a hetergenous society.

Previous Post

October 1, 2008

The liberating catwalk

Next Post

October 2, 2008 Lipstick Jihad

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advertisements Art/Theater Books/Magazines Cinema Comics/Cartoons Culture/Society Events Fashion Film Friday Links Merchandise/Commodities MMW Announcements MMW Highlights Music/Radio News Photography Politics Profile Ramadan 2012 Ramadan 2013 Ramadan 2014 Ramadan 2015 Roundtable Satire Social Media Sports Technology/Science Television Uncategorized Video Web

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Ezekiel saw a vision of a valley of dry bones that came to life.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE