The Kerfluffle in the Kingdom? The Diss in the Desert? The Arabian Issue?

Last updated on: January 29, 2015 at 9:24 am by Nancy Qualls-Shehata

The Kerfluffle in the Kingdom? The Diss in the Desert? The Arabian Issue? 2015-01-29T09:24:15-05:00 Nancy Qualls-Shehata

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.

ISLAM SNIPPET OF THE MORNING:

Women and scarves….

There was a kerfluffle involving the First Lady of the US during the recent trip she and the President made to Saudi Arabia. Mrs. Obama did not wear a scarf when she was in the Kingdom. Reaction ran the gamut from “meh” to “she disrespected our culture!” (from Muslims having the vapors) to “she took a stand for feminism” (from non-Muslims misunderstanding what feminism is).

Here’s the lowdown from a real-life scarf-wearing Muslim. First of all, I love my scarf. Right now my ears are warm even though my office is chilly, and my shoulders are comfy and I ROCK this garment. Ahem.

Okay, the majority of Muslims (vast majority of Orthodox scholars) consider covering to be a religious obligation for Muslim women. At minimum, we are to cover, including our heads, wearing clothing that is loose and not see-through.

In the time just before the revelation of Islam in Arabia, the women were chattel with no rights. Seriously. When a man died, his SON could inherit his MOTHER. When a girl child was born, often she was taken out to the desert and buried in the sand due to her low status. If she was suffered to live, then she lived a life of menial service. It was not Good Times for women.

It was typical for women (and men) to go about in various states of undress. Men especially used to make cicumambulation around the Ka’ba (that big cube in Saudi Arabia) naked. Women would wear elaborate head coverings that flowed down their backs, leaving their bosoms naked. Not “I’m wearing a thin tank top” naked, but naked naked. So Allah revealed this verse in the Qur’an , the translation of which means:

“And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” 24:30-31

So they took those lovely veils streaming down their backs and brought them around to cover their boobies.

And this verse was also revealed:

{O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them [when they go abroad]. That will be better, that so they may be recognized and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.} 33:59

Note the reasoning: They were told to cover NOT to become invisible or because they were second-class citizens. They were told to cover so they would be RECOGNIZED and not annoyed. In other words, if you are walking down the street in a miniskirt, the construction guys are going to whistle at you. If you are walking down the street dressed like a nun, not so much. The hijab was a mark of their status as Muslim women, and the men knew they were not open to sexual immorality (which was rampant back then).

So yes, wearing hijab is an obligation for Muslim women. Yes, I know not all Muslim women wear it, and there are different reasons which I won’t get into right now. But the main point I want to emphasize is that is a MUSLIM obligation. Despite what the conspiracy theorists might say, Michelle Obama is not a Muslim. Therefore, she is not obliged to dress as one. She dressed in a conservative, classy, modern American manner and she looked really nice. She did not diss anyone’s culture, she did not spit in the face of Islam.

So, let us lay to rest this issue and get back to the important news of the day. Like, did Tom Brady REALLY order his footballs to be partially deflated before the game? Now THERE’S a conspiracy.

Islam

Previous Post

January 24, 2015

The Blessing of the Man who Cleaned

Next Post

February 14, 2015 Between the Extremes We Stand and Speak

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Criminal Justic Current Events Islam prom Satire Uncategorized

Select a Month April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 May 2014 December 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 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 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 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 August 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which branch of Christianity believes in the doctrine of transubstantiation?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Orthodox Catholics Protestants Evangelicals