How many of you believe that Muslim women are forced to wear veils and Hijjabs - scarves?

Question

Because all of you that do, you are wrong, it is VOLUNTARY and OPTIONAL and women have a choice whether to "cover up" or not.
This is the problem with this society that we live in today. You make judgments solely upon the "fanatics and extremists" actions - which is wrong. Why not give the "normal" Muslim people a chance to prove that they are NOT bad people.

Answer 1

yes ur completely right, u asked the question and u answered urself theperfect answer, its optional.

Answer 2

Hi! I've lived all over the U.S. and travelled to many countries including the Middle East (Islamic countries). You are absolutely correct - veils or hijabs are voluntary and optional. However, I've witnessed this: the Middle East is a very patriarchal area. It depends on the father, brothers, husbands of the females family. Some families will insist on the veil in public; others will not. Hope this helps. Wishing you peace!

Answer 3

I don't believe that Muslim women are forced to cover. However in Saudi Arabia if the woman doesn't cover she can be arrested by the Muttawa. Have you ever lived in a real Muslim country before? Wearing the hijab, Abaya and Niqab is not a choice it is a direct commandment from ALLAH(SWT). Sura 33 verse 59:
59. O prophet, tell your wives, your
daughters, and the wives of the
believers that they shall lengthen
their garments. Thus, they will be
recognized (as righteous women)
and avoid being insulted. GOD is
Forgiver, Most Merciful.

Funny how people on Y&A claiming to be "Muslims" don't even bother to read Sura 33 verse 59 correctly.

55.The women may relax (their dress code) around their fathers, their sons, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their sisters, the other women, and their (female) servants. They shall reverence GOD. GOD witnesses all things.

It is obligatory for the Muslim women to cover everything except the eyes and it is not a choice. ALLAH(SWT) commanded the wives and daughters of the Prohet and the women of the believers and the daughters of the believers to cover everything except the eyes(for the young girls to cover their face when they get their period). It says so in a very strong Hadeeth as well. This keeps them from being molested on the streets and forces men to look at them for their mind and not their body and so they don't appear like sex objects to be lusted after by wild dogs(men). It is also to protect the women from herself and from the world.

Answer 4

In KSA, Iran and Afghanistan, a burka is mandatory, not just a hijab. I mean lawfully mandatory, not Islamically mandatory. Unfortunately, these images are what the West see, and they make assumptions that the burka, not merely a hijab, is mandatory in Islam. You are right, this is incorrect.

KSA, Iran and Afghanistan have deviated from Islam in making the burka mandatory for women in public. Any covering, just like religion itself, is and not to be forced. Non-force is the Islamic way.

True, if a woman wants to cover herself, it's up to her, between her and God alone, and no one can force her. THAT'S the right way to treat the subject of covering, and this is the Islamic way.

Besides, to cover is NOT to be oppressed. It LIBERATES the woman from being seen as a flesh object. It liberates the woman from not being taken seriously, and forces people to pay attention to her mind, not to her body. The covering preserves the honor of women, and in no way oppresses them.

I hope the West learns the truth about hijab.

Answer 5

Why do Muslim women write articles in the newspapers complaining about the dress laws if they're voluntary ?
Motion picture cameras have taken pictures of officers lashing women on the legs for wearing white socks that barely showed .
Why are our news ladies told that they must cover their heads or that are not welcome in Muslim countries ?
This is the problem with Muslim society. They make claims, but facts prove otherwise.

Answer 6

Allah has commanded muslim women to cover themselves. However, in the society, it is not an obligation. No-one can and should force us to wear hijab. Once we establish astrong relationship with Allah, we ourselves CHOOSE to follow his command and cover. It is not because of traditional or social pressure.

As for oppression. Once a woman decides and chooses to wear hijab without any external obligation or pressure, we feel safer and more at liberty than without it. Alhamdulilah

And by the way, skin cancer is on the rise very repidly due to exposure to the sun. Islam guides us to cover ourselves and thus, this disease is much less occuring in convering women, by the grace of God.

Answer 7

I see Muslim women shopping every day. I've never seen one with her face covered, only a scarf over the hair. The majority of them are incredibly beautiful and some are the most stylish women I see. Their bearing is so graceful and regal they make a simple pantsuit look like a designer label sit from Paris.

Answer 8

It's only a choice if one does not feel they must wear it to prove a point. Not so many in the U.S. wore them before the Iraq war. Besides, it began as a "cultural" norm, way-back-when; please, society has advanced beyond the reasons for which headscarves began - a religion must keep up and advance with the society or it becomes obsolete by not meeting the needs or expectations of the people....... besides when its 90 degrees and up, who truly wants to wear a hot, heavy head scarf if one is truly thinking for oneself and not trying to make a point? ....grow with the times, and following the other religious tenets of Islam instead.... the 5 Pillars are very worthy of following..........

Answer 9

Right and furthermore, being in America, I know a whole bunch of Arab and Pakistani women dont even cover just cause they dont want to,but most all the converted muslimahs cover just out of choice-

Answer 10

Optional in the sense that they will be stoned (in certain communities) if they go out without them. There are a lot of communities where this is not true, but there a bunch of groups wanting to kill their way to put girl out of the schools and into shrouds (like the Talaban). And take a woman to Saudi Arabia and have her drive a car, if you and she dare.

Answer 11

Was this a question or an attack? I know it is voluntary, but it is also their culture to cover up to show purity. Thats why most wear it because they want to be true to their faith. I like your style though.