I am writing an editorial (OPINION PIECE) for my school newspaper on HIJAB (IN USA)........?

Question

So I am going to say that HIJAB is a CHOICE and not forced by men- in ISLAM. It is the choice of the woman to wear it or not.

Should I mention that it is a choice AND IT IS IN THE QURAN, holy book for MUSLIMS?

What I need help with is to WHAT TO WRITE in the editorial and how to make it sound nice? Like i do not want people to think I am throwing it in their faces and am mad or anything like that.

I Just want to express my opinion- but in a nice way.

P.S. My teacher said this is the first time they have ever had an editorial piece on headscarf issues !!! CoOL!!

Help would be helpful...lol

peace

Answer 1

The hijab is an order by ALLAH and its in the quran twice. Women do not cover for men. If a woman is covering because of a man told her to, SHE GETS NO CREDIT from Allah for it. Women have to cover for Allah and Allah alone. The muhajaba (women who wear hijab) that I know are all very strong, very independent, very proud of themselves and they love what they are doing. The muhajaba women that I know are all women who take pride in what they are doing and they are heros in my book. It isnt easy when most people think that they are abused or forced or in some stupid and sick way think that they need to be rescued. The truth is that Muhajaba women think that women who dont respect themselves enough to dress modestly are the ones who really need rescuing and need to be liberated. When I see a muhajaba woman I know that this woman is a pious woman who respects herself and is strong and determined enough to do what it takes to please Allah to strive for heaven. I love and respect muhajaba women and they are a million times more gorgeous than the women who do not wear hijab.

Muhajaba women are beautiful.

Answer 2

First start off with something along the lines of this. Saying you may not understand why Muslim women wear a scarf or hijab. well I'm here to explain that to you.

The entire headscarf started off long before Islam. It was a Semitic cultural dress. And in fact it was an insult not to wear a head covering in Semitic Arab-Jewish culture. Even for men.

Then explain the entire reason why. Modestly, culture and all that.

Then say just look at the most Arabs today. Men cover up as well. Have you ever seen Saudi, Kuwaiti or Emirate men?

Then explain that today there are 2billion Muslims and that the hijab is worn and all places. Then say many non-Muslims were it to. In Arab churches women always were a head covering, or they used to at least. And that women in southern Russia and all around west central Asia were a headscarf every minute of the day. And it is mostly cultural, although the Islamic influence on that area is huge.

Well thats my 2-cents. Inshallah you will do good.

Answer 3

A good way to approch this would be to perhaps explain first what the quran says about how both a man and women are to dress and then show how this relates to how the hijab is worn in modern days.

This will show that the covering of a womens head is a choice and that this can be taken to extremes in certain countries where the true meaning has been skewed. You can then show how covering the head is actually a good thing but that many men and islamic governments have abused this rule of islam and taken it to far.

This would show in a nice way that covering of the head for women is a show of her respect and faith of islam and that like many laws in many countries including the US and other western countries there are laws that can be unfair and or biased, like not to long ago when women coul dnot vote or hold property in the US.

Answer 4

As a revert to Islam and born in the States. Honestly, I love wearing Hijab. I have purchased many sophisticated looking moder dress I buy from a comapny online Shukr.com Beautiful dresses, Jeans, Hijabs,Shirts...all halal and fashionable. I don't always were mine (hijab) but I do feel better about myself when I do.

Answer 5

As a Muslim woman i can tell you, YES it is a choice. Some Muslim women completely cover (burkha, just eyes showing) some where hijab and dress modestly (that being legs, chest and arms covered) and some wear no scarf, short sleeves and trousers and jeans. We choose definitely.
You can say it is in the Quran that we have to cover and in Hadith also (hadith is the words of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) )
You can also say that Nuns cover too and its by choice that some Jewish women do it too as well as Quakers and some other faiths.

Answer 6

I agree with you that you should present this in the most nice way you can, this is what Islam commanded us to do, advise but in a nice way, NEVER attack or offend others.

But what I don't agree with you about is the "content" itself, you should show in the most clear way that for Muslim women, it's a religious duty to wear Hijab. Of course no one can oblige anyone to do anything, how otherwise can everyone have their own free will? But the point is that if you choose to obey Allah, you'll be rewarded and if you choose to do what your want regardless being disobeying Allah, then you deserve His punishment, unless you repent to Him and He accepts your repentance. Of course I don't mean "you", just general speaking.

Best of luck in your editorial.

Answer 7

If it really is a choice, as you are averring, are you absolutely certain that EVERY muslim woman in the USA has NEVER had any kind of pressure or influence upon her-- by her husband, father or brothers, mothers, or any member of their faith, at any time-- to wear the hijab?

I would have a hard time believing that. For one thing, why do I sometimes see little bitty girls at the mall wearing it? They aren't even of the age when they can make decisions for themselves. It already has been made.

Another muslim woman, a writer on R&S stated what you have, that it is a choice, and a blessing, and how her daughters would wear them "from birth." That is an exact quote. So obviously, THOSE future daughters don't have a choice. See what I mean?

An Egyptian muslim I know said that her daughter didn't "have to wear it until she was older." Again, the choice has ultimately been made for that daughter, as well.

So what choice do they truly have? Wear the hijab and get acceptance, love and praise for your modesty and piety from your family, or...what?

When you are raised in a faith where everyone you know is behaving a certain way, and getting praise for doing it, it becomes a case of "conditioning." The ability to truly decide for oneself is negated by the intrinsic societal pressures. This is probably true no matter what the faith is.

But yes, by all means, mention that it is in the Quran that women have the choice.

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Answer 8

Dear Simpletr. Salam and Dua for you.

Here are quotes from Quran on topic Hijab;

Pick the one's you like best for your article; Good luck.

Pick the short and to the point. Students won't read if it too long. Use fonts size 14 or 13. Smaller fonts don't attract readers to whom Hijab is not important.

http://www.islamfortoday.com/hijabcanada.htm

"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." (Qur'an 33:59)

Read the article on Hijab some one already wrote here:
http://www.jannah.org/sisters/hijab2.html
More articles on women:
http://admin.muslimsonline.com/~huma/sisters/

Say to the believing men that they Should lower their gaze and guard Their modesty: that will make for Greater purity for them: And God is Well-acquainted with all that they Do. And say to the believing women That they should lower their gaze And guard their modesty: and they Should not display beauty and Ornaments expect what (must Ordinarily) appear thereof; that They must draw their veils over Their bosoms and not display their Beauty except to their husbands, Their fathers, their husband's Fathers, their sons, their husband's Sons, or their women, or their Slaves whom their right hands Possess, or male servants free of Physical needs, or small children

2. Muslim women are enjoined to "draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty" except in the presence of their husbands, other women, children, eunuchs and those men who are so closely related to them that they are not allowed to marry them. Although a self-conscious exhibition of one's "zeenat" (which means "that which appears to be beautiful" or "that which is used for embellishment or adornment") is forbidden, the Qur'an makes it clear that what a woman wears ordinarily is permissible. Another interpretation of this part of the passage is that if the display of "zeenat" is unintentional or accidental, it does not violate the law of modesty.


O Prophet! Tell Thy wives And daughters, and the Believing women, that They should cast their Outer garments over Their Persons (when outside): That they should be known (As such) and not Molested.

Tak pictures of Hijabs from the following site:
http://www.muslimbase.com/

"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." (Qur'an 33:59)

Go to www.yahoo.com
Then write in the plain search strip
Hijab for Muslim women in Quran
then click the green arrows next to the strip

You will find plenty of material on your topic.

Good luck. May Allah help you and give you the wisdom and intelligence to serve the cause of Islam and God and you guide non-Muslim female to improve their life by staying away from Haram activities in which most of them get into because of their culture unfortunately,

Ma Salama, Yours Abdul-Majeed

Answer 9

well, i just had a look at your bio, and from it i gather you are muslim anyway, so why not go from your own perspective...?

And from a perspective of someone who is muslim and doesn't where a hijab.

Compare and contrast, but don't make one out to be better - that's not good reporting, it should be left to the reader if you provide informed and intelligent and balanced perspectives!

Answer 10

Just google headscarf articles and you'll get a ton of examples of media coverage.