Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the veil?

Question

be respectful Guys. we are trying to learn only. dont be insulting. if you have a difference of opinion please present it in a respectful manner.

Answer 1

The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media.
The ‘hijab’ or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an example of the
‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law. Before we analyze the reasoning
behind the religiously mandated ‘hijab’, let us first study the status of women in
societies before the advent of Islam
1. In the past women were degraded and used as objects of lust
The following examples from history amply illustrate the fact that the status of
women in earlier civilizations was very low to the extent that they were denied
basic human dignity:
a. Babylonian Civilization:
The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the Babylonian
law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife
was put to death.
b. Greek Civilization:
Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient civilizations.
Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were deprived of all rights and
were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an ‘imaginary woman’ called
‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of human beings. The Greeks
considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Though chastity of
women was precious, and women were held in high esteem, the Greeks
were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions. Prostitution
became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society.
c. Roman Civilization:
When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had the
right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were common
amongst the Romans.
d. Egyptian Civilization:
The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil.
e. Pre-Islamic Arabia:
Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and
very often when a female child was born, she was buried alive.
2. Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them
to maintain their status.
Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them their just rights 1400 years
ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status.
Hijab for men
People usually only discuss ‘hijab’ in the context of women. However, in the
Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijab’ for men before ‘hijab’ for the
women. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Noor:
“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard
their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is
well acquainted with all that they do.”
[Al-Qur’an 24:30]
The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought
comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.
Hijab for women.
The next verse of Surah Noor, says:
“ And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and
guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and
ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they
should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty
except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their
sons...”
[Al-Qur’an 24:31]
3. Six criteria for Hijab.
According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for observing
hijab:
1. Extent:
The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is
different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on the male
is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the
extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face
and the hands upto the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these
parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist that the face and the hands
are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijab’.
All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.
2. The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.
3. The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see through
them.
4. The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite sex.
5. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex.
6. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e. they
should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the
unbelievers’ religions.
4. Hijab includes conduct and behaviour among other things
Complete ‘hijab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral
conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only
fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijab’ of the clothes is observing ‘hijab’ in a limited sense.
‘Hijab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijab’ of the eyes, ‘hijab’ of the
heart, ‘hijab’ of thought and ‘hijab’ of intention. It also includes the way a person
walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc.
5. Hijab prevents molestation
The reason why Hijab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an in the
following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab:
“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women
that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when
abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such)
and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
[Al-Qur’an 33:59]
The Qur’an says that Hijab has been prescribed for the women so that they are
recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being
molested.
6. Example of twin sisters
Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk down
the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijab i.e. the complete body is
covered, except for the face and the hands up to the wrists. The other sister is
wearing western clothes, a mini skirt or shorts. Just around the corner there is
a hooligan or ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he
tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini?
Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini. Such dresses are an
indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation. The Qur’an
rightly says that hijab prevents women from being molested.
7. Capital punishment for the rapists
Under the Islamic shariah, a man convicted of having raped a woman, is given
capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence. Some even
say that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! I have asked a simple question to
hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid, someone rapes your wife,
your mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in
front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would
put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to
death. To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother you want to put
him to death. But if the same crime is committed on somebody else’s wife or
daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why should there be double
standards?
8. Western society falsely claims to have uplifted women
Western talk of women’s liberalization is nothing but a disguised form of
exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and deprivation of her honour.
Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women. On the contrary it has actually
degraded them to the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies
who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketeers,
hidden behind the colourful screen of ‘art’ and ‘culture’.
9. USA has one of the highest rates of rape
United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries
of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in any country in the
world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990, every day on an average
1756 cases of rape were committed in U.S.A alone. Later another report said
that on an average everyday 1900 cases of rapes are committed in USA. The
year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans
got ‘bolder’ in the following years.
Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijab is followed in America. Whenever
a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his
mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic hijab, that is the
complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrist. After
this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you, in such
a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or
will it decrease?
10. Implementation of Islamic Shariah will reduce the rate of rapes
Naturally as soon as Islamic Shariah is implemented positive results will be
inevitable. If Islamic Shariah is implemented in any part of the world, whether it
is America or Europe, society will breathe easier. Hijab does not degrade a
woman but uplifts a woman and protects her modesty and chastity.

Answer 2

I see your arguments but if you look at history and read the Qu'ran then you would change your mind. The Qu'ran tells women and men to dress modestly but does not say they most cover their bodys and faces by wearing a veil. The Hijab is not Islamic, if you look at ancient carvings from before Islam you will see the women are covered on their head with a veil, this was merely a tradition the Hijab was adopted by the people in the middle east even when the Islam religion began to spread. Women back in that time who were Muslim had more rights than people up until the 1700s could even think of, right to choose husband, vote, own property, become leaders etc... if you dont believe they could become leaders look at history, part of the reason the Islamic faith split was due to the choice of who lead them, one group wanted Mohammed's(peace be upon him) relative who was a woman to be the leader, until the rival group killed off the family line. Islam does not degrade women, it never has the people who are Muslim and have a twisted view of the holy Qu'ran and cant distinguish between tradition and religion are the ones that degrade women. Even in the West for many centuries it was a custom for women to be veiled, even in ancient rome and greece, the nations in the middle ages also supported it, even until the 1800s women were supposed to be veiled in some way. It is not purely an Islamic belief, its not even definativly an Islamic belief, its merely a custom that can either be followed or not.

Answer 3

Why do you see the veil degrading? I can say that covering up the face isn't mandatory in Islam.Only 2 Islamic countries force that according to their translation of Koran. I can say that most who do wear it have no problem with it. It is accpetable for these women since it isn't degrading to them, it is highly accepted. In Islamic countries where it isn't mandatory, you will find many women who do cover their face(veil) upon their own choice to do so. It is very accpetable and not degrading to them, nor in the eyes of women who only wear hijab. It is highly commended.

A simple piece of clothing does not degrade a woman.
What degrades a woman is Staring by men as if she is a piece of furniture. What degrades a woman is giving her less the salary than that of a man earns for the same job. What degrades a woman or a man for that matter, is constant bullying by people about their faith.

Why is it so important for some people to publicly criticize and use harsh adjectives for their religious beliefs and doings. How can we Muslims possibly be harming you for wearing a veil on our face? We are fine with our veils.

For those who are wearing it on mandatory basis as in Saudia and Iran, I hope they will be given a chance soon to freely choose to wear it rather than be forced. You will find that a few will choose to disregard their veils.

I wish that all people will let other people practice their faith as they choose to do with out criticism, harshness and disrespect.

Answer 4

I think it's degrading to unveil women and let them prance around half naked. And yes, in my mind half naked is also being clothed from the neck down completely but in revealing outfits. Skin does not have to be showing for something to be revealing. I thank God for Islam and the longer I am a Muslim the more strongly I feel about this. Yes, I know not every unveiled woman is a whore but I was once unveiled and remember all the things I thought of getting dressed each day and I know the truth behind people saying that they are only dressing for themselves when in fact they feel good in what they wear because of the attention it gets them from the opposite sex.

Besides assuring modesty, veiling (in my case hijab not niqaab) is following God Almighty's command. And alhamdullilah I am trying my best everyday to follow God swt all the time and I seek Allah's forgiveness for my failings of which there are many.

EDIT: A society is misogynistic when it tells it's women they are "free" when they are unclothed and their bodies made available to men and to lesbian women.

Answer 5

The one that degrades women is that one that thinks a veil makes her less of a human. Muslims know that the veil doesn't mean a woman is anything less than any other person. We know that the veil mean the woman loves Allah (swt), loves Islam and her sisters and brothers in Islam.
It is the person who thinks any piece of fabric degrades a woman when the fact is that it is the lack of fabric that actually degrades the woman. When the non Muslim world encourages women to lessen themselves by placing more value on the physical beauty of a woman that is degradation.

Answer 6

Islam tells women to wear a clothing that covers her from head to toe Except from her wrist to palm onwards and her face. A veil is not obligatory. Some ladies who feel like wearing it are not prohibited to do so. Its completely optional.

Iam not sure, but I think it might maybe the same as what the modest sisters wear in the church.

Iam not offending the Christians when i say this (I maybe even wrong):

Christianity commands the SISTERS and the FATHERS of the church to wear modest clothes.

And Islam commands ALL the MUSLIMS to wear modest clothing.


Once again Iam srry if I offended u.

Answer 7

Hi Robin , if this helps any at all, take it how you need to, I am a convert to Islam from 10 years ago. 10 years ago I had the very same questions, and yes 10 years ago when I walked down the street I would get whistles and cat calls, the whole bit. Yes, it is true that some woman like this , it makes them feel beautiful and they laugh over it. But for me even at that time I felt uncomfortable. 10 years later I wear hijab(a scarf) and I no longer get cat calls, and I feel comfortable in and with myself and with God. I hope that helped. Peace/Salam.

Answer 8

you mentioned about being 'respectful', and i feel that you've phrased your question wrongly. do u not know that some orthodox jews and orthodox christians practise this as well?
in Islam, only a woman's face, hands and feet maybe left uncovered.
it promotes respect and allows the man to see the woman as a person, rather than get distracted by her beauty and be overcome by lust, (which would then degrade her into a sexual object).

Answer 9

The Muslims women are proud to show their beliefs wearing the veils.
I think it is not a degradation. It is a cultural and all culture has different point of view or conception.
I'm Christian.

Answer 10

It honors her not degrades her, degrading for me is when your wife goes half naked outside for all kind of men to lust for her, if i want to sell something i will put it on display in a window shop, mules donkeys show their behind, everything god made precious he hides it, diamond, pearls, gold, silver. Why should my wife go out on the beach dressed less then she is when we are in bed together. To me that is degrading.

Answer 11

that it's your point of view that Islam degrades women by ordering them to wear scarf, why not is a prvelege.
anyway the purpose as revealed in the Coran is to be known as muslims.