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Women / Why I plan on no longer wearing hijaab
« on: September 28, 2012, 11:03:02 AM »
Salamun Alaikum,
A couple of weeks ago I attended an equal opportunity seminar. There we discussed how we perceive people based on what we have been taught by our parents, cultural background, and even religious teachings. One of the presenters showed a slide that hit me like a ton of bricks. It was a slide with a picture of an iceberg on it.
The tip of the iceberg (above water) held the words "Race, gender, ethnicity." Just below the surface were the words "Sexual orientation, religion, education." The further down into the water the iceberg went, the larger it became and the more personal the descriptions used. Basically, the tip of the iceberg were the things that people could deduce about someone just from seeing them. Below the water line were things that people would only know if they some sort of relationship with that person.
I realized that whenever anyone saw me, the first words that came to mind were "muslim woman." Most other people in the world have to tell others what their religious beliefs are, but mine are sewn on my sleeve for everyone to see. For the first time since converting to Islam, I realized I didn't want anyone to know what I believed. I wanted my relationship with God to be a personal one.
It's not that I am ashamed at all...I just get tired of being the poster child for Islam. It is exhausting living in a country where very few women wear hijaab. Everywhere I turn I see news articles, protests, reality shows all talking about the life of a muslim woman. It's almost as if I have no privacy...everyone thinks I am oppressed, brain washed, uneducated. I am far from any of that. My hijaab has almost become a super hero's cape. Well, this super muslimah is ready to retire.
Not wearing it doesn't make me any less of a muslim in my opinion. It's the sincerity and depth of my worship to Allah that is most important.
A couple of weeks ago I attended an equal opportunity seminar. There we discussed how we perceive people based on what we have been taught by our parents, cultural background, and even religious teachings. One of the presenters showed a slide that hit me like a ton of bricks. It was a slide with a picture of an iceberg on it.
The tip of the iceberg (above water) held the words "Race, gender, ethnicity." Just below the surface were the words "Sexual orientation, religion, education." The further down into the water the iceberg went, the larger it became and the more personal the descriptions used. Basically, the tip of the iceberg were the things that people could deduce about someone just from seeing them. Below the water line were things that people would only know if they some sort of relationship with that person.
I realized that whenever anyone saw me, the first words that came to mind were "muslim woman." Most other people in the world have to tell others what their religious beliefs are, but mine are sewn on my sleeve for everyone to see. For the first time since converting to Islam, I realized I didn't want anyone to know what I believed. I wanted my relationship with God to be a personal one.
It's not that I am ashamed at all...I just get tired of being the poster child for Islam. It is exhausting living in a country where very few women wear hijaab. Everywhere I turn I see news articles, protests, reality shows all talking about the life of a muslim woman. It's almost as if I have no privacy...everyone thinks I am oppressed, brain washed, uneducated. I am far from any of that. My hijaab has almost become a super hero's cape. Well, this super muslimah is ready to retire.
Not wearing it doesn't make me any less of a muslim in my opinion. It's the sincerity and depth of my worship to Allah that is most important.