Islam Vs. Culture:
The Myth & Mystery Of The Veil 

By Mecca Donna

Islam Vs. Culture

Everyone today seems to be on a quest to find liberation. In some ways this inevitably requires us to make a choice. This choice pits Islam versus culture, and it seems to be increasingly difficult for people to distinguish between the two. With every passing fad, idea, or refurbished philosophy, the line of demarcation becomes blurrier. More than ever before, cultural traditions are being falsely labeled as tenants of Islam. Muslimahs everywhere are being faced with the pressing task of defending their own decisions, emphasizing their freedom of choice and declaring their independence in the face of public discrimination and false perceptions. This brings me to the unavoidable issue of hijab, more specifically, the myth and mystery of the veil.

The Myth & Mystery

Who is that woman with the piercing eyes? I see her, I can't miss her. But, I can't really see her. The idea voiced the most in media and general public perception is women who wear the niqaab (or face veil) do so under forceful obligation. We are only seen but not heard and must be in black. We all see media outlets airing news about men who physically abuse, maim, or otherwise mistreat women and call it Islam.  The media put a heavily bearded, angry face on its propaganda. They expressly and implicitly state that these men are the sole reason why we choose the veil. They tell the public that we are oppressed and are being held prisoner. They say we're compelled and held in captivity in a prison made of long, black cloth. They lead people to believe that niqaab is a prison as opposed to a protection. The plain truth of the matter is far simpler than what the media perpetuates. The solitary truth, no matter the controversy, is that the majority of women who wear the niqaab do so out of personal choice. The personal reasons for choosing to wear niqaab are as diverse as the human race. These women behind the veils are not weak minded, voiceless figures that have no power of reason or ambition. On the contrary, these are women of impeccable strength and resilience. These women are great thinkers, Islamic callers, scholars, teachers, mothers, doctors and wives. They are even, in some regard, nonconformists, and definitely champions of liberation on a level that women in the West collectively seem to fail to grasp conceptually.

The Fallacy

“Land of the free, home of the brave.” “Those practices are antiquated and have no place in modern, progressive society.” Right? More like land of the double standard, home of the hypocrites. It's a curious thing that the very principles America was built are not applied in everyday respects. For example, a Nun in her Habit is considered virtuous and spiritually astute. Nuns and Muslimahs cover virtually the same body parts, but why is it that I'm weak and imprisoned for covering the same? I dare to say that I am indeed practicing my right to freely be who I choose to be, practice my religion and not conform to the societal norm that condones the stripping of women and placing them on display. I feel a deep sense of pity for those women whose self worth is attached to how much she can conform to the fad of the moment or someone else's standard of beauty. I'm saddened even more because these women have come to equate the ability to expose themselves to every man in public with being free. I weep for young women who are killing themselves literally to fit into a narrow scope of beauty forced upon them in over-sexed public images.  As for those who see the practice of niqaab as antiquated, my statement is very simple. I take my example from the Wives of The Prophet Muhammad, may Allah be pleased with them all. They practiced this religion perfectly. Succinctly, there is no improvement upon perfection. 

The Freedom

Despite the controversy, there is an air of respect that is given to a woman who chooses hijab/niqaab. This is not to say there aren't unfavorable feelings mixed in from time to time. It takes a great deal of determination to endure some of the comments people make out of fear, ignorance or desire to conform. There is a serenity that comes over me, especially when the weather is hot and my niqaab is flowing in the wind. It comes from the sincere knowledge that Allah is pleased with me and I am pleased with His decree. There is a feeling of strength that I feel for not being persuaded to exceed any boundary that Allah has placed on me as a Muslim, either in being too strict or too liberal. I feel an extra sense of protection knowing that my body is fully shielded from prying eyes and lustful gazes. I feel compelled to say that I truly have experienced freedom as opposed to just verbally claiming to understand the meaning. I feel unrestricted and liberated when I'm in public view. This life will not be without trial for any of us. For those of us who have chosen it, the veil has truly set us free.