THE HIJAB OBSESSION

To be brief I am tired of the Hijab obsession. If you do any search on women and Islam at least 80 to 90% of your results will be on Hijab. Quite frankly I want to read and/or listen to something else. This is not to say that Hijab isn't important, it is. This isn't to say that women don't face issues related to hijab. However, this is to say that hijab is only one small part of the deen.

There are numerous things that effect Muslimahs, today and the past. Why are we not addressing them? What is this obsession with hijab. Why is it “Sister you need to cover!” instead of “Sister you should improve your salah?” Why is it “Sister the mothers of the believers coverd, you should too!” and not the mothers of the believers were scholars in Islam, you should be one too. Why it is in country X hijab is banned while in country y hijab is compulsory. Why don't we address female mutilation, masjids that close doors to women, women who cannot leave abusive marriages, why don't we rave about sisters who are in government positions, start non-profit organizations, participate in the Olympics, historical and contemporary female scholars? There are so so so many things, that relate to women in Islam let's acknowledge them.

There is an over emphasis on the part of, brothers, sisters, lecturers, Muslim and non Muslim media etc. on hijab. And when you see this emphasis, it tends not to be on the importance of hijab in its entirety, but a focus on dress, more specifically the dress of women. I wrote this piece only to inspire more overall focus on things outside of the dress of women. Regardless of whether hijab should be or is practiced or not, in the end, there is more to life, more to paradise, more to hell-fire, more to everything then hijab. Without a doubt hijab is important, however there is no reason why the world’s attention should be on hijab. Instead of us being balanced as Muslims should be, and looking at Islam related and women related issues in a holistic fashion we tend to reduce the woman and her worship to her hijab. Where are the lectures on women scholars, women judges, women in the masjid and woman martyrs? Where is the news report on Muslimat Al-Nisaa Health & Shelter Services, INC, a homeless shelter created by a sister for sisters, or the work the Muslim girl scouts are doing? In short I am not my hijab.

Written March 2008