"Beauty is how you feel inside, and it
reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical.” Sophia Loren
(Italian film Actress)
Men and women are equal but not
identical. Each of them complements the other in the different roles and
functions that they are responsible to. In Islam the individuals should
not be judged according to gender, beauty, wealth or privilege. The
only thing that makes one person better
than another is his or her character. Therefore woman is judged by her
character and actions rather than by her looks or physical features.
Islam ordered the same high standards of moral conduct for men as it is
for women. Modesty is essential in a human's life, as well, whether it
is in action, morals or speech. A woman who adheres to the tenets of
Islam is required to follow the dress code called Hijab (Veil). Islam
also commands proper behavior and dress of men, in that they are not
allowed to make a show of their bodies to attract attention onto
themselves, and they too must dress modestly. They have a special
commandment to lower their eyes, and not to brazenly stare at women.
The Qur'an urges the believing men and women to lower their gaze and
guard their modesty and then urges the believing women to extend their
head covers to cover the neck and the bosom:
"Say to the
believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty.
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 ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw
their veils over their bosoms...." (Qur'an Surah Al Noor: 30, 31).
The Islamic veil, unlike the veil of the Christian tradition, is not a
sign of man's authority over woman nor is it a sign of woman's
subjection to man. The Islamic veil, unlike the veil in the Jewish
tradition, is not a sign of luxury and distinction of some noble married
women. The Islamic veil is only a sign of modesty with the purpose of
protecting women, all women.
The Islamic philosophy is that
it is always better to be safe than sorry. In fact, the Qur'an is so
concerned with protecting women's bodies and women's reputation that a
man who dares to falsely accuse a woman of unchastely will be severely
punished:
"And those who launch a charge against chaste
women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations),
Flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for
such men are wicked transgressors (evil doers)" (Quran Surah Al
Noor: 4)
The Muslim woman does not feel the pressures to be
beautiful or attractive, which is so apparent in the Western and Eastern
cultures. She does not have to live up to expectations of what is
desirable and what is not. Superficial beauty is not the Muslim woman's
concern; her main goal is inner spiritual beauty. She does not have to
use her body and charms to get recognition or acceptance in society.
There are numerous examples of discrimination at the workplace where
women are either accepted or rejected, because of their attractiveness
and sex. A good example is in advertising, where a woman's body is used
to sell products. Women are constantly degraded, and subjected to reveal
more and more of themselves.
Many of the misconceptions of
the Muslim woman in the west, particularly her veil stems from Arab and
Muslim countries that have deviated from the true doctrines of Islam,
and have " mixed up Islamic principles with pre-Islamic pagan
traditions". Muslim woman wears the Islam dress code herself to put
herself on a higher level and men will look at her with respect and she
is noticed for her intellect, faith, and personality, not for her
beauty. Some people, especially in the West, would tend to ridicule the
whole argument of modesty for protection. Their argument is that the
best protection is the spread of education, civilized behavior, and self
control. We would say: fine but not enough.
Something is
fundamentally wrong in the society we live in. A radical change in the
society's life style and culture is absolutely necessary. A culture of
modesty is badly needed, modesty in dress, in speech, and in manners of
both men and women. Actually, we all suffer but as Khalil Gibran said:
"…For the person who receives the blows is not like the one who counts
them" in Thoughts and Meditations (New York: Bantam Books, 1960)
By: Nouran Radwan
References:
Liberation by the Veil, by Sehmina Jaffer Chopra, http://www.islam101.com/women
Women in Islam Versus Women in the Judaeo-Christian Tradition The Myth
and The Reality By: Sherif Abdel Azim, Ph.D.- Queens University,
Kingston, Ontario, Canada, http://www.islamicity.com/
Source : http://www.factofarabs.net/ERA.aspx?Id=314&TID=28
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