Yvonne Ridley
I saw the women who used the veil as oppressed beings, until I was detained in Afghanistan in September 2001, fifteen days after the attack in the United States, after being detained for having written in a newspaper that the regime was oppressive, i left Afghanistan covered in a blue burka, from head to toe. I insulted and cursed those who had detained me; they said I was a ′′ bad ′′ woman, but they allowed me to leave as soon as I promised to read the Quran and study it. (Frankly, I’m not sure who was happier when I was released, if they or me). Again in London, I kept my word and started studying Islam, and quickly was surprised with what I was discovering. I was hoping to find that the Quran ordered to beat the wife and oppress the daughters; instead, I found many passages that ordered a true liberation of the woman. Two and a half years after being detained, I turned to Islam, which sparked a mix of wonder and disapproval among my friends and relatives.
Having been myself on both sides of the veil, I can tell you that Western politicians and journalists who lament the Muslim women who use the veil have no idea what they are talking about. They talk about veils, girlfriends, girl s’, female circus, crimes of honor and forced marriages, mixing it all up, and they blame Islam. Their arrogance is only overcome by their ignorance. These cultural practices and customs, nothing to do with Islam, reading the Quran shows us that what the feminist movement achieved in the 1970 s, Muslim women had obtained 1400 years before. Women in Islam are considered equal to men in all spiritual, in education and are highly valued. The ability of women to give birth is considered a valuable attribute. If Islam grants women so much why are Western men obsessed with Muslim clothes?
When I converted to Islam and started using a handkerchief on my head, the repercussions were enormous. All I did was cover my head and hair but I became a second class citizen instantly. I knew I would have to face Islamophobia, but I didn’t expect so much open hostility from strangers. Taxis wouldn’t stop for me at night. A taxi driver, after leaving a white passenger right in front of me, started suddenly when I hit his window. Another one said to me, ′′ Don’t leave a bomb in the backseat ′′ and asked, ′′ why don’t you take that away?” Yes, it’s a religious obligation for Muslim women to dress modestly, but most Muslim women like it wear the hijab that leaves the face uncover, although others prefer the nikab. It’s a personal decision: My attire says I’m a Muslim and I hope to be treated respectfully.
Some consider hijab and nikab as political symbols, also as a way to reject western excesses, such as alcohol consumption, casual sex and drug use. How do you release more?: judging the length of your skirt and the size of your surgically improved breasts, or judging your character and intelligence? In Islam, superiority is achieved through godliness, not beauty, wealth, power or position.
(Ivonne Ridley is political editor of the Islamic channel in London and co-author of the book ′′ In the Taliban’s Hands: A Surprising Story “.)
Source: WordPress ′′ Islam en Español ′′
