hijab

Politics

Sexual harassment, Egypt, and the hijab

This is a really interesting post for a number of reasons, by Jack Shenker in the Guardian: Women in Egypt get hi-tech aid to beat sexual harassment: A hi-tech weapon has been unveiled in the battle against sexual harassment in Egypt, where almost half the female population face unwanted attention from men every day. HarassMap, a private venture that is set to launch later this year, allows women to instantly report incidents of sexual harassment by sending a text message to a centralised computer.

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Politics

My first time with Salman Rushdie

I attended a Salman Rushdie lecture with a made-up mind about him, hoping that he’d be able to somehow prove me wrong despite all that I had read. And during the lecture itself, he grew on me. He was quick, charming, and eloquent. But I left feeling completely to the contrary, completely disappointed with Salman Rushdie. Not as a writer, talented as he may be, but as a person.

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Community, Culture, Mosque

Why I chose to take off my hijab: Four women speak (Part II)

What are Muslim American women concerned about today? When I polled my Muslim girl friends, they unanimously voiced their interest in better understanding why an increasing number of their peers are choosing to take off the hijab (here defined as head scarf). As a hijabi for twelve years, I relate to the rewards and challenges of wearing hijab but have no specific answers as to what drives this decision. So I sought to seek a few, through four women I interviewed, who were gracious enough to discuss why they made this decision and how it affected their lives. We continue our interviews here in Part II.

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Community, Culture, Mosque

Why I chose to take off my hijab: Four women speak

What are Muslim American women concerned about today? When I polled my Muslim girl friends, they unanimously voiced their interest in better understanding why an increasing number of their peers are choosing to take off the hijab (here defined as head scarf). As a hijabi for twelve years, I relate to the rewards and challenges of wearing hijab but have no specific answers as to what drives this decision.

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Community

Beyond Purple Hijab day

When I accepted Islam in July 2006, I was welcomed with open arms by the diverse Muslim community in Atlanta. However, as I learned more and more about this beautiful deen, I also began to feel troubled by the intolerance and narrow-mindedness of many in the local and national community who chose to concentrate only on certain areas of social service, especially those that made them “look good.” Meanwhile, fellow Muslim men, women, and children are still crying for help, but being avoided and neglected by their Muslim neighbors, brothers and sisters.

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Family

Muslim, man, HijabMan: An interview

I recently spoke with “HijabMan”: a persona, a brand, and a recognizable part of the tapestry that is the Muslim community. He was recently named one of the world’s 500 Most Influential Muslims, in addition to having his designs appear on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report. I asked HijabMan about his story and had him reflect on the meaning of manhood for Muslims today.

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Uncategorized

Covering the headscarf

In the end, the point isn’t about how much of a difference the hijab makes – the point is, rather, that perhaps we’re using the wrong litmus test when defining our religious obligations. An Islamic mandate to wear the hijab need not be legitimated by cultural, sociological proofs; rather, we submit to God’s commands because He commanded us to do so.

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Community, Culture, Fashion

The dehijabization phenomenon

After a brief, identity-driven swell in the number of hijab wearers, there now appears to be a decline. Why did women who spent years, or decades, in hijab decide to dehijabize? What is it that women feel must be fulfilled in life without the hijab that is apparently missing while wearing it?

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Uncategorized

Are non-hijabis “scantily clad”?

Some social scientific studies, such as a recent study by well-known Princeton psychologist, Dr. Susan Fiske, have been misleadingly used to promote the use of the hijab. Misrepresenting these studies – acknowledged by their authors to require further investigation – does little to serve such a cause, nor does it fairly portray the reality of Muslims (and non-Muslims) who choose to dress without it.

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Uncategorized

News briefs for week of March 9, 2009

Every day, issues related to gender intersect with our society, politics, economics, and culture. Altmuslimah is your source for up-to-date news and commentary on these critical intersections. Here are our news briefs for the week of March 9, 2009.

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