After I wrote that post about niqab I thought about it again and again. I realized that what I wrote there was not exactly true to how I perceive my niqab right now.

My transition- just as you wrote a peace within oneself is important. I do realize I’m undergoing changes, still adopting to the new environment (culture), still adopting to Islam etc. It’s wonderful that as humans we are able to change and grow (but also degrade), I just hope that these changes in my will always be for the better inshallah. Thank You very much for the wise words of support!

I’m not sure this is the right place for me to talk about it as it might be considered to be off top… but I’ll share some points:

I’m a convert to Islam. Many converts when they enter Islam they take their freedoms for granted and don’t value them. They lived in a society where barriers between good and bad dissolve more and more..- alcohol and drugs, fornication, pornography, gays, prostitutes, people who don’t want to marry any more, children without fathers etc- many women want to run away from it. And at first they don’t mind giving up some of their rights, hey don’t mind sacrificing for the sake of a new better more dignified life in Islam. They are ready to change themselves to submit in many aspects to the new lifestyle. Many go to extreme- it’s funny to watch when ethnic Muslim women fight for their rights, undergo emancipation, take off their veils, go to work- then many convert muslims who were there (education, work, wear what you want) they often do the opposite- leave work, cover up, become super obedient and submissive… Why does it happen- self determination- why would someone choose Islam if they are not going to be good Muslims, and also pressure from Muslim helpers who want to teach a new convert as much as they can and make them a super pious woman. So these women submit and submit and give up their rights and take it as norm being dependant on men, being humble and patient, obedient, super religious.

I thought of these women in Yemen- all covered up, all super submissive and religious- is it how I want all women to be? No. Those women cannot do anything to change their lives for the better. If a woman looses respect for herself (like puts on unaethetic clothes that degrade her, for example), she cannot expect others to respect her. If we give up our rights, we should not be surprised to see others (men) violating them and taking more and more control.

I read some materials on emancipation process in Egypt and was shocked- I could never think that Muslim women were in such a bad social situation. I was shocked that religious Ulama resisted emancipation and fought it.

I just came to realize that many of my ideas were wrong. Extreme views on anything are never too good. Muslims without tolerance, education, learning from other cultures- we just won’t go far if we don’t change.

The most important thing is that you find peace within yourself. We are as humans constantly changing, hoping that it is for the better.
I hope you can share more about this transition that you are going through!!

BTW, one of my students will be presenting about the Niqab, and I gave her the link to your post of your personal reasons for wearing it. She will survey the reasons behind wearing it in general and critique it in light of different theories we have been dealing with so far.

This change is going to make my life harder… living in this culture it’ll be harder to tolerate many things. I’m sceptical that I’ll be able to contribute to the process of Emancipation of Gulf women… yet we never know what God plans are… maybe something good will come out of it… Maybe I’ll be able to encourage other women to fight for their rights and to not give them up.

Regarding your point on women and men are different in Islam. They are different physically but are equal in rights and responsibilities. And I stand by my word; men and women should stand hand by hand and ask for their legal and religious rights.

One more thing, you can’t give yourself a title- a title is granted/given to you, whether deservingly or not. One can claim to be a masterpiece writer, but if readers and critics don’t agree, then he is not. Similarly, you can’t be a doctor without obtaining a PhD, can’t be a father or a mother if you don’t have children, and so on. My point is I’m not giving myself any titles here.

I am in complete agreement on this one. Women have a major role to play in society and then have the calibre to do the same. H.H Sheikha Moza is a prime example, and I truly feel that Qatar is ahead of its counterparts when it comes to emancipation of womens rights.

Allow me to take the liberty to fuel your thoughts on the same lines again. If men and women are equal, do you agree with reservation for women (in parliament etc), that most womens group ask for? is this not saying that since we are inferior we need to be looked at in silo? This is the one element where I have always been at loggerheads.

Rgds,

J.J