Do you think that burqa and niqab is at all restricting?

Question

When you see pictures like this : http://www.flickr.com/photos/violinsoldier/204811235/

Don't you think that that's going to the extreme? Yes i agree that woman should be modest and cover up... but to the extent that you can barely show your eyes?

Oppression?

Woman are beautiful, and yes, as a woman, i feel we should be modest, but is it really that bad if we wear loose or fitted clothing?

Opinions?

Oh and I am in no way trying to bash Islam..

Answer 1

The woman in the picture is wearing what most of the other women in her country wear. I have met some of these women myself whilst in Bombay a few years back. (Their garments were black though.)

They are extremely comfortable in these garments and they can see well too as the piece which goes over the eyes is netted. I myself cover my eyes too so I know it is not an inconvenience. I would feel extremely uncomfortable if I had to uncover my eyes.

At the end of the day, it's up to the individual. It's down to their level of Eemaan.

You have to remember that the eyes are the most beautiful part of a woman's face.

And no, these women are not oppressed. Believe me, they're not!!!

Answer 2

To me it's pretty extreme.

In the western world we're used to communicate with the use of eye-contact and a lot of people do not feel comfortable if they can't look somebody in the eye. It's like the fully covered woman is trying to hide something more than just her body...

So if a woman decides to wear niqab or burqa in the western world, she has to be very selfsecure. An oppressed woman wouldn't want to leave the house without her husband/father, because she would be very afraid of making possible mistakes (in the eyes of her husband/father).

Personally I believe that it's up to every individual woman to what extend she wants to cover herself, because she is the one who'd have to answer to Allah and she's the one to wear it.

By the way: I wear loose clothing and a headscarf.

Answer 3

I think it is extreme and oppressive. Your face and hands are halal. If a women just went out and chose to wear this then it would be ok. But I am not ok with a women being required to wear this.  Biological every human face is different so you can easily recognize and distinguish one another. No where in the Quran dose it say that this is required. I will wear it only when Allah swt tells me I have to. Not some person interpreting things how they like. The Qu'ran says the best dress is the dress of righteous. If people are so worried about what women look like then they need to lower their gaze. Not saying that women shouldn't dress modest but that is ridiculous. If you want to wear it I fully support you in every way ,but most women I know would not want to wear it.

Answer 4

i dnt c it as oppressive ima hijabi...but i believ dat niqaabi's/burkaa ladies care n hav waay more respect 4 der bodies..more power 2 dem!i hav repsect 4 my body but...dey wudnt let a man c der beauty of da face...

Answer 5

No human being would ever choose to dress like that and it is clearly oppressive and degrading. It hurts to even look at them and hurts more to read the statements of approval and justification here. Lack of choice is force.

I am an American woman and I do not feel demoralized in anyway. When a man whistles at me on the street it is nothing more than a harmless, although immature, complement and certainly nothing to get worked about. Sexual tension between men and women is a normal natural human interaction, which is something most of you cannot seem to grasp. And for your information we also have many very attractive well built men who appear half naked in our ads, billboards and newspapers.

Answer 6

i think some Muslims womens are taking the covering up situation in Islam . A little too seriously.I mean the Quran only said for the women  to cover all over her body except her face and her hands. But now they think it is a better idea to cover every part of their body. which is not right. Allah knows best and do as He says.

Answer 7

this kind of hijab i not what Allah Allmighty Says in Glorious Quran..

1. Only show necessary parts of the body [24:31].

2. Cover the chest [24:31].

3. Do not draw attention to yourself [24:31].

4. Dress modestly [24:31, 33:59].

5. Lengthen your garment [33:59].

the kind of hijab you have showed in the Hyper Link..

would promote criminal activities.

therefore the face should not be covered,as people may see.

naked face will refrain someone from doing imodest behaviour .

Answer 8

it is only oppressive if we are FORCED in to wearing it, which most of us ARE NOT. I choose to wear the niqab because i hate men staring at me all the time. it makes me uncomfortable. and sometimes i even think about covering the eyes because mine are blue and dark men think this is very attractive. i was in cairo recently and wore hijab and abaya without face covering(http://www.ethnicdenim.com/fashion-blog/... and i was so intimidated by the behaviour of the men around me. most of the time i wear the niqab. and it is not ugly. i think it can look very well. i wear mine as such http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/... which i find comfortable. on the other hand, i find NOT wearing it oppressive as my movement is restricted by fear of men staring, whistling, saying things etc and niqab is my liberation, if you can understand what i mean. i am against the burqa totally as it is ridiculous, ugly and all muslims know that "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty". the niqab really doesnt have to be ugly http://azizaizmargari.files.wordpress.co... and http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbvie... are just 2 examples of how we can cover and feel beautiful at the same time. its not sinful to go without niqab  but personally i like it and feel liberated rather than oppressed. hope this explains it from a muslimahs point if view

Answer 9

Well, it is restrictive and oppressive, factually. In my opinion, it's vile and inhumane.

But seriously, how are you going to convince someone that X is wrong when they believe it's prescribed by God?

EDIT: M S- Her toes are showing! Don't you think that's kind of s**y and haram?

Answer 10

well, it was done only by taliban,

the rest Muslim world don't wear like that, in Islam it requires to cover up but not like this.

Answer 11

Her toes are showing!?!?! Just kidding.

When I was in Pakistan I saw a lot of women in Rawalpindi and Peshawar wearing this style of burqa. It is how they choose to dress in that region. Especially Pathani people in NW Pakistan, near the Afghan border. They feel very strong about purdah, separating men and women, and the burqa plays a big part in that while they are in public.

My sister-in-law married into a Pathani family and most of the women wear niqab (but not this style of burqa.) They were all happy and friendly people, did not appear to be suppressed or give the impression that they felt they were extreme. They feel that their level of purda is correct behavior and that the rest of us are too relaxed in that area. At the Walima it was all women, and they did not want us to take pictures because they believe it is haram, and many other Muslims believe the same thing. when it was time to eat, the womeng ot to eat first and the men waited until we were finished. Not exactly what I would call oppressive.

All the daughters in this family go to college and get jobs. They are not forced to stay home all their life like people seem to believe. It is true that some girls are forced to wear this burqa and are not allowed outside, but this is not true of every woman who wears it. Most of them choose to wear it on their own.

Answer 12

Okay, did you try to talk to a Muslim woman and see how she feels about it?

In Islam, Women don't have to cover their faces fully. They have to cover everywhere except their hands and face. It is not as hard as it sounds. I go outside with a long-sleeve shirt pants,shoes and a hijab, that's all there is to it. You can also do it with a long sleeve shirt, shoes, a long skirt and a hijab. Or something of that sort. Does it seem opressive now? (P.S.- Hijabs are easy to wear and comfortable, contrary to popular belief.)

I don't wear a burqa or a niqab, some women choose to because they want to. Nothing wrong with their opinion, and they're pretty comfortable with it. Oh well, whatever floats their boat.

It is only opressive if we are forced to wear it, which 99.99% of us aren't forced to wear it.

|-|iba

Answer 13

It's pretty extreme.

But I'm from the West, and used to seeing women dancing around half naked on television. Here when a woman wears a turtleneck and jeans she's assumed to be a nun or something lol.

Answer 14

anyways the Pic that u just posted is from Afghanistan and Only there women cover up like that Cause Talibans think that its IN islam for a women to cover up from head to Toe ! which clearly shows their Lack of information about Islam !

Answer 15

I think its fine. They can wear whatever they want.

I can understand why they would want to wear that. Its like you don't need to bother dressing yourself up or anything. You can just put that on and go outside. Its simple and I would wear that too if it was a common practice where I live.

Answer 16

I totally agree with you. Wearing burqa/niqab is extremism. The Prophet (pbuh) said that women should cover all but their hands and face. So why do people cover their faces anyway? I think it's a foolish. Islam honors and elevates women. Hijab is modest and honors the woman. Niqab/burqa oppresses and degrages the woman.

Salam.

Answer 17

Not at all. The Hadiths such as Bukhari point to Niqab being fard.  The mothers of believers and the women of the prophet Muhammad(Salla Allahu alahi Wa Salaam) lifetime and as such is obligatory upon all Muslim girls who have reached puberty.  I don't think it's oppression. I personally love covering like a crow because I interpet 33:59 and 24:31 as covering like a crow and interpet the strong Hadiths as applying to all Muslim women and girls for all time, not just the time of Muhammad(Salla Allahu alahi Wa Salaam).  And Burka is just another name for Niqab.