Muslimah's: Do you feel oppressed being a muslim? Wearing the Hijab etc.. ?

Question

One of the biggest problems that non-Muslims have with Islam is that women are degraded and are oppressed to wear the Hijab. But how many of you Muslim women actually feel that way?

I feel more oppressed in Uk to wear western clothing, do western things and act how they do in their culture. I feel oppressed when i walk out of my door that i should look like them and not wear the Hijab, I honestly really want to wear the Hijab, but i will admit that i am too weak to, i go outside and feel as though i have to wear western clothing so that people don't look at me funny and don't shout insults. I don't feel as though i will be safe wearing the Hijab in my area full of non believers who think wearing a mini skirts in front of their fathers is the freedom and respect women should have. (And please don't judge me because i don't wear the Hijab, inshallah i will find strengtht whit a new start at Uni ) And, On the issue of degrading women, i disagree, we have been given a high status in Islam. I feel more respected and valued as a pure woman in Islam than i would in any other religion.

That's my opinion, but do YOU muslim women feel oppressed opressed to wear the Hijab and do you think that we are degraded in Islam?

I'm interested to know how many actually do feel that way.

Answer 1

Move out to a Muslim country sister.  Not necessarily to the Middle East but North Africa or South East Asia.  Muslims don't ever have that kind of anxiety there Alhamdulillah.

But being realistic, free your mind and thoughts from what others will think.  That is the greatest thing you can learn from Islam.  We are to conform to God's will, not be captive to the thoughts of men.

May Allah give you the strength and courage to do what is right.  Hey, if you need strength and courage to wear the hijab, that would mean you're a strong and brave lady.

Answer 2

No I don't feel oppressed 'cos it's not like it's strangling me or anything. It's really not that hard to wear it, well Alhamdulillah for me anyway. But I've been brought up wearing it so that's probably why it's easier for me. But I used to go to secondary school in Belfast where me and my sister were the only Pakistanis/Muslims that that school had had in it's entire history, some girls were rude to us, but most were really understanding. The chavs (called millies there lol) on the streets used to give us a hard time, but we didn't let it bother us.

I can understand why it may seem hard for you, but know that once you're with Allah (SWT), Allah is with you! :) No one can harm you unless with the permission of Allah, and when you practise something that He has commanded, like the hijab, then you receive so much barkat/blessings in everything you do 'cos Allah loves His creation!! :) And He is always on your side! You may receive some hostility but it's all a test from Allah and Allah only tests those that He loves. I think it's sooo great MashaAllah that you realise the importance of hijab and you have a desire to wear it, you're halfway there!! InshaAllah you'll gain the strength to wear it one day, and when you do trust me you'll feel so liberated, so FREE, free from so many different things. I totally get what you mean about being oppressed by Western culture, women followers of the Western culture are slaves to the fashion industry/materialism and constantly being told they don't look good enough, so they're forever trying to look good and "fit in" with society, they try to be how the world/media/society wants them to be, they need to have the latest clothes/shoes/bags, they need to follow the latest trends, they spend silly amounts of money on this stuff, now that's what I call oppression! But when you wear the hijab, none of this stuff matters. You're free from all this oppression and free from your own nafs (self-desires) aswell 'cos many girls become too vain and self-absorbed. Hijab protects you from so many things, I can't stress it's value and significance enough. Anyway, think I've waffled on enough now so I'll zip it! Take care and I pray that InshaAllah one day you gain the strength to take up hijab, and free yourself from the oppression of the materialistic world :D Maybe if you just try it for one day, wear it for one whole day, see how it goes, how you feel.

Answer 3

I'm a muslima and i started wearing a hijab when i was 11 and  i don't feel that i was oppressed and i agree with you , Islam gives as much respect to a woman as it does to a man , in fact Islam is only one of the few religions that gives a lot of importance to woman .

Answer 4

Your basically asking: Are Muslimah's embarassed to wear hijabs?

The answer: NO. Im pretty darn proud and honestly i could care less of what people think, because the most important thing to me is what ALLAH (swt) thinks.  ;-)

Peace && Love

Salam! ^_^

Answer 5

NOoOpe... I dont feel opressed =]

My reaction to a racist person:

I wear the hijab cos I want to.. ya have a problem mateee =] ?

<3  

Answer 6

nope but i dont wear a hijab, either.

im bengali and in bangladesh india and hinduism has influenced the culture much mor than islam has, in my opinion. [i live in the US]

Answer 7

I feel more oppressed being forced to look at all their skin and vanity.

Answer 8

Well, I also live in the UK and I wear the hijab. No, I don't feel oppressed and most people are fine with my hijab.



Where I live, there are non-Muslims everywhere (duh its the UK) and they don't have a problem with it. You need to stop making excuses for not wearing the hijab.

Answer 9

when u do something coz u love it or coz ur lover love it , will u be oppressed?

am amuslimah and am proud of that from the deepst part in my heart

and i love my higab more than words can say

if u love allah(god) then u wonna 2 do all his orders especialy when u know that its better 4 u . coz u will feel ur self powerful and pure as u said . it makes u safe  u know that sure and i know u love god and wonna 2 wear it 4 the sake of him , read in prophet mohamed's serah(life story) and u will know how they suffered 4 the sake of their god and great religion and 4 the sake of u.... yea believe it they suffered and were hurted more than u can imagine 2 make u amuslimah

when u read it u will find its so easy 2 do anything 4 god as they had done but i know its so hard 4 u 2 take this great step...really i feel u

but try 2 make it coz its an order from ur god and prophet (pbuh)

ask god always all the time 2 help u and give u the power 2 do it and in ur pray cry and say''o my god i wonna 2 make it 4 u and only 4 u so help me please'' dont give up never ever

its ur freedom 2 do whatever u wonna and think whatever u see right

ignore their eays .. u r powerfull coz u r amuslimah..feel it

they r so weak and dont have anything 2 do against ur great power which u have from islam but teasing u and try 2 make u give up but be strong and do it

make ur self free and join us

please tell me about u and am ready 2 help u if u wonna

am waiting 4 ur great choice

and ill ask god 2 help u

good luck

Answer 10

I do not feel oppressed because everything that I do I do for the sake of Allah swt.  I live in the west, so there are no hijab police and no one to force me to do anything.  I embraced Islam because it was right for me and I believed in it and I wear the hijab proudly because I am very comfortable in my own skin and could care less what anyone else thinks.  I know people think I am oppressed, but I know the truth and that is al that matters, alhamdullilah.  

Answer 11

It is  use to oppress others like the Klan hood.

Answer 12

i dont feel oppressed at all by being muslim or wearing the scarf. im perfectly comfortable w/ it, i definitely dont feel degraded, and I don't care about how ppl look at me, i just look right bak at them.  

Answer 13

I feel oppressed not being able to wear hijab. I converted (I'm 16) and I haven't told my mom yet. I really want to wear hijab. I want to walk around and be proud of my religion. I have these scarfs in my room and I try them on a lot. I wish I could wear them outside. (>_<....

Answer 14

asaalaamu-alikum sis. i'm an american muslimah living in america and NO i don't feel oppressed wearing my hijab or niqab(veil). we are commanded by Allah to cover ourselves so that's what i  do. i too feel oppressed when having to look at the naked women in the streets but this is what gives me both courage and strength to obey Allah. i would never want to be  brought before on on the day of judgment looking like the kufar and not a Muslim. inshaallah i will make dua for you that your eeman is strengthened for your sake. it's more difficult here in america but we cover sister,mashaallah so you should try to do the same but i know it's not as easy for some as it is for me and others so i will not judge,but just remember what state you want to be in when it's your time to die.

and to my sisters and brothers who are judgmental fear Allah ab/c we are not to judge others. we make dua for our brothers and sisters who may not understand the benefit of hijab. i have many men who come up to me and other sisters who tell us they admire that we can do this and wish their lady/wives would cover as well. it's called patience and we must all have it.

Answer 15

Honestly no,I would feel very naked without it.I agree with you about Western cultures degradation of women under the guise of liberation.Its sad that women feel that the hijab is an oppressive thing when in fact it something that liberates.With it,I am showing that I respect myself ,my body and my faith and I demand respect from those that look at me.

I pity the women who bare their bodies,are promiscuous and then are angry about the way they are seen and treated.Inshallah women will one day know true freedom.

Answer 16

even though im 14 when i first started wearing a headscarf yes it was really hard! my friends were all "why are you wearing that"

its really hard for me as i live in a area with ALOT of non-muslims and a couple muslims

but stay strong and you'll get the hang of it inshallah

people finally got used to it. yes i still get looks but i ignore it

3 yrs of wearing a headscarf=]

Answer 17

You should, the Koran and Hadith clearly indicate the second-class nature of women with respect to men:

Sura (4:11) - (Inheritance) "The male shall have the equal of the portion of two females" (see also Sura (4:176)).

Sura (2:282) - (Court testimony) "And call to witness, from among your men, two witnesses. And if two men be not found then a man and two women"

Sura (2:228) - "and the men are a degree above them [women]"

Sura (5:6) - "And if ye are unclean, purify yourselves. And if ye are sick or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have had contact with women, and ye find not water, then go to clean, high ground and rub your faces and your hands with some of it"  Men are to rub dirt on their hands if there is no water to purify them following casual contact with a woman (such as shaking hands).

Sura (24:31) - Women are to lower their gaze around men, so they do not look them in the eye.

Sura (2:223) - "Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will..."  A man has dominion over his wives' bodies as he does his land.  This verse is overtly sexual.  There is some dispute as to whether it is referring to the practice of anal intercourse, which it has been used historically to justify.  If this is what Muhammad meant, however, then it would appear to contradict what he said in Muslim (8:3365).

Sura (4:3) - (Wife-to-husband ratio) "Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four"

Sura (53:27) - "Those who believe not in the Hereafter, name the angels with female names."  Angels are sublime beings, and would therefore be male.

Sura (4:24) and Sura (33:52) - A man is permitted to take women as s*x slaves outside of marriage.





From the Hadith:



Bukhari (6:301) - "[Muhammad] said, 'Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?'  They replied in the affirmative.  He said, 'This is the deficiency in her intelligence.'"



Bukhari (6:301) - continued - "[Muhammad said] 'Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?' The women replied in the affirmative. He said, 'This is the deficiency in her religion.'"  Allah has made women deficient in the practice of their religion as well, by giving them menstrual cycles.  



Bukhari (2:28) - Women comprise the majority of h**l's occupants.  This is important because the only women in heaven ever mentioned by Muhammad are the virgins who serve the sexual desires of men.  (A weak Hadith, Kanz al-`ummal, 22:10, even suggests that 99% of women go to h**l).



Bukhari (62:81) - "The Prophet said: "'The stipulations most entitled to be abided by are those with which you are given the right to enjoy the (women's) private parts (i.e. the stipulations of the marriage contract).'"  In other words, the most important thing that a woman brings to a marriage is between her legs.



Bukhari (62:58) - A woman presents herself in marriage to Muhammad, but he does not find her attractive, so he "donates" her on the spot to another man.



Abu Dawud (2:704) - "...the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: When one of you prays without a sutrah, a dog, an ***, a pig, a Jew, a Magian, and a woman cut off his prayer, but it will suffice if they pass in front of him at a distance of over a stone's throw."



Ishaq 593 - "From the captives of Hunayn, Allah's Messenger gave [his son-in-law] Ali a slave girl called Baytab and he gave [future Caliph] Uthman a slave girl called Zaynab and [future Caliph] Umar another." - Even in this world, Muhammad treated women like party favors, handing out slave girls to his cronies for s*x.



Ishaq 969 - "Men were to lay injunctions on women lightly, for they were prisoners of men and had no control over their persons." - This same text also justifies beating women for flirting.



http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/...

Answer 18

you want to not be oppressed take of the turban

Answer 19

h**l no i dont feel oppressed, I REVERTED To ISLAM and I LOVE MY HIJAB, it was my choice no one forced me, alhumdullilah i learned who my real friends where when i wore hijab

Answer 20

I don't wear one, and I am a Muslim.

I don't feel oppressed being a Muslim at all.

I love being a Muslim because without God, we'd all be hopeless.

Answer 21

Dear sister, refer to this answer:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...