The_American_Muslim_Woman_and_Her_Hijab

The American Muslim Woman and Her Hijab ANT101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Jody Stoneman September 20, 2010 Abstract In the Muslim culture women are assumed to be treated as less than the men. Often times we hear stories of how woman are punished, however until recently we have not heard much from these women and why they do what others perceive as allowing themselves to be abused. American Muslim women are finally speaking out. The American Muslim Woman and Her Hijab Each and every person in the world belongs to a culture, just as each culture belongs to a person. One of the most diverse cultures is the American culture; it means so many different things to every person that comes in contact with it. What many fail to realize is that the American culture is what each American makes it to be. The American culture is really a melting pot of many personal and geographical sub cultures. American women are among those that have their own cultural values. After years of oppression and fighting so hard to gain equality, they have no choice but to be strong and independent. American women do have to prove themselves everyday as workers, mothers, wives, daughters and sisters. As a whole American women stand together in order to provide support for each other, and yet they remain separate in many ways as well. One sub culture that is under constant scrutiny is the American Muslim Women. “Despite several generations in this country--, Muslims have quite a history in the U.S.--we are still perceived as foreigners; we are still perceived as people out to destroy the United States, and when we attempt to define ourselves, our voices are silenced.” (Hathout) American Muslim women not only have to battle the battles of just being an American woman, they also have to battle the stigmas that are assumed due to their religion. Not only do they fight for rights as Women in general, but they also fight for their beliefs. American Muslim women have to defend their choices to everyone they come in contact with including their own families. There is no doubt that the pressure has grown stronger since the September 11th attacks on the Twin Towers nine years ago. Of all the women in the world American Muslim women have to be some of the most loyal and forgiving women in the world. Each and every challenge handed to them is another way to prove their love, loyalty and strength to the world. It has become some sort of common knowledge that there has been years of oppression laid at the feet of Muslim women around the world. Yet they still stand strong and true to their faith and their families. The American Muslim Women are starting to speak out for themselves about their faith and slowly we begin to understand that their motives are in fact selfless acts of faith. Unfortunately much of the torture and torment suffered by Muslim Women, according to those speaking out, is due to grotesque interpretations of their holy book the Quran. “Islam is often interpreted in ways that are sexist and not true to the true teachings of equality in the Quran and the model provided by Prophet Muhammad, may God’s peace and blessings be upon him. Quran and hadith (the teachings of Prophet Muhammad) are taken out of context and used to justify certain behavior.” (Hathout) In recent years it has been brought to the general public’s attention that misquoting the Quran is a tool often used by the extremists that have taken it upon themselves to wage war with the United States. These are the same misinterpretations that have vindicated the behaviors that cause Muslim women such despair. In her book Amina Wadud states “the more research I did into the Quran…. the more affirmed I was that in Islam a female person was intended to be primordially. cosmologically, eschatologicaly, spiritually, and morally a full human being, equal to all who accepted Allah as Lord, Muhammad as prophet, and Islam as din.” (Hammer, 2008) It is because of the strength of these American women that are also Muslim that we gain a deeper understanding of why the stereotypes of Muslim women are wrong. One custom that is often misunderstood by outsiders is the wearing of the veil of hijab by Muslim women. “What is unnerving to some is a symbol of identity to others.” (Soe, 2009) Others see it as a sign of abuse and oppression by the male population of the Muslim culture. However the women that choose to follow the custom see wearing the hijab not as a duty or restriction but as an honor bound duty, an action the affirms their obedience and loyalty to their god and way to protect themselves from unwanted sexual attention. For American Muslim women the wearing of the hijab is a choice that they are allowed to make for themselves, not something that is forced on them, in the United States the opposite is often true. While it is not required many American Muslim women chose to wear the hijab in their daily lives when outside their home. Often times they wear the hijab despite the objections of their families. “Many second-generation young women in the U.S. choose to wear hijab—often when they are in college and sometimes over their parents’ objections.” (Williams, Vashi, 2007) The women and girls that have chosen to express their beliefs through the wearing of a hijab often fall victim to the persecution of other American’s, both male and female, that do not understand their dedication and need to be part of something they believe in so strongly. “Religious dress, along with organizational affiliations, serves as an important individual marker or visual cue that helps to promote personal conceptions of self-identification as it simultaneously preserves group cohesion.” (Moore, 2007) Just as other American’s have been punished for gender, skin color or religious beliefs the American Muslims have also suffered. Often times American Muslim women have to file suit in court in order to gain the right to wear her hijab in school or at work. Schools and employers cite dress codes as the reason for not allowing the wearing of the hijab by their Muslim students and employees. Often times the courts side with the Women who argue that by not allowing them wear the hijab it is a violation of their religious freedom that their American constitution guarantees them as American citizens. Muslim American girls face a unique battle throughout their life. They know that they are Americans and they know that they are Muslim. They are taught to be loyal to their heritage and culture, however due to the numerous disputes that surround American Muslims and their culture they are torn between their god and country. American culture values the freedoms of expression and religion and yet it turns and tells the Muslim Girl that hijab is offensive. In American culture modesty is becoming a thing of the past, American parents are continually trying to get their daughters to cover up however they allow their daughters to mock the modesty of the American Muslim girl that wears her hijab and ensures that her mind and her loyalty are her best features. Often times the parents of American Muslim children are torn between their religion and the way they raise their children. Many influences from American culture are in direct conflict with the teachings of Islam. Yet the parents of these children also want their children to be “normal” American children. Often times the need to raise their children as normal outweighs the need to protect them from the unfavorable characteristics of the American culture and the parents choose to allow their children to attend public schools as opposed to private Muslim only schools. The decision is a hard one that shows the dedication of the parents to ensuring they raise well rounded American children. Every American was affected by the September 11th attack in 2001. However on community that was hit twice by the extremists that are responsible for the devastating loss of so many American lives is the Muslim community. After the attacks were linked to the Taliban it became the mission of some Americans to victimize their fellow Americans the just happen to be Muslim. The American Muslim Women were strongly advised not to wear the hijab out of fear that such a showing of their faith would jeopardize their safety. The fact the that the American Muslim community saw the attacks as an attack against not only the American but as an attack on their faith as well. The outcries of the American Muslim community fell on deaf ears and the women that continued to wear the hijab were often taunted were the casualty to both verbal and physical abuse. “Public catcalls of “I hate you,” “Go home,” “America is for Americans,” and “Death to Muslims” had a devastating effect.” (Haddad, 2007) Now nine years after the attack we are seeing more tolerance towards those that have a different belief than ourselves and embrace the differences as well. American Muslim women are just that, Americans and Muslims. They are very proud of their country and faith. They are working hard to discredit the false beliefs that many of us have come to believe are true teachings of the Quran. “It seems clear that Muslim women, perhaps especially those who choose to veil, are becoming increasingly important as interpreters of a new American Islam.” (Haddad, 2007) American Muslim women do not deny that in some Islamic countries women are treated as less than human and are treated unfairly. What they are wanting to influence is the minds of their fellow countrymen. They want Americans to know that the bad apples do not make the religion, they are the few. The many are the Muslims that want peace amongst all. The Muslim American women that are in our communities are just like every other American girl. They are educated, productive members that chose to live the American dream with their families, while continuing their Muslim traditions. These women are our government leaders, our children’s teachers, and our friends. In some cases we may be unaware of their religious beliefs. Not because they are ashamed of their beliefs, but because they respect the freedoms that being an American has granted them. “The beauty of Islam is said to be that it does not distinguish on the bases of race, ethnicity, color, or national origin.” (Haddad et al., 2006) American Muslim women continue that Islamic belief, all are welcome. References Aswad, Barbara (1996). Family and gender. USA: Temple University Press. Chanen, J.. (2008). Practicing on Faith. ABA Journal, 94, 11.  Retrieved August 23, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1459414131). http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb'did=1459414131&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD Haddad, Y., Moore, K, & Smith, J (2006). Muslim women in america: The challenge of islamic identity today. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, USA. Hadda, Yvonne Yazeback (2007). The Post-9/11 hijab as icon. Sociology of Religion, 63, Retrieved August 23, 2009, from http://www.democ.uci.edu/research/conferences/documents/read2.pdf#page=49 Hammer, J. (2008). Identity, Authority, and Activism: American Muslim Women Approach the Qur'an. The Muslim World, 98(4), 443-464.  Retrieved August 23, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1600692671). http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb'did=1600692671&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD Hathout, Samer (ND) Challenges facing american muslim women. Islam For today, Retrieved August 22, 2009, from http://www.islamfortoday.com/americanmuslimwomen.htm Miller, B. (2007). Cultural anthropology. pp. 404-405. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc Moore, Kathleen M. (2007). Visible through the veil: the regulation of islam in american law. Sociology of Religion, 63, Retrieved August 23, 2009, from http://www.democ.uci.edu/research/conferences/documents/read2.pdf#page=49 Williams, Rhys H., & Vashi, Gira (2007). Hijab and american muslim women: creating space for autonomous. Sociology of Religion, 63, Retrieved August 23, 2009, from http://www.democ.uci.edu/research/conferences/documents/read2.pdf#page=49