Hijab: Between Confrontation, Contestation, As Subjugation, Resistance and Empowerment

By Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam 22 June 2023 Muslims have been commanded to dress modestly. They cannot display what has been termed as the Aurat (body parts that deem to be covered). Quran in many places ordains Muslim men and women to dress modestly, lower their eyes and adopt a dress of piety. Now what constitutes modesty is a relative term for different people. Dress for Muslims was always variegated based on the local weather, culture and social milieu. The dress of Muslim women became field of contestation because due to gender biased interpretation of Islam, colonialism, patriarchy, misogyny and gendered construction of honour, the Muslim women were expected to follow a certain pattern of dress. With the advent of modernity and subsequent colonialism, few Muslim minds who are termed as modernists, some in hand with glove with the colonial masters and others who opposed them, again used women’s dress as a political tool. They believed like Reza Shah Pahlavi, monarch of Iran and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk of Turkey that Muslim women need to discard their traditional dress in favour of the modern dress. Hence, the covering of hair by women came to be banned and state used all its resources to make women give away hijab. So, this was the branding of modernity according to Pahlavi and Ataturk, instead of focusing on technology, scientific temper and progressive industrialization, these misplaced efforts of rescuing Muslim women from Hijab had its repercussions. It is what the subaltern scholars believe that for the “Orientalists the Eastern woman needs to be rescued and rehabilitated.” This oppressive effort depicted the misplaced priorities of these rulers, destroyed a lot of creative energy of these states as they were confronted and resisted by the Ulema. The Ulema portrayed them as enemies of Islam, stooges of the West and Pharaohs of our times, so ultimately it resulted in the triumph of conservative sections of Ulema in society. These Ulema and their followers in political leadership used the dress of Muslim women particularly Hijab as a form of resistance. Imam Ayatollah Khomeini through his own clout used Hijab as a tool against Shah’s regime in Iran. So is true for Recep Tayyab Erdogan who also used the tool of Hijab in public spaces and offices as an election issue. Women in Hijab were not allowed to attend public institutions in Turkey and once he came to power, he delivered on his promise of lifting ban on entry of Hijabi women in public institutions. Now women with Hijab can attend any public institution and office. Hence, Hijab as a tool was wielded as resistance against aggressive modernity by the conservatives to gain political ends. On the other hand, the deeply misogynist and patriarchal Taliban regime in Afghanistan has used the same Hijab as a tool of oppression against the Muslim women in Afghanistan. The interpretation of Hijab for Taliban means a complete docility and suppression of women. It translated into forcing women to remain confined to the four walls of their homes. Girls and women are not allowed to even attend to schools and colleges while debarring them from even attending or holding any public offices. For Taliban, the women constitute Fitnah (mischievous and leading to spread of strife on earth). The best way to contain the Fitnah is to debar and ban their participation in any public activity. Any education for them is akin to opening doors of Fitnah and misleading men towards committing adultery (Zina). If they need to come out for any task in public, they should be covered in Jilbab’s (an overall dress that covers a woman from head to toe). Even then the Taliban is afraid from women’s body. There are differences between Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan regimes. Iran under Imam Khomeini revolutionized the women’s rights and Hijab and its modified dress the Abaya that is different from Jilbab became transnational. Now Abaya as a loose-fitting garment is being used by most Muslim women in different countries. It has helped women become empowered and participate actively in public life. The controversy over hijab has attained new public life in India because many states ruled by the right-wing BJP regime has banned Hijab particularly in educational institutions. Many girls had to drop out because of this ban. It is quite surprising that in the 21st century, identity politics has assumed such an important place to be wielded for electoral gains. Instead of focusing on education, welfare of citizens, attending to their daily needs of people and rising inflation, the issues like Hijab are raked up to deviate the hearts and minds of people from the real issue. Hijab in India now is being constructed as an invasion and threat to the Hindu majority. So now the politics is being weaved around Hijab that in reality is a non-issue. Recently in Kashmir valley in a prominent Higher Secondary School, Vishwa Bharti School based in Rainawari locality of Srinagar, the students hit the streets after a school dictate ordering them not to come to school in Abayas and Hijabs. They protested against the lady Principal who according to the allegations of students told them that they should join some Dar ul Ulooms (Islamic seminaries) not mainstream schools if they insist on adorning Hijab and Abayas. They also alleged that the Principal told them they are indulging in malpractices and crimes so they insist on wearing Hijabs/Abayas as they can continue their subversive activities freely without hindrance. These protests went viral making the Muslim lady Principal tender an apology and state that her words have been quoted out of context. Meanwhile, some militant organization also issued a threat against the Principal. Political leaders also jumped in the bandwagon of controversy and issued statements. However, the real issue drowned in the cacophony of allegations and counter allegations. The real issue is about uniform in schools. If the uniform is to be followed then the Abayas too can form part of the uniform. So, a similar form of Abaya can become part of uniform. Abaya offers the autonomy of wearing any dress inside as it drapes and covers the whole body. According to the version of students the Principal wanted the girls to remove their Abayas in school premises and roam in uniforms only. But they contested her, observing that she has turned the school into a co-ed institution and with boys around this action cannot be executed. So this issue became controversial and the Principal had to budge down to the wishes of students, as the community constructed it as an attack against the muslim majority. It can be very well concluded that simple Hijab can be constructed into an emotive issue and has the potential to destroy the peace and tranquillity of a community. ----- M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir. URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/hijab-confrontation-resistance-empowerment/d/130047 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism