The Muslim Woman

Debate that prompted sparks over the issue of wearing headscarves at schools has finally resolved. Lately, a highest court in southern Germany has overruled the ban against wearing headscarves in school. Now, the teachers can perform their duty without crossing their religious tenets. Karl Huber, the judge said, ‘in the context of school supervision, the lawmaker can decide on rules regarding the extent to which teachers are banned from wearing external symbols and pieces of clothing that express a religious or ideological conviction while teaching.’ The heated debate was first ignited in 2003 when Germany’s federal Constitutional Court ruled that Muslims could wear their headscarves while teaching but at the same time encouraged new laws to ban religious symbols. Eight German states, including Berlin, have so far passed school laws that ban headscarves. Women’s rights groups and conservative politicians asserted that many Muslim women have no choice but to wear a headscarf because their families demand it. However, 97% of women asked said it was the duty of a Muslim woman to cover her head and that they should be allowed to wear them wherever and whenever they choose. Image Read

Muslim girls in the US have no problems with their traditional attire, hijab. They have tagged it as a source of strength, pride and a tool to spread correct information about much-stereotyped Islam. However, in the past years, the issue has ignited a kind of controversy over wearing of the veil in public. Muslims are of the view that France has actually set fire to the debate by barring hair veil in state schools in 2004. This has been followed by other European countries primarily Germany. However, the situation is not the same in the United States, people of Muslim communities are of the view that they don’t have to face any kind of discrimination in the nation and that they are free to do the kind of activities, which every youth in the nation are subjected to do. Whether, it’s hanging out with friends or going for a party or in practicing their religion. Even for younger Muslim girls, wearing hijab at public middle schools enhances their self-confidence and makes them feel distinguished among their peers. And majority of them feel that that they did not feel isolated by their attire. The girls also use their hijabs to spread correct information about much-stereotyped Islam. For example, when people ask the reason of covering hair, a girl explained to them that the hair is the symbol of sensuality and beauty, and that I try to hide that. Ala Gebarin, 17, also takes into her strides stares and remarks she might come across. I am aware that my hijab can be intimidating, but it is only a layer of clothing, said she. Read

Morsal Obeidi was just 16, she wanted to live like the other girls in Germany. Free to make choices. But she paid dearly for aspiring to be free, her brother stabbed her 20 times. This honour killing right in the heart of Germany has sparked huge debate about muslim women, the choices they have and they don’t have. And whether at all they can opt to walk away from the family bindings. It must be really difficult to live closed life in a free world. The children of religious minority groups can never really get integrated into western society. Their homes and their religious bindings often place them in a dilemma of choices. They rarely think of escaping from home and bindings. Their upbringing teaches them not to abandon family and family values at any cost. The family name, family honour, their own religion and society are of supreme importance. Defying parents and religious law is never tolerated. If some of them do dare, they end up getting punished. Asserting one’s own religion, one’s own culture and value is important. But not giving freedom to step out to explore the world and live life on one’s own terms is a kind of oppression. Modern society will see more such attempts to crossover traditional barriers and boundaries to see the world beyond. source: guardian