Is veil (Burqa) mandatory for Muslim women?
Muslim Women take part in politics in most of the Islamic countries and engage in different occupations like doctors, nurses, lawyers, pilots etc. without wearing veil or burqa. Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Turkey have had women as Head of State. Muslim women are free to take part in sports and engage in any profession they like. But some communities of Muslim who are in minority in most Islamic countries except Saudi Arabia wearing veil while going out is mandatory. Is it because of religious law or just old tradition?
Gender Studies - 10 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Both religious law and tradition.
2 :
No - but in some regions no woman would leave home without it. EDITS:- I read somewhere that it's not religious law as such - but it's become tradition for many.
3 :
The on-going uprising in Middle east & North Africa is a sign they are tired of wearing it.
4 :
No. In fact it was never originally a Muslim tradition, but rather an Arab one.
5 :
The Muslim world is very diverse. These things depend on national laws. In Turkey, for example, a woman is not allowed to wear a hijab in a government building. In Saudi, women are not allowed out on the street unveiled. It all depends on where she is. Most modern-day burquas and abayas are made of polyester, and in China. Some people are adopting this more conservative interpretation of Islam (Wahabism).
6 :
The Quran tells women to cover up. Veils and burqas are up to the culture. Iran, before the Revolution in 1979, was a very liberal Islamic country and women didn't have to wear any covering. Now that the conservative Islamic clergy are in charge, they make the women wear burqas or else they will be beaten or killed.
7 :
Islam gives it as an option.... certain sick and twisted patriarchal Arab societies.....sets it as mandatory...against Islam's view set.....
8 :
It's just tradition. the Koran says that women (and men) should be modest in dress. It does not say women have to wear burqas.
9 :
Verse 033.059 translated by PICKTHAL: "O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognized and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful." If you hide the face recognition is not possible. So majority believes that hiding face completely is not mandatory. While going out overcoat or over garment is prescribed. Burqa is part of the old tradition. It is not mandatory. Modesty in dressing is prescribed and when going out wearing over garment in way that face is not hidden to make recognition impossible. Bohra community is conservative but their interpretation about Hijab is correct as they don Hijab when going out but do not hide face
10 :
Saudi women, and those married to Saudi men have to veil; there's no compromise, this includes those women married to non Saudis who make them do so. Concerning Saudi Arabia; first they say it's culture, then they turn around and say it's religion; I wish they'd make up their minds. I had a run in with one of their religious guys in the Dhahran mall a while back; first he said its our culture, so I told him I'm not Arab; all of a sudden, he changes his tactic and says it's the Quran; it's like; make up your mind why don't you, and that's exactly how I felt at the time. Here in Saudi Arabia you'll see female doctors and nurses veil; you'll even have a female teacher in a co-ed school veil.
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