Welcome to Gaia! ::

Well, that's the problem. I'm not sure what to expect from Islam. I guess I'm confused in life right now, so I should probably learn more about Islam before really...going there. It's completely new ground for me. I really dislike church. I've been told that church is supposed to make you stronger, however, the church seems very corrupt or it does nothing for me except push me away from God and I can't really figure out why. I find reading the Bible and praying by myself is better, but my parents...wow...yeah...They've become completely oblivious to me not wanting to go to church. I've met someone whose converted to Islam for similar reasons and they seem very happy....so I'm not sure...sorry if this sounds a bit blah. I'm just trying to figure out a proper relationship with God and getting my parents respect whatever decision I make.

Why are men and women supposed to wear hijab? I've seen many women who go without it or wear it on religious holidays.

I'm female and seventeen, living in Florida, btw. confused

I'm not a Muslima, so please, Muslimas, correct me when I make mistakes on this one.

There is a passage in the Koran (I don't know the exact sura/passage) in which a woman asks Muhammed (may he rest in peace) what a woman must cover and what may be exposed. He pointed at her hands, feet, and in the general direction of her face, and he said something which is translated in a few different ways. One translation says, essentially, "You can uncover your eyes, and if you must, your fingers and toes." That's one extreme end of the spectrum. At the other end of the spectrum is the translation that goes, "Don't bother covering your hair, cover up your breasts!" (apparently the woman was wearing a scarf and a very low-cut shirt).

Taking culture into account, though, we find the same thing in Islam that we find in Judaism. The culture which surrounded both religions in their infancies was such that a slave went about naked, while royalty were covered entirely at almost all times. One could see what the status of another person was by seeing how much of their skin was exposed. Everyone had right to impose on a slave, and everyone could see their skin. No one had the right to impose on, or see the skin of, a person of high status. So Muslim women (and men, too) cover themselves as a sign of royalty and dignity. It shields them (and us, too -- Jewish and Muslim laws on covering are very similar) from the harsh Middle Eastern sun, from the sandy grit in the wind, from losing moisture from the skin in the desert. It shields the wearer from prying or unkind gazes, too. It forces a person to look at the face (identity) and the hands (deeds) rather than at only the body.

When looking at a covered person, an observer is likely to think, "I wonder what this person believes, that makes them dress this way." You see, right away it's not about her legs or breasts; it's not about his chest muscles or his six-pack abs. Right away, from the first glance, the thoughts center on the modest person's values, beliefs, and ideals. Powerful, no?

A special note from Hannah Ali, daughter of Mohammed Ali. This principle amply illustrates one of the main reasons for modesty in both the Muslim and Jewish faiths:

Diamonds And Pearls

The following incident took place when Muhammed Ali’s daughters arrived at his home wearing clothes that are not modest. Here is the story as told in detail by one of his daughters:

When we finally arrived, the chauffer escorted my youngest sister, Laila, and me to my father’s suite. As usual, he was hiding behind the door waiting to scare us. We exchanged hugs and kisses as we could possibly give in one day.

My father took a good look at us. Then he sent me down in his lap and said something I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell. Where do you find gold? Way down and in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You’ve got to work hard to get them.”

He looked at me with serious eyes. “Your body is sacred. You’re far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too.”