Another example of a few years ago, was the Muslim man in France, who told his sister to shave her head because she couldn’t (or was fearful of) wear(ing) the hiijab (Muslim women’s head cover), there.
At the time it was a big issue, especially because she appeared in public, crying that she had to resort to removing her hair (voluntarily) yet (obviously) hated her actions.
But from the purely Islamic viewpoint, this ill-conceived ‘Islamic ruling’ by her brother was in fact based on wrong knowledge, or motivations. Did he tell her to shave her hair because 1) Jewish women sometimes shave their hair, or used to in the past and wear wigs to cover their head, in lieu of wearing a head cover similar to hiijab, in fact what is a “head scarf”, for religious reasons?
2) Was the brother motivated by the urge to get attention for his sister’s cause, instead attracting public scrutiny, which seemed to have worked less in his favor (and hers) than more in his or her favor?
From the Islamic Viewpoint:
Our actions must be purely for the sake of Allah
Our actions must be done based on proper knowledge
If these conditions are lacking, then the correct Islamic behavior will not be forthcoming.
The solution:
Wouldn’t it have been better for the girl not to shave her hair, and to try covering some other way?
Wouldn’t it have been better to keep her intention to wear the hiijab, when she was ready, but not shave her head (because that is also unlawful in Islam)?
To try to avoid one sin, the brother allowed his sister to commit two sins!
Niya:
Intentions are very important in Islam. Without the proper intentions, seemingly good actions can actually earn someone sin; because if someone does an action for the sake of Allah’s pleasure only, then it is rewardable, even one hundred times, or more; but if one does the same action to appear good in front of the people, then the same is actually punishable, and will not be accepted by Allah in the least. In fact, these kinds of people are possible hypocrites, or have a characteristic of hypocrisy.
As to committing a sin, such as removing the head covering, which is one of the few public actions Muslim women are obliged to follow according to the Qur’an and Sunna, it is less dangerous, perhaps than trying to invent new things into the religion (bid’aa) or circumvent Islamic objections (proper knowledge) such as what happened when the brother advised his sister to shave her hair, without consulting with an (real) Islamic scholar.
Muslim Community Values
While, it is praiseworthy to wear the hiijab, or other Islamic clothing, such as a covering Jilbab for the regular clothing (like a ‘manteau’), it is often the central issue about Muslim women which gets negative media attention. Perhaps Muslims, as a community should begin to shift the attention away from the hiijab, if possible, to more urgent community issues, such as the need for better Islamic education for their children. This education, in some places, through the funding of separate schools, for Muslims is now a reality. At conferences, specially about this milestone, the Muslim community in the West has heard that a generation of Muslims speaking fluent Arabic, memorizers of the ‘hadiths’ (traditions), and with the necessary skills and knowledge in modern subjects, studying in Universities in all the various fields of study, are ready to take the stage, as the foremost models for True Islam in their society.
While, we also have to worry about the hiijab issue, because “our daughters” in school, especially young girls, need to confront this as well, it is a much more personal issue than the issue of education.
I don’t know if this makes any sense, to most people; but for many women in the west, hiijab is no longer a ‘stumbling block’ or a ‘problem’. Many women in the public eye now wear jilbab and hiijab, or even a cloak similar to a ‘burqa’, such as the Middle Eastern ‘abaya’ (but which does not cover the face, only the body).
Therefore, do we need to keep at the hiijab as a fundamental right? Or should we/are we able to address other issues, such as education (funding for private Islamic schools, or independent schools, such as could be modeled on some schools in the Middle East, where Islamic education is a subject, as well as languages), or whatever type of schools they desire, as a community? These could be institutions which require the Islamic dress code, or ones which reserve it as a fundamental right, but without insisting on it, because hiijab in the west is very much a private matter.
Note: The Muslim community in the West, unlike the European community, hasn’t seen the pervasive racism or hate that Muslims living in Europe have; with laws banning the veil, or even banning hiijab.
Freedom of Religion:
When the West can admit that Muslims there are good citizens, and as a result of equal rights, which proves to be a plus not a minus, then this model community of which Muslims can be proud, hopefully can be the first example of True Islam, perhaps in the world. It will be an Islamic Revival, starting in the heart of Western civilization, it is hoped.
In future, to prove that Muslims were right in the belief that Islam is for all time and place, a Universal religion, for humankind.
Farfetched;
Unlikely or perhaps something people who have not experienced the power of religious conversion in their own life cannot fathom. As a community, since 9-11 Muslims have shown patience and perseverance. Their exemplary behavior, even in the face of government policy against freedom of belief and in some cases, suffering and persecution, should be understood and remembered. They were able despite suspicion to stand shoulder to shoulder with their neighbors of different faiths and backgrounds, to pray for the safety of their communities, or lend a helping hand, wherever they could, as well as during natural disaster, such as the flooding of years past in New Orleans.
A positive outlook for a positive future (lies ahead).
Democracy, (not to be confused with secularism, which is the absence of religion) much more than the European model of Multiculturalism, has helped Muslims to integrate, while retaining their fundamental right of religious freedom.
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