I'm a Muslim. Ask me anything!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Your point isn't clear. Are you saying
1. That verse doesn't exist in the Quran
2. The interpretation is different from your own interpretation. Although, clearly the Muslims who posted that believe it. So as a follow-on question, are you asserting your interpretation is the "correct" interpretation, and therefore are you speaking for all Islam here?
3. Quranic verses don't mean anything (doubt you're saying this).

Here is what I am saying - so that there is no confusion whatsoever:

1. There is nothing in the Quran about covering hair.

2. Posting anything on a discussion board does nothing to prove the veracity of the statement. What individual Muslims believe is beside the point. Anything other than what's in the Quran is personal interpretation, valuable only to the person who does the interpreting. If you like someone's interpretation, good for you. It doesn't make it true or accurate. Just to be clear - I don't have an interpretation of my own, I am just pointing the difference between scriptural commandment and personal interpretation.

[Anonymous]

Suppose the culprit of this school teacher's murder will never caught since the only description of the murderer is that the person (don't know if it's male or female) was wearing a full black veil/dressing/cover of whatever name and black gloves. Even with video surveillance.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-school-teacher-stabbed-death-abu-dhabi-085502211.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Suppose the culprit of this school teacher's murder will never caught since the only description of the murderer is that the person (don't know if it's male or female) was wearing a full black veil/dressing/cover of whatever name and black gloves. Even with video surveillance.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-school-teacher-stabbed-death-abu-dhabi-085502211.html

Don't be ridiculous, tons of crimes have been committed in disguises. You want to ban hoodies too, while you're at it? Maybe pantyhose as well? Face masks? How about knives, you want to ban knives? Or maybe school teachers! That should cut down on crime!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Suppose the culprit of this school teacher's murder will never caught since the only description of the murderer is that the person (don't know if it's male or female) was wearing a full black veil/dressing/cover of whatever name and black gloves. Even with video surveillance.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-school-teacher-stabbed-death-abu-dhabi-085502211.html

Don't be ridiculous, tons of crimes have been committed in disguises. You want to ban hoodies too, while you're at it? Maybe pantyhose as well? Face masks? How about knives, you want to ban knives? Or maybe school teachers! That should cut down on crime!

Actually some schools have banned hoodies. They did so at my daughter's school when there was a rash of kids pulling the fire alarm. There were wearing hoodies so they couldn't be identified by the automatic photograph.

And to be clear--what distinguishes the hijab/niquab from a face mask in this context is that wearing a face mask (or pantyhose over the face, whatever) would always be considered suspicious in a public place while hijab/niqab wouldn't be.

[Muslima]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, in terms of modesty, no--I don't make that distinction. I dress equally modestly in public as I do at home.

There is of course locale specifc dress that would be attention grabbing in other contexts. Fore example, I wear a bathing suit at the beach or pool but not otherwise.

My family does get subject to my unmade face and untidy hair, however, when I am home sick--wearing a nightgown and, of course, a bathrobe if I am not in bed.

I don't believe you would feel equally mortified exposing your breasts to your husband and your boss, sorry.

Ha! obviously we are not talking about what goes on in the bedroom, but rather how one goes about one's daily business in the house. I wouldn't bear my breasts to my kids or other family members either!

But in Islam it is perfectly fine to wear the most provocative outfit of a miniskirt and crop top or whatever else in the house around one's male relatives as long as one bundles up in public. Personally, I have seen this.

But, I think, for most Americans (not trying to speak for everyone, just my observation), there is a very small gap in the modesty of dress worn publicly and in private and the wide gap one sees in Islam is confusing. For us, modesty in the house and in public are pretty much the same thing. Not so in Islam.

Bull- just because you have personally seen Muslims wear provocative things in private doesn't make it am Islamic Ruling. Modesty is the Character of Islam, we are told to be modest in character and action, whether in private or public. Yes women don't have to cover their hair, and awrah when male relatives are around, doesn't mean the Islamic guidance is go naked and dance like a freed monkey around your relatives. We still dress appropriately in private, we just have mire leeway as to what we can show. Heck, I have a friend who never takes her hijab off even when it's just the 2 of us, I've never seen her hair. And another friend was telling me recently that she never saw her MIL's hair and that her husband actually never saw his own mother's hair and we were laughing about it , like WTH, really the woman never takes her hijab off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Suppose the culprit of this school teacher's murder will never caught since the only description of the murderer is that the person (don't know if it's male or female) was wearing a full black veil/dressing/cover of whatever name and black gloves. Even with video surveillance.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-school-teacher-stabbed-death-abu-dhabi-085502211.html

Don't be ridiculous, tons of crimes have been committed in disguises. You want to ban hoodies too, while you're at it? Maybe pantyhose as well? Face masks? How about knives, you want to ban knives? Or maybe school teachers! That should cut down on crime!

Actually some schools have banned hoodies. They did so at my daughter's school when there was a rash of kids pulling the fire alarm. There were wearing hoodies so they couldn't be identified by the automatic photograph.

And to be clear--what distinguishes the hijab/niquab from a face mask in this context is that wearing a face mask (or pantyhose over the face, whatever) would always be considered suspicious in a public place while hijab/niqab wouldn't be.

Hijab is a headscarf that conceals absolutely nothing except the hair and upper part of your chest. I didn't know identification of hair and upper chest is sooo critical to finding criminals. Are you sure you aren't confusing things again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Suppose the culprit of this school teacher's murder will never caught since the only description of the murderer is that the person (don't know if it's male or female) was wearing a full black veil/dressing/cover of whatever name and black gloves. Even with video surveillance.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-school-teacher-stabbed-death-abu-dhabi-085502211.html

Don't be ridiculous, tons of crimes have been committed in disguises. You want to ban hoodies too, while you're at it? Maybe pantyhose as well? Face masks? How about knives, you want to ban knives? Or maybe school teachers! That should cut down on crime!

Actually some schools have banned hoodies. They did so at my daughter's school when there was a rash of kids pulling the fire alarm. There were wearing hoodies so they couldn't be identified by the automatic photograph.

And to be clear--what distinguishes the hijab/niquab from a face mask in this context is that wearing a face mask (or pantyhose over the face, whatever) would always be considered suspicious in a public place while hijab/niqab wouldn't be.

Hijab is a headscarf that conceals absolutely nothing except the hair and upper part of your chest. I didn't know identification of hair and upper chest is sooo critical to finding criminals. Are you sure you aren't confusing things again?

That's why I wrote hijab/niqab. obviously, if it was just hijab, the security camera could have caught the identity from the face. Or, if the person was male, without the hijab, he would have aroused suspicion well before he hit the restroom.

[Muslima]

Anonymous wrote:

Muslima wrote:

True. Gold and silk have been forbidden to men in this life, only women can wear them, but I have yet to hear about the men lobby crying injustice in dress codes and marching for the right of men to wear silk and gold. Somehow it's all about the injustice of the Muslim women and their headscarves

That's because no one controls the way men dress.

Let's break it down in a simpler example.

Option 1. You're a man in Jeddah. You walk along the Corniche sporting a gold necklace. What do you think will happen to you?

Option 2. You're a woman in Jeddah. You walk along the Corniche sporting a pair of tight jeans and a clingy top. No headscarf, no outer coat. What do you think will happen to you?

Stop mixing Islam with the Muslims. What Saudi Arabia does had nothing to do with Islam. I don't think anyone is puting a gun on the head of the women wearing a niqab in Tysons Corner

[Anonymous]

^^ without the niqab (not hijab)

[Anonymous]

Muslima wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, in terms of modesty, no--I don't make that distinction. I dress equally modestly in public as I do at home.

There is of course locale specifc dress that would be attention grabbing in other contexts. Fore example, I wear a bathing suit at the beach or pool but not otherwise.

My family does get subject to my unmade face and untidy hair, however, when I am home sick--wearing a nightgown and, of course, a bathrobe if I am not in bed.

I don't believe you would feel equally mortified exposing your breasts to your husband and your boss, sorry.

Ha! obviously we are not talking about what goes on in the bedroom, but rather how one goes about one's daily business in the house. I wouldn't bear my breasts to my kids or other family members either!

But in Islam it is perfectly fine to wear the most provocative outfit of a miniskirt and crop top or whatever else in the house around one's male relatives as long as one bundles up in public. Personally, I have seen this.

But, I think, for most Americans (not trying to speak for everyone, just my observation), there is a very small gap in the modesty of dress worn publicly and in private and the wide gap one sees in Islam is confusing. For us, modesty in the house and in public are pretty much the same thing. Not so in Islam.

Bull- just because you have personally seen Muslims wear provocative things in private doesn't make it am Islamic Ruling. Modesty is the Character of Islam, we are told to be modest in character and action, whether in private or public. Yes women don't have to cover their hair, and awrah when male relatives are around, doesn't mean the Islamic guidance is go naked and dance like a freed monkey around your relatives. We still dress appropriately in private, we just have mire leeway as to what we can show. Heck, I have a friend who never takes her hijab off even when it's just the 2 of us, I've never seen her hair. And another friend was telling me recently that she never saw her MIL's hair and that her husband actually never saw his own mother's hair and we were laughing about it , like WTH, really the woman never takes her hijab off.

Obviously, there is no official ruling saying dress provocatively at home. But, equally, there is no ruling saying you cannot dress provocatively at home, and often that is done. Even you admit women take off their hijab--worn for purposes of modesty--at home. My point was that for many Americans, modesty is modesty and the difference is very small between public and private places.

[Anonymous]

Muslima wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Muslima wrote:

True. Gold and silk have been forbidden to men in this life, only women can wear them, but I have yet to hear about the men lobby crying injustice in dress codes and marching for the right of men to wear silk and gold. Somehow it's all about the injustice of the Muslim women and their headscarves

That's because no one controls the way men dress.

Let's break it down in a simpler example.

Option 1. You're a man in Jeddah. You walk along the Corniche sporting a gold necklace. What do you think will happen to you?

Option 2. You're a woman in Jeddah. You walk along the Corniche sporting a pair of tight jeans and a clingy top. No headscarf, no outer coat. What do you think will happen to you?

Stop mixing Islam with the Muslims. What Saudi Arabia does had nothing to do with Islam. I don't think anyone is puting a gun on the head of the women wearing a niqab in Tysons Corner

You didn't ask a religious question ("why are there no men's rights group asking to make gold and silk available to men?") You asked a question that has to do with social structures underlying the enforcement of these commandments. I gave you a perfectly logical answer - because society does not supervise and judge the way men dress the way it does women. There are no demonstration for the men's rights to wear gold and silk because while prohibited from wearing them religiously (according to non-scriptural sources), men aren't prohibited from wearing them socially. No one demonstrates for rights that are already available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Muslima wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, in terms of modesty, no--I don't make that distinction. I dress equally modestly in public as I do at home.

There is of course locale specifc dress that would be attention grabbing in other contexts. Fore example, I wear a bathing suit at the beach or pool but not otherwise.

My family does get subject to my unmade face and untidy hair, however, when I am home sick--wearing a nightgown and, of course, a bathrobe if I am not in bed.

I don't believe you would feel equally mortified exposing your breasts to your husband and your boss, sorry.

Ha! obviously we are not talking about what goes on in the bedroom, but rather how one goes about one's daily business in the house. I wouldn't bear my breasts to my kids or other family members either!

But in Islam it is perfectly fine to wear the most provocative outfit of a miniskirt and crop top or whatever else in the house around one's male relatives as long as one bundles up in public. Personally, I have seen this.

But, I think, for most Americans (not trying to speak for everyone, just my observation), there is a very small gap in the modesty of dress worn publicly and in private and the wide gap one sees in Islam is confusing. For us, modesty in the house and in public are pretty much the same thing. Not so in Islam.

Bull- just because you have personally seen Muslims wear provocative things in private doesn't make it am Islamic Ruling. Modesty is the Character of Islam, we are told to be modest in character and action, whether in private or public. Yes women don't have to cover their hair, and awrah when male relatives are around, doesn't mean the Islamic guidance is go naked and dance like a freed monkey around your relatives. We still dress appropriately in private, we just have mire leeway as to what we can show. Heck, I have a friend who never takes her hijab off even when it's just the 2 of us, I've never seen her hair. And another friend was telling me recently that she never saw her MIL's hair and that her husband actually never saw his own mother's hair and we were laughing about it , like WTH, really the woman never takes her hijab off.

Obviously, there is no official ruling saying dress provocatively at home. But, equally, there is no ruling saying you cannot dress provocatively at home, and often that is done. Even you admit women take off their hijab--worn for purposes of modesty--at home. My point was that for many Americans, modesty is modesty and the difference is very small between public and private places.

I still don't get why this is of such significance to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Muslima wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, in terms of modesty, no--I don't make that distinction. I dress equally modestly in public as I do at home.

There is of course locale specifc dress that would be attention grabbing in other contexts. Fore example, I wear a bathing suit at the beach or pool but not otherwise.

My family does get subject to my unmade face and untidy hair, however, when I am home sick--wearing a nightgown and, of course, a bathrobe if I am not in bed.

I don't believe you would feel equally mortified exposing your breasts to your husband and your boss, sorry.

Ha! obviously we are not talking about what goes on in the bedroom, but rather how one goes about one's daily business in the house. I wouldn't bear my breasts to my kids or other family members either!

But in Islam it is perfectly fine to wear the most provocative outfit of a miniskirt and crop top or whatever else in the house around one's male relatives as long as one bundles up in public. Personally, I have seen this.

But, I think, for most Americans (not trying to speak for everyone, just my observation), there is a very small gap in the modesty of dress worn publicly and in private and the wide gap one sees in Islam is confusing. For us, modesty in the house and in public are pretty much the same thing. Not so in Islam.

Bull- just because you have personally seen Muslims wear provocative things in private doesn't make it am Islamic Ruling. Modesty is the Character of Islam, we are told to be modest in character and action, whether in private or public. Yes women don't have to cover their hair, and awrah when male relatives are around, doesn't mean the Islamic guidance is go naked and dance like a freed monkey around your relatives. We still dress appropriately in private, we just have mire leeway as to what we can show. Heck, I have a friend who never takes her hijab off even when it's just the 2 of us, I've never seen her hair. And another friend was telling me recently that she never saw her MIL's hair and that her husband actually never saw his own mother's hair and we were laughing about it , like WTH, really the woman never takes her hijab off.

Obviously, there is no official ruling saying dress provocatively at home. But, equally, there is no ruling saying you cannot dress provocatively at home, and often that is done. Even you admit women take off their hijab--worn for purposes of modesty--at home. My point was that for many Americans, modesty is modesty and the difference is very small between public and private places.

I still don't get why this is of such significance to you.

It isn't particularly of significance to me. I was just pointing out that rules of Islamic modesty can be very confusing for Westerners where there is not such a sharp distinction between dress that is considered acceptable privately and that which is considered acceptable in public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Suppose the culprit of this school teacher's murder will never caught since the only description of the murderer is that the person (don't know if it's male or female) was wearing a full black veil/dressing/cover of whatever name and black gloves. Even with video surveillance.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-school-teacher-stabbed-death-abu-dhabi-085502211.html

Don't be ridiculous, tons of crimes have been committed in disguises. You want to ban hoodies too, while you're at it? Maybe pantyhose as well? Face masks? How about knives, you want to ban knives? Or maybe school teachers! That should cut down on crime!

So by your statement, should we regard niqabs/burqas/hijabs/etc to be disguises? Thank you for making that point, that is exactly why we should feel like something is terribly wrong and possibly threatened as well as completely socially unacceptable when we see someone dressed in these disguises, just as we would if we saw a person walk into a mall with pantyhose on their face.

[Muslima]

Anonymous wrote:

Muslima wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, in terms of modesty, no--I don't make that distinction. I dress equally modestly in public as I do at home.

There is of course locale specifc dress that would be attention grabbing in other contexts. Fore example, I wear a bathing suit at the beach or pool but not otherwise.

My family does get subject to my unmade face and untidy hair, however, when I am home sick--wearing a nightgown and, of course, a bathrobe if I am not in bed.

I don't believe you would feel equally mortified exposing your breasts to your husband and your boss, sorry.

Ha! obviously we are not talking about what goes on in the bedroom, but rather how one goes about one's daily business in the house. I wouldn't bear my breasts to my kids or other family members either!

But in Islam it is perfectly fine to wear the most provocative outfit of a miniskirt and crop top or whatever else in the house around one's male relatives as long as one bundles up in public. Personally, I have seen this.

But, I think, for most Americans (not trying to speak for everyone, just my observation), there is a very small gap in the modesty of dress worn publicly and in private and the wide gap one sees in Islam is confusing. For us, modesty in the house and in public are pretty much the same thing. Not so in Islam.

Bull- just because you have personally seen Muslims wear provocative things in private doesn't make it am Islamic Ruling. Modesty is the Character of Islam, we are told to be modest in character and action, whether in private or public. Yes women don't have to cover their hair, and awrah when male relatives are around, doesn't mean the Islamic guidance is go naked and dance like a freed monkey around your relatives. We still dress appropriately in private, we just have mire leeway as to what we can show. Heck, I have a friend who never takes her hijab off even when it's just the 2 of us, I've never seen her hair. And another friend was telling me recently that she never saw her MIL's hair and that her husband actually never saw his own mother's hair and we were laughing about it , like WTH, really the woman never takes her hijab off.

Obviously, there is no official ruling saying dress provocatively at home. But, equally, there is no ruling saying you cannot dress provocatively at home, and often that is done. Even you admit women take off their hijab--worn for purposes of modesty--at home. My point was that for many Americans, modesty is modesty and the difference is very small between public and private places.

And there is no official ruling saying you can't dance naked. Obviously, it is not the norm to dress provocatively just because one is at home. And the fact that you think it is shows your lack of knowledge of Islamic adaab. If anything, it is always emphasized how people need to dress appropriately , and respectfully, this applies in and outside of the home. Modesty is not limited to being in public. Now there are different ways to dress whether you're in public or not even for AMERICANS , and if you call that modesty or not is irrelevant. There is a reason why you can walk in your jammies at home with your family around but won't show up at work wearing your color coordinated jammies because you think they are cute. Whether you like it or not, we all follow a dress code, whether it is by society standards, God's, or not.