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Muslim Women and the Veil This is becoming controversial in some countries, notably England, where there have been debates and even proposed laws to ban veils. One of the primary reasons given is that it is hard to hear what a person is saying when they wear a veil, which may or may not be true. I strikes me most people hear bank robbers quite clearly through their ski masks and bandanas! Of course, maybe they talk louder. Another question goes to religious freedom and to be frank the consensus of lay opinion from Muslim people is varied. Many of the women answering this question say the veil is optional and the Koran nor the Islamic religion actually requires the mouth to be covered. It is the head and most of the body. In fact, some lay “experts” indicate that woman don’t have to wear the extensive outer coverings many do wear. You can, for example, show some of the neck and arms. As with the old Victorian era of England and America is the rest of the body that needs to be covered, along with the crown of the head, which is required for both Muslim men and women. Others, however, paint a different picture. One lay Muslim expert, this time a man, said all buy one eye has to be covered. That sounds a bit extreme. There have also been news reports covered by the Guardian, an English newspaper, that told stories of some women not wearing veils in part of Iraq were being confronted by men ordering them to cover up completely. In talking with Muslims on these matters, I am told it’s more a tradition of areas and tribes than of edict by Islam of Muhammad or Allah. The is a minimal amount of clothing dictated by the Koran, but being wrapped up like a mummy is not mandatory. In some instances these veils can be a good thing. They lessen the spread of germs, for example, so the wearer has less chance of getting or spreading a cold or flu to and from other people. In Japan on the public transportation, many people wear surgical masks to keep from getting sick in the crowded busses and trains. Japanese, however, are probably not allowed to wear these masks at work, unless they are dealing with a hazard like sawdust. Of course, visitors to Islamic Nations must generally obey the morality dress codes unless they are in a foreign tourist area, such as a resort. But if an American or English girl goes to Tehran she can’t walk around the streets in shorts and a belly shirt. You can probably walk around in normal, full length pants an a top that covers you from bottom of the neck to over the waist line. As a rule, however, they don’t make visitors wear a covering over their heads or a veil on women, unless, of course, you are Muslim. One most starting thing I was told, but can’t believe nor have confirmed, is that Egypt is banning veils. Egypt is most definitely a Muslim influenced nation, so I was quite shocked to hear this, but it came from a Muslim living in Egypt! Here in America I see Muslims all the time in local stores. Some women wear long American styles skirts and long sleeve tops, with a shawl for their heads. Some wear colorful, traditional robes or pants with large, long sleeve blouse tops. All wear something over their head. Some, not all, wear the veil or covering over the mouth. Hindus also dress is a similar fashion, except without the head covering or veil. No one seems to care much or think anything about it. Most of these people actually look better dressed than the average American going to Church on Sunday! I was amazed, recently, to see people going into a local Catholic Church dressed up like they were going off to shop at K-Mart or Target! The only Americans that seem to get dressed up for Sunday anymore are the Blacks and Jehovah’s Witnesses, who still wear suits and ties. Anyway, this controversy over the veil has got a lot of people up in arms in England, with factions drawing hard lines in the sand. The question is, does tradition apply when you leave your traditional areas and go to another area. In short, if a 30 year old American woman teacher goes to a Muslim Nation can she still wear her traditional dress of a skirt to the knees, nylon stockings and sleeveless blouse that is open at the neck but doesn’t show cleavage. Would officials at some school in Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan or Syria force her to wear longer skirts, higher necklines and even sleeves? If the answer to this is yes, then England and the other countries now embroiled in this veil controversy are well within their own rights to dictate that too much clothing can be a bad thing…
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