If you've watched the two videos I embedded earlier I hope you enjoyed them. For the last two school years I've worked with women who cover, either with a hijab or the niqab. Most of them wear a hijab but there are several (more in this school than my last one) who wear niqab. I posted these videos with a two-fold purpose. One, to share with my western friends about women in this part of the world, from their religious background. Two, I found it naturally addressed the issue of covering among Christian women as well.
I agreed with the second woman interviewed in the first video. She dresses the way she does for God, not for herself. She is absolutely right. When a woman covers, it should be done with the intent of pleasing God. Not because someone tells you that you should, not because you want to fit in with others. Not because you father wants you to or your husband. It should be something you feel compelled to do by God. While a husband or father certainly should have some say in the matter, it's a decision to be made by the woman only. It should be based upon what God is compelling her to do, by studying Scripture, constantly being confronted on the issue, whatever. If a woman does not feel a conviction to do so, she shouldn't do it. Period. If she feels compelled to do so and her husband isn't on board with it, then they should find a middle ground. She doesn't have to wear a doily on her head, she can wear a fashionable scarf, wide headband, snood, hat, whatever. There's a multitude of ways a woman can cover her head without embarassing her husband, if he's uncomfortable.
The woman interviewed in the second video had the wrong reasons for wearing a hijab and she was correct to stop. If you go to YouTube and read the comments left for the second video she received criticism for her decision to stop. Someone asked the difference between spending time trying to look perfect covered and trying to look perfect to remain uncovered. I think, personally, it should be obvious. The purpose of covering is modesty. There's nothing wrong with looking your best when you're dressed modestly but if you're spending a large amount of time fretting over your appearance, then your heart is probably not in the right place. She began covering because she was not modest. She recognized the error of her thinking and made the appropriate changes. If you are covering for any other reason than pleasing God, then you're doing it for the wrong reason. Period.
I have to make one more comment. As Christians it really doesn't matter if we cover or not. Covering is a work. We are saved by our faith, not our works. Yes, our works should be a natural result of our faith, but they should not be considered the source of our salvation. Our salvation is by grace through faith. Covering is no more likely to get us into heaven than not covering is to keep us out.
I have several online friends who do cover and I mean no criticism toward them at all. I respect their decision to cover because I know from reading their posts on discussion boards why they cover and they've made that decision for the right reasons. You go, girls!
3 comments:
I enjoyed the two videos. I found them informative and enlightening. It's always beneficial to see how others think. It fosters better understanding. I never realized, for instance, that at least some Muslim women have a choice about whether to wear the hijab/niqab or not; nor did I understand the reasons why a woman would or would not choose to wear them. Thank you.
Hi Beth,
It took me a while, but I watched the two videos. They were really interesting to me, as lately I've been curious about covering. I love "social studies" and getting a peek into the cultural differences between Christians and Muslims was interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for posting them.
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