To be Fair

A woman's choice

My art studio is closed today. May be the recent moon eclipse has saddened Apollo. (For the unsuspecting, Apollo is my art teacher's name). I was welcomed home to a Doha Debate on BBC Sunday. The motion before the house is "This House believes the face veil(niqab) is a barrier to integration in the West".

British Muslim Peer, Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, and Reem Maghribi, founder of Sharq magazine and a progressive muslim woman, argue that they didn't want the face veil to become a symbol of Muslims and Islam.

On the opposition are school teacher Ayshah Ismail, who wears the niqab and Ahmed Younis, the former National Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in the US. Ayshah told the 300-strong audience that she is fully integrated into British society. She blames ignorance for the lack of acceptance the West has towards the veil. To her face veil is a personal choice and her way to follow the words of Allah, her beloved God.

Delving into the details of the debate or taking sides are not my intention; sharing what touches me is. It was at the end of the debate and Reem made a closing statement by posing to the audience a question. Is the Almighty's intention for muslim woman in this present days to contribute in the integration of the world? With the face veils presenting a hindrance, what choice will the sisters of Islam make?

With lesson learnt from feminists burning their bras in the 60s, I am level-headed enough to know that integration to the west takes more than just the removal of the face veil. However I felt in Reem's voice the frustration of not being able to enrol her fellow sisters in Islam to actively participate in changing the world. I felt for her the passion and yet the pain of shouldering such an impossible mission in awakening in her fellow women the untapped strength they have. To me, she is not just speaking to women in the Islamic world. Her words are valid for all women in the world, regardless of religions, races and geographical locations. We have a choice. Use it well.

posted by Vegie @ 2:53 PM