What is Wrong With Burqa

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is believed to have said “even a smile is an act of charity,” but there are some – Muslims – who tend to refute his teaching and hide their faces altogether. Blasphemy I say!

As I follow the recent debate – spurred by French law to ban covering of face in public places – I cannot refrain myself but think about the important aspects that are left out. Which I will discuss later in this article.

I have read many articles – overwhelmingly in favor of burqa – stating the freedom of expression and religion as an excuse to let the women who adhere to this practice continue wearing the burqa (a Pre-Islamic Persian garb that also covers the face). But the matter is not that simple as there are varying views on this issue.

One view is that a burqa is always forced onto the women by the men in the family, thus the practice should be protested and women must be liberated. Majority do believe that burqa should not be forced and wearing it should be the matter of choice. But that is not the case in patriarchal orthodox tribal societies and families. In those societies and families girls are taught from childhood the obligation of Muslim women to cover herself. And so they are mentally forced if not physically.

This misogynous act diminishes women's identity and objectifies her, as she becomes a property of a man to be owned and used. With burqa she disappears and becomes a part of an unidentifiable herd and loses her individuality. There is no clear way of identifying her unless she walks around with a name tag or some sort of a serial or product code. Like the ones used to identify the indistinguishable items in a market. Sorry!

Another argument – which is being left out of the debate – is that women choose to wear the burqa as they feel that men must not see their beauty. This way they can focus on their mental abilities, and be recognized for those rather than their physical appearance. So they are believing that a woman who wears burqa does it to refrain from devilish eyes of the perverted men who want nothing but sex from her. But in a way she objectifies herself, or worse, she creates a new social order in which she believes the men to be of lower strata than her.

She assumes a godlike position, which bars men from viewing her and knowing her identity. She is some how a superior being who can see the men in any - sexual or non sexual - manner. Judge the men and his physical characteristics, and even decide to pick a perfect mate for herself. Who will only be allowed to gaze at what she was hiding from rest of the world. Thus be granted a special privilege.

This sexism promotes a matriarchal society and becomes another way to discriminate and creates an inhumane class system that cannot be justified by say the right of expression or freedom of religion.

Even if burqa is really about the perverted men, from whom the women must protect themselves. Then the debate should be if a burqa really prevents rape or is it causing more frustration within the society. So if the women - with or without burqa - is at the same risk of getting harassed by individuals, then we must look at our laws and their enforcement.

We also need to take an example of western countries, where the women in bare minimum clothes can travel securely but a - fully covered - women in Muslim societies often gets harassed.

So the point being made is that, it is not the act in itself as much as the thought behind the act of hiding ones identity and appearance, which is wrong and absurd. And that must be debated with an open mind.