My fashion and my hijab: Greek Muslimahs interviewed
March 5, 2010 by ImanK
Source: Veto newspaper
© Translation Muslim Association of Greece
It is not only one piece of cloth. The veil that envelopes the faces and the bodies of Muslims, is a symbol of Islam, so charged as the military conflicts that have broken out in the name of the hijab in many European countries. Lately, especially after the ban on headscarves in public places in France, there are more women who started wearing it. The global game industry is aware of this and few months ago, Barbie wore a scarf as well. Religious, political, revolutionary, feminist symbol? Muslim women living in Athens reveal what lies behind their hijab, as they call it.
Rabab
The hand of the photographer is on top of the table, with the coffees, tightened by Nashua hand, “I’m wearing gloves. It’s the only way I can touch another man.” Her daughter Rabab is smiling, holding her cup of coffee, smiling and with apologetic. “Sorry I’m not allowed,” as she declines the handshake. On her right shoulder is her baby sleeping. On her left shoulder her hijab falls until her waist. In fact they are to scarves, one pink and one black, both, elaborately braided together-the result is reminiscent braided hair. She was born in Greece, lives in Keratsini and every day, she wears her hijab in different style- which she has copied from a satellite hair channel. She has visited her home country, Egypt, only few times. She has heard though that there are many ‘hijab hair salons.’
Rabab has been wearing the hijab for the past 10 years. She wanted to take it off on her wedding day but her husband didn’t agree. Despite the meaning of her name ‘white cloud’, in her life there are many black clouds. At the age of 26, she must choose between her hijab or her career. “I was working in a telecommunications company. One day, my manager called me into his office and offered me the supervisor’s position. Under one condition: to take off my hijab. I couldn’t take the job wearing hijab. ‘At least wear a wig,’ he told me. So I had to resign.”
In her workplace today – she is an immigration consultant for Athens council- she wears her hijab without having any problems. “I can feel people’s eyes on me when I go to places or use public transportation. Most of them are staring. A few days ago, I was getting off the bus, when an elderly man hit me with his walking stick, so I would hurry. With his walking stick! Is that possible? I was born here. And I am not taking my hijab off. It is a respect to me and my religion.”
Nashua
Nashua never put pressure on her daughter to wear hijab. “She did it on her own, when she became a little lady.” It came to my mind the little girls with hijabs who were playing under their brothers’ eye, just outside the Libyan school on Kifisias boulevard.
“They are ignorant of Islam when they wear hijabs to kids in primary school,” Says Mrs. Anna Stamou, Marketing and Public Relations of the Muslim community. “A Muslim woman is wearing the hijab so she doesn’t attract attention, the paradox here is that this way she does. If we go out with a mini skirt nobody would look at us. Nakedness doesn’t evoke.” says her mother Nasoua, she has been living in Greece for the past 35 years. She assures me that under her impressive red hijab, which is fastened with a golden broch, has her hair groomed.
As she continues, “I go very often to the hairdresser. At home we don’t wear hijab. You never give up on yourself. I put facial creams and dye my hair, so my husband likes me, but above all so I please myself.”
Habiba
Habiba means ‘loved one.’ Habiba was the favourite student of her teachers in Paris. She arrived there from Morocco, to study fashion design. “Paris then was more hijab friendly,” she says, analyses the family tree of Sarkozi, concluding that he has roots in Marolo Jews from his grandparents. Because of her profession- she is a fashion designer in Athens and Paris-“I do not see any particular problem. I have contact with people who have an open mind and get on easily with scarf. Sometimes women say to me, ‘Come now, you are so progressive, you have to be free.’ But I am free. The scarf is my choice. It was never imposed on me. Not even from my husband.” And there is no doubt about that. Anas Habibas husband completes ”I have overcome some crashes. He grew up in Greece, he is from Argentina, but adopted by Greek parents before becoming a Muslim on his own initiative, he was baptised Christian and was called Anastasis. ”When I was little, I was the alter [boy] in church,” he says, laughing.
On his hand is tattooed an alfa capital. “Yes I am an anarchist,” he answers just when he realized that I was looking at it, he listens to rock music, smokes and is a big fan of Jimi Hendrix. ”Jimbo, come here,” he shouts from the living room in the middle of the house and to our surprise, emerging as a tornado, holding a large cat, is his three-year old daughter, wearing a black ribbon on her hair. ”Look my little Rocker,” boasts Anas. “Last year she asked to wear the hijab on her own. She sees her mother and she wanted too,” he says and tells us the story of young Holy, which was adopted from Morocco. Holy, grows up in a home with strong Arab elements, bright colours and smells of Moroccan tea and has her little prayer rug in the mosque built by her dad, in the basement of their house. Answering a question on when their daughter will wear hijab, they started laughing. ”She is such a character that she might never put it on!” says Habiba. ”Everybody does what they like. Many try to hide behind a scarf, to show that they are good people. Like Christians who go to church and start prostrating, looking around to see who is watching them. “I don’t blame hijab. It is just a fabric,” Habiba continues,”a fabric that frightens and unfortunately has baptized terrorism and Al Qaeda. We are Hijab Frappe. It means that the scarf goes everywhere.”
Habiba doesn’t drink frappe, “because it bothers me but I go to the movies, theatre, and I enjoy art as a hobby. I like little taverns.” She is also an amateur actress. After Easter, she will star for a second year on the show “Hijab Frappe”, based on true stories of women. She opens the script book and starts reading: “The hijab is a symbol, no it’s not a symbol, it is responsibility. It is my faith, what I am, what I am not. It is mandatory, it’s optional, it is the law but not here. I wear the hijab for me, for God, for my husband. It is freedom, protection, mystery.”
Marina
Her parents reaction when they heard she will become Muslim “brought trouble at first, but [they] realized that the path was purely my choice and was not influenced and accustomed. What they cannot get used to is the hijab. They are all hesitant with the scarf. The fundamentals of Islam lie beneath. There are Muslim women who do not wear hijab. The substance is not the picture,” says Marina, a Greek who embraced Islam three years ago. Her husband, who she met later, is Palestinian and they have a little boy. ”I became a Muslim from pure curiosity. Reading, I began to realize that Islam covered gaps that could not be covered by my previous religion. Half a year later, I wore the scarf, as required by the Quran. Nobody pushed me; nobody forced me,” says 26 year old girl who studied economics in Aristotle University. ”Since I wore the scarf my friends remain the same because they know me. On the street, they think I am a foreigner. Nobody imagines that I am Greek and only if they hear my accent they suspect it and start asking questions.”
Despina Papadopoulou, Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Policy Panteion University
“The headscarf issue is complicated and complex, so we must be careful. As the government attempts to limit religious freedom, the more resistance will be present. If we can express an opinion towards the prohibition of the headscarf or not, a safe criterion is the separation of public and private life. It must not affect the public order of society. And the state should not interfere with private life. Any form of religion must exist, in case of course, it doesn’t affected the person. On the other hand there is a military conflict: Who governs the existence of the hijab? The State or the family? This conflict leads nowhere. Especially if the government draws its legitimacy from religion. If actions are taken for the ban of the headscarf, it will hardly be implemented. The restriction is a simple solution to an issue as so critical.”
The trend is derived from feminist movements, in which any symbol of discrimination and equality in society is racist in nature. In Europe and America, it appears as Islamophobia.
—
Translated by Elena Nikolova-Pouliasi
“Rabab has been wearing the hijab for the past 10 years. She wanted to take it off on her wedding day but her husband didn’t agree.”
yeah, its entirely your own choice.
so, what is your stance on western women having to cover up when visiting/living in muslim countries?
On the 12th of March (just a few days ago), we returned from Kuwait (our GreeksRethink team went there for a course), a Muslim country. Are you telling us that we were hallucinating when seeing women there without a hijab on? Hmm…weird stuff.
Assalamu Alaikum,
You asked the same question on another topic, and i would like to answer just with my humble opinion.
In West we can ‘freedom’ on a dress code and in most cases women cant dress in the way they want…
For a western woman in Middle eastern country for example, its harder the reason is that. When you visit a country and you know that it is compulsory to cover and you should do it. example Saudi Arabia.. if you cant tolerate to cover then you shouldnt go.As you know that there is a law.. and since when covering became a problem??
In countries where its a common for a woman to cover.. i think that a woman with sense either wouldnt go if she doesnt want to go or she would cover so as we say in Greek doesnt stand out like a fly in a pot of milk. For cultural reasons women cover.. and western woman before going anywhere should know whether she can do it or not.
As a Muslim girl wont go to IBIZA where are only binikis..
And here again women have a choice and freedom….
Not to forget, the west claims it is all about “freedom”, so they should hang on to that, while the Muslim countries claim to be all about “modesty”, so they as well should hang on to that. I don’t see your argument sheik-e.
@ elena
you were talking about womens rights.
what i was trying to say is that you are saying that if a western country legislates against hijab/ninja suits and it is against human rights of women then so to are muslim countries that legislate to cover up regardless of if women choose to visit or not.
@ amir
freedom is free wheeled word, if i walked around the city naked i would be arrested.
the west, as you want to call it, can also then freely legislate against what it likes. if it doesnt see muslim religious dress/customs as part of its culture then it can legislate accordingly.
Yes sheik-e, but then in the name of both modesty and freedom, Muslim women and Muslims in general have every right in this west, to protest against such legislations. Isn’t that right?
As for your answer to Elena, I already answered that, by saying that if the west claims it’s main purpose to be freedom, and the Muslim countries claim their main purpose as being modesty, I don’t see the reason why western women should not act according to that modesty in Muslim countries (dress up properly, not to forget that in most Muslim countries, women that are not Muslim have every right not to cover up), and Muslim women should not, in the context of freedom, be able to dress up modestly.
It’s like saying: “Yes, we claim to freedom, but if you don’t dress in miniskirts, your right to freedom does not apply anymore”. I find this a huge double standard.
Me, personally, coming from and living in the Netherlands, I can tell you that especially the Netherlands, is at least a 70% based on multi-culturalism. This is the Dutch culture, to be able to support many other cultures, so how can (for example) Geert Wilders talk about how these other cultures are against the Dutch one? Are there even western dress/customs as part of a culture? Wasn’t the American Dream based on multiculturalism? So can the Americas talk about a specific culture as being their’s? What about the UK?
You see my point? The “West”, from the point that they claimed to have “killed” God, and decided that culture is backwards, how can they then, in the name of their culture supposedly, order others to put aside their cultures as well? Not only that, they also are trying to impose their “christian” atheism (actually capitalist imperialism) on other non-western countries as well. They don’t want our system (capitalism), and we ourselves don’t want it, so let us not fight over a headscarf/hijab/ninja suit and instead do something really useful, like trying to interact with each other for the betterment of us all, and try to accept each other’s cultures and religions.
oh my…
what reaks of double standards apart from your sexist perceptions about women wearing/required to wear miniskirts in the west is the notion that women must abide by the laws of one country but not another.
we will just agree to disagree.
It’s called exaggeration, and is mostly used to make a point clear. If I was sexist, I would WANT to degrade every woman to wearing miniskirts and walking half-naked around, but in fact, I don’t want to go that far. The fact is, that the west is doing that. I’ll give you one example from an advertisement I saw here in the Netherlands, from sapph, a lingerie company or something, where it was quoted: “Dress less to impress”. Where is your honor? Seriously! You all say about Muslims using women as their tools for pleasure, while you know nothing of Islam or Muslims, and while on the same time it is actually you who degrade women, and make PRODUCTS of pleasure of them. Don’t let me mention Amsterdam, you know very well what’s going on there. That’s the double standards, they claim freedom, but at the same time, they make slaves out of women. Anyway, let me not continue. I am disgusted by this topic…
so, if i was to generalise that all muslim men are sexist pigs (which i dont think) it is okay as im getting a point across? or would that be offensive?
the fact that your idea of being sexist is limited to notions of wearing mini skirts or walking around half naked shows you have no idea what it is like to be a woman.
both islam and western cultures are sexist. they’re are not alone, all cultures are inherently sexist.
and that seedy brothel area in amsterdam is terrible. but let us not kid ourselves here, i am sure there a brothels all over the world in all societies, even those pious muslim countries that claim modesty.
as i said, we will agree to disagree.
The point is who decides for women.
Are there women who “know better” than others and decide for the “ignorant”?
Who has the right to define the looks of a woman in a free society?
Why don’t you let women chose? In all Muslim countries {except only 2 KSA & Iran with population 20million & 70 million respectively where yes women are oblidged by law to cover}, women chose their outfit. You see mother with hijab, daughter without or vise versa, woman in shorts and woman in niqab, there is a free choice.
And I ask: DO these 2 countries that all people stuck claim to have an open and free society? No they do not claim that, but France does.
On earth there are 1,8 billion Muslims. So if you deduct the 90 million from above countries that indeed they have a persentage of oppressed covered you have to answer what happens with the rest 1,7 bllion Muslims. Who oppresses them? What about the western societies that threat that they will take off the hijab from women?
The woman in west is highly oppressed by the world system and I have been there not long ago. Have you ever asked for a serious position in a big firm and the people did not look at your body although your skills were excellent? Can you dress modestly and keep your position? Will a regular use of miniskirt will lead to a fast promotion? Oh come on, I do not mind of disagreements but we have to be honest with each other.
Why people think that it is in woman’s nature to undress???
Ok, I agree to our agreement to disagreement, though, let me make my view clear, I do believe (you could say from experience, but I say believe so that there will be no further conflict, though you might find that extreme on my part) that Islam actually is Matriarchal instead of Patriarchal. The reason I’m saying that, is because women CAN do whatever they want to, but in the end, they don’t have to because men are supposed to do (almost) everything. You could say it is the opposite of the picture we have, of the man sitting in front of the TV, and his wife cleaning the house. In fact, the sole reason the Qur’an addresses mostly men, is because men are those who have to learn 1. responsibility, 2. faith, and 3. respect to their surrounding (considering the fact that it was always men who initiated all wars etc. for example). Women do already have these characteristics, and if you look at how the Prophet (peace be upon him) talked to women, it was always like joking about men, etc.. Furthermore, women are those who form the society (as mothers), so they naturally gain a certain degree above men in that respect (remember the famous quotation when someone asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) who to take next in love/respect, after Allah, getting the mother three times as an answer).
In fact, the only thing really, that Islam asks of women, is to do their religious obligations (the five pillars), to protect themselves from lustful eyes, not to be ungrateful to their husbands (considering the fact again, that these husbands are indeed good husbands, otherwise, women can always divorce them or what have you). That’s a summary of what I know.
Any mistakes I make are from myself, and if anyone can add or subtract from my summary, I’d appreciate it.
The woman in west is highly oppressed by the world system and I have been there not long ago. Have you ever asked for a serious position in a big firm and the people did not look at your body although your skills were excellent? Can you dress modestly and keep your position? Will a regular use of miniskirt will lead to a fast promotion? Oh come on, I do not mind of disagreements but we have to be honest with each other.
Why people think that it is in woman’s nature to undress???
you went to at least 20 of the top companies of the country you visited and asked for a breakdown of female management and female members on the board?
im guessing you didnt. the company i work for not only has female managers but also female members on the board of directors. actually, most boards have female representatives. are you as a female going to say they only got to those positions through wearing a mini skirt?
i think if you read my post carefully i stated that sexism was rife in the “west”.
@ amir
there was no conflict, just debate.
i dont agree with your reasoning of islam being matriachial, but thats life, people have differing opinions.
Well, let me make my point even stronger. Let’s talk about an ancient symbol: the obelisk. The obelisk is an ancient Egyptian symbol for continuity, power, stability, resurrection and immortality. It would most probably symbolize the “deity” of the pharaoh, or the superiority of man over woman (if you take it as a phallic symbol). This symbol kept being used by most Patriarchal societies, and is still very often seen at places of power (white house, saint Peter’s basilica, etc.) and other important places, etc.
There is a lot of material about this symbol on the net, you can search it up and confirm what I’m saying.
Now, in Islam, on the Hajj (pilgrimage), they used to have such an obelisk, on which they used to throw stones. Now of course, this obelisk has been replaced with a huge pillar made of stones, but the point is that while the west for example glorifies this phallic symbol, Islam rather condemns it. From this aspect, it is made totally clear that Islam is not a Patriarchal religion, and in no case is it’s objective to limit women in society (I wouldn’t say Saudia is the best example for this, I’m just pointing out to the original facts).
The Shariah is to discipline men, so that they become gentle instead of aggressive. In fact, this was also what Jesus was doing, and what most if not all prophets were doing (discipline men into becoming gentle-men).
Anyway, that’s my…interpretation of the sets and rules of Islam. You don’t have to agree with me.
Now, in Islam, on the Hajj (pilgrimage), they used to have such an obelisk, on which they used to throw stones. Now of course, this obelisk has been replaced with a huge pillar made of stones, but the point is that while the west for example glorifies this phallic symbol, Islam rather condemns it.
In your above statement you claim Muslims used to do this but now don’t. Since when and who determined that the obelisk be replaced with a huge pillar of stones? This is the whole problem with Islam in that it is a man made and devised religion. Over the years that this cult(Islam) was being formed little tidbits were deleted\implemented thus creating a religion loosely based on Judaism and Christianity but with Arabian social and cultural features.
It is not based on the authority of God. How do Muslims know that the Koran was not tampered with since 632? If the Prophet was illiterate how would he have known what was written? Muslims seem to have this belief that when the Prophet spoke there were scribes following him and jotting down everything he said. This seems a little excessive to me. The forming of Islam is not to different to the way cults and sects are formed in the modern age- its just that there is a lot more competition. Just look at the likes of Joseph Smith, David Koresh etc
Also (and I don’t have a Koran handy) I don’t see how God (Allah) would be so concerned to include in the Koran a sura on explaining the Prophet’s love life and his feelings for his adopted son-in-law’s wife Zainab. How do you explain that one?
amir, i am thinking you’re reading too far into things to connect an obelisk to the superiority of man over woman.
it seems that it is more a pagan thing initially worshipping a sun god and now used as to serve as a memorial than some hidden agenda:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelisk
as i said, all societies/cultures are inherently sexist. you seem to think and suggest that islam is immune from this. it isnt.
Sheik-e, Christian Albo, I wonder what you believe in, like a religion or whatever. Could you tell me?
You show me that you don’t know that much about Islam. I’d be more than happy to answer you any – to the point – questions you have.
1. This obelisk was removed recently. My guess would be free-masons who felt degraded by Muslims stoning their symbol of power, though people would probably call that naive thinking. I have to look more into the facts as to why it was removed, but it certainly would not imply that Islam is being tampered with. Islam is certainly not “based on” Judaism and Christianity, rather it is the return of the children of Ishmael to the true religion, which also the Jews had, and the Jewish Christians had, and even most gentile Christians had before the creation of the trinity myth.
2. We know because we always were learning it by heart. You try and tamper with something everyone knows by heart and can correct you on. Since the beginning, people have been learning the Holy Qur’an by heart, and it remains an accurate oral transmission.
About Islam not being different from cults and sects, Islam was in fact “born” in a polytheist idolatrous Arabia, and it’s theology and law was totally different from the local Arab faiths. Cults and sects are offsprings that have other interpretations of an allready existing religion, you couldn’t claim that Islam does that with any other religion, in fact, Islam is that one religion that every other is a sect of.
Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfByvw_jomo
amir, i dont know why you have put me in the same category as the albo as i was replying to your incorrect comment regarding the obelisk. and i notice that you just avoid my comment and wont admit that maybe you were wrong.
I don’t know about Sheik E but I consider myself Christian although I struggle to adhere to all the requirements.
1. Firstly don’t guess why the obelisk was removed. I don’t have time for guesses and freemason conspiracy theories. Secondly the removal of the obelisk indicates that in some way or another Islam was and still has selective features in it.
2. Just because you have been learning something by heart doesn’t necessarily make it so. What I’m trying to point out is that the Koran is a convenient concoction of stories that was forced upon (Key word being – forced) Arabian pagans and then later adopted by subjugated and enslaved people. Do you really think the Muslims currently in India\Pakistan, Asia and the Balkans adopted Islam on the basis of it being “the return of the children of Ishmael to the true religion, which also the Jews had, and the Jewish Christians had, and even most gentile Christians had before the creation of the trinity myth” as you put it? No- they accepted it because they had to survive the tyranny of Islamic rule and to avoid further bloodshed and hardship. What happens to Muslims who leave Islam? Please tell me. What is it with Arabic as being the chosen language of God? Do you mean to tell me that God can only speak Arabic? It seems very cult like to me.
3. Tell me something- what right did the (so-called) Prophet Mohammed have in leading armies (after he fled from Mecca to Medina) to recapture Mecca and kill and convert anyone in his way? Just because he proclaimed himself as the Messenger of God????? I could just as easily do the same but in this current information age it would be harder to pull off against a well-informed public.
albo you may have some false information prophet mohamed didnot kill and convert anyone was in makka. actually if you really read the history you just answered your self. he had the chance to kill or convert every one in makka but he chose to let them leave peacefully by let letting them go without even touching them any normal person will seek revenge on such case. he simply said leave you are free.
fadi
Fadi,
So he booted them out? Isn’t that ethnic cleansing? Were they able to take their property and wealth or was that retained for the honourable and pious prophet and his followers?
It seems there was some bloodshed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad#Conquest_of_Mecca
So how did this wonderful religion come to have so many adherents? Through peaceful trade and enlightenment or through violence?
Christian Albanian…….just curious, this wikipedia is a primary Islamic history source? Please enlighten me
Hayrullah, so we’re only to believe what is written by muslims. Gives new meaning to HIStory.
How about some impartial sources?
I do notice that no one answers my questions and darts around them with nonsensical replies.
im still waiting for amir’s fairytale story how the freemasons covertly and silenty came in and replaced the obelisk (considering you cant even fart in saudi arabia without the pious police arresting you and throwing you in a dungeon).
While you are waiting, may I ask where you live sheik-e? I will answer your dungeons and dragons story question if you answer me this.
Christian Albanian,
No…..by ALL MEANS NO. We should not believe what is only written by Muslims. But also we should not believe just ANYTHING. Right?? Fairness and a sense of justice should be applied during our search for truth, to the issue at hand and most importantly toward ourselves. It is injustice to ourselves (our inner self) to WANT to see things in a certain way other than what they REALLY are. It is unfair to our souls who yearn for peace struggling with the desires of the nafs (self) which at times goes contrary to fairness and justice. What is impartial……and who is to say something is partial or not? Have you already made up your mind or have preconceived ideas about the whole faith of Islam that you search to feed through selective sources and processes? This is not fair. If on this site you had given ONE, at least just ONE weighty credit to a civilization that continues to exist for over 1400 years and a faith/ideology that is the fastest growing today in the world encompassing 2 billion followers (WITH NO SWORD BY THE WAY!), then maybe, just maybe some of us at least would get a hint of a trace of impartiality from YOURSELF first. This my friend is more important than ALL the sources we are talking about.
May Peace be with you
Hayrullah
amir, what does it really matter where i live?
you made a claim about this obelisk being taken by freemasons, back it up with hard facts and not just your opinion.
Cool down sheik-e, I said “My guess would be free-masons who felt degraded by Muslims stoning their symbol of power, though people would probably call that naive thinking.”, so I made it clear that it is not fact, rather, my own guess. No need to back up my guess with hard facts. Why do you insist that much on this one issue anyway?
Sheik-e
He did say “my guess”. All we have to do is scroll up and see the proof. And a guess is just that…….a GUESS. Being that, you may ASK of him to tell how he came up with a guess as such……….but it is not scholarly to demand of him to PROVE a GUESS. You have a scholarly right to ask for a proof really only when their is an absolute CLAIM made. Let us all be fair here……….
And may the truth come to you on this issue or any issue that eats at you so as to give solace to your heart
amir, i think you misinterpret my emotion.
it is really semantics regarding the difference between guess and claim.
the only reason i asked is that you made this guess and i am really intruiged on how you guess the freemasons accomplished such a feat.
hayrullah, i am just an information junkie and have a yearning to learn. if someone says/writes something then i am interested to know.