Fear and the Muslim Woman
by Tasneem Jennifer Crooker

Islam is guidance for humanity, yet in many respects, Muslims
themselves have yet to accept that guidance. Often, when American
society objects to certain Islamic teachings, instead of standing up
for those ideals, Muslims instead distance themselves. Muslims in
America have a serious probelm that affects our ability to practice our
religion in the utmost sincere and complete manner: it is fear. Fear of 
tanding out and having to answer for their Islamic faith in a society
that does not understand it. And this fear is expressed in our women's
and girls' lack of hijaab and how they explain that lack.

Consider the young Americans that dress all in black; wear chains; dye
their hair unnatural colors; paint their faces, pierce unspeakeable
parts of their bodies; and call themselves by names such as "Death" and
"Mud". They are ridiculed by their peers, lack the respect of parents
and teachers, and are considered social outcasts. They are even
associated (justly or unjustly) with underachievement, antisocial
behavior, drugs, violent crime, and even Satan worship.

Yet, when asked why they continue to behave this way despite rejection
and being "prejudged", they reply that they continue because they are
individuals expressing themselves. Despite the criticism, they are
uncompromising in their beliefs. Following the massacre at Columbine
High School in Colorado, these "Goths", as they call themselves, rushed 
to defend themselves and to convince the public that they did not
support the actions of the two shooters who often identified themselves 
with this counterculture movement.

If these "Goths" are strong enough to stand out, to face social
rejection, and can be oblivious to the insensitive comments of others,
they why are Muslims girls and women not strong enough to overcome
their fear and put on hijaab for the sake of Allah?

The Qur'an says in 2:165, "And of mankind are some who take (for
worship) others besides Allah as rivals. They love them as they love
Allah. But those who believe love Allah more..." The "Goths" have a
fierce love for their chosen lifestyle, and they show that love by
defending themselves and refusing to allow others to change them. Yet
if the believers are to be stronger in their love for Allah than the
"Goths" are in love for their deviance, why do we not show our love by
defending our beliefs despite social rejection, judgements,
misconceptions, and criticism, and not allowing the opinions of others
to change our actions?

Constant Struggle

Why are Muslims not competing with homosexuals, the pedophiles, the
sex-addicts and others who have successfully fought against the
rejection of society, have remained constant in their love for their
deviance and successfully won their way into mainstream America? Surely
if such deviants did not have to compromise their beliefs to be
accepted, Muslims shouldn't have to either. Muslims should be ashamed
for not showing the same level of love for Allah and His Messenger and
the religion we have been blessed with. On the contrary, we should be
showing that our love for Allah is stronger than their loves!

In our times, Turkish women are showing such courage of conviction. The 
trials of Merve Kavakci are all too well known as are those scores of
unsung sisters who bear the pain in patient constancy.

So why do so many young Muslim women say that they do not wear the
hijaab - a mere piece of cloth - because they are afraid of standing
out, looking different, being prejudged or subject to sterotypes and
misconceptions? This fear that holds us back is a kind of shirk,
associating others with Allah. When we allow others to dictate our
practice of Islam, we transfer status of Lawmaker to those people and
away from Allah, the True Lawmaker. The Qur'an does not merely ask
women to be "modest", nor is proper hijaab a matter of culture or
goverment influence, as many people think due to ignorance of the
Arabic Qur'an, or due to the desire to deny our obligation. If one is
consumed with the fear that keeps so many of our sisters from wearing
hijaab, it is tempting to deny the obligation altogether in order to
justify not wearing it. Rather, the law that Allah has made is clear.
In (24:31) Allah uses the plural of the word "khimaar" which means
"head-covering" and in (33:59) He uses the plural of the word "jilbaab"
which means "something that starts covering at the head and covers the
rest of the body".

Hijaab is also not about making people not look at a woman, but about
changing how they look at her and what they see when they look at her.
If hijaab makes a woman stand out, it is not defeating the purpose of
hijaab, rather it is consistent with its purpose, which is, as Allah
says, "so that they may be known and not molested" (33:59). If a sister 
is truly concerened that people are going to look at her more if she
wears hijaab, perhaps she could consider covering her face as well. But
as Allah Himself has made clear, standing out is actually part of the
purpose of hijaab, and it is the duty of a Muslim woman to assert her
Muslim identity no matter what society she is living in. This requires
a great deal of courage and strength in character.

In the way of struggle, Muslims must not feel helpless. Allah says that 
He helps Muslims who struggle for His sake. "And whoever fears Allah
and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from
every difficulty) and He will provide for him from where he could never
imagine..." (65:2-3). We must pray and supplicate and constantly ask
for this help: "Seek help through patience and prayer" (2:45). Each
time we pray, we promise Allah: "only You we worship and only You we
ask from help" (1:5). So why do we not follow through on our promise?

Perhaps we do not have the certainty that Allah will indeed answer our
prayers. But we are obligated to have certainty in His Promise, as
Allah reminds us in (31:9) and in many other places that "Allah's
Promise is true." Perhaps we need to ask ourselves: do we really
believe?

It is, therefore, not for us to make up our own minds as to how we
should dress and behave. Rather, it is up to us to choose where we
place our allegiance and our love: with Allah, and Islam? Or with our
peers, the American society, and Western ideals? Are we seeking to draw
closer to Allah or closer to other people? Are we seeking the life of
the Hereafter, or the life of this world? (75:20-21) Will we choose the 
path that is steep, or will we be the ones who made no effort to walk
on that path? (90:11) Will we ultimately be of the people of Paradise
or the people of Hellfire?

If we cannot express our love for Allah be struggling, asking Allah for
His help in our struggle, and practicing Islam to the fullest despite
any obstacles, we can only wait for Allah to fulfill another promise:
"Whoever turns his back from his religion, Allah will bring a people
whom He will love and they will love Him..." If we don't love Allah
enough, it is only a matter of time before He replaces us with truer
believers who do. Those are the believers who will bear the
responsibility of communicating the guidance of Islam to humanity.
_______________

Tasneem Jennifer Crooker is a student on leave from Georgetown University.

Taken from Islamic Horizons, September/October 1999.