[Rebecca P.]

What is the purpose of the Islamic practice of Purdah (concealment)? I can understand the purpose of the hijab, but I think imprisoning a woman in a separate section of the house, deprivation of education and work, and forcing her to wear those 'body tents' that almost seem to strip a woman of her humanity are all extreme. What good can come of this?

User Detail :  

Name : Rebecca P., Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 15, City : Jacksonville, State : FL Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, 

[Tom-S]

Purdah is all about control. Muslims cannot control their own government, they cannot control their own thoughts, they cannot control their own sexual urges, they cannot even control and maintain their own oil wells without the help of the Western world. Hell, they can't even control their cars. Have you noticed how many of them have been blowing up lately? Controlling their women and their dogs is their last shot at self-respect. You ask what good can come of Purdah. That answer is obvious: nothing.

User Detail :  

Name : Tom-S, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 53, City : Manteca, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Karim]

I come from Egypt and am a Muslim and a very observant one at that, and I don't even know what Purdah means. I never heard of this word. Does it have South Asian origins? My whole family is very observant; almost all of them pray and fast. Yet almost three quarters of the women in my family work, and ALL over age 25 have university degrees. These practices that you mentioned may be common in some countries, but that in no way makes them 'Islamic'. In fact, come to think of it, which countries are these practices common in? Even in Saudi Arabia women go to universities and do go to work. The Iranian vice president is a woman. Actually, other than the former Taliban government, which was initially supported by the United States, no Islamic society condones the practices you mentioned. The Islamic world does have problems and needs help solving them, but as long as the West takes this missionary, ignorant, holier-than-thou attitude toward these problems, it's not part of the solution.

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Name : Karim, Gender : M, Age : 23, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 

[Nadeem K]

The choice to wear or not to wear hijab remains a controversial one. Incidentally, rules of what to wear also apply to men in Islam: rules such as wearing tight-fitting or revealing clothes apply equally to both men and women. Many myths about Muslim women in the West have portrayed a state of oppression. The status of the Muslim women in Islam is a very noble one; the first convert to Islam was a woman (Khadija, the prophet Muhammad's first wife), and the first martyr in Islam was also a woman. If their current position or status is any less than that, it is because of biased cultural or personal interpretations. There are many reasons why a woman may choose to observe the hijab. One reason given to me by my sister, who recently chose to wear the hijab, was that she would rather be judged on who she is and her abilities than on the basis of her physical appearance. Incidentally, my other two sisters choose not to wear it. The hijab is to play down competition and focus on a woman's intellect and experience. Often in societies too much emphasis is put on the physical and not on the character or intellectual ability of an individual. This is especially true in Western societies, where women are told to live up to expectations, which are often unrealistic and unobtainable. The hijab is to some women liberating and a feminist statement refusing to be a sex object. You also have to question any societies that object to a woman's right to cover herself, but will call nudity a "human right." Is a nun oppressed and required to be "liberated" for choosing to observe the habit? Incidentally, I do not agree with forcing women to cover themselves. If you are really interested in understanding the hijab, spend some time researching various web sites; differing opinions and views will give you a greater understanding of the subject. My best advice would be to ask people. If you have Muslim students at your school, why not take the time to get to know them and clarify with them any questions you may have? You could also ask at your local mosque. I'm sure they would be happy to answer any questions you may have. I would also recommend that you question the source of your information and assess if they may have any bias on the subject. Both Muslims and non-Muslims are guilty of mixing their personal opinions, stereotypes and cultural differences with their beliefs and distorting "the truth."

User Detail :  

Name : Nadeem K, Gender : M, Race : Asian, Religion : Muslim, Age : 24, City : Manchester, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : Post Grad Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[D. Murray]

Not all Muslims have the same rules and guidelines. Have you seen Muslims in America? Some sell bean pies and some women wear their headpieces only when they want to. In some parts of the world, extremists have gone a little out of control, but that doesn't make us any better for making up excuses (also known as lies) to invade lands. Those women also have choices and can choose to live in 'imprisonment' - if not, then they can leave. Most choose to stay. If that was how you were raised, then you wouldnt think that any other way was any better unless someone told you.

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Name : D. Murray, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 21, City : Richmond, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : Student/ Literacy Tutor, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[aysha]

Islam is not one place or one country. It is a belief spread across parts of the world. However, the contention that the Taliban is the only Islamic society that condones the practices mentioned is absurd. In fact, there are many countries or areas that do. Lest we forget, there are North African tribes that identify themselves as Islamic and still practice many of those things. They also include something even worse: female genital mutilation. They are a form of Islamic Society, and this mutilation is a violation of any woman's rights. The idea that a woman may not go out without a male has been proven horrible in practice. Women dying because they could not walk down the street to a doctor? They could not purchase food because their male relatives were all off fighting in a war? Choosing to wear a traditional outfit and being forced to die from neglect are two very different things. This does not mean every Islamic person believes in such practices. It indicates that there are still serious problems in pockets of the culture. Unfortunately, an objective view can also conclude such issues exist in a Christian culture or any other. Human rights should be available to every person. But the reality is they're not. Killing does nothing to change that. For every enemy you kill, there is another one born. There will never be an end to that kind of fight, as Israel and Palestine have so sadly demonstrated.

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Name : aysha, Gender : F, Age : 27, City : Ammon, State : ID Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

[HYO]

Most Muslim women wear the hijab and cover themselves because they want to be noticed for their intelligence and knowledge, not their sexy curves. It should be a choice, never forced. I am a Muslim girl. I've been covering since I was five because I saw my mom doing it and I thought it looked fun. When I got a bit older I thought it over and decided to continue doing it. I don't find it a handicap for me in any way. I wear loose jeans and shirts, I go outside, play baseball with my sisters, etc. I know that in some Middle Eastern countries the whole thing has been messed up. Ninety percent of the practices over there are completely unrelated to Islam and the other 10 percent are related, but are really twisted. And there shouldn't be any compulsion in religion, anyway.

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Name : HYO, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Muslim, Age : 14, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ann L. Lowenstein]

How charmingly naive of you to think women living in Iran or Syria or Jordan have a 'choice' as to whether or not they leave their countries. They are not viewed as people. They are not allowed to vote. They are not allowed to drive. They can be arrested and executed for leaving their homes without a male relative escorting them, much less leaving the country. How, precisely, do you propose they 'leave'?

User Detail :  

Name : Ann L. Lowenstein, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Animist, Age : 37, City : K.C., State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Administrative Assistant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jerry D]

The ancient Chinese sage Sun Zi said, 'Know your enemy and you won't be defeated'. Do we know our enemy? If we don't, then we are doomed. Terrorism is not an ideology, it is a tool; but the terrorists kill for an ideology. They call that ideology Islam. The entire world, both Muslims and non-Muslims claim that the terrorists have hijacked 'the religion of peace' and Islam does not condone violence. Who is right? Do the terrorists understand Islam better, or do those who decry them? The answer to this question is the key, and failure to find that key will result in our loss and death will be upon us. The key is in the Quran and the history of Islam. Those who know Islam know that the understanding of the terrorists is correct. And the terrorists of Islam are doing nothing that their prophet did not do and did not encourage his followers to do. Murder, rape, assassination, beheading, massacre and sacrilege of the dead 'to delight the hearts of the believers' were all practiced by Muhammad, were taught by him and are observed by Muslims now and throughout their history. If truth ever mattered, it matters most now. Attitudes toward Islam and Islamic terrorists, like the one expressed here, are very, very dangerous. We need to understand the problem and treat its cause and not its symptoms. The root of the problem and the root of Islamic terrorism is Islam. The proof is in the Quran.

User Detail :  

Name : Jerry D, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 63, City : Marco Island, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Retired, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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