We’re doing some of our lesson on Pennies for Peace and Moira drew pictures to show the beginning, middle and end of the story. I noticed in the first part she drew a boy and girl studying outside and the girl was veiled (as they are in the book.) I asked what she knew about the veil and why she drew that and we decided to do some reading. This site had some explanation that was kid friendly, including scriptural quote, for why the girls & women wear veils. It was very interesting for me to read because I had not ever heard it explained that way, but it read:
Surah an-Nur verse 31 reads:
And say to the faithful women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms, and not to display their beauty except to their husbands…
It then went on to explain that their husbands, immediate family & extended family were all fine to be around unveiled. It was really just in public or mixed company with men they are not related to in which they were to veil.
But to not display their beauty as commanded in their religious scripture. The author also gave two reasons to veil that are NOT religious:
1) The Western culture seems to be obsessed with a very narrow ideal of feminine beauty, and women are derogated if they do not match this ideal. Many women spend hours each day picking just the right outfit and styling their makeup and hair before they will even step out of the house. Any feminist will tell you this obsession with women’s beauty and sexuality is bad for women and should be ended. Isn’t modest dress a good way for a woman to get off this merry-go-round and to tell people that they will have to judge her by her intelligence, personality, and character, not her appearance?
2) When men dress to be respected, they wear a business suit that covers them to throat, wrist, and ankle, and they keep their hair simple and plain. When women dress to be respected, shouldn’t they also cover to throat, wrist, and ankle, and make sure that their hair is not a decoration? Clearly, men are not expected to play the “beauty game”. If women want equality with men, shouldn’t they take the same attitude to dress that men do?
I thought that was really interesting!!!