What's with those scarves?
Why we — Somali or Muslim women — cover our bodies in different ways is a question I have been asked as long as I could understand English. From about 13 years ago to this day I continue to hear it in one form or another. Below is a list of questions that I have received repeatedly through my Ask a Somali email. Even my Somali female friends are calling me and are wondering why I haven’t written about this subject yet.
“Why do you cover your head? Did your husband tell you to cover it?”
“Why are there different styles of clothing for Somali women?”
“Can you explain the various kinds of clothing and coverings for Muslim women? I think there's a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about this.”
"Yesterday I saw an African woman with a face mask. I'm more interested in why there are different styles. Are Muslims like Christians and Jews with sects that are ultra-conservative?”
Nobody told me to wear my headscarf when I left home this morning, yet here it is on my head. There can be social pressure on women to dress a certain way, and it's always a balancing act between what you want to wear and what is socially appropriate, but to think that the headscarves you see are something forced upon the women wearing them is very mistaken. Ninety-nine percent of the time it is voluntary.
Some people are really concerned for me. I've been told by some that I don’t have to wear this if I don’t want to. I think they believe I am oppressed. This is America, you wear what you want to wear, they say. I reply, I am wearing what I've always worn. It would be irresponsible of me to say that there aren't places where things are bad for women, where arbitrary morality rules are enforced by government-paid thugs, and where fear of men is an acceptable substitute for fear of God. It's important to remember, though, that we don't live there, and what people wear here, they wear by choice. This is my choice, and the women you see around town with their heads covered? It was their choice, too.
As for there being different sects in Islam, that is a topic for a much longer and in-depth column. People write libraries full of books on the topic. What I can tell you is that the divisions that do exist have very little to do with how people dress, and most of the time, unless you ask, it's difficult to determine where somebody falls on the social/political/religious map, and which school of thought they agree with.
It is not so much about different sects in Islam, but rather the individual's interpretation of what modesty means to them. Some of us are very ultra-conservative and take modesty to the extreme. They might wear gloves, socks, heavy garments and cover their face so that the only part showing is their eyes. In their mind, modesty is of the utmost importance and they want to make sure they are doing all they can to follow and stay on the right path. So to them, if their interpretation of what the Qur'an (the holy book of Islam) says is to literally cover their body head to toe, then that is what they will do. The “face mask” that one question writer saw is a good example of this. It's called a Niqab or Indhashareer in Somali and, while the overwhelming majority of Islamic scholars agree that it isn't required, some women wear it as a way of being extra modest. They would rather overdo it than underdo it. And as long as they don’t tell me to wear my clothes just like them, I love them no matter what they're wearing. Niqab is tradition and practice in some countries and it is not a requirement in Islam. I just want to make sure we’re clear about this.
As for the variety of styles of head (and body) covering, my answer can be summed up in two words: women’s clothes. We wear different colors and styles of Hijab (the blanket term for all modesty garments) for the same reason we wear different colors and styles of everything else.
Believe it or not, we are not a homogenous people. If you get three Somalis arguing you'll hear five opinions. So it shouldn't come as any surprise that we don't all act or dress the same.
The Twin Cities Daily Planet is an edited news source produced by professional journalists working in collaboration with citizen journalists from the local community. We publish original reported news articles, articles republished from media partners, and some content (Free Speech Zone articles, reader-submitted blog entries, comments) that is moderated but not edited. Click here for a complete description of our editorial policies. Support people-powered non-profit journalism! Volunteer, contribute news, or become a member to keep the Daily Planet in orbit. |
Ifrah Jimale (askasomali@gmail.com) writes the Ask A Somali column for the TC Daily Planet.
We're people-powered journalism! Click on story links (below) to see more story information, and then email editor@tcdailyplanet.net if you want to report.
• 
Comments
Islam demands the hijab
You have had a number of articles now on the hijab, and women’s dress. In all cases you make it sound like wearing the hijab is simply a cultural or personal choice, freely by women. This is clearly inaccurate.
Islam demands that women wear the hijab. If a woman refuses to wear a hijab, then she is to be beaten. Here is a quote from "Islamweb", one of the principle sources of online fatwas, about the case of a wife who refuses to be covered. It references the Koran, so even if you doubt the validity of Islamweb, you can still see that there is no "choice" involved with the Hijab:
"But if she persists in her refusal, he should refrain from sleeping with her. If this does not have any good results, then he should beat her if it is useful. But he should know that this beating should not leave any trace on her body nor should it cause the breaking of a bone or leave any wounds as it is beating for good conduct not beating to punish. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {……. As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly, if it is useful); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance). ……}[4:34]."
http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaI...
It is not only husbands who enforce the hijab however. Here is a quote from a young Somali woman who used to live in Minneapolis, who returned to Somalia for a while:
"Show your hair here? In your dreams! Kids in the neighborhood will throw rocks at you. Even non-muslim foreigner women here wear hijabs. "
http://amalkasem.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/things-i-miss-here-in-somalia/
And in Somalia culture enforcement of the hijab does not stop at mere beating however. In 2009 Amina Muse Ali was killed in Galkayo for refusal to wear the Hijab.
So, although honor killings and public stoning may not be the norm in the Minnesota Islamic / Somali community, surely the overt threat of violence (if only a parental or husbandly thrashing) has some effect on a woman's choice of dress.
Let me ask this please: if the average young Minnesota Somali woman were to refuse to wear her hijab, would she fear any physical reprimand from her father, brothers, mother, or community?
TC Daily Planet staff: please have the bravery and integrity to publish this comment. It is neither sarcastic nor racist. It is a honest expression of a Minnesotan’s concern with a culture and religion that appears to demand the subjugation of women.
Where do you live under a rock?
Yes, if the average young Minnesota Somali women refuse to wear her hijab, she will have no fear or any physical reprimand from anybody, not from her mother, father or brother. I personally know a lot of young Minnesota Somali girls that wear jeans and dont cover their hair. My cousins who I see daily dont wear skirts or cover their hair and I havent seen any bruises on them. Are you married? if so, do you beat your wife if she doesnt follow the rules of your religion?
I have a free will and so does everybody else in any religion. Religion is there to guide us. What a Muslim person does and doesnt is between her/him and their Allah.
Christianity and beating women
Every religion has extremists.
For example, take a look at http://www.christiandomesticdiscipline.com/home.html, which sets out a few rules most Christians would find strange:
I would no more consider this as "the norm" for all (or most) Christians than I would consider islamweb.net as "the norm" for all (or most) Muslims.
Perhaps you should read the column all the way to the end, where Ifrah explains:
good...but....
Thanks for this clearification. I'm also a Muslim and still puzzled by the questions and stares I get...some even think I sleep with a scarf or that I don't have hair at all. :))
You seem to be open as a Somali accepting the various models of covering up and wearing different styles of head scarves. To be honest, you don't see that very often. I would say 99% of the Somali women I know all dress the same: a long skirt and a long head covering for what for me seems to be an "outfit" I only wear to pray. I honestly don't find any diversity and no flexibility at all with the way they dress. It's like they never left Somalia at all. I am also almost angry whenever I see a 3year old Somali girl with a head scarve. I am astonished that the writer didn't say ANYTHING about this. According to Islam, women cover only when they reach sexual maturity, it is to tell the society: Look at my face, not my boobs and legs!
If Somalis want to be more accepted in the Minnesotan society, they should "loosen up" a bit and accept that their daughters dress differently than their grandmothers. Also, stop putting your toddlers in head scarves!!!
Miss understood
"they should "loosen up" a bit and accept...". Very society come with cultural values and norms.
My 3 years daughter with be proud of how nicely she grew up with her Islamic culture in the future. Christian faher teaches his child the value of christianity. So do I. NO one is best to wear an other community culture. What do you mean "Should loosen"? Do you mean going to European culture? How do you know that it is the best culture for tthe world that every person should imitate or persue.
America is best for having melting pot of cultures and colors.
If you'd like more info...
Go back and read the first Ask-a-Somali column ever written if you want an explanation as to why some parents dress their children the way they do.
Also, if a White male like myself can see a lot of diversity in the ways Somali women around the cities dress, I don't know what it says about the number you've interacted with.
And remind me again what the problem is with people wearing what they want to wear?
You need to get out more and look around
Your 99% is based on what? Ten Somali women you know? There are thousands of Somalis in MN. And I am also, "astonished" that you jumped to the conclusion that I didn't say anything about why little girls wear head cover. Please read this column. http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/ifrah-jimale/cover-it
Thanks for the article
I really like this column; I think it's a great way for people to understand each other. My dad's family has been here a long time, the Somalis are recent, we are all neighbors and I love knowing more about my new neighbors. Thanks again!
Thank you!
Thanks for addressing this issue. I love seeing the various head garments, and some are downright gorgeous. Every fashion conscious woman should own beautiful and colorful wraps or scarves.
Post new comment