From: ys3359@thor.albany.edu (Yazmasterj)
Subject: Re: Women and Burqa: Analyzing the recent discussion
Organization: State University of New York at Albany
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 92 23:32:53 GMT

In article <12047@tamsun.tamu.edu> gagrawal@cs.tamu.edu (Gopal Agrawal) writes:

>Ms Yasmin,
>
>The following question may seem offensive, depending upon your attitude
>towards your faith. If you do not wish to reply to it - don't. 

	It would be really hard for you to offend me.  Questions
	or comments about Islam will never offend me unless they
	make absolute judgments from an uninformed perspective.
	Questions, comments, speculations, etc. are just fine with me.
	No threats of harm from the local Muslim Center :)

>I see that you have been waging a constant war against the Purdah (hijab)
>system for quite some time. Being an anti-purdah-ist myself, I should 
>perhaps congradulate you. But before I do, would you like to consider a 
>thought experiment (the kind which was found offensive by another SCPier) 
>which will give me a clearer picture as to what exactly you are up against. 
>
>I think the underlined sentences in the above posts should indicate what 
>I am getting at. All your arguments seem to be based on the fact that there
>is no clear evidence that Islam forbids women from discarding purdah in any
>given era. Hence it is ok for you to not wear the purdah these days. 

	That is the general idea.

>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>The Thought Experiment: 
>			Now ASSUME that the Quran explicitly (I mean 
>really explicitly in big bold CAP fonts) mentioned that all women MUST 
>(100%/definetely/under all circumstances) follow the hijab or purdah 
>system, covering your entire body from head to toe at all times (forever). 
>I mean showing any part of your body is an ABSOLUTE NO NO. Its worded 
>in such a way so that there can be absolutely no doubt as to its meaning.
>
>WOULD YOU WEAR THE PURDAH THEN ?  
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>I have once posted a similar question on the net. The kind of response
>I got was "But its not conceivable that the Quran will say such a thing
>because it doesn't.... Its illogical to imagine things about what the 
>Quran says if it does not say it... Since it does not say this, your 
>question is invalid" etc. 

	Your question is quite valid and I am in no way disturbed or 
	offended (just thought I'd clarify that again).  The problem
	I have is that Islam today is a conglomeration of the Quran,
	Hadith (some verified, some not) and 1400 years of culture
	and interpretation.  Now my problem is that I don't agree with
	the interpretation and culture part of it.  I also question
	the veracity of many of the Hadith.  However if the Quran had
	been as explicit as you say, the culture and interpretations
	would have evolved in a different manner.  The controversy
	about hijab would not be there since it would be explicitly
	mandated.  It would be accepted as a given as much as the oneness
	of Allah and the finality of the Prophethood (this is not intended
	to be a comment on the Ahmadi/non-Ahmadi war, please don't take
	it as such, I just happen to be non-Ahmadi in belief).  I
	would then be a product of that culture and interpretation which
	mandated hijab as much as it mandated prayer and fasting.
	Since I do regard the oneness of God, the finality of the
	Prophethood, prayer, fasting, etc. to be absolute and necessary
	for Islam, I assume I would believe the hijab mandatory also.
	However, since I am not a product of that culture and evolutionary
	path of Islam (it being speculative in nature), I can't answer
	for sure.  The fact is that the controversy and vagueness
	do exist.  They have permitted me to begin my investigation into
	the subject.  They have permitted me to grow up in a household
	which does not practice hijab but definitely practices the 
	actual mandates of Islam.  In addition, my belief in Islam includes
	a faith in its fairness.  The fact that many people over the
	1400 years have tried to deny or override this fairness does
	not erase the actual fairness of Islam.  This does make it
	hard for me to seriously conduct your thought experiment since
	it goes against my sense of fairness and justice.

	I'm sorry this is somewhat of a non-answer.  I don't know if
	I can do better.  If you have any thoughts on how this thought
	experiment could be conducted with more success, please let
	me know.  

Khudahafiz

Yasmin



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*  Yasmin Sohrawardy                *  "Only Nixon can go to China"      *
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*  Internet:  ys3359@csc.albany.edu *            - Ancient Vulcan        *
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