From: hyder@cs.utexas.edu (Syed Irfan Hyder)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.pakistan
Subject: Re: Women and Burqa: Analyzing the recent discussion
Date: 9 Apr 1992 01:37:49 -0500
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: pageboy.cs.utexas.edu


In article <1992Apr9.014504.10785@sarah.albany.edu> 
	ys3359@thor.albany.edu (Yazmasterj) writes:

>
>	The only reason I posted an article about women and hijab
>	was due to other articles I had seen on the subject.  I just
>	wanted to clarify a few things about the vagueness of the
>	source of hijab.  For those who would like to get a feminist
>	perspective on the status of women in Islam, I recommend
>	*The Veil and the Male Elite* by Fatima Mernissi.  If I could
>	read 2 books by Maulana Maudoodi to get a view of the other side
>	of the argument about hijab, I doubt those who want a
>	balanced perspective on hijab and women would want to dismiss
>	this book.  

As I said in my earlier posting I was researching this issue. My
mind as to the validity and/or the limits of hijab are not already
made up. I will be most happy to see your reference. I try my
best not to venture an opinion unless I know something about the subject.
I read Maudoodi's book "purdah" about 10 years ago. Even then I
felt something wrong with his whole approach. I need to reread it
before making up my mind. However, instead I am going directly to
the sources (Quran and Hadith) and will probably not read it. (If
it didn't felt good about 10 years ago, I seriously doubt if
it will do now!)

>	I have been involved in many discussions on the status of women
>	and am in fact currently involved in an e-mail discussion 
>	on the subject.  I really don't want a serious discussion
>	directed towards me.  

No one is directing the discussion towards any one, particularly.
I never try to do that. Even where I do have to give references.
I am confident that non-serious people will leave the field and we
will be able to keep the discussion to the point and impersonal.


>	I just have been told to keep to my female
>	place one too many times.  Now I see posts which want to explain
>	to me the woman's position in Islam and the true social structure
>	and atmosphere for Muslims.  

I don't think that there is any reason why women should keep the
place (what ever that means) just because some one says that,
especially  the men.

>	To tell you the truth, I was born
>	and raised in New York City.  I am a practicing Muslim but I 
>	just don't put any stock in the female underneath their men
>	aspect of life.  My parents have three daughters and no sons
>	and they have always encouraged me to reach for the sky.  In
>	addition, I believe in an integrated community of different
>	religions and races living together without any state sponsored
>	religion.  Please don't try and make me see the light.  I am
>	just not going to reach for the burqa.


No one can force any one to do any thing against their will,
especially when it concerns the "principles". Now that you
have mentioned your back ground I have this to say
about my mother. The biggest influence
on my life has been my "mother" (who, by the way, doesn't take
burqa, nor my wife does, nor any of my sisters). In my opinion,
my "mother" is probably among one of the most Quranically 
inspired women. I have seen her studying, for as long as I can
remember, regularly Quran and Hadith with translations. 
(Commentries of Ashraf Ali thanvi, Abdul Majid Daryabadi,
Shabbir Usmani, Mohammad Shafi, Maudoodi, Islahi and some more whose
name I don't remember, have gone completely through her
perusal. Not once or twice but many times over.)
Her insight and wisdom are some thing of which I have yet
to find someone comparable. Most, so called ulemas will not
even stand a minute in front of her quranic "insights". Here
I am not talking about "literal quotes", but the precise
intution and applicability of their essence.

She is, by the way, one of the most widely read woman I have ever
come across. I used to bring about 12 books (on all subjects
but, mostly of fiction) for her, from British Council Library in
Karachi, fortnightly or thereabout.  
I simply started getting the books from one end of racks,
 just to keep track of what she has read and what she has
not (1975-80 in Islamabad, 1980-87 KHI).
 Pakistan National Center Library and our own home small library
had already, long ago, run out of the books on all subjects. Most books
which I often refer in my postings, are the ones recommended
to me by her. She doesn't venture out any more because
of rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, multiple hernia, blood pressure and
other complications and has undergone at least nine very serious
 operations (lasting two-three hours or more)
during last 20 years, spending on the average a month per year
in hospitals. But, I have yet to see her depressed and dejected!
Before that around 1969 she single handedly supervised
the building of our house in PECHS. Rest of us were then in Islamabad.
If you know about the wheeling and dealings of the "thaikaydars"
(contractors) and the innumerable official formalities and the
problem of the laborers, you will understand how difficult
it is to get all these things done in Pakistan
"without greasing the palms".

She is a born optimist to her core. In every difficulty she
sees an oppurtunity. Not like  some pessimists  I have
known, who see a difficulty in every oppurtunity. In some sense
she reminds me of Rabia Basri.


>	I am sorry if this letter seems a bit standoffish but I just
>	don't understand why so many men are preoccupied with keeping
>	women under some sort of constraint.  Why not just treat people
>	like people?  Women, men, blacks, caucasians, asians, hindus
>	muslims, etc.  People are just people.  No one is inherently
>	superior.  No one has the right to curtail the basic rights of
>	another.  This is my basic belief.  That said, I really don't
>	want to get into a prolonged war over the subject.


I have yet to make a real serious decision of my life without
my mother's advice! I am honoured and previliged to have
her for my guidance.

	I am proud to present to all of you the personality of
my mother  without whose contributions I would have been nothing.


Proud to be her son

Syed Irfan Hyder



Newsgroups: soc.culture.pakistan