[vannrox]

You know, the more I read about Islam the more interested that I get. But still, the terrorsts can't possibly believe that it is ok to kill or hurt people in the name of Islam.

[dighton]

A woman who adheres to the tenements of Islam ...

[neutrino]

untainted and true Islam

An oxymoron! Saying "untainted islam" is closely akin to saying "untainted sewage". As for true islam - I believe we saw pictures of that...from New York...on September 11...

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Maybe Muslim men should liberate themselves by wearing the hijab. I wonder how long that would last?

I don't know what surprises me more, the Muslim male's attempt to rationalize this or the Muslim woman's complicity in it.

[denydenydeny]

Another liberated woman:

[Chu Gary]

"When she covers herself she puts herself on a higher level and men will look at her with respect and she is noticed for her intellect , faith ,and personality, not for her beauty."

Also, she can put off shaving that day!

[liberalism=failure]

THese women are born into this culture and raised there. Except for a few (who are probably to scared to say anything) they accept, and in many cases, embrace their diminished status.

[Cultural Jihad]

Thanks for posting. I have read that besides forcing men to view them as other than mere objects, the veil protects men because women know how much power they have over men, who will do foolish things for sex. I have also read that Mary, the Mother of Jesus dressed much as modern Muslim women do, the veil being a cultural phenomena more than a religious one.

[Snickersnee]

Well! That's very enlightening. Now let's talk about cutting the clitorises off little girls.

[Neologic]

It is interesting to read this attempts at rationalizing the status of women in Muslim coutnries. By focusing on the dress the women (are forced to wear) we miss the more important picture of the women's role in Islam. They are regarded as little more than property. To divorce a woman in Islam, the husband must say 'I divorce you' three times. That is sufficient. Of course women do not get this privilage.
A woman is only truly liberated if she can freely choose to wear the veil. In Islam, this is not an option. How is that truly free? In Saudia Arabia, woman cannot drive themselves. Is this liberation? What about being able to associate with men who are not close relatives? Why is this punishable by death, if these woman are truly liberated?
Historically speaking, when these rules were established, there was no sense of women's liberation, the purpose of these rules was to cover women, to make them an invisible part of society, because they had little more to do in life than produce children.
What we are seeing today is just some modern day spin on role of women in the middle east. Luckily, in the more 'liberal' countries, women are beginning to enjoy greater freedoms, but this usually comes with the retreat of religion from everyday life, rather than a teeming Muslim women's liberaton movement.

[Restorer]

Thanks for posting this. I think the author makes some very good points. The modern Western fixation on female physical beauty is indeed demeaning to women, IMHO. Islamic veiling, however, is not the answer, especially when forced.

[conservativemusicteacher]

This thread is getting to be very irritating. Lets face it, Islam is very inequitable to women. On the issue of inheritance, surah 4:11 "To the male a portion equal to that of two females". As a wife, surah 2:223, "Your wives are as a tilth (field to be plowed) unto you, so approach your tilth when and how you will". Then the Hadith says "Wives are playthings, so take your pick". And how about those beatings, surah 4:34 "As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them, refuse to share their beds, BEAT THEM" Indeed in Islam, and women is lower than cattle.

[The_Reader_David]

Like all the other good aspects of Islam (prayer five times daily, prostrating oneself in worship, an ascetic discipline involving strict fasting until late in the day, considering the notable pious kings of the Old Testament to be prophets along with the authors of the prophetic books,...) the notion of appropriate female modesty was copied from the Orthodox Christianity which prevailed in the Christian lands nearest to the heathen regions of Araby whence Mohammed hailed. And like all of the other good aspects he copied, it has been perverted either by him or his successors (so much so that the association with Muslim shrouding of women keeps many modern Orthodox women from adhering to our traditions of female modesty.)

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

A most interesting---and totally unremarked upon---event is the participation of Iran in the Olympics. Female athletes are barred from performing due to mohammedan practice, but the IOC has taken no action against Iran.

Compare and contrast that with the the barring of any participation by South Africa in international sporting events because of aparthied.