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* * *The Distorted Image of Muslim Women's Dress* SINCE the height of the feminist movement in the late 70's there has been a magnifying glass placed over the status of Muslim women. Unfortunately, the magnifying glass that has been used is an unusual one. Unusual in the sense that it is very selective about which items it will magnify; other items it will distort to such a degree that they will no longer look familiar Once reading in an "in depth" article about the lives of Muslim women. This article "explained" that at any time a man can divorce his wife by simply stating "I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you." This article can lead anyone ignorant of the Islamic ruling regarding divorce to believe that in less than five seconds the woman is left with no husband and is left to care for herself (and possibly her children) by any means necessary. The question that immediately popped up in my mind was, "Did the author innocently write that out of sincere ignorance or was it another of the many attempts to degrade the religion of Islam and its followers (Muslims)?" It may be my own paranoia, but I tend to believe it was the latter of the two. The distorted image that I will cover is that of the Muslim women's dress. The Western-influenced media portrays our dress to be outdated and oppressive. Needless to say however, I differ with these adjectives. Our dress code does not hinder us from doing anything productive in our lives. Muslim women maintain a variety of jobs, none of which are devalued nor hampered due to their dress code. I think Muslim women's dress is the most appropriate due to decreasing morals in the world today. For those who say that Islamic dress is outdated, they speak from great ignorance. The decreasing morality and trials of this time makes Hijab (veil) even more in need. More than ever before sex crimes are rampant. Although this society tells women they can wear what they want to wear, anytime a rape occurs the woman is the one put on trial as one of the first questions is, "What were you wearing?" This concept seems as though it is a set up directed against the so-called contemporary woman. In conclusion, I hope I helped to clear up some distorted/misunderstood aspects of Islam and women. Women in Islam are respected, held in high esteem and given all their due rights . Compiled from various sources. *Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on** * *Internet sites and to publish** in full text and subject title in not-to-profit publications.** * * * *Note that an English translation of the Qur'an is an interpretation of the Qur'an, and does not have the perfect status as the Qur'an in its original Arabic form. ***
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