The Hajj and Women’s Dress
EmailABC's Lama Hasan reports: I am not particularly religious but when you’re arriving in a country that has strict codes for women, stipulating what they should wear you have no choice but to abide by them. I have never worn an abaya, a long black coat like garment worn over your clothes, with a matching headscarf before and it’s been a really interesting experience. A colleague recommended a shop in downtown Cairo, where I am based, and when I arrived all of the women in the store were wearing a hijab. Feeling out of place, I sheepishly told them about our upcoming coverage of the Hajj and was immediately pointed in the direction of some bejeweled abayas. I quickly learnt that just because you have to cover up doesn’t necessarily mean you have to look like you’re wearing a tent. So, needless to say, I bought three of them, all had different designs. Apparently, in some countries in the Arabian Gulf, there are designer ones on offer. As soon as we landed at Jeddah airport and before disembarking the plane, I, for the first time, put on an abaya. I was not prepared for the heat and because the cloth is black, I was soon perspiring. I began, and still am, having issues with the headscarf. I have not found a way to secure it on my head, the sheer cloth keeps slipping off forcing me to keep fiddling with it. I have been told to invest in some safety pins to keep it in place. The real test came on the day we were shooting outside the Al Haram mosque in the holy city of Mecca. With the sun beating down and running around talking to people, I was more than ready to scream. There’s a sense of helplessness and some frustration because there was nothing I could do about it, orders are orders and you have to respect the culture and beliefs of the country you are working in especially when you’re on the grounds of a holy site. As I looked around and saw that all the women, young and old, were wearing one and performing the grueling rituals of the Hajj pilgrimage, it put the issue in perspective and I continued with my work. I have now grown accustomed to it and funnily enough, it alleviates the pain of wearing a matching outfit and certainly answers the question I am faced every morning – what do I don today? In Jeddah, it doesn’t matter because no one can see what you’re wearing under your abaya.
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These trappings whose purpose is to subordinate women, need to be seen for what they are…..devices men have designed to keep women under their firm control.
They have absolutely nothing to do with anything valid in religion, whatsoever.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | November 25, 2009, 11:47 am 11:47 am
“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
I think it would be great if Moslem men wore Burkhas, too…….but, of course, not to the bank.
One of the problems, we have here in America with the head-to-toe coverings is, we aren’t sure if it’s a cultural expression or perhaps a burglar or robber. I guess we just have to ask.
Posted by: Doppelganger | November 25, 2009, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
I would point out that there is just as much subordination of women through clothing that is designed to make them sexually appealing to men. Until the day men wear 3 inch high heels and skirts that are tight and above the knees, I think that comments about wearing things like the hajib and abaya are probably motivated from a equal level of religous intolerence. I can see wearing both the hajib and abaya as long as it is a choice. I much miss my days in the US military when I didn’t have to worry about what I was going to wear in the morning and jamming my feet into uncomfortable shoes to “look good.” By the way, I’m a practicing Episcopalian. My choice of clothes is preferrably sneakers, comfortable shirts, sweaters and slack.
Posted by: Ellen Lincourt | November 25, 2009, 12:16 pm 12:16 pm
There is nothing wrong with covering oneself for modesty sake. Unfortunately modesty is a dying theme in America. I’m no prude, but if I had a choice between having to wear a thong bikini and an abbaya, I would choose the latter. By being modestly dressed, the attention you receive is not focused on what you look on the outside but what is on the inside. Therefore, I’d rather impress with my intellect than my firm thighs. As a muslim, I believe I should dress modestly so as not to attract unwanted attention. However, as an American, it is not cultural for me to dress in a burkah or even an abbaya. I have a choice and I take it and run with it! There is a big difference in religion and culture but there are some countries where they are so intertwined there isn’t much anyone can do.
Posted by: Mariam | November 25, 2009, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
May God be with you..thanks for reporting
Posted by: Lawrence | November 25, 2009, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm
My sisters its not the culture of that country to wear abaya but its the religious duty on all the Muslims. May Allah make it easy on you to follow the teaching of Quran and Sunnah
Posted by: Abdul Volunteer | November 25, 2009, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm
I have no issues with women wearing abayas. But what about the fact you will be arrested if you don’t? Or what about the fact that a family member will beat you silly if you don’t? The sugar coating of this issue by this reporter is sickening. Is she going to report on the bondage and slavery of women while she is covering the Hajj?
Saudi Arabia is the MOST REPRESSIVE regime in the middle east. They completely disregard human rights and that includes foreigners hired to do their domestic work (such as rape, no pay, threats).
Saudi Arabia practices Wahhabi Islam….the most vile and violent of all the sects. By the way, a Saudi friend of mine stated she thought Iran looked pretty good to her compared to the KSA. Now think about that one!
Posted by: littleleers | November 25, 2009, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
There are some stereotyes americans have of us muslims and i want to address them.
1)I love kathy griffin and saw her comedy show where she said she went to kabul and found it irritating men wouldnt look at her in the eyes ’cause shes a woman.
No, certainly not. God fearing men lower their gaze so they arent tempted, whether its in form of sexuality or even touching alcohol. Also it gives respect to women,not take it away,and shows truly we have to respect them.
2)Girls who wear head to toe niqaab are subordinated.
Well,it depends.Most muslim girls do wear hijab or niqaab on their choice and some are forced to–but very rare (similar to a western father forcing her daughter to strip down to earn money).A recent survey done by gallup showed that muslim women feel more liberated in the east than their western counterparts. A full blown niqqab is demeaning as a thong or a bikini. Holy quran says “o,believers,cover your body parts that thou shaould not show” so interpret that quote.
Posted by: sayed | November 25, 2009, 6:26 pm 6:26 pm
In many countries today, women are viewed as sex objects. Most free thinking liberated women would appreciate the chance to be seen as a whole person and not be evaluated on the size of their boobs or the shape of their booty.If their body was covered, society wouldn’t have a chance to view them as mere objects of sexual pleasure and be forced to grade them as whole person. I find it odd when people like Rick McDaniel in his post here view women covering themselves as a type of oppresion and when they think of Mary the Mother of jesus and how she dressed it’s seen as pious. Seems like a blatant double standard.
Posted by: James | November 25, 2009, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm
It’s funny how whenever this issue comes up, no one cares to point out that the same rules apply to men.
In Islam, men aren’t allowed to be dressed in a manner which could be arrousing to other women… yea we may not have a dress code as restrictive’s as for women, but the code does exist. And the only reason no one talks about it is because it conforms with the typical western dress code for men.
And fyi, Saudi Arabia’s enforcement of the dress code is extreme, and goes against Islam. So word of advice to anyone out there, know what you’re criticizing.. If you have a problem with a practice that is specific to one regim, don’t blame the religion for it.
Posted by: muslim | November 25, 2009, 9:59 pm 9:59 pm
As a practicing muslimah and non hijabi, I think I can appreciate the writer’s perspective, and I pray that the reporter will receive strength, I’ve heard stories of things that happen in KSA and I shudder at the blatant disregard of basic Islamic principles. Much of the rules in place is KSA have evolved into hypocritical laws meant to subjugate all subjects citizens and foreigners alike irrespective of their religious preference.
Posted by: Laila Q. | November 26, 2009, 11:24 am 11:24 am
I think women should be forced to wear bikinis to the bank, and they should be small enough as to show 50% of their breast meat. That would prove that we are a free and open society and also that women are free.
Posted by: Paul | November 26, 2009, 11:56 am 11:56 am
Making the hajj doesn’t mean you have to dress like a Saudi. Any outfit that covers everything except face, hands and feet is sufficient. I wore a simple white maxi-dress with a white scarf tied at the back of my head so it wouldn’t slip. Cotton is coolest, better than chiffon scarves. The people in the store gave bad fashion advice. You could have gotten 2 entire outfits for $25 or less. Peace & Blessings and thank you for covering the hajj.
Posted by: Nell | November 26, 2009, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm
Eid Mubarak!
Posted by: NancyR1 | November 27, 2009, 8:36 pm 8:36 pm
Well some women are forced to wear hijab because their parents make them but they have no choice.But what can i say its life.
Posted by: muslim girl | November 30, 2009, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
thanks for reporting.
Posted by: mlm | December 11, 2009, 2:41 am 2:41 am
Why do people always compare the niqab/hijab to a bikini? One is worn ALL THE TIME whereas the other is just worn on special occasions. On the beach, people typically wear more revealing clothes so that they can get a tan, swim more comfortably, etc. The females you see on the beach wearing a bikini would definitely not wear one everywhere they go, whereas the Muslim woman wearing niqab/hijab will ALWAYS have to wear it in public. How many times do you see women wearing a bikini walking down the street versus someone wearing a niqab? The non-Muslim woman has the ability to change her attire to suit what she’s doing, be it exercising, swimming, dressing for hot weather, dressing for cold weather, etc. Muslim women are not permitted this flexibility of dress in their religion. This can make some activities uncomfortable or being in hot weather uncomfortable as the featured article indicates.
By the way, the dress code for men in Islam only involves covering from the navel to the knee. In contrast, the dress code for women involves covering everything except the hands and face. I guess this is because the Prophet Muhammad thought women’s bodies were inherently more sexual.
Posted by: Lisa | January 4, 2010, 5:19 am 5:19 am
I am allowed as much flexibility in my choice of clothing as any non-muslim so I’m not really sure what you are talking about. I can change by attire to suite the weather whether it be a day at the beach, exercising, etc.
Hot is hot, whether you are wear hijab or not so what exactly is the point. when I didn’t wear hijab it was hot, now that I wear it it is hot, its isn’t any hotter then before.
And yes the female figure is more sexual look at western media, look around at who they use to sell beer, perfume, hamburgers for God sake! Occasionally I will see a giant photo of David Beckham in him pants but I’m more prone to seeing a half naked, woman trying to sell me something. Maybe we should be looking at our own society before we start deeming another one oppressive.
Secondly: Why is this the one thing this writer chooses to write about. There are definitely much more important and interesting then her complete inability to wear an abaya and scarf.
Posted by: RM | January 10, 2010, 6:26 pm 6:26 pm