Sunday, September 19, 2010

FYI - The Burqa

FYI...the term Burqa encompasses several different items. 


The Hijab
(the head covering)

The Niqab
(The face covering)

The Abaya
(full length coverage)

The Chadri
(complete coverage)

This style of clothes predates Islam.  
The Koran makes only three references to a woman's dress:

“O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of God's signs, that they may take heed.” (7:26)

“O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers that they shall lengthen their garments. Thus, they will be recognized (as righteous women) and avoid being insulted. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” (33:59)

" Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof. " [Quran : 24.31]



I wouldn't have any problem with this style of dress if men were also required to wear it.  
They aren't.  
From what I've read, at least some Muslim men believe a woman should be wearing these clothes because men are too weak to behave themselves when faced with a woman's beauty.
A woman's beauty tempts men to do wicked things.
Men can't be held accountable for their own actions.
Therefore, women must be covered.  

***

And what about this:


"But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head—it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her wear a veil.
    "For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. (For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.) That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the angels....If any one is disposed to be contentious, we recognize no other practice, nor do the churches of God." (1 Corinthians 11:3-10,16)


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And now a word from the Jewish people...



"From a biblical standpoint, only the Kohanim serving in the temple were required to cover their heads (see Exodus 28:4).  Yet for many centuries, the obligatory custom has been for Jewish men to wear a kippah all the time, as the code of Jewish law says "It is forbidden to walk four cubits without a headcovering."

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Seriously, who comes up this stuff?!?!?!?!?!?!




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