Oppression!

Assalaam-u-aliakum Reader,

France's ban of the burkha/niqab came into effect on Monday 11th April, despite many protests against this. Rather than going into a lengthy sermon on how incensed I am by all this, I thought I'd share a poem with you. It's not directly related to the ban, but I thought it expressed my opinions on the subject quite well. 

My Hijab

©2010

    

My rightful Dignity.
Modestly t                 hrown over
my head,                                     a cover
for on                                                 ly one
to dis                                                      cover.
It’s Fre                                                         edom
in a cl                                                               oth of
pure Sim                                                            plicity,
my hija                                                                 b is my
Inte                                                                          grity.
I’m only                                                                judged
by what                                                             I say and
what I do,                                                      rather than
the way I                                                     look to you.
A symbol of                                             my Identity,
it means such a                              great deal to me.
A form of worship it                 truly can be. I wonder
why some people don’t understand, isn’t freedom of expression
a form of Liberty? Yet they chose to deny me, this common courtesy,
constantly telling me, that I’m oppressed, repressed, depressed. Telling me that I
need to be freed. Freed by commercial ideas of Beauty, a doll of desire, what they call
womanly. Outward appearances seem to rule their ideas of Civility and Popularity.
Don’t they know that it is what’s inside that counts. That one day we’ll all be
called to account, for all our deeds and Impropriety. Why can’t they see,
that this pathway is the life I chose for me? And though I know people
still talk and glare, question my Sanity, I will always stand
by what I heartily believe. Because this is my
Hijab, that I wear so
proudly.

***

As Muslims we are taught to not stand for oppression, to never oppress anyone, to always fight against it. In a hadith narrated by Abu Dharr, the Prophet (PBUH) said that the Almighty Allah (swa) said:

"O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another."

Sahih Muslim, 32:6246

This because oppression stems from two things that are hate by Allah subhan-watallah: belief in one's own superiority (arrogance) and hatred for a person or a group of people (e.g. a religious or racial sect). And hatred stems not only from a lack of understanding, but also from a stubborn desire to not understand. And this has always been the case. For example, there was the Fir'aun (Pharaoh) at the time of Moses (AS) who would not free the Children of Isreal (Surat Ash-Shu'ara 26:10-67). Or what about the oppression of African slaves before the American civil war.

And all this this still happening now, here in the west. The western people believe their way of life is much superior to us Muslims, who are "uncivilised" and "backwards" in our ideas and clothing. And it is only those who do not understand Islam see us as a threat and hate us. And unfortunately, this is the prevailing thought in many areas. And so they oppress us and stop us from practising our religion freely. The banning of the niqab is just the first step. It is a form of oppression because they're taking away a woman's right to wear whatever she likes.

As Muslims we cannot allow any oppression to continue, especially upon our brothers and sisters. So we need to increase awareness of women's rights and of Islam. And we should all raise our hands and pray for our sisters that are suffering in France and in other western countries. 

Fi-imaanullah, wassalaam-u-aalaikum, wa rehmatullahi, wa barakatuhu,   

Nida