YES , i just wish the girls i see in uni everyday read this.

Some people might follow certain commands in religion but without knowing its purpose. Others might just do it because everybody else is doing it, as a “Cultural Thing”. In either case the act won’t serve the purpose. That’s why certain girls don’t find it weird to wear provocative clothes alongside Scarf. They need not to be cursed but educated. And its our responsibility to educate them.

According to Islam i cannot force anybody to do any righteous good deed. The only obligation on me, according to Quran, is to convey the message, and that too in the best possible, polite and presentable way. So forcing any Muslim to follow any commandment of Islam is absurd and against Islamic rules.

For me, attire of a Muslim women is something for which she is answerable to ALLAH not me. I wont look down at her if she is not doing it but i will respect more the ones who are actually following GOD commandments.

You said its a cultural thing. If by that you meant that most of the girls do it because of cultural, i agree to it 100%. But if you meant that Islam, has not ordained it. I humbly beg to differ because of the following Quranic verse:

Surah Nur [24:31]. “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and protect their private parts and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent and to draw their khimar all over Juyubihinna…”

As far as i know the word khimar means “Head Coverings” or “Head Scarf”. I am not making a statement here Mona, i am just sharing my view point, and i can be very well wrong. Please correct me if i am wrong here, as you know Arabic .

May ALLAH bless you and guide you like no other.

Asalam-o-Alaikum

When we trekked the Annapurna in Nepal, at altitude, in very warm weather, exposed to the sun all day, walking great distances – so many westerners walked in respectable shorts, perhaps pants rolled up, short sleeved shirts and used their hats to fan themselves. The Nepalis, and Tibetans, at altitude walked in layers of wool from head to foot. We thought they were crazy. They thought we were crazy.

But they were actually insulated, and cool underneath, and didn’t sweat away water to evaporation. Duh.

Traditional Arabian dress works well in climate… in situ.

I do occasionally shave my head. Sometimes that’s an expression of my Buddhism. Sometimes it’s because I did it once and find it very cooling during the summer. It is a very effective refrigerant in tropical climates.

As a Buddhist, the practice is to question Identity: “Show me your face before you were born!” I don’t practice Buddhism as an identity. Why practice religion as an Identity? Why is hijab important to who you are?

I am sorry that I did offend you. I just do not know how else to explain it.

For me it was like having a bunch of people wearing balaclava and serving them, except that this balaclava has no mouthpiece. Where i come from if a bunch of people came in with a mask on we would think we were being robbed as these makes are meant for 2 things.

1. intimidation
2. to hide the persons face.

Maybe it is my lack of culture… maybe it my lack of education… but I did feel offended and I did think it was disrespectful.