Le hijab féminin en contexts musulmans
Female hijab: wearing the veil according to Islamic prescription *Quran 24:31* - theological, not political meaning, disputed in the West.
Meaning
Target direction : Hijab marks modesty, respect for feminine dignity, obedience to Islamic prescriptions *Quran 24:31*.
Interpreted meaning : Westerners see hijab as oppression or a political symbol - an interpretation that Muslim women contradict.
Geography of misunderstanding
Offensive
- egypt
- saudi-arabia
- uae
- qatar
- iran
- iraq
- afghanistan
- pakistan
- bangladesh
- indonesia
- malaysia
Neutral
- france
- united-kingdom
- germany
- united-states
Not documented
- peuples-autochtones
1. The gesture and its expected meaning
The hijab (women's Islamic veil) stems from the Koranic prescription Sura 24:31: "Believing women must lower their gaze and keep their chastity, not displaying their adornment". El Guindi (1999) distinguishes hijab (veil covering hair/neck) from burqa (full covering) and niqab (face veil). Wearing the hijab is not an oppression for the Muslim women who wear it - it's an act of religious freedom and personal dignity.
2. Where things go wrong: the geography of misunderstanding
Westerners interpret hijab as oppression or a political symbol, particularly post-9/11. In France, educational controversy surrounding hijabs in schools (the headscarf affair, 2004-2010). In the United States, Muslim women wearing hijabs face professional discrimination. The misunderstanding culminates: Muslim women claim choice, Westerners see patriarchal imposition.
3. Historical background
Prescribed Quran 7th century. Codified hadith and legal schools (hanafi, maliki, shafi, hanbali). Modern: personal decisions vary according to urban/rural context, generations, religious trends.
4. famous documented incidents
2004: headscarf affair France, pupils expelled from school for hijab. 2010: burqa debate France, restrictive law. 2016 : Nice beach hijab controversy. [CITATION_PRESSE_À_VÉRIFIER - Le Monde, BBC].
5. Practical recommendations
To do: respect women's choice to wear/not wear hijab. Do not assume oppression. Don't: comment on choice of clothing. Assume political status of veil.
Practical recommendations
To do
- Respecter choix féminin port hijab. Ne pas commenter. Traiter avec dignité.
Avoid
- Ne pas assumer oppression. Ne pas commenter dignité féminin. Ne pas politiser choix personnel.
Sources
- Veil: Modesty, Privacy and Resistance