Rose
Fri, Mar-14-08, 06:15
backwardness."
I find it to be a blatant hypocrisy when Western governments
and so- called human rights groups rush to defend woman's
rights when some governments impose a certain dress code on
women, yet such "freedom fighters" look the other way when
women are being deprived of their rights, work, and education
just because they choose to exercise their right to wear Niqab
or Hijab.Today, women in Hijab or Niqab are being increasingly
barred from work and education not only under totalitarian
regimes such as in Tunisia,Morocco, and Egypt, but also in
Western democracies such as France, Holland, and Britain.
Today I am still a feminist,but a Muslim feminist,who calls on
Muslim women to assume their responsibilities in providing all
the support they can for their husbands to be good Muslims. To
raise their children as upright Muslims so they may be beacons
of light for all humanity once again. To enjoin good--any
good--and to forbid evil--any evil.To speak righteousness and
to speak up against all ills.To fight for our right to wear
Niqab or Hijab and to please our Creator whichever way we
chose.But just as importantly to carry our experience with
Niqab or Hijab to fellow women who may never have had the
chance to understand what wearing Niqab or Hijab means to us
and why do we, so dearly, embrace it.
Most of the women I know wearing Niqab are Western
reverts,some of whom are not even married. Others wear Niqab
without full support of either family or surroundings. What we
all have in common is that it is the personal choice of each
and every one of us, which none of us is willing to surrender.
Willingly or unwillingly, women are bombarded with styles of
"dressing- in-little-to-nothing" virtually in every means of
communication everywhere in the world.As an ex non-Muslim, I
insist on women's right to equally know about Hijab, its
virtues, and the peace and happiness it brings to a woman's
life as it did to mine.Yesterday, the bikini was the symbol of
my liberty, when in actuality it only liberated me from my
spirituality and true value as a respectable human being.
I couldn't be happier to shed my bikini in SouthBeach and the
"glamorous" Western lifestyle to live in peace with my Creator
and enjoy living among fellow humans as a worthy person.It is
why I choose to wear Niqab, and why I will die defending my
inalienable right to wear it.
Today, Niqab is the new symbol of woman's liberation to find
who she is, what her purpose is, and the type of relation she
chooses to have with her Creator.
To women who surrender to the ugly stereotype against the
Islamic modesty of Hijab, I say:You don't know what you
are missing.
To you, the ill-fated corrupting conquerors of civilization,
so-called crusaders, I say: BRING IT ON.
Sara Bokker is a former actress/model/fitness instructor and
activist. Currently, Sara is Director of Communications at
"The March For Justice," a co-founder of "The Global Sisters
Network," and producer of the infamous "Shock & Awe Gallery
I find it to be a blatant hypocrisy when Western governments
and so- called human rights groups rush to defend woman's
rights when some governments impose a certain dress code on
women, yet such "freedom fighters" look the other way when
women are being deprived of their rights, work, and education
just because they choose to exercise their right to wear Niqab
or Hijab.Today, women in Hijab or Niqab are being increasingly
barred from work and education not only under totalitarian
regimes such as in Tunisia,Morocco, and Egypt, but also in
Western democracies such as France, Holland, and Britain.
Today I am still a feminist,but a Muslim feminist,who calls on
Muslim women to assume their responsibilities in providing all
the support they can for their husbands to be good Muslims. To
raise their children as upright Muslims so they may be beacons
of light for all humanity once again. To enjoin good--any
good--and to forbid evil--any evil.To speak righteousness and
to speak up against all ills.To fight for our right to wear
Niqab or Hijab and to please our Creator whichever way we
chose.But just as importantly to carry our experience with
Niqab or Hijab to fellow women who may never have had the
chance to understand what wearing Niqab or Hijab means to us
and why do we, so dearly, embrace it.
Most of the women I know wearing Niqab are Western
reverts,some of whom are not even married. Others wear Niqab
without full support of either family or surroundings. What we
all have in common is that it is the personal choice of each
and every one of us, which none of us is willing to surrender.
Willingly or unwillingly, women are bombarded with styles of
"dressing- in-little-to-nothing" virtually in every means of
communication everywhere in the world.As an ex non-Muslim, I
insist on women's right to equally know about Hijab, its
virtues, and the peace and happiness it brings to a woman's
life as it did to mine.Yesterday, the bikini was the symbol of
my liberty, when in actuality it only liberated me from my
spirituality and true value as a respectable human being.
I couldn't be happier to shed my bikini in SouthBeach and the
"glamorous" Western lifestyle to live in peace with my Creator
and enjoy living among fellow humans as a worthy person.It is
why I choose to wear Niqab, and why I will die defending my
inalienable right to wear it.
Today, Niqab is the new symbol of woman's liberation to find
who she is, what her purpose is, and the type of relation she
chooses to have with her Creator.
To women who surrender to the ugly stereotype against the
Islamic modesty of Hijab, I say:You don't know what you
are missing.
To you, the ill-fated corrupting conquerors of civilization,
so-called crusaders, I say: BRING IT ON.
Sara Bokker is a former actress/model/fitness instructor and
activist. Currently, Sara is Director of Communications at
"The March For Justice," a co-founder of "The Global Sisters
Network," and producer of the infamous "Shock & Awe Gallery