What have you learned about Islamophobia and the Hijab? In what ways has it changed your earlier perceptions about Islam?

Not much was learnt about Islamaphobia since we watched a video describing the origins of women having to cover themselves. I am yet to learn why western countries have enforced bans on the Hijab and the negative perceptions surrounding it. What I learnt about the origin of women wearing veils is that it resulted in other people, especially sexual predators, the perception that she is of elevated class. The verse in the Quran read: “O Prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the women of the believers to draw upon themselves their garments. However, due to the impracticality of this rule, Muslim Scholars decided that a woman’s way of dress should be based on two considerations: a woman’s function in society – her role, what we might consider her job – and the society’s specific customs. Additionally, the vagueness of how a woman should dress, as written in the Quran, contributes to this as it allows women to dress in accordance with local customs. I also discovered the true translation of a Hijab which means Divide, barrier or screen. This word has been wrongly associated with a veil and symbolises how Muslim women are marginalized from several activities such as political involvement, driving and divorcing their husband. I also found out that ancient middle eastern societies were extremely progressive as women could choose which man to marry, were allowed to dress very freely and express their sexuality and were allowed to sit on high positions in society

This changed my perception of Islam as I now see how misogynistic clerics and scholars have grossly misinterpreted and manipulated different parts of the Quran in ways that have negative impacts. I also learnt about the ridiculousness of Fatwas and how they enforce rules that undermine the dignity and human rights of woman.