NYT Article on the veil in Egypt
Excellent article which discusses the questions I’ve been asking myself and my friends for the past month: What does it mean to be Egyptian? and What does it mean to be a good Muslim?
January 28, 2007
In Egypt, a New Battle Begins Over the Veil
FORGET about widespread poverty, dilapidated schools, chronic unemployment or public anger over police brutality. What brings Egyptian officials to their feet, what makes them shouting mad, what inspires the call for public hearings and a minister’s resignation?
Lately the answer has been: criticism of the hijab, the Islamic style of dressing in which a woman covers her head and neck beneath a scarf, and drapes her body in loose-fitting clothing to hide her figure.
When one of Egypt’s longest serving ministers called the hijab “regressive” recently, 130 members of Parliament called for his resignation.
Behind that challenge lies a long competition for the loyalties of Egyptians between the Muslim Brotherhood, which is technically banned but feels it benefits every time a woman puts on a veil, and the country’s authoritarian leaders, who fear the power of religious symbolism and have tried to co-opt it with less and less success.
Today the debate is less over whether women should adopt Islamic dress — as many as 90 percent of women cover at least their head — but over how veiled or modest they should be. It is a debate that cuts to issues tugging at the fabric of Egyptian society: What does it mean to be a good Muslim? What does it mean to be Egyptian? How can the governing party hold back the rising popularity of the Islamists?
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/weekinreview/28slackman.html
Tags: Egypt, Tag Index
admin
February 4th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Let’s see:
A woman in loose clothing and head covered is a Muslim.
A woman dressed all in white dress, socks, shoes, handerchief on head (for communion) is a Catholic.
A woman in a fur coat and hat is Jewish.
A woman in a wool coat and hat is Protestant.
A woman with white make up, Satin brocade dress, big hair is a Geisha.
A woman in a plain dress and bonnet is Amish.
A woman dressed in a bikini is one of the 70 virgins and must be Muslim.
A woman dressed in nothing is everyman’s dream.
So religion and fashion are different takes on the same theme and it’s nuts to argue about either.