I guess this is a little late, but I blame the holiday for several different reasons. Anyway:

THANK YOU, VOX!

Thank you for creating a couple of Eid designs for us Muslims who love your site. Keep up the good work.

Much love,
xoxo,
Megan

Ok look. I don't have anything against Diwali. I LOVE religious holidays. I would have gone to temple with my Hindu friends but I had prior engagements.

But SOMEBODY please explain to me WHY Vox made an ENTIRE [thisisgood] post about Diwali, but never mentioned Eid? Not even an Eid banner. Nothing. for God's sake we ALL KNOW they employ at least ONE MUSLIM.

lately I have been really frustrated with Holidays and pop culture. Holidays are great, even religious ones, even the religious ones that are part of religions that are not my own. I think the world would be a happier more peaceful place if everybody took a break from war to celebrate each other's religious holidays from time to time!

Want to do your part to make everyone feel a little happier everyday? For one: Say Good morning to everyone you run into and do it WITH a smile.

THEN, Pay attention to holidays and wish people a happy holiday. If they think you're nuts or they give you a dirty look smile and walk away. Chances are they'll feel like an enormous jerk later.

This season wish your Jewish friends Happy Chanuka. Wish your Christan friends Merry Christmas, wish your Muslim friends Happy Eid-ul-adha. Wish your Wiccan/Neo-Pagan friends Happy Yule. Wish your Sikh friends a happy celebration of the birthday of Guru Nanuk! And if somebody wishes you a happy holiday you don't celebrate SMILE, say a very gracious thank you and wish them the same. IT DOESN'T matter if you don't celebrate it. Say Thank you, for God's sake!

If they invite you, try to make it! If they pray, just pray the way you want to pray or watch quietly!

And if you're not sure when other people are having holidays, check this website.

So, Happy Holidays. now go be joyous.

The holiday of Eid is supposed to be a joyous occasion where people behave generously towards each other. Families gather at the mosque, share food, give gifts, and visit each other. Being the only Muslim in my family, the family visits and gift giving don't really apply to me. One of the girls in my Arabic class converted to Islam a few weeks ago (in the middle of Ramadan) and we have been getting close, as I have been helping her to learn about hijab (she asks me questions about it. I don't try to convince girls to wear hijab), salat, etc. Her boyfriend is Palestinian, so she can also ask him questions. But I think sometimes she feels more comfortable talking to someone else about it.

Anyway, we decided to go to the mosque together on Eid. I was fairly certain that Eid would fall on Saturday, but she text messaged me on Thursday afternoon to tell me Eid would fall on Friday. So, I went around looking for a mosque not too far from both of us that would hold Eid services on Friday and nothing surfaced. The majority of the Mosques here follow the Islamic Society of North America, which declared that Eid would fall on Saturday.

Before I continue with this, I want to stress that it doesn't matter to me when people decide to stop fasting. If you are non-Muslim, you might be confused by all this-- why is it so difficult to determine when Eid falls? Well, there are many reasons. But the biggest reason why there is such a variation in the day different countries Celebrate Eid (this year: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) is because the day is determined by sighting of the the moon. The new moon is the beginning of a new lunar month. However, the new moon is invisible to us, so lunar months begin at the sighting of the first [waxing] crescent. This may actually vary by the geographic location of the person looking for the moon, so it is only natural that, all over the world, Eid will not fall on the same day for everyone. Now, I actually believe that it would do the Ummah (the Muslim Community) a whole lot of good if we would use astronomical calculations to determine the beginning and end of all Islamic months. Many Muslims are against this because they consider it a form of innovation, which is strictly frowned upon in Islam. I understand their concerns and opinions, and I don't bother trying to convince them one way or the other. I have my opinion, others have theirs, and that's that. This post isn't about which way is better, or which day was really Eid. This post is about how people forget the spirit of Eid when they get so caught up arguing over which day it should be.

So, back to my story. The majority of mosques over here were celebrating Eid on Saturday. "So, what's the big deal if you don't care when people celebrate Eid?" you ask. Ok, I'm getting there. My friend calls her boyfriend trying to find a mosque that is celebrating Eid on Friday. She wants to celebrate it on Friday because her boyfriend is very, very adamant that Friday IS EID and NOT Saturday. I I told her I didn't care which day we went, so it was up to her. This all would have been much simpler if  we could have gone to the same Mosque as her boyfriend. But-- She can't go to the same Mosque that he went to because of parental issues, so we have to find a different one. I am soon informed that the Islamic School of Miami is doing Eid prayers Friday morning at 9:00am. This is really far from my house, so I get up at 6:30, leave my house and 7:00 and meet my friend at her house. We head over to the Mosque, missing the turn a few times, and arrive, alhamdulillah in one piece, only to find that the Mosque is empty. The lady cleaning inside tells us that Eid is tomorrow. We are disappointed. She texts her boyfriend. He responds in a very vulgar way, insulting Pakistanis. and I'm upset.

Look, I'm not writing to villify this woman's boyfriend. I don't know him at all. I don't know anything about him, except that he thinks that his Islam is the only right Islam. But it really made me angry that he was racializing Eid. I didn't want to argue with my friend, but I had already visited Moonsighting.com, and ISNA and I knew what was going on in the US and abroad in terms of Eid. I knew that ISNA had declared Saturday to be Eid, and I tried to explain to her that that's why so many mosques were celebrating Eid on Saturday. but I'm not sure she heard me. Celebrating Eid on Saturday was not about being Pakistani. In fact, Pakistan declared Eid to be on SUNDAY. Egypt, Oman, and Morocco, all Arab countries, celebrated Eid on Saturday. But many people follow Saudi Arabia, and believe that this is the only right thing to do. Since Saudi Arabia declared Friday to be Eid, in this man's eyes only Friday could be Eid.

The thing is, I wouldn't have cared what day he insisted Eid was if he hadn't turned it into some Arabs versus Pakistanis argument.

Anyway, many of you know that I don't care for the mosques here in Miami. Most of them stick the women in this tiny little room with a TV, and we watch the khutbah (sermon) over the TV and then pray really squashed together. I also hate that this keeps me from going to the mosque because I am convinced that it's done this way specifically to keep women from showing up (it is argued that it is about modesty. and I can confidently argue back why modesty does not require women to be separated from the men so drastically). We had resigned ourselves to waking up early again on Saturday for Eid prayers, but my friend really wanted to go to Friday prayer at a mosque, so we went to the same place we had been in the morning (normally, if I go to Friday prayer I show up at  FIU, where I don't get stuck in some tiny room separate from the Imam. But even the Friday prayer at FIU can irritate me). The same thing happened-- tiny room. TV. Sardine can prayer.

The next morning I woke up, showered, got dressed, put my stuff in the car when I realized I wanted to bring sandals with me. On my way back in the house to get my sandals before I left I checked my phone and notice I had a message form my friend. She wasn't going to make it because she'd been in a car accident the night before and was very sore. Alhamdulillah she is not injured, but without her I could not see any reason for me to endure more things that really irritate me. We were going to a different mosque, one that some of my friends' families visit, but seeing as how the mosque is so packed on Eid, it was in no way certain I'd even see them. So, I went back to bed. and that was my Eid.

This is a really long post. But what I really want to vent about is racism. I hate it. It made me angry. and it has no business creeping into our Eid celebrations.

Great news! Now, let's hope everyone follows the lead. Read the Mufti's full position here.

Egypt's religious advisor says Muslims can choose own religion

Egypt's official religious advisor has ruled that Muslims are free to change their faith as it is a matter between an individual and God, in a move which could have far-reaching implications for the country's Christians.

"The essential question before us is can a person who is Muslim choose a religion other than Islam? The answer is yes, they can," Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said in a posting on a Washington Post-Newsweek forum picked up by the Egyptian press.

"The act of abandoning one's religion is a sin punishable by God on the Day of Judgement. If the case in question is one of merely rejecting faith, then there is no worldly punishment," he wrote.

In most Muslim countries, Muslims who convert to another religion are considered apostates and can be subject to capital punishment.

Mr Gomaa warned however that if the conversions undermine the "foundations of society" then it must be dealt with by the judicial system, without elaborating.

Attempts by Muslims in Egypt to convert to other religions have been hindered by the state's refusal to recognise the change in official documents and in some cases have led to arrests and imprisonment.

Okay, so I've been wearing hijab every single time I leave my house for two months now. I figure it's time to gather my thoughts and experiences about this endeavor.

In general, I have loved wearing a headscarf. I do, in fact, feel more confident. My hair isn't in my face or eyes and I feel more comfortable in loose clothing, especially in the hot and extremely humid weather of South Florida (we're talking 60, 70% humidity or higher). People often ask me, "Aren't you hot in that?" and sometimes, it is stifling. But if you wear the right scarf, you barely notice it's there. In reality, everybody in Florida is hot. I'd be hot whether I were covered or in shorts and a tank top.  So, heat hasn't really been an issue, except for this one time when I wore a wool scarf to work, which just happened to be the day I also had to walk home. That... was pure misery. When I put the scarf on, I thought to myself, "gee, this is itchy, just like wool." But I didn't bother to read the tag or anything because it looked like cotton. My friends, it was not cotton. It was wool. Don't wear a wool scarf in the summer, ok? No matter how pretty it is.

Another benefit of wearing the scarf has been instant recognition by other Muslims. When I was in Bronxville, for example, I walked into town from the Sarah Lawrence College campus to grab a bite to eat and had a delicious teriyaki salmon dinner. I was completely lost on the way home though (oh, also, on the way in but I eventually found my way) and I guess it was clear, because while I was walking towards the train station to ask directions or find a taxi, a man on his cell phone said to me "Assalamu Alaykum." and then asked me if I needed something. Even if I don't share the same progressive/liberal beliefs of some other Muslims, I really enjoy meeting other Muslims. Wearing hijab is perfect for that.

I have become very adept at tying and pinning my scarves. They don't slide around my head all day any more (though I do freshen up every now and then) and I feel like some of them really make my eyes stand out. Some of my scarves, which are made of a fabric with more friction, stay put all day and I only occasionally tuck loose hairs back inside

Wearing a scarf has not helped me be more regular in my prayers. I still have good days and bad days, and the bad days still out number the good days. But I do feel more aware of God's presence everywhere.

In terms of attention, the scarf has in some ways worked, and others failed. For example, I hate when people stare at me. Seriously. I realize that people staring at me because of my scarf is a total contradiction of the modesty aspect of the scarf. I try to ignore the stares, and usually I'm pretty good at it, but sometimes I want to scream, "TAKE A PICTURE! IT'LL LAST LONGER." Of course, I never do. It's just a thought. However, people are also more polite to me. Sometimes, they're too polite. For example, this one Muslim man in New York City saw me pulling my suitcase and told me he'd give me ride. I told him I didn't have money for a cab so he told me he'd take me to the subway station. OK, so I got in his car, and we chatted. He was a nice guy. He had a master's degree in some impressive field, but could make more money driving upscale taxis/limos. I told him he should go visit the Met to see the "Venice and the Islamic World" exhibit, because I had seen it and really liked it. And he said, he'd only go see it with me. I laughed at that. When we arrived at the the subway station and he had taken my bag out of the trunk,. he wrote his name and phone number on a card and told me to call him when I came back to New York. I threw it away this weekend when I was cleaning out my bag. The fact is, I'm in a committed relationship, gentlemen. And I don't want your number.  Oh, and this scarf is NOT meant to be a HUSBAND MAGNET.  Thanks.
 
Also, I pretty much detest wearing the scarf to Karate, and am considering taking it off for class (but wearing it to tournaments etc.). Sometimes it is distracting and sometimes it does actually get hot while I'm doing all those exercises. I am somewhat torn on the issue. On one hand, I do not believe a headscarf is obligatory to be a good Muslim. I am frustrated and angered by the way some people make it seem like women have a 6th pillar in Islam: hijab. That is attitude is pure and total BS. Taking it off for certain occasions, then, wouldn't be an issue for me. Plus, I did decide that I would just try wearing a scarf everyday, because if I decided I hated it, I could always just take it off. On the other hand, I made a commitment to myself and to God when I put the scarf on. This commitment was mostly to get closer to God, and try to be more pure and courteous in my thoughts and actions. If I take the scarf off during Karate, will Karate become a barrier to fulfilling this commitment? I think not. In fact, I even think the philosophy and concepts that drive my style of Karate fit perfectly with Islam. I have to decide though, because sitting on the fence is not fun. Speaking of Karate, I have to decide what to do about ti during Ramadan. I am not interested (read: dead set against) in being completely inactive during Ramadan, so I have considered that on Karate days (Tuesdays and Thursdays) I will abstain from something other than food and water. like, just coffee, for example. Or chocolate. And give a lot of food to the poor. I haven't made my mind up on that yet, but I'll keep you posted.

I gotta go. My sister's here to pick me up from work work. Left my wallet at home today. Left with no way to get home. Boo. Don't leave your wallet at home.

U.S. imam questions if "American" Islam exists
Mon Jul 9, 2007

By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Yahya Hendi is not sure that an "American Islam" exists. When the Palestinian-born imam talks about his religion, though, it sounds as if it has become as integrated into American life as he has.

Hendi, 40, is the Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University, a Catholic institution that in 1999 became the first university in the United States to hire a full-time imam. He teaches a course on interreligious dialogue there along with a priest and a rabbi.

He is also chaplain at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and a mosque in Frederick, another suburb north of the capital. He lectures around the country to explain Islam to non-Muslims and U.S. religious pluralism to Muslims.

The question of whether Islam can be "westernized" -- a key aim of European officials seeking a "British Islam" or "French Islam" to help integrate Muslim immigrants -- seems to be more than an ocean away for this pragmatic
thinker.

"Islam is a very inclusive religion, but Muslims have given it a bad name," Hendi, who was born in Nablus on the West Bank and came to the United States 20 years ago, told Reuters.

"Islam demands that Muslims adapt to their circumstances," he said, arguing that Islam had taken on some local customs and rejected others ever since it appeared in Arabia 1,400 years ago.

The two million or so U.S. Muslims are well-equipped to adapt. Of the two-thirds born abroad, many are well-educated, in contrast to mostly poorer Muslim immigrants in Europe.

The other third are black Muslims or children of immigrants.

Of the 400 Muslims in Georgetown's 14,000-strong student body, 93 percent were born in the United States.

PREACHING IN A T-SHIRT

"When I preach in America, I preach in English," Hendi said, noting traditional Indian and Pakistani imams preach in Arabic, a language their congregations do not understand. Those imams would also not preach without
wearing a prayer cap.

"I just go like this," he said, tugging at the suit he was wearing. "Sometimes I go in a T-shirt and give my sermon. Nobody argues with it or thinks it's out of the ordinary."

At his mosque, there are no separate doors for women and men and no curtain separating them during prayer. The mosque board was headed by a woman for the past five years.

"This wasn't an issue for us," said Hendi, who studied Islamic theology in Jordan and Christianity and Judaism -- including Hebrew -- for his doctorate in the United States. "It would be unheard of in Europe or the Arab world."

So is an American Islam emerging? "I hesitate to use that term because it could imply changing the theology, and I hope that never happens," Hendi, a U.S. citizen since 1993, said in his slightly accented American English.

"One of the glories of Islam is its ability to adapt to new circumstances without losing its soul," he explained. That meant that all Muslims everywhere -- even secular ones -- still agreed the "five pillars of Islam"
are the core of the faith.

"Islam beyond this is very much debated by Muslims. They will debate, but they will not touch these red lines."

UNITY BUT NOT UNIFORMITY

In his ministry, Hendi said, he focuses on the justice, equity and community solidarity he sees rooted in Islam.

"No government can be successful and true to itself and its people if it does not do justice to all members -- minority or majority, black or white, educated or undereducated, gays or lesbians or straight -- all have to be
welcomed," he said.

"God wanted us to be different," he insisted. "He wanted unity -- but not uniformity."

The most American factor in his ministry, Hendi said, is the freedom Muslims have in the United States to study Islam and shed traditions that stem more from Arab or other Muslim cultures rather than from the faith itself.

American Muslims now use astronomy rather than the naked eye to say when the new moon signals the start of the fasting month of Ramadan. Leading European imams endorsed the idea last month but Muslim states still go by direct sightings.

They have also opposed the idea widely held among Muslim conservatives that Islam considers music haram, or forbidden.

After citing so many differences between Islam in the United States and in the Muslim world, Hendi seemed ready to agree there was an American Islam after all, but then pulled back.

On a visit to Jordan earlier this year, he explained, imams he met agreed with him in theory, but cultural influences have to be changed.

The fact that change is slow in the Arab heartland of Islam does not invalidate his view, Hendi argued. "The important thing is that they acknowledge they are following the culture. So I am not coming up with a new American version of Islam."

In light of recent neighborly discussions on peace, religion, and terrorism, it is truly uplifting to be able to share the following music video with you all. Waseem Mahmood, a media consultant working in the UK, along with his two sons, Khurrum and Khaiyyam, began a project called "Yeh hum naheem," which is Urdu for "We are not that." With the cooperation of eight of the some of the most popular music artists in Pakistan, Mahmood was able to produce an inspiring and moving music video, which has become intensely popular in Pakistan.

Waseem Mahmud tells us that "with this clip we wish to give a voice to all those young Muslims who abhor terrorism. They are sick of the image of terrorism which has been connected to their religion. They wish to take their distance from those who call themselves jihadists."

Some of the latest news from yehhumnaheen.org:

• Yeh Hum Naheen makes number 1 in MTV Pakistan charts and The Musik Top Ten.
• Releasing on iTunes in June 2007.
• YHN first Pakistani song to be available at Virgin and HMV in UK.
• Worldwide downloads of video/audio hit 30,000 - a record for a Pakistani song.

A friend also said, "The Pakistani cricket team, after being defeated by Ireland (and what is Ireland in the world of
cricket...) responded to their defeat by saying 'We are not that.'  What has started as a pop-song, now becomes a protest-song just like the song against racism 'We shall not be moved.'"

yehhumnaheen.org offers a translation of the lyrics, under the tab labeled "The Song." You can also view the video at VK.tv, where the translation is provided at the bottom of the video.

Mashallah.

It's already Thursday, and writing about last weekend seems so pointless. But the fact is, the MPV conference was outstanding. I can't believe I was ever nervous about going. Everyone was so nice, and so smart, and so polite. I woke up early Friday morning, and ate breakfast with Pamela, and then we picked up Ani from the train station, and slowly but surely, the conference was on its way to beginning. By the time it was time for Jumu'ah, the group was still small, but Pamela still gave an (interactive) khutbah (sermon), and then we all prayed together. By dinner time on Friday, most people had shown up, and we prayed the sunset prayer (maghhib) together. The Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order began showing up just before maghrib, and Shaykha Fariha led us in a zhikr session, which lasted about two and a half hours.

The next day was filled with debates and elections. Mostly, we talked about the importance of creating space for progressive-minded Muslims. There was some disagreement over whether we are ready for this space, if we have the commitment, the time, the money. But I think, if we aren't ready now, when will we be ready? I love Islam, and I believe the liberal or progressive or feminist or whatever you want to call them values I hold go hand in hand with Islam and I'm tired of feeling like a freak for believing that. When I go to Jumu'ah, I don't want to sit behind a partition, or in a smaller room. I don't want to walk into the back of the Masjid. I'm tired of men completely ignoring my presence when I show up to Jumu'ah on campus. Even the Imam does not say Assalamu Alaykum to me. Is it because I'm a woman? Or is it because I'm a convert? Or what? I don't know. But I'm tired of it. If we can start these spaces in one or two cities, maybe people will follow in our steps.

I want to start something here in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale. I want to either make a a group on campus, or  hold regular progressive meet ups. I just wish I knew someone who would be willing to do it with me. Miami is actually a very conservative place, and the Muslims I know are too.

But do you want to know the best part of Saturday? I led congregational prayer! I led the midday prayer, which is a silent prayer. That is, the only things I said out loud were "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greater." pretty much every time we change position), "Samiallhu liman hamidah"  ("God accepts any who are grateful to Him") and "Assalamu Alaykum wa rahmatullah," which is said at the end of the prayer. So, actually, it was kind of easy, because I didn't have to say any Qur'anic recitations outloud. It was such a great experience. (If you're interested in information about the female lead prayer initiative, you can look at these sites: Sarah Eltantawi and Ani Zonneveld, Nevin Reda).

I also received a free copy of Muslim Girl Magazine at the conference. I love it! And I'm definitely going to subscribe to it.

Drum roll please.

Are you all wondering about this verdict? I'm sure you can guess what this is about. In fact, you can probably guess the verdict, if you actually read any of this junk I write. ;)

Friends, Romans, countrymen [and women], lend me your ears. I come to... announce my decision to begin wearing hijab.

What? No hoopla?

Ok, seriously though, I'm going to do it. I thought about it a lot. Talked to a few people (thanks Oliver and tOiXc_HoNeY) and came to the conclusion that I should just do it. In fact, right now, I am thinking-- I will do it tomorrow. I don't know how true that is. But what's the big deal? I keep thinking, "Even if nobody says anything to me about it at work, what if I hate it?!" Who cares? I mean, I probably won't hate it. I really think I'll love it. But actually, if I hate it, so what? Why does it matter to anyone but me?

I have been thinking, maybe I should first talk to E. (the Turkish woman at work and one of my bosses) and ask her if I should send a "heads up'" e-mail to everyone telling them I'm going to start wearing hijab. But then, what's the difference? Truth be told, I'm sick of waiting, because I feel like I am putting everything in the world ahead of my spirituality, which I need now more than ever. Maybe a heads up e-mail is "polite", after all, I would only be saying "You can feel free to ask me any question you have about hijab." But actually, why do I even need to say that much? Anyway, inshallah I will be wearing the hijab tomorrow.

Actually, a few months ago I went out to eat with my sister and her boyfriend and I wore hijab. I was testing out the waters to see how people would react to me. It felt a little strange in a way. I suddenly became very conscious of just how little clothing girls and young women wear to the malls here in Miami. How do they stay warm in the movie theater?

Anyway. here's how I might have looked today if I went to work (I generally don't work Mondays) and worked up the courage to wear hijab:

If you haven't been following the discussion on my pros and cons list about wearing hijab, then you might be interested in looking at it before reading this post. In it, Namaah asks a groups of questions which have fairly complicated answers, and I'm going to attempt to answer most of them. My disclaimer is that these are questions I've also asked myself, but have not yet fully researched.

Naamah's comments:

I have a question...how come wearing a scarf over the hair is considered modest? What's immodest about the hair? Like, how did this tradition develop, evolve...

What do you think about hoodie hoods? Like this? Would putting one of those up be considered a good head covering to anyone? And what about mainstream hats like this? I wear a hat like that quite a bit, but my hair still shows beneath it and stuff.

And how come in school we got in trouble if we wore hats or hoods or anything like that? And I come from a military family, so I take off my hat when I walk inside a building by habit...why did the military pick that up? When did taking your headcoverings off inside (public places) become etiquette?

And:

Oh and another thing. I knew (and always knew) that wearing the headscarves was mostly a personal choice (I was lucky enough to have diverse friends growing up), but what about the burkas? Covering your entire face, or just having the eyes show...I really hate to say it, but looking at that gives me the chills. I think it's more because I've seen on the news over and over that there are very scared women under those, and I know that some women ARE hurt for not wearing them, but what's typical? Is wearing a burka also largely a personal choice?

These are really good questions, and I cannot do them justice with my answers. But I will try as best I can. Actually, I have asked them myself and and still trying to figure out some of it.

The most basic reason why covering the hair is seen as modest in Islam is because of verse 31 in chapter 24 of the Qur'an:

And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity, and not to display their charms [in public] beyond what may [decently] be apparent thereof; hence, let them draw their head-coverings over their bosoms.

Now, there is some disagreement in the Muslim community about this. Opinions on head covering range from "everything but the face and hands should be covered" (classical interpretation. Most of the classical interpretations also believe that covering the face is recommended by not required)  to covering the hair is a form of idol worship and therefore un-Islamic, but modesty in dress should still be maintained.

Personally, I tend to agree that hair (for both women and men) is a natural adornment. Actually, I think it is very obvious in our society, where there are thousands of different hair products to make hair fuller, smoother, silkier, shinier, stronger, etc. In fact, have you ever really looked at those hair product commercials? They are sexy, not just because the women are often partially naked, because their hair looks so alluring. There is no doubt in my mind that the West is obsessed with women's hair. And this also tends to objectify women.

But that's now. What about then? Women have long covered their hair.. so how did it come about? Honestly, I don't know this answer for sure. But I do think much of it stems from tribalism and the hardships of living in the desert. Covering is extremely important in the desert. It is protection from the sun, sand and harsh winds that dry out skin. It would be inappropriate, however, to ignore the patriarchal and misogynist origins of veiling as well. In pre-Islamic time, the veil divided women into "respectable" and "disreputable" groups, which were defined based on their relationships with men. Those women who were disreputable, and therefore not allowed to veil, were "public property" (see Ahmed, Women and Gender in Islam, for more information).

I am sorry to say that the patriarchal origins of the headscarf were carried over into Islam. The Prophet Muhammad's wives complained to him that they were being harassed in the streets when they went about their business. When Muhammad addressed the men who were harassing his wive, they said they did not know whose wives they were, but if they had been veiled, they would  not have harassed the women. So the Prophet asked his wives to cover themselves in public, so that they would not be harassed. As a result, the veiling is typically viewed as a method of protection for women. This is one of those pro-veiling arguments that I have trouble accepting, because men are responsible for their behavior, and should be held accountable when they molest and harass women. I believe that women should be able to leave their house wearing whatever they want without fearing some sort of harassment.

In this case, it may seem like the veil has no place in modern, especially Western, society, because many people like to imagine patriarchy doesn't exist anymore. However, veiling means different things in different contexts. For example, in the context of the US, veiling can be seen as a radical reclaiming of one's body and rejection of oversexualization and objectification of women. In Yemen, on the other hand, where women are harassed if they don't cover their face, the veil is a symbol patriarchal rule. Spiritually and religiously speaking, I don't see the veil as meaning much if women are forced to wear it, especially because of harassment from men. This is not a shot at the wives of the Prophet, but rather at patriarchy. What I'm saying is, patriarchy has a track record of repressing women's spirituality (among other things).

I'm not sure I'm being clear enough in this big diatribe here on veils. Let me try to summarize this. First of all, I see the veil, in one respect, as simply a piece of cloth that women decide to wear, or not to wear. In another respect, I see the veil as a multifaceted tool of both oppression, liberation and spirituality, depending on the context in which the veil is worn.  Even the topic of the spirituality of the veil is not free from politics, however. In recent years, radicals have turned the veil into the most important part of Islam for women. In my very humble opinion, this is total and utter nonsense. The five pillars of Islam don't vary by gender.They are the same for everyone, regardless of race, class, and gender. Moreover, if the veil were central to a woman's spirituality-- meaning that she could not fulfill her duty as a Muslim without wearing --it would be repeated over and over again in the Qur'an, the same way prayer and alms giving are.

You ask about hoodies and if they are appropriate forms of hair covering. In my opinion, yes. Some people will tell you that it's important that not a single strand of hair be visible, but I also think that is nonsense. Elastic wasn't invented until the 19th century, and that is the primary way women are keeping every strand of hair under their scarf. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that there are different ways of wearing scarfs, including the Indian dupatta, which is not  worn tightly wrapped around the head. So while some Muslims will tell you that a hood doesn't provide enough cover, I wouldn't. I do think that wearing a hood on a daily basis is less fashionable and flexible than wearing a scarf.

Now, about removing hats when entering buildings. I honestly have no idea where that comes from, but I am going to take a stab in the dark and say it is a Christian thing:

“Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head - it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head” (I Corinthians 11:3-10).

This verse is talking about prayer, obviously. But I think this concept ended up being extended to etiquette and politeness guidelines. Like I said, stab in the dark, and if anyone knows the correct answer, please enlighten me.

And finally, to answer your question about the burqa and niqab (full face veil) I will first premise this with a: "this is my opinion" disclaimer. As I mentioned earlier, all classical scholars of Islam agreed that women should cover everything but their face and their hands. Many agreed that covering the face was preferable, but not required. Those opinions were developed, however, in intensely patriarchal and misogynistic societies, and I do not believe that face covering is an Islamic practice, but rather a tribal, life-in-the-desert practice. Now, even if we entertain the idea that hair covering is mandatory, and that face covering is recommended but not required, then we still see that forcing a woman wear the burqa, like the Taleban has done in Afghanistan, is wholly un-Islamic. In fact, forcing women to do anything is un-Islamic. However, I appreciate that some women want to cover their face (for a myriad of reasons, including that it is recommended by Islamic scholars), and I see no reason why it should be banned (I do not, however, think that it is appropriate to wear a face veil in the classroom), or why women who do wear a face veil should be discriminated against. When I say that women should be able to wear whatever they want when they go outside without having to be harassed by men (or people in general), I really do mean just that.

Ok.. that's that for now. I've opened a big can of worms.