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Please let me preface this by saying that I am not a religious person (NOT a Christian) and that I have no desire to become a religious person. I study/learn about religion from a mere sociological standpoint and I find it interesting at times. I am not trying to prove or disprove anything. I am just curious.
In Islam, my understanding is that a woman is required to "cover" or follow hijab when she is of the age of puberty. Recently I've noticed a great deal of Muslim families that are black/African (I'm not sure whether they are Somali/from the African subcontinent or African-Americans) that have their very young daughters covering fully, some even wearing a niqab (although it seems most just wear a khimar/headscarf). I've seen this on girls as young as probably three or four years old.
I'm honestly just curious as to why this is. I feel it's a woman's right that--if she wishes to--she can dress/where what she wants, but I find it kind of odd that parents seem to be making their undeveloped daughters cover like their mothers/post-pubescent sisters. This seems to be a practice that I've only noticed with black/African Muslims, and not Muslims of Arab/Asian/European descent. Is it a cultural thing?
AFAIK, I always thought that in the Qu'ran it was stated that a woman must cover once she is of marrying age/puberty. It seems like having a young, undeveloped girl cover is almost making her a "taboo" or sexualizing her in a way before she needs to concern herself with that.
Am I wrong about this interpretation? Thanks in advance.
Location: where the moss is taking over the villages
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Pink Squid: I found a page where the veiling of children is decried... Interesting: I've never seen it but apparently it's happening all over the world, according to this article!
Not entirely surprising, since a girl of 9 can legally marry in a theocratic country such as Iran.
Funny you said that, as I thought earlier about in many Muslims countries girls are married at times before they go through puberty. Still, I suppose I should say in American/western culture, why would someone cover their young daughter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gplex
I read the quran, and I didn't find anything about the hijab. Seems more of a cultural practice then a religious one.
I'm pretty sure the term "hijab" is actually referring to the act of covering one's face/body/feet, not necessarily referring to the headscarf itself (although colloquially this is often called a hijab in itself).
Anyhow, I do know that there's a passage in the Qu'ran telling women to cover. The interpretation is what is culturally debated.
Pink Squid: I found a page where the veiling of children is decried... Interesting: I've never seen it but apparently it's happening all over the world, according to this article!
I went on to read other articles & the topic is confusing. I'm curious how this will be addressed on your thread!
Kate
Thanks so much for the link! I honestly am not someone that is bothered if a woman decides to cover herself with a headscarf (although I do feel that a niqab is a bit excessive, IMHO) but I am mildly bothered by when EXTREMELY young girls are also made to wear them. A girl that age doesn't have the sexual "markers" that the headscarf/ultra-modest dress is supposed to be covering.
Not entirely surprising, since a girl of 9 can legally marry in a theocratic country such as Iran.
That's a misleading point.
In Iran, that is hardly ever the norm. (Ps. Iran is a very large country)
in my many many years there, i never encountered even one case.....
the youngest person i saw get married was 18.
now, that's not to say that in the very rural villages, where education my be limited, younger people don't get married but you have a similar situation as well here in the US (and pretty much everywhere else).
That's a misleading point.
In Iran, that is hardly ever the norm. (Ps. Iran is a very large country)
in my many many years there, i never encountered even one case.....
the youngest person i saw get married was 18.
now, that's not to say that in the very rural villages, where education my be limited, younger people don't get married but you have a similar situation as well here in the US (and pretty much everywhere else).
I think you were not paying attention...Child brides are common in Islamic nations...
A gala event has occurred in Gaza.
Hamas sponsored a mass wedding for four hundred and fifty couples. Most of the grooms were in their mid to late twenties; most of brides were under ten.
I think you were not paying attention...Child brides are common in Islamic nations...
A gala event has occurred in Gaza.
Hamas sponsored a mass wedding for four hundred and fifty couples. Most of the grooms were in their mid to late twenties; most of brides were under ten.
it's hard to live there for 20 years and 'not pay attention'. i think you never lived there and are getting your facts mixed up.
There's no doubt that there are child brides in islamic countries....but you have the same thing here in the US (although a lot less).
i'm talking specifically in Iran. (cause i haven't been to other muslim countries). living there for 20 years, i never even heard of one case in Tehran....the capital. now as i mentioned before, that's not to say that it doesn't happen, especially in the rural areas of the country. (but then again, same happens pretty much all over the world).
Sexing children is a religious sanxtion with Islam. If the world does it, it is not from their god it is evil lowlife men. Islam it is from evil low life allah.
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