By Gamal Qutb The hijab, or veil, is an integral part of the personality of Muslim women for it reassures women of their modesty and spares them the unsolicited curiosity of the opposite sex. God ordered Muslim women to wear the hijab, just as he ordered men not to stare at women's bodies. No one has the right to tell a woman what to wear, apart from her legal guardian, which is usually a father, a brother, or a husband. If a woman chooses not to wear the hijab, that's fine too, for ultimately this is a matter between her and God. The hijab is a religious duty, for the Quran tells women to dress modestly, and explains the edict by saying that modest dressing spares women unnecessary harassment. And yet, the hijab also remains a personal issue, for every woman has the right to decide for herself. If a woman chooses to take the hijab it is because she is sending a message to others, a message to the effect that she is pious, modest, and wants to be treated with due respect. The West has no right to ask Muslim women to conform to its own values. Muslim women can wear what they please. And if you believe in democracy and freedom, you would agree that women have the right to choose their own attire. But feminists seem upset by the hijab. And women's liberation activists want to tell Muslim women what to wear. Even Western politicians, including Jacques Chirac, are having their say in the matter. This is utterly unacceptable. The campaign against the hijab is a campaign against decorum as well as religious sensibilities. No wonder many Muslims feel that the West is out to get them. The hijab is a matter of personal choice and Muslim women have mostly chosen to wear it. Muslim women believe in modesty and assert it through their clothing. Those who criticise Muslim women are not defending freedom. They're defending their own values. This week's Soapbox speaker is former chairman of the Fatwa Committee at Al-Azhar.
