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By Farida Khanam
These days, the burqa or purdah is in the news. People generally hold it to be an integral part of Islam, but it is not. The burqa or purdah is a part of Muslim culture and not a part of Islamic teachings.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not introduce purdah in Arabia. The custom of the veil was a part of ancient culture. People from all faiths followed such practices or traditions. We find many veiled statues and statuettes of the Virgin Mary, Veiled Nun, and the Veiled Vestal, an ancient Roman priestess. Veiling was considered a mark of chastity and nobility in the ancient world. The elite women in all ancient civilisations wore a veil as a sign of respectability and high status. Culture is a social phenomenon. It keeps changing with time.
However, the issue with the Muslims is that they have Islamised these ancient customs and traditions. Their jurists have interpreted the teachings of Islam accordingly. Now, these borrowed traditions appear to be an integral part of Islam.
When the Muslims encountered the Persians and the Romans, they borrowed many things from these cultures. For instance, the word ‘khuda’ for ‘Allah’ and ‘namaz’ for ‘salat’. Similarly, under the influence of Persian culture, the burqa was adopted and Islamised.
At present, Muslims use the term ‘hijab’ as an equivalent to the burqa, but the word ‘hijab’ also is not used in the Quran in this sense. Hijab means ‘curtain or barrier’ (42:51). It is used in the Quran seven times in its literal sense, that is, a curtain.
Regarding women’s purdah, two words have been used in the Quran: ‘jilbab’ (33:59) and ‘khimar’ (24:31). However, again these words are not used in their present connotation. Both words have a similar meaning: chadar or dupatta, which covers a woman’s body. So it is evident that the present burqa and hijab are not Quranic terms; both are part of Muslim culture and not part of Quranic commandments.
Islam gave women complete freedom, as we see in the early period of Muslim history. Muslim women participated in all activities during the time of the Prophet and his companions. They said their prayers in the mosque with the Prophet and his companions. They attended the Prophet’s sermons; they engaged themselves in business like Khadija, the Prophet’s wife, did. The Prophet did not ask them to stay indoors. Muslim women must realise that their clinging to a purdah system is akin to following ancient customs in the name of Islam.
The Quran states: “You are members one of another” (3:195). It means that men and women complement each other, although created as a different gender. In the organisation of daily living, both are equal participants and partners.
The writer is an Islamic scholar and chairperson of CPS International, New Delhi
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
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