Your Egypt

[alark]

Inshallah, one day I would like to be able to wear a hijab all the time, but right now I know I'm not prepared. As I wrote on the ES board: Wearing the hijab is a serious committment, like a marriage almost. It shouldn't be worn for 1 or 2 years then discarded, or even worse wear one without knowing why.

I know a few people who started wearing the hijab in their 20s and their stories are always so inspiring. So I just wanted to ask the people here:

Why did you start wearing the hijab?
What obstacles/challenges did you find?

In all honesty, I'm a little afraid of wearing one because of the reaction I would get...even here in Canada.

When I was at the mosque with my friends, we all went outside to her car for girl talk and to look over some extra hijabs she'd brought. All four of us were sitting in the car with our hijabs, just chilling and relaxing when this woman starts banging on the window and yelling at us to move our car for no apparent reason. Then swore at us and called us something (I didn't hear but my friend said it was bad enough not to repeat).

Now, I *know* how people act, and this was not normal. If we were parked illegally, people don't start yelling at you at the top of their lungs and banging on the car window. They either ignore the whole situation, or knock politely. And we were parked legally, for those wondering.

I ended up going home and wondering if we would have been treated differently if we were not wearing hijabs. In all honesty, it's not the worst situation to face, I know...but it really did make me wonder what challenges there would be in wearing the hijab.

[Laura]

Hi Alark,

When I first reverted I did not put on hijab. About 6 months after being married and having moved to Egypt I decided I wanted to wear it, as I think it's a means of appearing more modest. No one asked me to, and no one pressured me to. I also did not wear one at the time I restated shahadah at Al Azhar and no one there said a word to me about this.

I don't know how things are now in the states but when I was in Orlando, I saw very few women wearing it, and those that did seem to get quite a few stares, but I never noticed anyone acting rudely to them.

Just go with what is in your heart concerning this.

Best wishes
Laura

[Monica]

Move to OTTAWA....:)

No joke it is a very common site here...we have boutiques for women wearing Hijab, and the reason being is very interesting:

About 15 YEARS AGO, A mass of Somalians came to Canada and were placed in Ottawa, as refugees...
THEY ARE STILL HERE..

Personally I do not wear Hijab and I do not focus on that at all. I do my thing respectfully and I am quite happy this way, like millions of others. I respect others choices too.


alark wrote: Inshallah, one day I would like to be able to wear a hijab all the time, but right now I know I'm not prepared. As I wrote on the ES board: Wearing the hijab is a serious committment, like a marriage almost. It shouldn't be worn for 1 or 2 years then discarded, or even worse wear one without knowing why.

I know a few people who started wearing the hijab in their 20s and their stories are always so inspiring. So I just wanted to ask the people here:

Why did you start wearing the hijab?
What obstacles/challenges did you find?

In all honesty, I'm a little afraid of wearing one because of the reaction I would get...even here in Canada.

When I was at the mosque with my friends, we all went outside to her car for girl talk and to look over some extra hijabs she'd brought. All four of us were sitting in the car with our hijabs, just chilling and relaxing when this woman starts banging on the window and yelling at us to move our car for no apparent reason. Then swore at us and called us something (I didn't hear but my friend said it was bad enough not to repeat).

Now, I *know* how people act, and this was not normal. If we were parked illegally, people don't start yelling at you at the top of their lungs and banging on the car window. They either ignore the whole situation, or knock politely. And we were parked legally, for those wondering.

I ended up going home and wondering if we would have been treated differently if we were not wearing hijabs. In all honesty, it's not the worst situation to face, I know...but it really did make me wonder what challenges there would be in wearing the hijab.

[alark]

LOL Ottawa. After I come back to Canada, I'm planning to go to Montreal ;). Hehehe, sorry my friend lived in Ottawa and she said she never wanted to go back there :). Maybe it was the extreme cold in winter, or the extreme heat in summer!

Oh we have hijab stores here as well don't get me wrong. The west coast ain't that uncivilized ;). And it's not that unusual to see a woman wearing a hijab, either. I just wanted to know what motivates a woman to wear the hijab.

Salaam everyone

[Monica]

Ottawa is a bit of a government city and on the conservative side..compared to cities like Montreal and Toronto..so when you live in Montreal for example..Ottawa is kind oif silently shocking he he he...family oriented and the fun part happens on the river boats ....
hijab is certainly a Somalian trend here, I see many many in super markets ...
I actually asked a few women why are they wearing hijab.. got different answers:
'I think it is the right thing to do for a Muslimah...
or My husband wants me to, or it's more practical for my bad hair days' :roll: ...oh yes one said because she listens to a program on ART arab television and she was convinced it is a one way ticket to Paradise...lots of different reasons...( Paradise ..givbes me a new thread idea mmm)

alark wrote: LOL Ottawa. After I come back to Canada, I'm planning to go to Montreal ;). Hehehe, sorry my friend lived in Ottawa and she said she never wanted to go back there :). Maybe it was the extreme cold in winter, or the extreme heat in summer!

Oh we have hijab stores here as well don't get me wrong. The west coast ain't that uncivilized ;). And it's not that unusual to see a woman wearing a hijab, either. I just wanted to know what motivates a woman to wear the hijab.

Salaam everyone

[DavesMom]

Asalamu aleykum

When I reverted to Islam, the only Muslim I knew was an Algerian brother who had sent me some pamplets by mail. I had a copy of the Holy Qur'an. Nothing else.

After I reverted, I met some Muslim sisters and was shocked by the hijab! I honestly had had no idea!

Alhamdulillah, I thought it over, studied it, prayed for guidance, and within a couple of weeks was in hijab full time.

When I decided to wear it full time, I put it on--a long, loose dress and the scarf--and went to all the places I usually visited: the kids' school, the supermarket, the clinic, the drycleaners', my mom's house, etc. I walked around and let people have a good look at me. They would look startled at first, but then just accepted it. Some people had red hair; some white; I had a scarf. (This was in the US, by the way.)

I have noticed that non-Muslim men are more respectful that they were when I was uncovered.

The way I see it is, Allah knows everything and therefore knows what's best for us, better than we can possibly know ourselves.

I have had very few problems with hijab, even when I go swimming.

God bless all who seek His face!

Hayat Anne Collins Osman

Please pray for my family and for me.

Please visit my little website.

http://www.geocities.com/hayatanneosman/American-Muslim.html

My mailing list. All are welcome.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IslamIstheTruth/

Ask me a question about Islam.

http://www.allexperts.com/displayExpert.asp?Expert=46762

[Guest]

When I got married to my Muslim husband he wanted me to wear the hijab whether I converted or not, very concern what other Muslims would think of him.

Plus when I finally went to visit my in-laws my mother in law apologized for wearing a scarf, I was shocked. No need mother I love you.

Though my sister and brother in laws were outwardly embarrassed and apologetic that I hadn't converted or wore a hijab. They were very awful and when I got back home father and mother in law gave them hell for it.

I am not exactly concerned I am comfortable with my relationship with Allah, that is most important. Now my husband is actually thankful that I have taken the time to learn of Islam, Islamic and Arab history first before I jump into anything. His father applauded me for this. Father in law is extremely proud of me no matter what faith I choose.

[shalabya]

I would like to tell something which really amazes me concerning Hijab which is you are not only treated differently if you are in Canada and wear Hijab.
Here too in Egypt it happens. i know that it is accepted by a large number of people here but there is a line that you can never pass if you are wearing it. which makes me sometimes really angry cause we are in a muslim Arab country and some Muslim Arab people still ask me till now in a very sad tone: "Why did you do that to yourself?" It is as if what i did is something that really hurst their feeling. I see no reason why people reacts taht way to it here or in any other country.
Some people wear micro skirts , some wear Hijab so what?
every body has its own way of life. then why women in Hijab are regarded as aliens sometimes

[Guest]

Shalabya, you said in one of your post that you did secretarial work. How difficult was it in a country like Egypt to get certain jobs because you're putting hijab on? What are the types of jobs that there is no way a hijabi woman can get because of the hijab? How does it make you and the other women who wear hijab feel? And last thing how does it make women in general (those who don't wear hijab) feel specially about their own country?

[shalabya]

Secretarial field is not a field that accepts women in Hijab. Definietely there are places which accepts it but most of the large international companies and even some Egyptian institutes who do not accept it as dress of code. The place where i work is anti - hijab but i hot a very big
WASTA to work here but i m deprived of some rights because of that which makes me feel persecuted some how. Anonymous wrote: Shalabya, you said in one of your post that you did secretarial work. How difficult was it in a country like Egypt to get certain jobs because you're putting hijab on? What are the types of jobs that there is no way a hijabi woman can get because of the hijab? How does it make you and the other women who wear hijab feel? And last thing how does it make women in general (those who don't wear hijab) feel specially about their own country?

[ayisha]

:D I started to wear hijab the same day I did shahadah. I had tried it many times and looked in the mirror and thought NOOOOO i look OLD!! but on the way to the mosque i stopped away from the house and put it on. Thats it, I have worn it since that day and that was 2 years ago now. i live in a small village in England, i am the only muslim, i dont know so much if i get looked at as I learnt not to look at peoples reactions anymore. If i do make any eye contact in the street i smile and always get one back. i dont care what they think, its my choice to wear it as its their choice to wear purple hair and green mohicans. I know many sisters that wear niqab, thats their choice and maybe when the wrinkles show more I will (lol) and I know many that dont wear hijab at all, again thats their choice. being a muslim is not about how you look or what you wear its inside you, and Allah knows whats inside you. Its not our place to judge sisters that do or dont wear it.

[shalabya]

http://www.cie.org/teachers/LessonPlans/hijab/EgyptToday_Hijab.pdf

[Flamenca]

I am no Muslim but I do wear it in Egypt, I get less attention this way. I walked without it, wearing a small one just covering my hair and a large hijab covering my bosom and shoulders, the last one is the best, you get almost no attention. :D