Modest dressing benefits our society

LETTERS LETTERS@USATODAY.COM

Every now and again we hear a cry regarding Muslim women wearing hijabs (head covering). As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it would be an opportune time for me to present the essence of Islamic teaching behind modest clothing and dispel a common misconception that this injunction takes away the freedom of Muslim women.

The real purpose of covering the head and body with modest clothes is to prevent a woman from being sexually objectified and grants her protection against unwanted harassment. Furthermore, nature has created men and women in different ways. It’s not about discrimination but having different capacities and faculties. For example, women can bear children but men cannot, and men are physically stronger than women. The #MeToo campaign is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to highlighting the vulnerability of women in society at large.

This injunction is not specific to Islam; it’s in other religions too. For example, in Christianity we see Mother Mary covering her head in most works of art. Nowadays, questions arise regarding the type of hijabs Muslim women wear. The answer is simple. At its core, Islam is a religion that teaches modesty and requires both men and women to safeguard their dignity.

Today, our society is experiencing the evils of provocative dressing, which have destroyed our peace in the form of extramarital affairs and broken relationships, for example. In such a situation, Islamic and Christian philosophy of “modest dressing” seems to guide us in the right direction.

Rafia Mansoor Waraich

Altoona, Wis.