Violence In Iraq Draws Veil Over Women
BAQUBA - Conditions are particularly difficult for women in Baquba, despite the relative lull in violence. The city, about 40 km northeast of Baghdad, is capital of Diyala province, amongst the most troubled regions of Iraq in recent months.
As in all conflict areas, women, along with children and the elderly, have suffered most. A large number of women have been killed or kidnapped during close to five years of occupation.
Before the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq, women in Iraq had jobs and enjoyed civil rights they can hardly dream of any more.
“My neighbour was killed because she was accused of working in the directorate-general of police of Diyala,” resident Um Haider told IPS. “This woman worked as a receptionist in the governor’s office, and not in the police. She was in charge of checking women who work in the governor’s office.”
Killings like this have led countless women to quit jobs, or to change them.
“I was head of the personnel division in an office,” a local woman speaking on condition of anonymity told IPS. “On the insistence of my family and relatives, I gave up my position and chose to be an employee.”
Women’s lives have changed, and they are beginning to look different. They are now too afraid to wear anything but conservative dresses — modern clothes could be a death warrant. The veil is particularly dominant in areas under the control of militias.
“My friend could not recognise his wife when she passed him on her way to school because she had her face veiled,” Najmidden Khamis, a local grocer, told IPS. “Earlier some liked it and others rejected it, but now it is dominant given the lack of law and government.”
“The veil is undesirable in university society,” an academic speaking on condition of anonymity told IPS. “I myself reject the idea because if I do not see the face of my student, how is it possible to tell who it is, or even whether it is a man or woman, especially at examinations?”
But many women do wear the veil because they choose to. “The principles of Islam are that a woman should cover her whole body including the face,” said a local woman employee in a public office. “Uncovering the face is a sin.”
“This matter is controversial,” says the sheikh at a local mosque. “The majority of specialists say that the woman should cover everything except the face and the palm of the hand. Many may put veils on the face because they are forced to.”
That the issue is controversial is clear. “This is a violation and transgression of women’s rights,” a local communist supporter told IPS. It comes on top of severe restrictions on women these days, he said. “A woman is not allowed out of home freely, and she has frequently to be escorted by someone like her husband or her brother.”
Women are paying a price for the occupation in all sorts of ways.
“Women bear great pain and risks when militants control the streets,” Um Basim, a mother of three, told IPS. “No man can move here or there. When a man is killed, the body is taken to the morgue. The body has to be received by the family, so women often go alone to the morgue to escort the body home. Some are targeted by militants when they do this.”
Confined to home, many women live in isolation and depression.
“Women have nowhere to go to spend leisure time,” Um Ali, a married woman, told IPS. “Our time is spent only at home now. I have not travelled outside Baquba for more than four years. The only place I can go to is my parents’ home. Housekeeping and children have been all my life; I have no goals to attain, no education to complete. Sometimes, I can’t leave home for weeks.”
Before the invasion, she said, “we, the family, used to go to Baghdad or other provinces to visit friends and places. We used to go with the children for festivals and vacations.”
“Iraqi women lack the freedom to do anything, and this, of course, depends on the cultural status of the society in which they live,” a local woman told IPS. “The freedom given to women in Baghdad differs from that in Baquba or in the south of Iraq. But society in general and the family in particular enjoy absolute power over the woman nowadays.”
“Women’s status in Iraq needs a great revolution,” the head of a division of the directorate-general of communications, and mother of two children, told IPS. “Things were going very well, but the absence of law that came with the occupation, which created the extremist militants, has ruined the prestige of woman. The bad status is a result of the bad security situation. Any improvement in women’s status means an improvement in the political situation.”
© 2008 Inter Press Service
How US citizens can just sith there while their country continues to tear Iraq apart is beyond me! It’s horrifying.
It looks like Saddam’s brutal regime was the only thing keeping the Islamists in check in Iraq.
We can only make it worse. The problems of Iraq can only be solved internally. I am sorry that the thinking people in this country couldn’t stop the war.
The last thing any people need is a military occupation. Staying or leaving are bad. Leaving just ends the pain sooner.
“The principles of Islam are that a woman should cover her whole body including the face,” said a local woman employee in a public office. “Uncovering the face is a sin.”
There you have it: the principles of Islam. This extreme subordination of women is a result of US policy but not the aim of US policy (because veil-wearning doesn’t enhance Exxon or Halliburton profit margins). It is the aim of Islamic law. Men, not women, are entitled to public identities. Of course there are moderate Muslims, who would agree with this man:
“This matter is controversial,” says the sheikh at a local mosque. “The majority of specialists say that the woman should cover everything except the face and the palm of the hand. Many may put veils on the face because they are forced to.”
This is a more common view, deriving from a famous hadith in which Muhammad told a provocatively girl named Asma that once a girl entered puberty she should remain covered except at the face and hands. See this web page from Singapore Yahoo: http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080130122820AA9×5Kr. The assumption is that a woman’s sexuality and womb belong to her husband and not to herself. The husband’s sexuality belongs to himself, his 1 to 4 wives, his slave women, and any brothels he may care to visit.
Let’s get the troops out of Iraq, relieve the locals of the burden of Western imperialism, and leave them to their quaint sacred folkways.
MILITANTLIBERAL,
If you were reading the article correctly you would see that the veil wearing is in fact a result of the occupation. I am a MUSLIM WOMAN and proud to be one. You can not just quote some random hadith from some random (could be extremist) website to prove your close-minded view point. Women wear the veil and cover in general for protection from men. In the Qur’an it says to “cover yourselves so not to be molested”. Because the women have become MORE OPPRESSED NOT LESS since the occupation they are afraid and thus wearing the veil as a protection. And where you got this twisted idea “The assumption is that a woman’s sexuality and womb belong to her husband and not to herself. The husband’s sexuality belongs to himself, his 1 to 4 wives, his slave women, and any brothels he may care to visit.” I have no idea. THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS NOTHING BUT UNTRUE. DID YOU MAKE THIS UP YOU IGNORANT FOOL? Where do you get such information? HOW DARE you insult my own and million of other peoples religion (INCLUDING ALL OF US PROUD AND LIBERATED MUSLIM WOMEN OF THE US). Please do us a favor and get educated before you speak on something. IF you want to learn about Islam read the Qur’an. One of the first things you will learn is that ISLAM GAVE WOMEN RIGHTS WHEN THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY. Way back when women were oppressed all over the globe, not just the Middle East. People like you are the reason why there are so many confused Americans when it comes to the “Principals of Islam”. So shut your mouth, open your ears and read a book instead of pulling so called Islamic rules out of your imagination and some crazy website. By the way…a Sheikh is a RELIGIOUS SCHOLAR not just some “MODERATE MUSLIM MAN”.
Moonbutterfly, I may indeed be an ignorant fool but I have checked the Quran, of which I have two copies. Sura 4:3 says
“If you fear that you shall not able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing justice.” Translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
“And if ye are apprehensive that ye shall not deal fairly with orphans, then, of other women who seem good in your eyes, marry but two, or three, or four; and if ye still fear that ye shall not act equitably, then one only; or the slaves whom ye have acquired; this will make justice on your part easier.” Translated by J.M. Rodwell
Okay, the crack about brothels was a bit unfair but the Quran clearly licenses polygamy and sexual slavery. Because this verse falls into a section dealing with orphans, one might limit its effect to Muhammad’s time, but of course polygamy occurs in Muslim countries today. When I said “The assumption is that a woman’s sexuality and womb belong to her husband and not to herself…” that was my gloss, not a quote from anything. However, you say “Women wear the veil and cover in general for protection from men. In the Qur’an it says to “cover yourselves so not to be molested”.” Indeed, one of my copies says:
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known as (such) and not molested. And Allah is most forgiving, most merciful.”
33:59 translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
That is the rule Iraq’s militias now enforce on women. For their own protection, of course (sarcasm intended). So if a woman fails to cover up, is she inviting molestation? Do men have permission to insult, harass or grope women who show their belly buttons or legs? Are men really so uncontrollable in their lust that they cannot be held accountable for their actions?
As for women’s rights under Islam, how about this:
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in the (husband’s) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to women on whose part you fear disloyalty amd ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next) refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, do not seek against them means of (annoyance): for Allah is Most High, Great (above you all).”
4:34-35 translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
It’s true Islamic law may have been a better deal for women than law codes in some countries, including Christian ones, in the seventh or twelfth century A.D., but it’s hardly impressive now. Under American law polygamy is illegal. Pity the Afghan journalism student who distributed an article attacking polygamy; a court has sentenced him to death. See http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=197838&version=1&template_id=41&parent_id=23. In the U.S. women may enter any career but the military without discrimination (and there too they’re getting shot at), inherit property in the same proportion as sons, testify in court without disability, divorce their husbands without proving fault, and refuse sex or any other orders of their husband without being beaten, none of which is true under Islamic law. You may thank uppity feminist agitators of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s for any real “liberation” you may feel rather than the teachings of a dead Arab warlord and his living imams.
Oops! Corrections to my previous post are in order. The sentence “Indeed, of my copies…” should say, “Indeed, one of my copies.” The sentence in the last paragraph beginning, “In the U.S. may enter…” should read, “In the U.S. women may enter…”
The Muslim religion forces women to obey the husband that her father chose for her like a dog. The invading troops confine her to the house more then ever.
And this artile does not cover that the troops occasionally abduct and rape women who are then grusomly killed for there husbands and families “honour”.
Man and religion working together to destroy the lives of women. How sombody could be muslim is beyond me.
Everyone, please understand that there is a great spectrum of belief within the religion of Islam, and that you cannot generalise in any way about this great faith. It is not the Qur’an, but the hadith and the interpretations of teachers later in history, that are disputed. Please understand that, although you may be right when pointing out beliefs and practices, they vary wildly according to the political scene and one’s personal stance (liberal or conservative in religion.) Do not let the extremists, who are a small minority of Muslims, make you prejudiced against everybody else. In my opinion, it is not the word of God advocating oppressing women, but it is Culture that enforces these laws.
Militant Liberal,
Just because you can quote and read the Qur’an doesn’t mean that you understand it. It is very easy to take something out of context to prove your point. You have to learn about Islam instead of reading and taking the Qur’an literally. I admire the fact that you have read it, however it is obvious that you have an issue with Islam, and thats ok, just come out and say it. Instead of demeaning and disrespecting peoples believes and our Prophet (SAW). Here is a link that you may be interested in. It is a video from U tube, the guy is hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqmMdPKw378
The bottom line is that this country is founded on creating enemies. First Native Americans, African Americans, Japanese in WWII, Russians, Vietnamese…the list goes on…now they are slowly brainwashing the public to hate Muslims and associate them with terrorism, oppression of women, and religious extremeists. When are we going to be able to just all love one another and live in peace? This country is supposed to be free for all races, religions, and sexes.
Peace be with you.