This Can't Be Serious
The photo of the electoral poster for a veiled candidate in today’s Jordan Times is the limit! A veiled face cannot be accepted on a passport or a driver’s license because these two legal documents exist to show the identity of an individual. How can a veiled person be accepted as a candidate for Parliament? Until the average citizen is able to carry around a kit that identifies finger prints or eye scans of another human, he must rely on the human face for identity. A vote for a veiled woman has to be a vote for no person at all, or maybe her sister, brother, father, or neighbor!
Bandits and bank robbers cover their faces to hide their identity and protect themselves from responsibility for their acts. No one should vote for a masked man or woman. A little more respect for Jordan’s Parliament, please.
ASH
Bandits and bank robbers cover their faces to hide their identity and protect themselves from responsibility for their acts. No one should vote for a masked man or woman. A little more respect for Jordan’s Parliament, please.
ASH
posted by joladies at Sunday, November 04, 2007
38 Comments:
Are you talking about Muhajaba (face visible) or Munaqaba (only eyes visible) ?
Dear Hani,
The photo in the Jordan Times was clearly of 'Munaqaba' (only eyes visible).
ASH
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I agree with you, a Munakaba for me is an unidentified walking object, you can never know who is really there!
I don't like it, but really how much more do you know about the men by seeing their face, or suit ?
How can you say she is disrespecting the Parliament? Atleast she is bringing some values and conviction to the position which should be part of the prequisites.
It sounds to me like you don't understand what the niqab means, let alone the hijab. If she is putting it based on true religious conviction, you will know a lot about where she stands by reading the Quran and the Sunnah. Sounds to me that this woman has some true character and self esteem to stand up for her values and try to uphold her rights in this society. And remember that this is a supposed Muslim country.
I agree with um omar. How about a little more respect for the religion of Islam? Religion is the source of conviction and country is the means. She either lives in an Islamic state or she doesn't. I applaud her for her conviction.
Since when do we decide who to vote for based on their face or appearance? Sounds like discrimination.
HMT
On days when she wasn't feeling well, she could vote by proxy by sending her sister in her stead. No one would ever know.
of course we vote on appearance and by that I mean if a person has a face that you think is trustworthy it goes a long way in promoting his/her suitability. In this day and age PR is important. Anyway the proof of the pudding will be to see how many votes this lady gets. T
Wow. How about a little more respect for the (Muslim female) people of Jordan? If you don't like it, don't vote for her (if you're a Jordanian citizen, at any rate). Alhamdulillah, there is nothing in our constitution that bars this woman from running for office -- not her gender, not her religion, and not her dress.
How is her putting her veiled face on a photo worse than all those candidates who are not showing their faces at all? "Vote Abu Hadeeb." I see this all over the city, but no face. But am I voting based on their looks or qualifications?
"No person at all?" Comparing her to bank robbers and bandits? Since when have the type of women who wear niqab out of religious conviction run in the same circles as robbers? Unbelievable. Who is robbing her of her personhood? That six by four piece of fabric she covers with or you with your comments? That cloth obliterates her humanness? To hear such a thing from a woman is painful.
Funny how I can always identify my veiled friends on the streets and in the stores. There is more than the human face that identifies us. My veiled friends who include professors, teachers, scientists, scholars, and IT nerds.
In any case, it seems like we Muslimas are damned if we do, damned if we don't. In all honesty, though, I am glad when I hear stuff like this, b/c it lets us know where we stand with people.
--Umm Zaid
The Idea behind election is to respect others and their beliefs, and what you're saying is completely disrespect others,
For me I don't believe in Nikab however I think veiled women are really something to be proud, respect and honor (not because of the religious beliefs), however it’s the sacrifice that she did for her principles and it is some thing make me astonish and humble because unfortunately I don't have the will to do what she did (for the principles I believe in).
Dave don’t worry, we have females in each election center to check Identity, let me suggest something for you, go to Africa where women in some tribes never show their eyes or have a look on fare east ( Japan, Thailand, China…) and then you comment on how much make up they use in their faces and you can’t even recognize who they are, and no one has the right to tell them that this is not the way we use to! Who am I to judge their culture.
Come on people, world is NOT just West we have our own culture & identity which is much modern, deep and wonderful than Cow boys, hippies or break-dancers
ASH, Thanks for telling me about this woman, because now I'm considering to go and elect for someone who deserve my vote, someone who might one day give exapmle, (like Marwa Qavaqchi the Turkish parliament member ), and I'm sure most of these posters with pretty faces will never care about anything other than getting the benefits from this position.
I hope this comment won’t be offensive as your blog !
Actually why are we talking about appearances??? It should be about what this lady stands for and what she wants to do if she becomes a member of parliament. What her religion is or what she wears should not come into it.
Personally, I like to see the face of the person I am looking at but that has nothing to do with religious beliefs. We all have the right to vote for the person who represents our feelings and needs what ever they wear. T
How would we even know that it is her attending the sessions in any case? Would she give speeches in front of the House in her own voice?
I don't vote because I think its pointless to do so in a Monarchy.
However as far as identification of Muhajaba and Munaqaba, I must say it is quite difficult.
We have like 15 women (out of 75 employess total) at work, and they're all veiled. Wrose yet, because of the way we work everyone moves around based on projects, so sometimes its impossible to find out who you're talking to unless you can identify their voice. To the point that I think we need name tags now.
Maybe its just me, but that's the way I feel.
Im sorry but when did niqaab become part of Islam? Much less our local Jordanian traditions, covering the face was never a familiar sight in Jordan.
I just find it hard to understand why anyone would decide to cover up a perfectly good face, its like having a capable person one day just deciding to move about only in a wheelchair!
It just seems that plain old ignorance is the culprit here-- Which I find is a big problem in Jordan overall. Women were given innumerable rights in Islam, many of which far surpassed anything going on in the West at the same time period and for many years post Islam. Our problem is a lack of knowledge amongst both men and women. Women do not ask for their God given rights and men are very reluctant to yield the rights which they have stolen from them. Muslim women who know their rights and assert them are following the Quran and Sunnah.
And Onzlo, look back at the 'Mothers of the Believers' to find the example of niqab in Islam. Knowledge is Power.
Ummm, let me see.....I am American, I am Muslim by choice over 26 years, I also have in my possession a California drivers license wearing niqab!! Does this make me a nobody? Quite the opposite-I own and run a business,enjoy playing sports with my kids and friends, including riding bikes with my girls around Khelda . I try to live my life to the fullest. But maybe you have never had the opportunity to meet someone who wears niqab and really get to know her. Because I think that if you did, you just might change your perception towards women who cover or wear niqab. You might even find a new found respect for these women who have the guts to go out into society dressed as they are. Believe me, it would be much easier to go out in public uncovered and just blend in among the rest of humanity, nothng special, nothing unique, just another face in the crowd! How many gems are buried beneath the earth, hidden away? You just need to dig alittle deeper to find the beauty!
What an interesting conversation. I certainly have some hesitancy about voting for a candidate sight unseen, but that goes for any candidate. As for wearing the niqab, I don't really find it to be an issue. Those who know her and what she stands for will vote for her. Those who like to see a candidate before voting, won't. Godd luck to her and all other women candidates in the upcoming elections.
joladies
""Personally, I like to see the face of the person I am looking at but that has nothing to do with religious beliefs. We all have the right to vote for the person who represents our feelings and needs what ever they wear. T""
Since it's Personal, then we Agree!, Because this is your right WHILE ""How can a veiled person be accepted as a candidate for Parliament?"" it's not your right at all..and YES IT IS SERIOUS.
onzlo
""How would we even know that it is her attending the sessions in any case? Would she give speeches in front of the House in her own voice?"", Yes she can, and I've seen it.
""I just find it hard to understand why anyone would decide to cover up a perfectly good face, its like having a capable person one day just deciding to move about only in a wheelchair!"", hmm I'm sure there are other parts in your body you can show to prove a WELL HUMAN BEING, Sorry to say that but this is INSANE
Simply guys don't judge others and respect their journey,
Obviously this is being prejudice against the Niqab( face cover) or ignorance of the religious commitment. In any issue it is easy for anyone to comment negatively based on what first pops in their head and prejudge without really understanding and educating oneself.
Who said that you can tell a good book by its cover?? Some books can look attractive on the outside but be nothing but uninteresting inside. But the book that is plain and simple is the most interesting and mind pondering book on the shelf.
Get to know this lady that is running for Parliment. Know what she is trying to offer to the country. She may have allot to offer this country. Coming from the America the land of opportunity where everyone is given a chance and not discriminated based on choice of religion, sex, etc. LET'S BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN MINDED! Jordan is improving and trying to give the people opportunity by being more westernized. If you say that you have lived in Jordan for many years, then you know and see how much Jordan has changed over the years. There are so many options for anyone who wants to study here. Allot better than our neighboring countries.
I have observed that many Americans (including myself) believe off-hand the media and take it in as the gospel. It wasn't until I lived in Jordan and compared the differences in the information and how things are filtered.
Lastly, without bashing this entire posting...Who are the heroines in the movies?? Aren't they the masked ones, the ones that are on the good side??
This is all very interesting ... which just goes to prove that without institutionalised political parties that I can count on one hand, with a declared platform of values I can associate with ... whether declared by a man or a woman in a hatta or a veil, a hat or a hairdo ... I will never really get the full value of the political/democratic experience ... and neither will society....J
How would we know that it is really her?
I have read this comment more than once. And it is as stupid as the the question" Aren't you hot?" that people used to ask me when I was living in the states. Just as there are female security guards that check women in malls there are gaurds that would check the identy of this women.Duh!!
Also the fact that many of you seem to think that it is possible to judge a person's honesty or lack thereof by looking at his or her face is proof positive that most people do not have the intelligence required to shoulder the responsibility of voting.
Whether or not the candidate wears a wig, a suit, shorts, a veil, a nose ring, a tie, colored glasses, suspenders, a hat, army boots etc; the 'proof of the pudding' will be in what they are able to accomplish after they are elected........z
Exactly, Z. Although I applaud sisters in hijab and niqab who are going out there and doing something for themselves and their societies, if I were to vote (which I won't), my vote would depend more on the party they are from and what platform they are representing. I wouldn't vote for her just b/c she's wearing niqab (but I wouldn't not vote for her b/c she's not). Just like I wouldn't vote based on name or tribe (or being paid by the candidate... sigh... which is a much bigger issue than this one woman).
As for not recognizing hijabis in the workplace -- give me a break Hani. You don't recognize people by their hair (or even by their face alone). Good Lord, how did Islamic society function for all these years with women disguising their hair? Everyone in my office is muhajabat (alhamdulillah) and I know who they are from down the hall or even when I hear them from the office next door. The same with my niqabi friends around town. I can tell who is who based on a lot more than her face, and I can tell from down the street. - UZ
Anonymous, you're not helping your point by not choosing a name, see you're hardly recognizable froma ll the other anonymous commentors out there. Enough said.
This is so weird.
I guess I am disappointed after reading all of the postings because I am really only looking for one thing. I see a little bit of a change in stance from jj but no accountability for the original discriminatory remarks : "How can a veiled person be accepted as a candidate for Parliament?"
Honestly, I feel for your ignorance and hope you might just own up to it publically on the blog and steer toward a more inclusive society rather than pigeon-holing everyone as you "see" fit, not as you know, experience or understand.
I believe you truly owe this woman who is running an apology because you have unjustly tainted her campaign by leading your readers astray. Shame on you.
Dont hide behind the notion that only a handfull of ppl read this blog and those probably wont even vote bc just today I was participant in this discussion among a room full of others, so just do the math and realize that you are responsible for what is passed on to other from you.
Here's a poem I found on the internet years ago..It is anonymous
You look at me and call me oppressed ?
Simply because of the way i am dressed ?
You know me not for what's inside,
You judge the clothing I wear with pride.
My body is not for your eyes to hold!
You must speak to my mind, not my feminine mold.
No man tell me to dress this way,
It is a law from God that I obey.
Oppressed is something I am truly not,
For it is freedom that I have got.
It was given to me many years ago
The right to prosper, the right to grow,
I can climb mountains or cross the seas,
Expand my mind in all degrees
For God, Himself, gave me liberty
My modest dresss? It has set me free.
although I am not with Niqab, but I dont find anything against others' beliefs, to them they are right and your so wrong.
Joladies, they wish you never existed at the first place, as your just launching attacks on them for believing in something, in which you and I are not eligible to categorize as right or wrong, maybe this should be a collective effort from all.
I respect your opinion on the issue, however I would have loved it to be less offensive!
When I was in college, a very long time ago I have to admit, we would argue "black was white" for the experience of the discussion. That's what debate is all about. Everyone is entitled to express an opinion.
"Shame on you"? I don't think so.
Bravo, you provoked debate!
McM
In one of today's dailies, the police arrested someone for acting suspiciously on the streets of Irbid .... they thought it was a woman dressed in niqab and shar'i (long dress) ... until much later they discovered it was a man ... concealing a weapon of mass destruction .... Umm Omar
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Hani:
I clearly signed my name at the bottom of my first comment, and left my same initials at the bottom of my second. I don't need a Google / Blogger account or to sign into mine to post here.
But your attack on my signing choice had nothing to do with the substance of your substanceless attack on women who cover. Funnily, it sounds like the kind of rhetoric I expect from Jordanian politicans: distracting us from the issues at hand while riling us up with nationalist, sexist, secularist, or religious rhetoric.
-- UZ
Whether a woman chooses to whear a niqab or not really is not my concern, but what I am really interested in what these niqab wearing ladies do when they go on the Haj ? From what I know and have been told and have seen, ( I am a Muslim, with loads of Hajis in my family, and a Hafiz Al Quran for a grandfather as well) , the face has to be exposed during the Haj, and as we all know, Haj is not segregated or uni -sex, so.....?
anonymous, what attack ? you're overracting.
Its a comment relevant since there is a clear parallel between a person who only choses to display their eyes and someone who doesn't even bother using their first name or a nickname.
*overreacting
It is people like yourself that make it harder for Muslim women to practice their faith.
It's a piece of cloth. Grow up.
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