Not Oppressed by Heading Covering

Joy Walter

As freezing temperatures still have students donning hats and scarves down blistery Farm Lane, Nada Zohdy is still warm in her head scarf—and never takes it off once she gets to class.

Zohdy keeps her head covered as a sign of devotion to God and her religious beliefs as a Muslim. The religion of Islam has, especially in more recent years, brought up controversy especially as it relates to women’s rights.

Zohdy, a sophomore international relations and comparative cultures and politics major, knows her fellow students are ready for conversation.

“Growing up in a post 9-11 world there are a lot of misconceptions about Islam, so I hope to help highlight the long tradition Muslims have of social justice and promoting equality,” said Zohdy, who is also the political action chair of the Muslim Students' Association at MSU. “Through discussions with people of different backgrounds and religions, I can help be a voice for American Muslims.”

Members of the MSA say that Muslims in the United States are generally more tempered on issues that might threaten to divide them. Though many think that Islam can cause a “clash of civilizations,” in America and at MSU Muslims can provide an alternative view.
Students in MSA, through their different committees focused on education, community service and political action, strive to sustain relationships with other organizations and bring together students from a variety of religious backgrounds and ideals.

“We get our name out there, put on different events and don’t limit ourselves from promoting Islam in all aspects,” said MSA member and medical technology sophomore Afreen Syed.

But promoting Islam is difficult when others misunderstand important issues like the role of women in Islam. Muslim women typically dress very conservatively to be modest before God, but as countries around the world have adopted more Western trends in clothing, traditional dress has been questioned.

In some countries, such as Turkey, universities had forbidden female students from wearing their headscarves on campus, and are only just deciding to allow them again. Zohdy found this ironic.

“Many of us take advantage of the fact that, when only 1 percent of Americans are Muslim and 98 percent of people in Turkey are Muslim, we have the freedom,” said Zohdy.

For centuries people have been fighting for the right of women to not wear the headscarves, but according to Syed many Muslim women don’t want to “escape.” Muslim women count the head covering as part of their identity, a choice that they are free to make as promised in the American constitution.

“I started wearing the hijab, or head covering, in elementary school,” said Syed. “It’s a choice I made as a personal right for the rest of my life.”

People often confuse personal choice with oppression, according to Zohdy, which makes it more difficult for Muslim students, especially women, to convey to others that they are content with their lifestyle.

Although head coverings and women’s rights are both immensely politically charged issues, Zohdy said, “In the end everything we do as Muslims should be aiming to please God. It’s a personal thing.”

MSA hosts different events and discussions around campus throughout the year focused on race, religion and oppression, attempting to instill new understanding in students at MSU.

“When people are most uncomfortable is when they can change their perception the most,” said Zohdy.  

Questions? Comments? Contact Joy Walters at walte196@msu.edu

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