Objectives of an Essay
The goal of this essay is to consider the most relevant theoretical and methodological approaches to the interpretation of the meaning of the veil and covering the face and body in women professing the Muslim confession. From the perspective of an outside observer who does not interpret Islamic culture from the inside, the veil seems to be a symbol and sign of opposition, suppression by male control. The essay seeks to redefine this criterion by offering a deeper and more insightful perspective on the role of the veil in modern Muslim society, considering this phenomenon on the positive side.
The Veil in the Modern Era: A Historical Review
The first part of the essay presents a brief overview of the contemporary history of the veil and the law of wearing it to explain the power of tradition in the Muslim religion. It is necessary to explain how strong the cultural explosion was after the end of the Second World War in order to really characterize the subsequent changes (Abid, 2020). The process that followed after the Second World War is due to the strong influence of Western culture on the Muslim world, with new values preaching openness, intellectual freedom, and a variety of consumption. All of this seems to be at odds with the cultural tradition of Muslim women. The issue of wearing a veil in this aspect can be interpreted as a point of tension in the struggle between Western and Eastern values in the second half of the 20th century and now. Moreover, this opposition can symbolize the contradiction between the old and the new, conservatism and modernization, which requires the abolition of old values.
The Political Significance of the Veil
This part of the essay seeks to illuminate the misinterpretation of the need for the veil by Western critics who perceive liberal values such as freedom and equality as something to be applied universally in the most obvious sense. In many European communities, there is a paradox of oppression of pluralistic views, which are perceived as a threat to freedom to wear a veil. Thus, the veil, perceived as a symbol of patriarchy, begins to cause public excitement and calls for its prohibition, which is a violation of the private freedoms of each person. Such a modern tradition, formed only in the criticism of the last hundred, is impossible in the context of Islam and women, since the idea of real freedom may have a different interpretation and meaning in Eastern culture. In particular, wearing a veil can express the freedom of an individual from the gaze of other people – thereby, the veil fits into the principles of modern feminist freedoms, in particular, freedom from mailing.
Contemporary Feminist Interpretation of the Meaning of the Veil
In this part of the essay, it is required to outline the main contradictions between modern feminist thought and the conservative Islamic tradition, while emphasizing their complexity. A satisfactory and comfortable life under the conditions of patriarchy for feminism in the Islamic tradition seems to be oppressive. However, other Islamic feminists strive to separate the Western tradition from their own, in order to pursue the values of their culture. The veil based on these ideas should be interpreted as an individual decision of each woman and not as a sign of personality suppression. The feminist and modern critical tradition in general is in conflict with the need to reconcile with the grand and monolithic religious tradition of Islam, which should be mentioned in the essay.
Work Cited
Abid, S. “Understanding the veil.” Crossing Cultural Boundaries: Taboo, Bodies and Identities, edited by Lili Hernandez, 2020, pp. 39-53.