I’m Watching You Through The Burqa

After her every morning Namaz, she likes to sit a little longer on the praying rug to converse with Allah a little more. With her hands brought up enough, eyes which could not weep anymore, she searches answers to all her Why’s.

She could be any Ashja or Basila whose names translates to ‘Brave’ but were never taught bravery. Ammi’s lessons always preached compromise. Her actions were compromising too. But, she is adamant that her lessons to her daughter would be dissimilar.

She linked up a Quran class, browsed the videos, been to that every person who said they have mastered the text, and what all she concluded was a defiance to her teachings.

It is not a cooked up story or a fancy style to fetch attention, only a reality striking the myth, a myth which till now was lived as a reality. The fundamentals of Islam are not rigid to women, unfortunately they are interpreted rigidly. In that respect, there is no concept of gender in the Quran, Men and women are two halves of a single unit and in his every address, Allah addresses ‘both’ with equality. When one goes by the word of the Quran, some very astonishing points will come to his or her disposal and will find out that today’s interpretation is so much shrouded in patriarchy.

Also Read : To Wear A Burqa Or Not : Choice Be With Me

Where it (The Quran) says “paradise is at the feet of a mother”, it does not say to objectify her when she plays the role of a wife or any other woman. It is believed that daughter is the one who shows the way of Jannah to her father. If you are so religious to believe in the concept of Hell and Heaven, please take a note what your religion is actually preaching. It commands kindness to her and makes her education a duty.

Today, the term ‘Majazi-Khuda’ meaning the “one next of god” has attracted enough attention, all credits to Pakistani daily soaps. Well, it is a culturally generated term and has no mention in the Quran and therefore Husbands are not obliged to unquestioned obedience. Feel free to google it to find ample funny references.

She has given property rights which differ with the state of affairs, but unfortunately fails to get an equal share, as she is entitled to the half of the property which the son receives, that means a son is entitled to the amount which two daughters would otherwise will receive.

Women’s entry into the mosque is not barred, it is that two should not offer Namaz at the same place as it will intervene in the noble act.

Also Read : 70 Years Of Independence : Let’s Discuss Kashmir

The practice of polygamy has mythical bearing in minds but it holds its own restrictions. Being Muslim does not mean having four wives, but it is only applied when men-women ratio is inadequate or in case of a war or calamity when women are more in number and are under a threat. Whether one or four, Quran says all should be treated equally. Laws of adultery are harsh, but there is no mention that repentance is impossible.

As, Triple Talaq is under much attention, mere three times uttering a word cannot break a union. It has conditions and requires witnesses. And still, after the decision is made three month period is given to think over it known as ‘Iddat’ through which a woman undergo.

Historically, it is apparent enough that women at that time used to participate in the political affairs and debated upon matters with all her intellectual abilities. Unfortunately when our coming generation will be flipping the pages of our history, it will only tell them that ‘How woman of twenty-first century became a debatable issue’?

A lot of rights were given to you without even asking for them by Allah, those rights for which women in Britain had to fight for. Would you let all this go in vain just because nobody told you this before or chose not to tell you!

Well, another revelation is here, The Quran has no word like Burqa, it only says about appropriate clothing, which do not reveal your body. It is more of a cultural innovation and not Islamic at all. The Covering of the face and hand is also denied. Hijab is seven times mentioned in the Quran which literally means a curtain. Wear it out of your choice and not as an imposition under the name of religion.

Also Read : Relooking at Religion

If you feel or made to feel, you are not dear to him, then believe me My friend, for him you are the dearest of all. Steer your faith in the right direction, not in the ‘so- called’ right direction but the one which gives you the freedom, satisfaction and most importantly happiness.

Hopefully, after knowing all this every Ashja or Basila, would be brave enough to practice the right and question the wrong. Viewing the world through the Burqa seems challenging but shrouding it further under a veil of ignorance is the biggest challenge. Pull the text out of your cupboards, delve deep into it, to get answers and to get questions.

“KHUDA NE KAM KAHA, BANDE NE KUCH ZYADA HI SAMAJH LIA”