Can you spot the Muslim woman or women? I lied. She’s not here. None of these women are Muslims.
I wanted to prove a point. For the record, the Niqab is not exclusive to the Arab world. I am not going to speculate why Khloe Kardashian wore the attire. But Armenians, for example, have a history of wearing the Niqab and Hijab too. So when I read that Khloe Kardashian caused a hullaballoo with her Niqab selfie faux pas in an Arab country, I was quite taken aback.
The womenfolk of almost every society, at one time or another, wore coverings and headgear of some kind. In fact, the Hijab is still worn by non-Muslim women in various societies around the world today. Eastern European women and their counterparts in the Mediterranean – whether they are Muslims, Jews or Christians – have a history of wearing veils, hijabs, and scarfs. This explains why the ex-Italian Minister of the Interior, Roberto Maroni, had strongly refused to sign on a decree banning the Hijab. “If the Virgin Mary appears wearing a veil on all her pictures, how can you ask me to sign on a Hijab ban law?” he has been cited as saying.
Even in places like India you’ll find some Hindu women wearing the veil. The pieces might be more elaborated than others, of course, but it’s still a head gear or a face cover.
You think they wore it so that the wind won’t mess their hair and makeup? For them, it’s about modesty and piety. I haven’t even started about the Catholic nuns but I think everyone is getting the idea now.
In the 19th century, many Europeans who migrated to America, such as the Polish community, wore Hijabs. The Hijab is also part of Orthodox Christian Culture, especially among Eastern European women. I believe there is a mention about headscarf in Corinthians.
Anyway this piece isn’t meant to be long, and I don’t have to go into details. There are enough books in the library that talks about these things. Of course, some of you might find history boring. But I say it helps in understanding tradition, culture and other people’s values. And this can help with other things like better people relations, diplomacy or social interaction.
By the way, I am not taking a pro or against Hijab or Niqab stand. I am just saying.
