Feminism and hijab (2)

Feminism comes from the word Feminine meaning the female sex or woman. In Persian language the word Feminia provides equivalents such as, feminine, women-related concepts and women's liberty. This concept for the first time was used, by Alexander Duma the son of renowned French writer Duma, in a reference to the emerging women's movement in 1872.
He, generally, classifies feministic ideas into three level; the first wave, the second wave and third one. First wave that is called the old one is referred to the women's movement in the United States and Britain for the right to vote between 1880 -1920 therefore, this stream of thought and social was after creating equality between men and women's rights.
The second wave of feminism under the influence of neo-leftist political trends, with many slogans of liberty and the fight against oppression was formed. During this period, in addition to the public domain, the private sphere and personal life (such as sexual feelings, emotions and the like) was discussed.
The third wave of feminism proposed at the beginning of decades of 90, was discussing gender differences between men and women as complex and volatile issue and beyond physical and body structures. The third wave of feminism which was discussing change, plurality, pluralism and respect for differences as social indicators, was aiming to remove any discrimination and inequality. During this period, we are witnessing third world black Muslims feminism.

Modern Feministic theories:

The first wave of feminism, such as Elizabeth Cody Stanton, Matilda Blogger Jaclyn, has offered the severe criticism of the century regarding the religion. Gych in his work naming religion, government and the church is trying to show the role of church in supporting the patriarchy. He believes the history of Christianity has been completely established on the basis of gender inequality and incapability of all – women on the other side, Gych considers the basis of the biblical institutional religion as the main cause of women's inferiority. Stanton believed that political and social progress will never happen unless; the women are being freed out of oppressively limiting tendencies which has been created by the sacred texts.
People like Mary Daley and Rezmari Router are considered as the main representatives of the second wave so, Mary Daley was following that to censure Catholic Church because of its sexual positions, and create a kind of Feminine etymology where a position has not been defined for them therefore, He questioned fundamental concepts of Christian theology, such as God, human, sin and, the salvation and by purifying them in the form of Feminine values provided a definition of them.
He always criticized Christianity for idol-liked worship of men and believed that considering God as a father has strengthened manly Christianity and practically deprived women from achieving a type of female spirituality based on respect and self - esteem. Based on Mary Daley's theories the women's salvation never occurs by the men. But if we have a look at Muslim communities, we will find that in this period women enter into the public domain slowly. Women's arrival to the life and the public arena in Islamic countries has caused many challenges because Islam is the religion which involves all the aspects of human existence so, to this reason, no coverage has been, as hijab, the subject of contention and struggle among the intellectuals. According to the intellectuals of the first and second wave, hijab, into different shapes, is the symbol of tyranny against the women; in fact, it is a limiting clothes and a form of social control that isolation and socio – political basis of inferior women confirms to a religious type. They consider hijab as a shape of Islam's differentiation and denounce it as a symbol of tyranny against Muslim women. These scholars to this reason, have called hijab as the largest factor of patriarchy in Muslim communities and prescribed it for all the women of the world. In fact, they were trying to generalize the values of white Western woman and member of the middle class trained women to the entire world, but soon that another group of feminism (third wave) protested to this generalization and inclusion of all women.
For example, we can point out to Helen Watson, Hama Hodfer and Fatima Bernicia that following the text we will provide closer examination of their theories.

The theories of post-modern Feminine

Helen Watson's theory:

Watson considers the issue of hijab as the women's individual responses to global processes hence , he aims, with respect to the principles governing hijab, discusses the concepts associated with the hijab in Holy Quran, and on the stream of the texts, he ,in accordance with, two spectrum of women's comments, considers the choice of women in hijab's root and in different world as personal and political issue, and even the obvious trend of the women toward hijab is considered as a type of reverse Feminism and protest against consumerism and extremism of the west.
Watson's aim is discussing the issue of tendency to hijab as a global process with regard to certain reactions in relation to it. Generally, being aware of hijab as cultural cover and role of fashion, as the indicator of social position and individual identity is considered very important. The European gender meaning of the fashion that discloses the personal and political significance of the dress has been a subject of Feminine. The political and personal aspects of hijab as the main coverage of the body and also as an extra and selective cover has far less being paid attention to by this interpretation therefore, hijab investigates this subject from two related dimension that is, i. e. the socio – political dimension , spiritual and then religious so, his main goal is
addressing the general principles which governing the hijab and main discussing about its nature through investigation of some of veiled dresses based on Holy Quran . He, to verify that how hijab accounted in the local level, and how it is used, investigates the individual importance of the hijab from the view points of two women ( an English - born student and an Algerian worker in a factory in France. So, these Women's attitude shows that hijab is a subject that its type depends on the person's choice and in fact, is considered a method to express the social status of the person, and at the same time, it is a religious duty, and a symbol of traditional style of dressing. Watson to establish the issue of the hijab, resorts to Holy verses of Quran. In his view, there are many issues relating to the hijab has been focused on the Quran concept of modesty and prudency. So, the concept of modesty provides the ground work for behavior regulation of men and women, separation and proper coverage for each one. Koran says : try to be popular and [modest ] in your behavior in addition; Quran reminds reward of the men as well as the women who maintain their shyness, ( Noor : : 30 ) so, the instructions are mentioned in this way ; tell the Muslim woman to keep their eyes, wear their hijab , do not disclose their beauty unless those part that are evident , keep their head covers and do not reveal their beauty unless to their husbands and fathers [ …] . In Holy Quran, the concept of modesty and its implication in connection with allowed sexual relations and unauthorized are used for men and women alike. The focal point of these verses' interpretation is on the dangers that women's sexual behavior creates for women's social order. In the verse of 53 in surah of Ahzab has been mentioned that when you have requested something from the prophet's wives so, take it from behind the curtain of hijab because it is more pure for your hearts and theirs moreover, in this verse, hijab as a general symbol of Islamic identity and also as shield for the women's protection is stated; the Verse states hey prophet! Tell your daughters and Muslim women to put their scarves on so that it makes them appear as Muslim woman and are being save of raping. Watson relating to the rules of wearing hijab in the Surah of Noor and Ahzab specifies two key points: first social necessity of obeying womanly shyness with regard to the properties of tempting womankind and, the second tighter monitoring on women's wearing of hijab in a way to wear their hijab in public places more than domestic environments.
Watson believes that, among Muslims themselves over the existence of a certain indicator of hijab, as the requirement of shyness and modesty is confirmed, there is no clear consensus. Choosing type of cover for women who have faced various ways, it is either a political or personal issue therefore, from this perspective, we can not specify the views of the individuals regarding the importance of their assumptions in connection with the Islamic shyness and modesty in the wider socio - cultural conditions . From historical and global perspective, we can understand that created developments in style and type of women's clothing in light of numerous styles are either due to the economic factors, political or social change as result, in the last centuries the West has had a big impact on the
wearing-style in Arab- Islamic countries. In this regard, we can consider the adoption of the form of specific Islamic dress as the requirement of the time that represents independence, separate entities and rejecting Western cultural imperialism. Some believe that we should not consider the tendency to hijab as an imposed factor in the direction of restricting the freedom of women's social activity and prevention of their talent's growth, but we must regard hijab as a conscious choice that tendency toward it, is affected by the Iranian revolution ; a revolution which due to its view point, inclining to establish an Islamic genuine community . Therefore, the contradiction tendency of women to hijab in public environments and education is not an anti-feminist movement but, on the contrary, is a kind of "reverse feminism" with a moral and political implied concept. Choosing hijab in public places of work and study can be regarded as a reaction against Western secular feminism. Watson says: with a glimpse at Western words regarding hijab, we can perceive that they believe hijab is a clear indication of Islam's cruelty towards women therefore, with a quick look at Western literature we see that they, to describe the hijab of Muslim woman, use special words which uses hijab of Muslim women from the words such as shroud and so on. In general, Western reactions towards hijab is mentioned in one of two categories : First , it is a malignant interpretation of hijab which considers it as a clear indication of Islam's oppression and the second division is fanciful approach which view hijab as a part of the Eastern traditions that wants to recede sexual pleasure . However, as the historical studies show, the adoption of hijab in the past and the present caused cultural diversity so, the existing ideas, investigate the tendency toward hijab as a resistance at the national level, which is also either related to personal and social conditions.
Watson believes that Islam is not a system that wants to enforce the woman to be dominated by the men and under their supervision. Therefore, the new wave of tendency to hijab requires complicated individual interests and political ties however; The common features of the persons who has chosen hijab in a very different environments, is that in dealing with the pressures of change, modernity and
the relationship between cultures , has shown a political activated reaction . At a wider level, we can consider a new wave of tendency to hijab as an Islamic sample reaction against the global change and transformation, which is apparent in the principle-based foundation related to social and moral order as a new interest and, we can consider returning to hijab as a part of individual and political fight of women against present status and also symbolic fight to improve the situation. The issue of hijab as a personal and political concerns, is a problem that demands requirement in connection with gender and social statues in all societies and cultures so, considering these issues and debates relating to the new wave of a tendency to the hijab, makes all the women to argue that choosing dress is either a personal issue or a political one. Hijab may be one of the rare forms of political protest that some of the women are resorting to it.