• Susan Seligson

    Susan Seligson has written for many publications and websites, including the New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, the Boston Globe, Yankee, Outside, Redbook, the Times of London, Salon.com, Radar.com, and Nerve.com. Profile

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There are 76 comments on Muslim for a Day

  1. This is an amazing idea on how to raise awareness of discrimination issues! It is so important to get people engaged and those who took part definitely were rewarded by the eye-opening experience. If I was on campus, I would have totally done this!

    1. I am left concerned for the incompleteness of these women “being Muslim for a day.” Does Dian Qu, for instance, understand that in countries following Sharia law — the laws Mohammed instructed his followers to obey and to spread to all “infidels” — her boyfriend’s refusal to walk in public with her might have saved her life? Being seen with in public with a man who is not a woman’s husband, or male relative, is a violation of Sharia punishable by corporal punishment or up to death by stoning. Wearing a hijab for a day in the United States where laws protect a woman’s rights isn’t “being Muslim.”

      1. The idea was for students to think and learn and reflect, and that appears to be what happened. Good point about the boyfriend if we were in a country following Sharia law, but in this circumstance, in America where it is not law, he was just being a jerk.

      2. I respect the point you’re making. It does however, rest on the belief that women’s rights under US law are more correct than women’s right under Islamic law. From the Islamic viewpoint, her boyfriend’s (that would be the first no no) refusal to walk with her shows how he relies on her physical attributes to somehow improve his social status, and therefore took her decision to wear the hijab personally. Or maybe he just didn’t want people to think he was ‘making’ her do it.

      3. Kitty, you seem to be missing the point and are very misinformed about Islam. You should have stopped one of the ladies wearing hijab and asked her for more information instead of coming in with pre-conceived ideas. That is the spirit of BU…..You might rethink your school choice….

        1. Kitty, you can also stop any one of the many ladies who wear hijab on a daily basis and ask them any and all questions you have. In my experience, they are always willing to answer questions…in fact, they want people to ask questions rather than just stare/judge. Asking can only help you!

        2. I don’t have “pre-conceived” notions. I have lived in countries where most of the population is Muslim, and where Sharia is the law of the land and have studied Islam, interviewing women here and abroad. Part of your education at BU entails opening yourself to the possibility that what you are told or would like to believe may not be so. The fact remains that wearing a hajib for a day in Boston does not provide a complete picture of what it is be a Muslim — whether you might consider that good, bad, or indifferent. Perhaps the more accurate title of the article would be “Wearing a Hajib for a Day.”

          1. Totally agreed with “Wearing a Hajib for a Day” cuz thats exactly how I felt at first. I just thought it would be cool to dress up like a Muslim girl for a day and that was ALL. No offense, but I did not pray 5 times a day and I ate pork. However, I was glad that because of a scarf, I could meet so many cool muslim friends and get to know so much about Islam, which used to be super mysterious to me. The event opened a gate to the Islam world for me. Talking about my boyfriend, in a sense it was a good experience for me since it allowed me to feel how muslims feel when being discriminated. “Discrimination = Ignorance” ?

          2. Kitty, I think you have a misconception that this was a “Be a Muslim a Day Challenge” as you indicated. This was, as you later suggested, “Indeed” a “BU Hijab Day Challenge”. As to truly learning what being a Muslim is like, this challenge is only an attempt to create awareness and sympathy, which will eventually lead to a better understanding of Islam. Also, I expect someone like you, who has knowledge and experience about the matter discussed, to acknowledge what positivities he/she has observed about the matter alongside the subjective negativities. It is the only way to be constructive and make your point have a ground. What I am told by you, after all, may not be so.

          3. If you have really studied Islam as you’re claiming and lived in an Islamic country, you should have also realized that this statement you made above is fully untrue and unrealitic. They DO NOT stone you for walking next to your girlfriend, period. Redo your homework again or forever hold your peace.
            Now, with that being said, I strongly believe that you are making things up.
            And I’m an atheist by the way.

          4. Kitty, the countries that enforce strict Sharia law are 5 at most. In all other Islamic countries some things might be frowned upon but not punishable by law. It’s almost impossible to be “stoned to death” for anything today, and absolutely impossible if one is seen walking with boyfriend/girlfriend. I am from one of the most dogmatic Sharia countries, but I’ve been to the Malaysia, Egypt, Lebanon, Emirates and others where hijab is common but it is completely optional.

            And the Sharia law of today is not “the laws Mohammed instructed his followers to obey and to spread to all infidels” but rather an extremist belief made by bedouins to fit their backwards culture. In most cases, extremists are given the power to enforce it to maintain a dumb society with numb minds– an essential thing to maintain a stable monarchy/dictatorship without fear of uprising.

      4. I don’t think you should make such comments about Islam and Sharia when you obviously don’t understand it beyond some snippets you either googled or watch on fox “news”
        Islam is the first religious movement to give women rights to own property & divorce.
        Try getting some credible information

        1. And to vote, actually, which in the USA not until the 1920’s or something? And by the way, they had some women in the forefront of battles too. Saudi probably one that still does cruel punishments like beheading and stuff, but you don’t get to say “Muslim countries” or “all muslims” do that. Some aspects of Islam was created according to the culture in a specific time and place. A lot of rules probably have been changed, to adapt to modern times cuz they believe in the scholarly jurisdiction. Everything is not set in stone. Somebody who really learned something about Islam, would know that Islam is actually about humanity and peace. Some aspects, you might need more explanation and understanding, just like you would about any other religion. Religion is sent to human beings, therefore it is supposed to fit the human nature. However, point is, try not to be harsh about anything especially one that you don’t know about.

      5. Kitty
        That punishment is for adultery, not walking or talking to a woman by a male. The Islamic ruling on a false scandal on a woman’s reputation too is very strict, such that a liar against a woman’s morality is refused as a witness in a court of law. Sharia does not label people nilly willy; it requires evidence beyond all doubt, prior to any punishments, and furthermore considers the circumstances surrounding a particular case. Its not a willy nilly religion. We dress closer to Mary mother of Jesus than any other religion, except some devout Christian nuns I believe

    2. What I find very disturbing in this story are the lies that are being spread. I know what’s happening in muslim lands and believe me, women have no choice. I have also read the qur’an five times and know much of the sira. I suggest these first-time hijabees read the qur’an to find out that the hijab is not mentioned. The hijab is an insidious interpretation of the hadiths which were written by men for men’s control over women and to advance islam in non-muslim lands through lying and deceiving aka taqiyya and tawriya and kitman.

      1. Hijab is mentioned in the Quran, The Light 31, The Parties 59… A lot of other religions have some sort of head covering, including Christianity and Judaism. And talking about being controlled by men, I heard that bikini was actually invented by a man, and I don’t know what is it about women getting all bare for a magazine and get paid for it, if it is not exploitation (even by women themselves). I wish people just stop saying that they Know something if in fact they no Nothing. That just doesn’t help. Unless they really aim to make peace and understanding between societies unattainable.

      1. How many innocent people in the US received the death sentence? How many innocent people have been put in jail? How did they let the guy that shot up the movie theaters walk free? I’m sure there are many more unfair cases. Every country’s judicial system isn’t perfect. Especially when you’re talking about less developed and probably corrupt countries.

  2. Umm, hijab is not banned in France, only face covering veils are (niqab/burqa). Its actually illegal in France to discriminate against a woman for wearing a head scarf.

    1. Hijab is banned from all public schools in France. There is now a movement to ban them also from all public subsidized institutions. This will happen. In Québec also, it will happen. Do not lie, please.

    1. Sure. As long as they aren’t form-fitting or see-though in any way. The Islamic dress code is a general guideline; Muslims can get creative in making styles work within those guidelines. The bottom line is: the more modest, the better.

      1. I think people don’t realize the purpose of wearing Hijab and wearing modest clothes. The reason is actually to protect women from instances of rape and being judged or discriminated against based on their physical features and more on their personality and who they are as a person instead.

        1. Although I respect your opinion about Hijabs intending to protect woman (as mentioned above) I think that in some ways it’s very one sided. Why is the answer covering up women instead of teaching men that it is simply not okay to rape/discriminate/judge women. Hijabs are beautiful and I think that the women who participated should be proud of stepping outside of the box but this is in essence another instance of women changing the way they live because of other people’s (mostly men, but not always) deplorable behavior.

          1. It actually isn’t one sided. It says in the Koran for men to “lower their gaze and be modest- that is purer for them- for God is aware of what they do.” And it says the EXACT same thing right after for women (lower their gaze and be modest)- no discrimination. :)

        2. When you speak with someone, you look at them in their face. Communication is through the eyes. Western men do not rape women because they are stimulated by their hair, scalp or neck. In muslim lands,yes, muslim men’s pulsions light up in an eyeblink when a wrist is visible. This is because muslim men have never been taught to be accountable for their actions in these countries, only women.

          1. If anything, rape in the West (Europe/NA) is much more widespread than in the Middle East.

            So that brings us back to the whole point of hijab.

            And women should treat their women like cattle in the field?? -_- Have you ever heard of a metaphor? Not to mention you’re reading someone else’s interpretation of a translation of the original text which doesn’t mention cattle. If you don’t think trying to understand something from a translation makes a difference, KFC’s slogan is finger lickin’ good. Unless if you’re in China, then it’s we’ll eat your fingers off!! ;)

    2. they can wear whatever they want as long as it doesn’t shape the body. We think of women as something really respectful and that’s why we don’t appreciate being starred at by everyone. It’s in a way a form of a conservative way of life and you can think of it as a different ideology/style of living.

    1. Women wear headscarves in Islam because God ordered them to. Men don’t because God didn’t order them to. Such orders will never be accepted by one until s/he is willing to humble him/herself and accept the superiority of God’s reasoning over the limited reasoning God has allowed him/her to acquire.

      1. So if God ordered all women to jump off a bridge, it’d be humble of them to obey? After all, if what determines whether we ought to do something is wholly and only that God commands it, on what grounds can we feeble intellects object?

        1. Skeptical, js made the true point that women wear it bc God ordered them to and not men however think of it this way, we have different body parts. In Islam we are supposed to draw the veil over our bossoms. Men dont have breasts so they have different dress code requirements that you should research.

          1. Umlaila,

            Unfortunately, you seem to have missed the point I’ve made. Doing x because God ‘orders’ x is a very bad justification for any practice, precisely because it results in absurdities, of which my comment about jumping off a bridge is just one example.

            And that’s what I think JS was doing: attempting to justify the practice of wearing a hijab by appealing to God’s commandment to wear a hijab.

            So who has what dress requirements in any religion isn’t the point here, nor is my initial comment one that needs to be based on ‘more research.’

        2. It’s a matter of faith after all. Hijab and many other things are very old traditions that are widely acceptable by millions of people for thousand of years. No Islamic tradition widely acceptable has even been interpreted as crazy as ” jumping from a bridge”. God’s commands at least contain a logical portion and that’s what makes it widely acceptable. In other words if it was as silly as ” jumping from a bridge” it would’ve not survived all those years and we would’ve not been having this conversation.

      2. This headscarf thing is not a religious thing. It’s origins are cultural, and predate Mohamed. I think it has more to do with protecting property from the harsh desert sun.

  3. Just wonderful; love this story and all it stands for! Great exercise in experiential cultural learning – I would love to have participated, so sad to have missed this!

  4. What a phenomenal idea! I think this is a great example of how BU’s growing multicultural student body is helping to dissolve stereotypes and create new relationships.

  5. I am so proud to hear that BU not only embraced this hijab day but also shared this story on BU Today. It really shows that BU is open to all cultures, religions and etc.

  6. So my friend actually ended up doing the challenge. She wasn’t treated any differently by any of the students she’d normally just pass by which is awesome and really shows how everyone’s okay with the belief that others have. However, she noticed that a lot of the adults around her were staring, which she thought was pretty discriminatory. I have to admit that I was acting a little different around her too but that’s only because I know her and it was a change that I wasn’t used to. But I’m really happy she did it, and I’m super proud of her:)

  7. I loved participating in this and the only people who took it badly the entire day were BU students. When I went to work men, women, and children were all very respectful or interested, and Muslims (both men and women) approached me and loved the idea of others wanting to learn about why they wear the hijab. There is a big difference between choosing to wear a hijab in the US or other parts of the world and wearing one in a country where you have no choice, as some of the Muslims I met during the day brought up. The women who choose to do so every day at BU are often living in dorms and their families wouldn’t know if they chose not to wear it – they’re making a choice for themselves and their religion, and I think we should respect that the same way we respect others.

  8. I think it is awesome that the women of BU have chosen to take a leap of faith (pun intended) to see what life in the shoes of another is like. It’s beautiful to see this solidarity. I am, however caused to ponder something. The Hijab is an outward expression of one’s faith and worn by women. I wonder if BU men would consider joining up and experiencing life for a day dressed in the traditional garb of Muslim men. I think it important for everyone to gain perspective. Just a thought. Job well done Islamic Society!

    1. I think that would be interesting, however, students who participated in this event got to put themselves in the shoes of other STUDENTS! Since “traditional grab” is not religious, but cultural, Muslim men don’t walk around campus dressed in that way. However, hijab, which is religious, is worn on a day-to-day basis by many female students here at BU. This challenge allowed students to understand and respect other students. Wearing traditional garb would not be specific towards students since on any given day, most Muslims simply wear jeans, like any other student!

    2. I would absolutely do it. Then again, I spent two of my summers volunteering on a dig in Jordan and this wouldn’t be my first rodeo in a dishdasha and keffiyeh.

  9. Islam is an oppressive religion.
    Islam places women lower than dogs.
    How about that young woman who was killed by her father for honor killing. This was not an isloated incident. And this happened & happens in America.
    I have seen and spoken with Muslim women and men. The women are fearful and men arrogant in their absolute dominion over the women. I have also read the Qu’ran and how women are perceived.
    I find this as nothing more than propoganda and highly offensive to women.

  10. Look for beauty and joy in every little thing that Allah has created!
    Enjoy the wind, and the rain,
    The sunshine and the Dust!
    Smile more than ever, every single day!
    Let your face glow with the gratitude you owe to your Rabb!
    The heart of a muslim is always content!
    So leave all your problems to Allah, surrender completely to His Will.
    And have faith in His Promise.
    There is no difficulty, that He can’t overcome,
    There is no harm that can touch you except by His will..
    You are free,
    In a world that is enslaved!
    Celebrate your freedom,
    Your love for Allah, every single day!
    Because the only joy that lasts, is the joy of loving & being loved by your god ♥

  11. I believe that religion is largely superstition, and that the worst crimes of humanity are committed in the name of a deity. Therefore I cannot condone anyone wearing something that is such a symbol of female submission, whether to God or to men. Putting it on for informational purposes seems quite ridiculous to me, and constitutes a further debasing of the women who willingly wear it and submit to this nonsense because of social pressure.

  12. Hijab and other such garb are a visible badges indicating that the woman in question is living in submission to islamic (shariah) law. They are also an expression of islamic gender aparteid and purdah (restrictions on a woman’s movement, her ability to travel alone/leave the house without permission, etc.). In most islamic countries – especially those governed fully by shariah, veiling is mandatory and enforced by the state using “morality police” whose sole job is to to harass/arrest women who are guilty of violating purdah, poor hijab, mixing of genders, etc. Islamic veiling is also a short hand method used by the ummah at large to distinguish between women under the protection of islamic law and those who are not obedient/submitting, and are therefore generally categorised as westernised (basically code for “slut”). Rates of harrassment of unveiled women in such places are astronomical (in Egypt, for example, it reaches in the mid to high 90% mark). . . . There is a reason why the two (formerly) most moderate islamic countries, Turkey and Tunisia, outlawed the veil in certain public places: having such a rule introduces an element of uncertainty when it comes to applying community/public pressure on the non-hijabbed because one can never know whether she non-hijabbi is one of those who refuse to obey islam and is therefore fair game for harassment/assault, or is simply headecd to University. So thanks, BU ladies, for bolstering an emblem of gender aparteid used to manipulate, control and harass a good chunk of female humanity. I’m sure the ladies in Iran who protested against it following the islamic revolution – at least one of which set herself on FIRE because of the imposed humiliation – reeaaally appreciate how open minded and sensitive you are.

  13. I will consider this an acceptable idea when hijabbed women in islamic theocracies go unhijabbed in support of women who reject the veil (and who are uniformly subject to harassment, assault and arrest).

  14. Hijab and other such garb are a visible badges indicating that the woman in question is living in submission to islamic (shariah) law. They are also an expression of islamic gender aparteid and purdah (restrictions on a woman’s movement, her ability to travel alone/leave the house without permission, etc.). In most islamic countries – especially those governed fully by shariah – veiling is mandatory and enforced by the state using “morality police” whose sole job is to harass/arrest women who are guilty of violating purdah, poor hijab, mixing of genders, etc. Islamic veiling is also a short hand method used by the ummah at large to distinguish between women under the protection of islamic law and those who are not obedient/submitting, and are therefore generally categorised as westernised (basically code for “slut”). Rates of harrassment of unveiled women in such places are often astronomical (in Egypt, for example, it reaches in the mid to high 90% mark). . . . There is a reason why the two (formerly) most moderate islamic countries, Turkey and Tunisia, outlawed the veil in certain public places: having such a rule introduces an element of uncertainty when it comes to applying community/public pressure on the non-hijabbed because one can never know whether the non-hijabbi is one of those who refuse to obey islam, or is simply headed to University. So thanks, BU ladies, for bolstering an emblem of gender aparteid used to manipulate, control and harass a good chunk of female humanity. I’m sure the ladies in Iran who protested against it following the islamic revolution – at least one of which set herself on FIRE – reeaaally appreciate how open minded and sensitive you are.

  15. Here’s an interesting article from the BBC on rapidly islamizing Malaysia:

    “Muslim women without headscarves are a common sight on the streets of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.

    “But engaging them in a discussion about the hijab is difficult.

    “Norhayati Kaprawi is a Malaysian activist whose recent documentary Aku Siapa (Who Am I) deals with the issue of how women in Malaysia should dress. She found some women unwilling to show their faces in her film – not on religious grounds, but because they feared reprisals.

    “This is a damning reflection on Malaysia’s Muslim society, says Ms Norhayati.

    “It’s full of fear. If you don’t follow the mainstream you will be lynched. . . . ”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-radio-and-tv-14649841

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