Over the last year I have criticized Muslim women who feel they have to wear the hijab. While I have no issues with this article of clothing itself, I do take issue with it being forced upon people. I have seen it as an oppressive mechanism solely because it is mandated by Islamic tradition. That is about to change.
Muazzez Ilmiye Cig, a 92-year-old retired archaeologist in Turkey, has found the true roots of this controversial headscarf. Cig is an expert on the ancient Sumerian civilization of Mesopotamia and boldly claims that the hijab dates back more than 5,000 years — several millennia before the birth of Islam. So what you say? Well, Cig says that the headscarves were worn by priestesses… priestesses who initiated young men to sex! Suddenly, stock in hijabs just went through the roof. I’ll be getting one for my wife, but that’s another topic ;)
As reward for her research, Cig is facing 1 1/2 years in prison for "inciting religious hatred". She goes to trial a week before a crucial European Union report on Turkey’s progress toward membership. Turkey has been dinged in the past for curbing freedoms, and I don’t think this will help.
So here’s what I’d like to see discussed:
- Will you look at women wearing the hijab the same way?
- Does Turkey belong in the EU?
- And anything else of course :)
Related posts:
- Hijab Or Bust
- Muslim Cleric Fits Both Feet In His Mouth
- Take This Hijab And Shove It!
- Islamic Sign Creators Association Greets Pope In Turkey
- Muslims “Pissed” Over Bubbly Incident
November 1st, 2006 at 10:54 am
every time, without fail, mulsim countries show what they’re all about.
November 1st, 2006 at 10:56 am
hmmm the sexyness.. cig should have flew to US then talk smack about the hijab atleast then she would be abel to be a hero instead of being in prison(bad pr)
November 1st, 2006 at 11:30 am
Will I look at the hijab the same way? Yes. The same objects can have vastly different meanings from culture to culture. The fact that two separate cultures separated by thousands of years both had head scarves that were interpreted differently is not very surprising. In many Islamic cultures, the hijab is still a symbol of repression. I know many Muslims view it as symbol of modesty but it is too often forced modesty that removes the freedom of choice.
Does Turkey belong in the EU? I really don’t know. I’ll leave that up to the EU and its member State’s citizens.
Anything else? I don’t find head scarves sexy. Unless, of course, the woman is wearing only a head scarf ;)
November 1st, 2006 at 12:09 pm
sidfaiwu: I think you’ve summed it up perfectly. Especially on the Anything else part.
November 1st, 2006 at 12:16 pm
I’d still like to hear from some Europeans about Turkey’s entry in the EU. At least from what I’ve heard, many Europeans are not to excited about the idea at all.
Is that racist or just snobbish? You decide :)
gasmonso
November 1st, 2006 at 12:24 pm
[...] Outro site que gosto de ler de vez em quando é o Religious Freaks. Acabei de ler esta notÃcia sobre o hijab… Estamos lixados com isto. Já não se pode dizer nada politicamente incorrecto que vamos logo prá prisão… [...]
November 1st, 2006 at 12:37 pm
i lived in europe most of my life, including many years in germany where the turkish minority is heavily on the rise. most other western-european countries are facing a similar situation with muslim minorities from other places. in most cases, muslims refuse to integrate into the society, and even refuse to learn the language. many europeans are not at all excited about the rise of muslims influence in their respective countries, and i can only agree. islam is a very aggressive, unforgiving culture. muslims have a natality rate far above that of any other ethnic group. if things continue the way they are right now, it won’t be long before they completely take over.
it may sound racist, extremist, nationalistic or whatever, i think that europeans need to take some pretty extreme measures to preserve the core of the european culture. i don’t want to come back to germany one day and feel like i’m in iran or something. i don’t want to see any minarets rising in europeans cities, nor do i want to hear their prayers every so often. god knows i hated that back in my home country of yugoslavia where we let that happen (and we paid for it dearly).
November 1st, 2006 at 1:03 pm
This is absurd. She is being prosecuted for expressing a theory based on evidence.
This is tragically not surprising.
November 1st, 2006 at 1:43 pm
Whatever the hijab was originally used for, when it is used now it is more often than not as a tool of control and/or hiding, and for that reason I don’t like it. People who want lots of power have a habit of changing the meanings of things to suit their own interests, so I don’t see this as much different. However, i do wonder when the change in meaning happened, since it’s so drastic.
November 1st, 2006 at 3:08 pm
I’m European (well, English) and I’m not too impressed with the EU receiving entry applications from Asian countries.
England is nearly as bad, incidentally - pseudomuslim demonstrations are now exempt from our anti-religious-hate laws, but attempting to point out that these people are advertising their manic xenophobia and psychosis is inciting religious hatred. Hooray for the nanny police state!
November 1st, 2006 at 4:58 pm
What? Women are things.
Stop trying to unravel thousands of years of repression, biggotry and misogyny with open dialogue, you bastards.
November 1st, 2006 at 6:37 pm
I am European (actually German, but I feel more European than German) and I am quite unsure what to think about taking Turkey in the EU.
The “core culture” discussion that boris mentioned is dangerous. Easily is the word culture used a new synonym for race. Decades ago different races wouldn’t mix, nowadays there are “cultural differences” - beware of xenophobia in sheep’s clothing. People (mostly pretty conservative people) keep telling that Turkey still doesn’t care as much about human rights as it should. Yet the EU is no better. We don’t suppress Kurds but we do catch poverty fugitives in northern Africa and have them thrown back into the desert by local authorities. I could tell more stories of the EU being cruel but that one example makes my point clear, I think. And Turkey is developing. They have changed a lot in the past years, they have developed towards Europe. Taking them in may have an integrating effect, pushing the existing development. Excluding Turkey may lead to disappointment and a decrease of their efforts towards EU membership. They would then turn to countries in the middle east for strategic alliances. Do we really want a Turkish-Iranian alliance?
And about preserving our core culture: What is our core culture? If it is humanism and democracy we’re already working on its deconstruction. Military interventions all over, capitalism unleashed, intransparent EU bureaucracy and all that. In my opinion these threats are far greater than a new EU member called Turkey.
When it comes to separation of state and religion, Turkey is tougher than my home country. It has banned hijabs from public buildings, as far as I know, which is still being debated over here. And some of the current EU members are hard core catholic states (namely Poland and Ireland - please correct me if this is a prejudice).
And don’t tell me women are being oppressed in Turkey. In many EU member states women are still suffering from fewer career opportunities and other inconveniences. We are hardly any better.
All these arguments are no excuses. Turkey, if it is still interested in becoming a member of the EU, still has work to do - but so do we. And as I stated above, Turkey could be encouraged to follow this way by its integration in the EU.
But there are other problems. The EU has just recently expanded from 15 to 25 members and we’re facing problems with this conversion. If Turkey was to join now the system might not be able to stand such a fast expansion (and the connected internal changes). I also fear a general lowering of standards (health care, social welfare, product safety, environmental regulations and stuff) with the expansion of the EU.
And of course, there are muslims who are unwilling to integrate. But these are relatively few. Their media coverage is, however, relatively high. We shall talk to the reasonable ones. As far as Germany is concerned, many immigrants are still disadvantaged. They are (on the average) poorer than we are, they don’t live in the same areas as we do and so on. Social exclusion on our side leads to separatism on their side. But what the hell does this have to do with Turkey and the EU?
Now it’s quarter to one and I’m planning to get up at seven. Conclusion: This discussion should be postponed. If people are interested I can go on with this argument some other day.
Do I sound like a true European weasel? Keeping all my options open and never stop worrying about all kinds of shit. Maybe this is our core culture.
November 1st, 2006 at 6:41 pm
Shaze. Brilliant. Couldn’t have expressed it better.
After years of repressing and killing Kurds in the hills, this is nothing for Turkey - a country that is technologically advanced but remains in the Dark Ages in terms of free speech and thought. I should know, I lived there for three years.
November 1st, 2006 at 6:43 pm
I’d hate to burst your bubble atheist, but links between turkey and iran are already in place. Turkey is looking beyond that; they have ties with most of the turkic nations including (but not limited to) Turkmenistan, Kirkizistan, Azerbaijan etc.
November 2nd, 2006 at 3:53 am
I’m also from Germany, EU.
Sure Turkey has links with its neighboring countries and the islamically inclined countries all over the world. This is nothing exceptional in the globalized world we live in. I would guess that the countries with no links to Iran are in the minority.
Having a mainly Muslim country in the EU can be a great asset. It is a lot easier dissolving the cultural/racial/religious/fabricated barrier when you are in close economic partnership with the other side.
Turkey is very secular from what I hear. They still have some way to go and there are political forces in place that want a shift towards a more islamistic society. But more Turkish people and politicians will see the advantage of human rights and associated ideas if it helps them getting into the EU.
The EU has to use its leverage to change the legislative and judicial system in Turkey away from religiously inspired trials like those mentioned in TFA.
November 2nd, 2006 at 4:06 am
The whole core culture thing is questionable at best.
In Germany and most other European countries there has been so much US-American influence on culture that it is only little details that tell you you are not in the US.
McDonald’s was here first, then came Kebab, then Pizza Hut and Burger King. Starbuck’s is springing up all over the place. The public space is saturated with American or Americanized symbols. Some easily recognized mosques will not steal Germany’s face. The high rising buildings of international corporations are a lot more visible and defacing to a city than a couple of alternative places of worship.
The Turkish people in Germany were all rooting for the German team during the WorldCup. Of course it was because their team didn’t make it, but still. They could have gone for Iran or Brasil, but they didn’t. Lots of German flags on all the Turkish cars.
We have to think about what culture really is and how it could be preserved. In my opinion the only chance to save culture is to reinvent it constantly. New ideas will definitely help to do that. Just preserving the old will lead to something dead. Life needs change and room to breathe.
November 2nd, 2006 at 4:28 am
[i]And some of the current EU members are hard core catholic states (namely Poland and Ireland - please correct me if this is a prejudice).[/i]
Ireland was one of the last strongly catholic states in Western Europe, but has changed significantly in the last 20-30 years. It has always technically been a secular nation, but is very much so in practice now too. We still have a hard core of church goers, but like every where else, their numbers are dwindling fast and we are heading towards a mostly deist society very rapidly.
Dave
November 2nd, 2006 at 9:59 am
Getting back to the original question:
No, I will not be looking at hijabs any differently. What they were originally does not affect what they are and what they mean today. I do find it interesting, and I think that anyone who takes this particular cultural tradition seriously should know this new information, but again, things change after 5,000 years. An expired coupon is just a scrap of paper, you know?
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:35 am
Okay, I know this isn’t a deep thought, but am I the only one finds those pictures of the womens eyes behind the hijab incredibly sexy? Full/upper body shots ruin the effect but head shots I like.
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:43 am
haha… it adds a little mistery. is she a butterface or not? maybe its a man? :-D
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:12 pm
Thanks to Sklyclad for correcting my view of Ireland.
Two more points on Turkey and the EU:
1. The Cyprus question. Cyprus is an EU member and Turkey will have to accept its right to exist.
2. The Armenian question. Turkey denies the genocide it caused to Armenians. They will have to admit it and go through the process of working things up.
I guess both problems will be solved in the following decades, but I am no expert on this field.
Concerning hijabs I agree with sidfaiwu.
November 3rd, 2006 at 1:57 pm
I wonder if these priestesses were forced to initiate young men to sex.
As for the Turkey-joins-the-EU issue, the main reason I dislike the EU is because it makes legislation slooooow. Take our (the Netherlands) softdrugs policy, for example. In that, we’re ahead of all other EU countries. The other countries don’t like it, and even want us to do away with it. If a medieval country like Turkey were to join, what effect would that have on such progress?
November 4th, 2006 at 1:46 am
Slow legeslation is good legeslation: Just imagine if they legeslated you to do away with it. If anything, the legeslation should be slower, but the commission puts issues to vote until they pass.
Technically, the EU should work under the subsidiarity principle, only passing the laws absolutely required while letting do the member states their own thing.
Sadly, it is used (at least here in Germany) to press locally unpopular legeslation through the EU and then realize it in a way violating the constitution and then the government says “the evil EU made us do it”.
November 7th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
While this may be true, the reason Muslim women wear them is quite different, although equally inane.
When Mohammed and his followers lived in Medina, they lived in a communal lifestyle. Houses were more open, with no doors or windows, just cloth covering the opening.
Mohammed’s house was, of course, the center of the community, the place where everyone dropped by. Mohammed also had 4 wives, as was common in those times.
So this is the setting- communal lifestyle, open doors, frequent visits, 4 women living in the most frequently visited house.
As can be expected, there were problems. If one of the wives was less than fully covered, as also could be expected when one is at home and lives in Arabia, and someone dropped by and entered without knocking(no doors), then it was the same reaction as would happen today, “eek!” followed by some commotion.
So after this happened a couple times, Mohammed finally had had enough, and declared that the women should stay covered to prevent this type of mishap.
From this simple beginning, you now have the situation today, which is women wearing the full hijab at all times, under threat of who knows what penalty the assholes in charge have in store should a women feel like commiting the ultimate sin of simply wanting to feel the sunlight shine on her skin.
As Kabir, the great Indian poet said, “Hey Muslim, if God wanted women to be covered, why didn’t they come out of the womb that way?”
November 12th, 2006 at 11:32 am
Hijab is recommended to be wored by each and every Muslim Female. This is to make sure that all females are kept secured and that their secracy remain secrate. Muslim females should not behave like prostitutes wherever they found themselves. Nude dress is not allowed in Islam because it causes the attraction which could lead to immoral sex than could produce bastards as there are many in western countries. Muslims should not behave like animals. They have a divine guidance not like others who discarded their books and embrace the doomed civilization
November 12th, 2006 at 11:40 am
sorry! little bean. You are ignorant of Islam and Muslims. It shows that you did not know anything about Islam. Keep your mouth shot on matters concerning Muslims for you did not know anything about it. Go and study history very well then come back to tell the world how Prophet Muhammad conducted his life. The story you have given has no root neither branch in the History of Islam.
November 12th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
muzyne, do you ever wonder ever why people think muslims are hostile and close-minded? read all your posts and you get a better idea of why.
“Keep your mouth shot on matters concerning Muslims for you did not know anything about it.”
Hey muzyne, i have a great idea. How about someone create a webpage where EVERYONE can share their opinions. it doesnt matter if your not an expert on all religions, you could even be a religious fundamentalist who doesnt understand the negative impact that your religion has on the world. Wait a minute….
November 12th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
“Nude dress is not allowed in Islam because it causes the attraction which could lead to immoral sex”
So why is it that only one that is held responsible for preventing this “immoral sex” is the women? Don’t muslim men have self control?
November 14th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
# muzyne Says:
November 12th, 2006 at 11:32 am
Muslims should not behave like animals. They have a divine guidance not like others who discarded their books and embrace the doomed civilization
——–
You know, its not often I laugh so hard I almost spit out my tea reading this site, but damn myzyne, THAT was rich!
Regarding this headgear, say what you will, but I defy you to find a better way to do an ugly chick with a great body.
I despise all hate-speech laws. Frankly, I would rot in prison in some of these countries. My main reason for hating these kinds of laws is it encourages thin-skinned little sissies like the kind that gets all worked up over a cartoon. Don’t be a little girl about it, if someone says or writes something about your little useless religion that you don’t like then do what any civilized person would do, shrug it off and move on with your life. Don’t get your panties in a bunch (yes, I said panties. If you are muslim and are offended that I suggest you wear panties, get a life).
I am REALLY getting sick to death of all the whining little sissies that think someones words HURT THEM. My mother taught me at a VERY young age that if someone says something I don’t like, get over it and move on. Why did your mother not teach YOU THAT? I need to stop, I am getting genuinely pissed.
November 15th, 2006 at 12:38 pm
What I would like to know is what the f–k has it got to do with anyone what anyone else wear? In europe, many young girls and women wear very little (boardering on nakedness) when they’re out and about. Surley you busy-bodies should be more concerned about that!
November 28th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
>> “So why is it that only one that is held responsible for preventing this “immoral sex†is the women? Don’t muslim men have self control? “
November 28th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Why must we stay where we don’t belong
Why must we stay where we don’t belong
Because there’s never gonna be enough space
So eat the meek, savor the taste
It’s always gonna be a delicacy
Lick your chops and eat the meek
Why must we stay where we don’t belong
Why must we stay where we don’t belong, don’t belong
The factory mass producing fear, bottled,
Capped, distributed near and far
Sold for a reasonable price
And the people, they love it, they feed it
Brush with it, bathe with it, breathe it
Inject it direct to the blood
It seems to be replacing love
Why must we stay where we don’t belong
Why must we stay where we don’t belong, don’t belong
Because there’s always gonna be token truth
Forgotten code discarded youth
You know there’s always gonna be pedigree
One own the air one pay to breathe
Why must we stay where we don’t belong?
November 29th, 2006 at 5:33 am
why was my post edited??
November 29th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
Hi Amatullah, I can assure you that your comment was not edited in any manner by me or anyone on this site. I respect everyone’s freedom of speech whether I agree with their opinions or not. This I can guarantee you.
Could you explain what exactly was edited?
gasmonso
February 1st, 2007 at 1:56 pm
I find it interesting that the evidence on the origins of the hajib point to a culture where women were respected and held in positions of authority. Maybe I’m wrong on that point. If that is true, then it’s interesting to see that the same culture has now come to symbolize repression of women. Wouldn’t that be very ironic? Or maybe something to make us concerned…
February 1st, 2007 at 3:49 pm
“Hijab is recommended to be wored by each and every Muslim Female”
Only recommended? So muslim women around the world can choose not to cover themself?
“This is to make sure that all females are kept secured and that their secracy remain secrate.”
Why must women be wrapped up and kept home when it is the men that should be kept under guard? Oh thats right. In muslim society the men makes the rules.
“Muslims should not behave like animals. They have a divine guidance not like others who discarded their books and embrace the doomed civilization”
I just read about a icecream salesman in Thailand who had his head cut off by muslim rebels in accordance with the Quran which say “cut off their heads”. Very divine guidance.
I guess you mean the western society when you talk about doomed civilization. The interesting thing is that its the muslim countries that have the most civil unrest, corruption, incompetent leadership and economic unstability.
If I should point to a doomed civilization I would pick the islamic world. It has a hard time adjusting and developing and the islamic religion is the weakest I know of.
If just one little sentence in the Quran is without doubt false. Just one. then it can’t be made by a God - that would mean Muhammed either was an imposter or mentally ill. The whole religion would collapse.
Examples:
sura 6:38 says that all animals and flying beings form communities, like humans.
Not true. Many species live alone. There are even animals that eats their partner after sex according to their nature.
Sura 25:45-46 Say that the moving sun creates shadows. Thats what it looked like for Muhammed but its not true. Its the rotating earth that creates the shadows.
There you go. I have just destroyed an entire religion. Thats how weak founded it really is and that would perhaps explain why muslims gets so angry when somebody critisize it. Deep inside they know.
April 12th, 2007 at 7:21 am
What is quite interesting to me is how the hijab is changing over time in different countries. Each adapting the hijab to customs and tastes of its people.
silkrouteclothing.com seems to be one of many companies doing this. And I would love to see more of this arround the world.
August 10th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Your very judgmental who in their right mind would spend their time on an usless website critisizing use on our faith in our ever-so great religion????? Amad person and for your information christian and catholic woman are supposed to cover their head also it is just the nuns who dress bibilcally
August 30th, 2007 at 2:27 am
Muslims do not claim sole ownership of the idea of ‘veiling’– in fact most early civilizations had some form headcovering (be they hats or veils– think of the pictures of the virgin Mary, who is pictured wearing a veil). It seems highly probable that a headscarf would, at some point, have been worn by priestesses. I have no doubts that they did. However, as many cultures a modest head-covering, it seems pre-emptive and inconclusive to assume a relationship between the two.
And (again!), the hijab is a scarf that covers a woman’s hair– not her face. Perhaps a new photo (or some research before commenting) should be considered as some people seem to be confused.
August 30th, 2007 at 2:33 am
Oh, and the modern hijab (or headscarf) was not popular among muslimahs until the 1970s or so. Before they they wore long flowing robes from head to toe (a big cape that covered their hair as well– exposing only the hands and face), however women desired a more convient form of dress (as they were spending more time outside of the home). With the modern hijab (basically a pinned up scarf) women could wear more westernized-clothes while still covering their hair.