I came across this little agony aunt-esc site aimed at Muslims ("ask the iman" if you will) and it's a fascinating insight into how religion works. Take this example, the question posed by a female reader is "Is it haram for women to wear make-up and kohl?", "haram" means forbidden and Kohl is essentially eye-makeup.
The interesting bit is the response from "academy teacher" Ustadha Zaynab Ansari, here it is (in italics)
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah. May the peace and blessings of Allah shower upon our Beloved Messenger, his family, companions, and those who follow them.
Dear Sister,
Wearing kohl is one of the Sunnah's of the Prophet, peace be upon him. It is allowed for both males and females. Unless you will bring undue attention to yourself, it is permissible for you to wear kohl.
Makeup is different. In Surat al-Nur, Allah says, "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss". (Qur'an 24:31).
Scholars have interpreted the directive to not display beauty and ornaments except what ordinarily appears in terms of ordinary adornment and extra adornment. Ordinary adornments like kohl, henna, or a ring are permissible to wear in public. Extra adornment, like perfume, lipstick, dazzling eye colours, and the like are not permissible to wear in public. In short, any type of adornment which makes a woman look "made-up" and attracts amorous attention is not permissible, as this would defeat the whole purpose of hijab.
And Allah knows best.
Once you get over all the grovelling, how bloody confusing!
If you wear a hijab the only part of you people can see is your face, and it's ok to put makeup on your eyes (the purpose of which is to enhance sexual attention via the face), the parts of your body that are covered cannot have makeup on them, but presumably no one would see them anyway. However any makeup would need to be removed and re-applied 5 times a day for prayers (only a man could make up such an impractical rule!)
Then there is the instruction that women can't draw attention to themselves through the use of makeup but can flash their baps to their husbands fathers (not their mother's fathers?) and their brother's sons, I'm sorry but that's some messed up family!
It is so plain to me that these petty rules and restrictions are man-made, its just simple logic; what kind of evil, sick God would make the life of Muslim clowns such a living hell?
4 comments:
You have to admit that it is more interesting to invent a sick, evil god than some milquetoast, vanilla deity.
I wonder whether religions that have lots of complicated and unclear rules that govern all aspects of life invite lots of study which serves to reinforce the religion?
I have to say, I think the guy in the photo looks GREAT. The makeup on his eyes (oops, I mean kohl) is terrific looking, actually. I seriously don't think my eyes look that good with eyeliner.
'Baps' is a horrid word, btw. :-)
Lisa, you are right, every good story has to have a scary monster in it, the more unpredictable and smite-ready the better.
As you say the apparent opaqueness of scripture must serve to draw people in. Just like Dan Brown books, everyone wants to discover the ancient hidden message, only in the case of scripture there plainly isn't one. Except of course the ones put there by various theologians and medieval manipulators over the years.
re. The eye make-up, I agree, it's a striking "look", Eddie Izzard has been dining out on it for years! What a contradictory message though; all that angst in the Abrahamic faiths about gayness and yet men wearing make up is perfectly OK..?
I loved this post. The eye makeup, the drama, the religious restrictions. What a great find. I probably need to ask that guy a few questions myself about makeup application.
E, ta very much!
Imagine taking it off and putting it back on 5 times a day!
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