Comments on: Should a Muslim eat wedding cake? A note on interpellation and agency

By: shak

shak — Sat, 18 Apr 2015 10:46:00 +0000

So many people make claims about how Islam oppresses women and how women have no rights because they’re forced to cover from head to foot. Its funny how when a woman decides to dress modestly from head to foot, regardless of whether her actions are corroborative or not, people have a problem with it, yet when a girl walks around in butt shorts and a bikini top, its perceived as “freedom and modern’. It is true, women and men both have emotions, both of them have a tendency to check each other out, but the proven fact is men are way more likely to act on their emotions than women are, and sometimes, these actions are criminal and turn out violent – rape. Asking men to behave themselves is almost impossible today. Because even though you bring your child up in the best way possible, he has his friends, tv and the net to devil him the other way. No matter how much concerned parents may protest, this is the truth. I am 22, study at a Sri Lankan Med school and studied abroad my whole life up until a couple of years ago. I know, trust me. It does seem unfair, I agree. Men can dress freely but women can’t but unfortunately men are stronger and more physical. A rapist will rape a girl regardless of whether she covers herself or not, but think about this, won’t you walking around in provocative clothes more likely induce the emotions of a rapist than a girl dressed more modestly (not exactly an Islamic dress)? This is the sense behind modest clothing. And its absolutely hypocritical for a Christian person to criticize the headscarf because every Catholic nun has to wear one and moreover, Mother Mary (May God bestow peace on Her blessed soul) wears a piece of cloth to cover her hair in almost all depicted pictures. Just Google Mother Mary and check it out.

By: Rita

Rita — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 07:36:00 +0000

In reply to Jayalath. Der Mr. Jayalath Thank you very much for your valuable and balanced comments. We have this sort of FUSS in all other religions too, when you analyse them carefully. Let us use our brains carefully and avoid these fusses and establish a lasting friendship among communities for a lasting peace in this planet..

By: S

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 05:25:00 +0000

To the author of this piece: “One that enables a Muslim man to have four wives, a Muslim husband, with Quranic sanction, to even beat his wife, or deny her a piece of cake.” <– Please take the time and effort to understand why certain things are said and in what context. Things like this can easily be misinterpreted (and often are) and are used to fuel Islamaphobia.

By: S

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 05:23:00 +0000

In reply to Groundviews. If people don't have a problem with women walking around in shorts, why should anyone have an opinion about someone who does not want to flaunt herself? Live and let live, yeah?

By: Jayalatn

Jayalatn — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 15:04:00 +0000

In reply to Groundviews. To ground view. Some Muslims say , the way women should dress has said in the Quran and some says that is not true , however we do not know who is right , what they need to understand is to adapt into the phase and place. If you look at the countries that you have named above , the majority are illiterate in there , example, in Egypt 25% are illiterate , Pakistan 25% are illiterate and the rest can be same or worst than them , therefore what can the planet expect from such a level of people ? The earth only can mourn about why he let them in first place . ( I got data from documentary of Al Jazeera )

By: Groundviews

Groundviews — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 05:50:00 +0000

An important issue in the Muslim world is how women should dress in public. A recent survey from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research conducted in seven Muslim-majority countries (Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey), finds that most people prefer that a woman completely cover her hair, but not necessarily her face. Only in Turkey and Lebanon do more than one-in-four think it is appropriate for a woman to not cover her head at all in public.
Via http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/08/what-is-appropriate-attire-for-women-in-muslim-countries/

By: Shanthi Rodrigo

Shanthi Rodrigo — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 07:01:00 +0000

Hats off to Ismail for a very well written article on a couple of burning issues. Now I have a better understanding of the subject if the need arises to discuss it with friends on my return home.

By: Jayalath

Jayalath — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 21:54:00 +0000

Dear Ismail ._ Thank you for your excellent piece of article , which rose in me number of interesting questions after reading it many times . As I see the depth of message and the spirit of it . It also has a priceless value and major challenges as well . As a value that I see the way you present it with pointing out the illusion of people using the religious beliefs successfully to satisfy individual interest . Where I meant many people of our society belong to various religions and those who use the religion merely as an object to regulate others behaviour . This is what the cake incident shows us in a Muslim wedding . Such case will only could arise in families but rising number of groups like BBS and extremist Islamists can seriously harm to entire population that is the danger . the BBS is operating in Sri Lanka as a political object using it in the name of religion although those instruments are not existing in true Buddhist nature ,and as we all know that Islam extremist terrorists in the world are doing all the villainies in the name of religion but truly their atrocities are not existing in the Islam religion .therefore I realise two ways of using the religion by people to obtain personal benefits and to create unwanted disputes and conflicts in a country or society .if you keep your eyes and ears widely opened that you will witness it .( examples are distinctively given in your article , the cake incident , Niqab issue , halal issue , they are beliefs in religion although they are used by people in a way creating troubles and provoking others , this is my concern ) And most important thing that needs to regard is why we do not see such fuss is remaining in other religions and only in the Islam followers . I hope people will not take my comment offensively , nonetheless it is important to discuss . However I suggested incoming challenges in this context . It is the far serious thing as far as I concern . If only we identified that some of in a religion is merely myths or only capable of creating troubles that we must determine to do some thing about it . Unless if we ignore it and left it to flourish , one day , we might have to face serious consequences to put it right . that is why I named it as a challenge . I may bring your attention the communist countries , especially before splits the USSR , there were no religion . It was prohibited , but did we hear any problems people had ? and after few years gone by , you may remember , Kosovo and Serbian conflict .which cost ten of thousands lives . we see it Happening today in Iraq , Syria , Lebanon , Egypt ,Pakistan , Afghanistan and especially in Muslims world . Their battle is within themselves , as sunny , Shia or as different sects , Therefore it is imperative today to have some ways to save people from the certain religious myths and put them into right path , because they arrive from the bottom of illusion and it hards to eradicate .hence , in there , I suppose we should take the difficult decisions if needed to save people from the hurts and pains caused by the name of religion thus , . . I would suggest that we must take this issues into open discussions and see what we can really do without playing each other like cat and mouse game .

By: Jayalath

Jayalath — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 17:41:00 +0000

Every woman must reward to you , It is admirable and comprehensive article in defiantly .well done . Thank you for speaking the truth .there are not many women who brave enough to speak out as much as you done . Great!!!

By: Sharanga Ratnayake

Sharanga Ratnayake — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 08:12:00 +0000

Good article, though I don’t agree with Althusser’s explanation as for why the working class doesn’t recognize that its being exploited by capitalism. I think a more straightforward interpretation would be Marx got his theory of labour all wrong, and there’s no such thing as the working class the way Marx described it, and Marxist like Althusser have been trying to rationalize this failure ever since.

Anyway, I would like to stress the issue at hand in case it gets lost amid all this philosophy talk. The question is whether Sahar should be allowed to wear her niqab in this particular case, and the answer is she should be allowed to do that.