Thresa Skeslien-Jenkins interviewed a Medical Student, Houstonian, and Sunni Muslim who we will call Sobia. Sobia does not cover. You can read their full transcript here. How does culture influence your religious practices and understanding of Islam? (Country of origin, View of family members) My parents are immigrants from Pakistan, which is obviously a Muslim-majority country. I do think religion and culture become intertwined and difficult to separate when you’re from an area that is predominantly Muslim. I did have to do some of my own research or have discussions with my non-Pakistani Muslim friends when I wasn’t certain if some practices or beliefs were grounded in religion or culture. I’m specifically thinking of attitudes towards women. Pakistan has ways to go in terms of gender equality, and I think some people try to justify the current disparities in education or work with Islam. But based on what I know of Islam, that’s really unfair. Islam encourages everyone - regardless of gender - to seek knowledge. I think these attitudes about gender differences and disparities are really based on history and culture. What are the biggest influencers of your decision to cover or [not cover]?
I grew up learning about Islam from women who did and did not cover. My mom did not wear hijab until two years ago. Some of my aunts and cousins do, some don’t. Some of my Quran teachers growing up did, some didn’t. For me, wearing a hijab or not wearing a hijab has never been a large determinant of my faith. I feel like my relationship with Islam is more determined by what I feel internally and how I act. I pray and I fast and I recognize God in different aspects of my life, and I think that those are really spiritual experiences that strengthen my deen (faith). Personally, I’ve never truly viewed wearing a hijab as one of those things. I know that a lot of women do, and I completely understand and respect that, but I guess it’s never been that way for me. To my understanding, the Quran tells both men and women to “wear a veil of modesty,” but I never interpreted this as the Quran asking women to literally cover their hair. I don’t wear hijab, but I dress modestly and I try to behave modestly. To me, that is my “veil of modesty.” I see wearing a hijab as a choice, and I know for some of my hijabi Muslim sisters, it is a choice that brings them closer to their faith and to other Muslims. I think that’s great for them, but for me, the choice has never carried that kind of weight or appeal. Have you experienced discrimination based on your choice to cover or not? Could you describe such discrimination? Though the majority of my experiences have been overwhelmingly positive, I can recall small instances where I felt a bit belittled for not wearing hijab. It’s kind of difficult to put into words, but I can remember a few comments by hijabi sisters that made me feel like my experience of Islam was not as important or meaningful as theirs. These moments were tricky because I do see Islam as a very important part of my life. At the same time, though, I completely recognize that I’m not carrying the burden that my hijabi sisters are. Because they are visibly Muslim, there’s sometimes expectations from Muslims and non-Muslims that they represent Islam, and this adds a lot of everyday pressure. How do you feel when you hear people say that covering is a sign of oppression? What is your perspective of countries or mosques that do require a woman to cover? I think it’s wrong for countries or cultures or families to require women to cover. When the choice is stripped away, that is oppression. But the way the majority of people practice Islam, hijab is certainly not oppression. I think the beauty of hijab actually stems from the fact that it is a choice. I know my hijabi friends and family members definitely don’t see their hijabs as oppressive. They see their hijabs as bringing them closer to their faith and their communities. Overall, I don’t really see hijabi women as different from non-hijabi women - or non-Muslim women for that matter. Do you feel the need to defend Islam when mainstream media attacks it? If so, how? I do feel the need to defend Islam amidst these attacks, but I’m really trying to question and challenge that need. Muslims should not feel responsible for defending themselves or their religion based on the actions of a few extremists or rogue attackers. Attacking Islam for their actions is unfair. In a way, Muslims rushing to defend Islam in these instances kind of gives validity to these attacks. How do you feel your Muslim identity has been accepted or rejected (whether in childhood, at Rice, in med school, in professional settings)? Have you had difficulty aligning your social life to your culture? I’ve been fortunate to always be in diverse settings. I grew up in Sugar Land, which is in one of the nation’s most diverse counties. Both Rice and Baylor College of Medicine are also very diverse. My peers in these settings were definitely primed to interact with and learn from people of different backgrounds. People have been overall really accepting of my Muslim identity. Like I said earlier, since I don’t wear hijab, I’m not recognizably Muslim - except maybe by my name. So in professional settings, it often does not even come up. And my friends don’t see my Muslim identity as something that makes me “other.” They often just use it as an opportunity to ask questions about Islam that stem from genuine curiosity. I might not eat with them during Ramadan and I’ll turn down alcoholic drinks when we go out, but other than that, being Muslim has not really affected my social life. I think my non-Muslim friends and I have a lot more in common than not. We we laugh at the same jokes, we stress over the same things, and we experience the same emotions. In college and especially in medical school, we share these experiences that transcend individual identities. I don’t think being Muslim or non-Muslim really changes that.
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