Would You Wear It?
If your husband asked you to wear burqa, would you? I’m talking the fully-covered, black one that doesn’t allow any skin to be exposed, including your eyes; you know, the organs you use for visual purposes?
A few hours ago I was at the mall and whilst walking to the entrance which was made out of floor-to-ceiling glass doors, a man wearing shorts and a t-shirt was guiding his wife who was covered in black burqa just so that she wouldn’t bump herself into the glass doors.
Looking at the way she walked, it was obvious she was having problems to see anything; I guess that’s what happens when you have black cloths covering your entire body and sighting and on top of that, risking your own safety by wandering around at nights had it not been your lovely and loyal husband being there to guide your steps and hold your hand so that you won’t trip and embarrass yourself silly.
What I just saw back then made me feel uncomfortable and sad; Even though I manage to make a joke out of it, I can’t help but wonder how it feels like not being able to wear anything you want, because you have to cover your entire body for the rest of your life, and for the sake of what; love? Religion?
Can you honestly, be convinced that that woman herself did not feel restricted by her own attire? Any woman in her right mind would.
And how convenient it was that the husband, in the other hand, was free to wear whatever he pleased and be the alpha-male who guided the wife as if she was literally blind, or to have a better analogy, more like a dog on leash being walked by its master during obedience training.
I know, because I used to do the same thing with my dog during his puppy years since he couldn’t be trusted to roam the house freely without me finding mysterious looking dog poo in strange corners of the house. I could tell he really hated being put on a leash – he just wanted to be free.
If an animal has the natural yearning to be free, shouldn’t a human being? Perhaps it is natural to keep a dog on a leash for the safety of the people around it, but does a woman when being her own self and wearing her own choice of clothing, reflect just as much threat as a dog does?
Freedom has become an expensive right to every human being and some will fight to the death for it – and yet, some people are still putting themselves in their own prison.
Women. Women. Women. You’ve come a long way, baby.
But when will you ever be free?
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I’m very sad, Therry, very sad. I believe all religions are inherently good, but there are those who abuse a religion for their own ego. And women being lower at the totem pole must endure all kinds of abuses. I can imagine myself wearing a beautiful and flowing flowery scarf, but not a burqa, please.
I’m not sure of the origin of the burqa, but I think it may have something to do with sand and dust storms in the Middle East. I wonder how it evolved to this, not sure its needed at an air-con shopping mall.
BTW did the husband arrive by camel, if “no” why not?
I think Muslims all over the world dress in different ways. How you cover up is influenced by your culture. Like you, I can’t imagine why anyone would wear burqa comfortably, but it’s not for me or you to imagine – if it is voluntary then it’s entirely they choice and they doesn’t have to explain it to us. Would I wear it? Perhaps if I was in Saudi Arabia or some place like Afghanistan
well, the burqa itself, if im not mistaken, was the arabic women’s choice of clothing long before Islam was born. It has to do with culture rather than religion. Not sure why it has integrated to that particular religion.
like GJ said, if there were sandstorms then it is probably a good thing, but other than that, it’s just madness.
But you said the husband was wearing shorts and t shirt? well, if the shorts are above the knee then he is not being a very good muslim, the ‘aurat’ (part of body you must cover up) for a muslim man is between navel and knee, so there you go.
I think GJ is right. Women in Arabic lands wear burqa because of the winds and the sands and somehow they associate Islam with anything Arabic in Indonesia (they even adore Arabs as if they were holy people – I suppose those who got married with them for short-term contract in order to get the next generation’s bintang sinetron).
It’s degrading women. I tolerate headscarves and the fact that Muslim women want to cover their body, but burqa is just way out of the line.
I once saw a burqa-clad woman in Plaza Senayan at The Body Shop. Wondering why she was there.
What I know is, in Middle East, behind the burqa (or abaya), the women dress just like everybody else, bling-bling from head to toe, Chanel top, D&G skirt, Jimmy Choo shoes, etc. As far as I know you can show your palms AND face, but the culture forces them to cover their face too. But eyes? this is new.
Yes Anita is right, bling and sparkling with designer labels beneath the burqa. I knew it because some of my colleagues from the burqa countries. BTW, our company, one of American icon (Gap) recently open in Middle East and expected to woo female customers there. See, more blings. LOL
Of course, for free.
Lucky me.
Ah. Blings underneath burqas. Another eloquent representation of human nature. Individuality wrapped under conformity.
It’s almost poetic if it doesn’t feel that sad (at least to me.)
On another note, “Bling-Blings ‘Nderneath My Burqa” sounds like a possible hit single. Rap, of course.
watchout, another long comment Therry
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the Arabic were (or still) so barbaric when it comes to women. before Muhammad preached, they treated women as they wished, had sex with anyone anytime they like, they buried alive female babies, etc. mixed with the dusty desert environment, probably that is why women started to wear burqa; to protect them from hungry men eyes as well as the dust.
women wearing burqa is something different. and anything different stimulate us to question. the more different the difference, the more we question, the more the question will end up in prejudice.
one of my blog reader made comment on the article i wrote about why muslim women wear headscarf. he said he always question if we had done it because we are forced.
now he knows that many have wore it because we choose to wear it.
in 1998, i read about Indonesian woman graduated cum laude from high ranked French univ decided to wear burqa on her own wish. since then i never really thought that they wore burqa because they were forced to do so. perhaps it’s also because i wear headscarf ya.
aniwei, i think until one woman told me openly and honestly that they wear burqa upon the forceful wish of their husband, family or religion instead of they choose to do so, i would prefer to think they wear burqa because they have faith in what they are doing, they choose to do so. and when one woman cofess this, i shall not judge the rest experiencing the same.
freedom to women means that women have the freedom to put on or off anything they like, to wear or wear not anything they want, including to have or have not burqa all over them.
ps: Congrats on ur new blog
these women in burqa actually shop their lingeries or undies in La Senza or other branded boutiques… Now i’m wondering what’s the point of buying if u are going to be covered 99% everytime u go out?
strange, i’m pretty sure i read you before, but i’m not even sure if i’d been here before. Pardon the late visit, should’ve come earlier – before i start writing for you
got what u mean ther… sometimes expensive bra makes me feel more confident *apa hubungannya coba* hahahaha…
Of course. Expensive bras make me feel more confident too.
Ohkay, seriously, it’s not just women. Even men have what we call power suits, power ties. It’s like what some psychologists say, even though it appears superficial, changing our appearance affects our demeanor as well. When we feel good, we get more relaxed and confident.
It’s what Therry said that is quite interesting: some women may feel good while feel uncomfortable at the same time–wearing high heels and such. I don’t think men share that trait.
If the tie strangles us, no matter how good it looks, we can’t breathe. You can even spot a jeans guy on a business presentation. We can tell that he’s speaking on stage while trying to his best… not to scratch his crotch.
some says it’s sexy, but.. for me.. i think it depends on your definition of sexy… Haha…
Therry…
Interesting as always! My question is this: Let’s assume that the women in question is wearing the burqa because she wants to and not because she is being forced to, is it OK then for her to wear it?
I know women who have gone from not wearing the veil to wearing the veil for a variety of reasons but most of those reasons were their own free choice to do so!
In terms of branded underwear, g-strings, thongs, see-thru, and the like, it is my understanding that there is nothing in the Qur’an that states women cannot look sexy for their husbands within the confines of their own home!
The rest of us the next time we see a woman in a burqa can just imagine whether or not under the burqua is some super sexy lingerie!
Problem is, I really don’t think I’d marry one that would ask me to wear a burqa. This is Jakarta gitu!
Most likely, he would ask me to wear lacey white lingerie. For his enjoyment only.
Ngkali. Ngga tau juga sih.
Hi,
Firstly, I love your blog design! It’s so fun and colourful!
I was surprised that the burqa-clad woman had trouble seeing because in Saudi Arabia (my current home) there’s a lot of them and they get around fine without someone guiding them.
Also, it’s true that underneath the burqa, they are all “bling”-ed up! Some of them are (extremely) rich, and do their yearly shopping in Harrods, London while driving their Porsche/Lamborghinis/Bentleys. In Jeddah, the high-end mall sells all the haute couture brands and will always have people inside shopping. I went to an all-girls event once in Saudi, and I nearly got blinded from all the bling when they took off their abaya/burqa! I felt so under-dressed, lol!
That sad spectacle speaks for itself. Still, I have seen some myself. These girls are hitting the stores for expensive fashion; from Gucci to Adidas. I wonder what’s the purpose.
Anyway, I’ve always wanted to don a zero opening burka and hit the mall. That’d be a perfect disguise. I can get to the women’s restroom without much trouble, too.
Just for some sense of adventure.
@Mach Jabber, it’s actually been done before. There have been incidents in Saudi where guys dressed in a burqa walks into the women’s restroom (or any other women-only areas) :p
And I thought I was original.
BTW, that would be a good reason to ban burkas altogether, wouldn’t it?
Wait, it has the word “reason” in it. They won’t take it seriously.
I think the entire burqa/headscarf/whatever thing is ridiculous…a male-dominant cultural method of enforcing ownership and discipline over women that should have died out many hundreds of years ago. If the point is to enforce feminine modesty, it seems to me to do the opposite: it says, “I’m so sexy that no one can possibly look at me!” I’ll stop now…if I go on, I’ll just get more spun up!
Hmmm, I’m not quite sure what happened to those guys who disguised themselves with burqas. I wouldn’t be surprised if they just get a slap on the wrist
I went to a Saudi wedding! It was weird and surreal in some aspects, yet with the same happiness and hope you feel in any other wedding. Maybe I will write a post about it — for me, it’s one of my favourite travel stories!
it doesn’t bother me a bit personally. i’d stare, i’ll admit it, because i’ve never seen one with EVERYTHING closed, even the eyes.
i do feel sad for the woman, mainly because i, myself, won’t do it. but she’s not me. she is either a radical believer or mainly a very good wife/harem who’d do whatever told.