Women in Islam

BY HAYA SERHAN

Tools: Painting on A canvas

Inspirational artist: Nizzar Qabani (Muftah)

      Western influence and processes of transformation led to a change in the status of women, and feminist ideas began to grow. Women started going out of their homes to study and became progressively aware of their freedom, both their own and that of others around them. The feminist dissertation continued to develop—at first, notionally women met and talked about their conditions as well as their status and wrote philosophy and poetry about them. Then the dissertation developed in everyday terms: Women became nationwide and feminist protesters, founded relations that encouraged women’s rights. Women may have won the struggle for learning in the Arab world, but in other areas their progress is still obstructed by traditional elements, and the process of achieving equal rights between the genders is still imperfect. Women’s goal at that time wasn’t only for education but also every other thing that is said to be for women. That’s why I chose to talk about rights and about women in Islam in general. We have to be strong enough to let people understand that we have the right to choose what we want. Feminism should be called a mistake and especially about Muslim Women wearing the Hijab. I would take Nizar Qabbani as my inspiration for his beautiful words and versus about women.

     

          Qabbani’s highest rebellion was possibly writing about women in a way that poets haven’t done yet in the area. His daring, sensory images reminded the beauty of women. Their figures and allowed sexuality. Qabbani focused on strict and widespread criticism concerning Arab women and their approval of old rules, predominantly where women’s abilities and right were concerned. That’s why I decided to draw a painting where I can reach to a point that women are free to do what they want in Islam. They have the right to walk away from whatever is annoying them and they can go for their own choices. It is never said that every Muslim women has to be covered with the Hijab. In Europe, which is the other side of the world for us here in Asia, that almost every Muslim woman should cover her self up! It is wrong! This is not how people should look at Muslim women. They have rights, they can choose whether to have a hijab or not, and also it is based on society and the norms of the country. For example, where I live now, the United Arab Emirates doesn’t regulate its women to put on hijab, and even the people in it don’t have to. Unlike Saudi Arabia where women have to wear hijabs and even if they’re not Muslims too, cover up is a must. This is why I mentioned it is based on the country and the society itself. Women should have the right to choose whether they want to put on the hijab or not and they do. But the thoughts of other western countries are definitely wrong. The word of mouth was spread real fast upon how all Muslim Women should be covered up and that’s why it is the women’s right in Islam to make these people know how they get to choose their way of living. I got inspired by Al Qabbani because he said things in his poems that should be heard by almost every person who mentions that all Muslim women are the same just because they are covered up with hijabs. He simply admired the beauty hidden in the Arab world after every corner. Qabbani wrote the most emotional verses about Damascus, and beautiful words about his sister who commit suicide at the age of 15 because she didn’t get the right to marry the guy she loved. He is known for his love to the Arab world but he criticized what was going wrong with every region. When he wrote the verse about his sister he was wishing upon a change for how people look at Muslim Women and that women get the right to choose what they want.

The message that I’m trying to deliver in my painting is that, women in Islam should have complete rights for what they choose, because Islam is peace and it is not about how women should be talked about or seen as objects, in fact people all around the world should be against the idea of feminism. Women wont let the western influence them and whether the girl wears a hijab or not, she still can be full of wisdom and loves God and praying. The way people looked at these women can change the picture of Islam. That is why we have to keep it as it should be, “ISLAM IS PEACE.”  We should never forget how to love each other and take bad images of other women, or even genders!

Overview of the painting: A woman who is walking away from everything and has her back to all the people talking or saying things about her. Walking towards a tree next to the ocean that makes her forget everything she hears and that she can be as strong as any other woman by simply not caring about anyone in this world.

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I’m Haya Sarhan, I’m a sophomore majoring in Marketing Communications in the American University in Dubai. Expected graduation: spring 2018.

Student ID: 1402024626