Muslim Women Do Not Look the Same

By Sara Dougman

Islam and women is a very controversial topic and can be analyzed from many different perspectives. It is the topic I chose with the hope of trying to convey a simple message through my art project. Because of my basic skills in art as it is not my area of study, I chose to use the collage method as it was easy for me to do and at the same time encouraged me to think creatively when trying to use the right images for my project. Using the art collage from Arabic magazines, I began to be inspired by the amount of Muslim Middle Eastern entrepreneurs that I came across. Therefore I chose a few of them who were all Muslims yet some covered whilst other weren’t in order to stress that Muslim women don’t necessarily all look the same and they are becoming more and more important in the fashion industry.

            There is a typical stereotype that Muslim women are oppressed and hence never get to follow their dreams and that the fashion industry in particular is “haram”. With just a little research on the new coming Muslim women and designers/bloggers we can see that this is in fact not true.  Muslim women both covered and non covered are entering the fashion world with fresh ideas that are grabbing much attention. The pictures I added to my collage were chosen selectively as I wanted to portray successful Muslim woman who have made it in the fashion world yet also I wanted to show the contrast of they were they dress. For example, a few of the pictures were of Muslim women who wore a headscarf. Then to contrast it, there were women uncovered wearing very fashionable clothes. Also I wanted to show the new alternatives to the “hijab” now as the turban is becoming more popular and therefore I added an image of a Muslim lady looking extremely fashionable yet modest with a turban hijab. All of these women are available on social media as well and have a platform of fans, also breaking the stereotype that Muslim women can’t be exposed to the world in such a way.  It also breaks the stereotype that Mulsim women are restricted to their homes and their duty not exceeding that of her husband and kids. This is becoming increasingly false as religion is no longer a reason as to why women can’t follow their dreams, not making it less important however it is something personal. It was also interesting to see one of the Emarati designers design dresses and very fashionable clothes for her line that targets the elderly generation. This was even a surprise to myself as I would have thought being an Emarati and completely covered she would lean towards designing abaya’s however I was proven wrong. This also shows that covering oneself is something personal and does not have to affect your ideas or work you wish to produce. Fashion designers are also collaborating with one another with one of them covered whilst the other isn’t and it does not in any way affect their relationship or how they deal with each other.

            In conclusion, what I wanted to stress in my project in the topic art and Islam is that Muslim women do not all look the same and they do not all aspire to be the same. Like everyone else they dress differently and similarly have different goals. Religion will always be close to the hearts of Muslim ladies however in an increasingly globalized world they are able to keep their religion as something close to their heart and not let it stop them from achieving their goals. Whether a Muslim lady wears hijab, a turban or even a short dress it does not affect their work ethic and their endless ability to achieve. In fact they work together in harmony and unlike what many think, they are not oppressed and are able to express their creativity in their work.

An End to Negative Stereotyping

 By Yogesh Manglani

In today’s world, even though we have progressed in terms of technology and various other aspects like art and architecture, we are still bound by our way of thinking towards certain human beings. Whether it may be based on race, color, ethnicity or religion. Something that is worth mentioning about is unfortunately discrimination and stereotyping against Muslims. The first thing that often comes in one’s mind when we see or identify a Muslim is that he is a criminal or a terrorist simply by judging him based on his way of clothing. For example, if we see anyone on the street with a men’s headdress or someone with a large beard, without second thoughts, the first thing that comes in our mind is that he is a criminal/terrorist and this is simply wrong. Even if we don’t say a word when you pass by them, a look is more than enough to hurt them to a point where they break down emotionally.

The artwork that I am going to be presenting is inspired by the picture shown above; that shows how calling someone a terrorist based on their physical appearance can hurt them like a bullet metaphorically and break them psychologically. Armando Testa, an internationally famous Italian creative who found the biggest independent Italian communication group, has digitally designed the picture depicted above. I am going to be doing a painting on a canvas of size 40*60cm with the help of Mix Media, namely, Ink and Ink colored pencils along with paintbrushes. The type of painting that I am going to do is not a realistic one, but rather that of an expressionistic art, something that can be depicted based on how the viewer sees it.

The main message that I wish to portray is to remove the stereotype that a Muslim=Terrorist. This needs to stop for good. Just because the media chooses to show of all the wrongdoings of the world like bombing and suicide attacks by terrorists, they become a huge influence towards everyone watching or reading the news that Muslims in general are to be blamed, as their religion, that is, Islam, is a religion that teaches them to be violent and fight with anyone who disagrees with their thinking. Even carrying this thought in our minds and spreading this false information, discomforts people more than we imagine.

There are numerous people in the world that want to breakdown this stereotype but are not heard or promoted enough by the media and so the message is not reached out to the mass. Asif Mandvi, An Indian actor, states that “I think Islam has been hijacked by the idea that all Muslims are terrorists; that Islam is about hate, about war, about jihad - I think that hijacks the spirituality and beauty that exists within Islam. I believe in allowing Islam to be seen in context and in its entirety and being judged on what it really is, not what you think it is”. To reinforce this propaganda, the late King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz says that, “Muslims are not bloodthirsty people. Islam is a religion of peace that forbids the killing of the innocent. Islam also accepts the Prophets, whether those prophets are Mohammed, God's peace and blessing be upon Him, or Moses or the other prophets of the Books.”

I am just an Indian student who was born and raised in the heart of the Middle East, that is, Dubai. Surrounded by Muslims literally all my life, all I have to say about them is that they walk, talk and act like any other human being and are no different than anyone else in whatsoever. All that I wish the world needs to know that, it really damages someone when you call them a terrorist simply based on their looks and religion. Just because you see some crime on television by a group of terrorists, it is wrong to start having an alter ego towards all the Muslim people you come across. The people, who you come across, are human beings like you who have nothing to do with all the terrorism and anarchy taking place in the world. All they want to do is to grow up educated and have a family and live and be a part of the society and also contribute towards the exponential progress of the planet. I hope my piece of artwork inspires people to spread the message that Muslims are nothing but peace-loving people who want to be acknowledged in the society just like the rest of us.

Women in Islam

By Hiam Alsanousi

My name is Hiam Alsanousi, I study International Studies (International Relations Track), and I am currently a senior in the American University in Dubai. I am interested in politics and humanitarian issues and I aspire to become a diplomat or work in an international organization such as the United Nations. I love travelling and learning more about different cultures.

The theme I chose to focus on for my art project is women in Islam with specific reference to the ongoing stereotype that Muslim women are oppressed and deprived of the same opportunities that “Western” women are capable of having due to the rules of Islam. The artwork that I created depicts two sides, a woman wearing “niqab”, and on the other side a woman without the “niqab” but instead wearing a graduation cap. The medium that I chose to draw on is a mirror, because my artwork aims to reflect to a woman that looks in to the mirror that her religious background or national dress code, should not be able to limit her success and that the idea that women in Islam do not have the right to receive an education is yet another flawed assumption about the religion.

The reason I specifically chose women in Islam as my focal point in the creation of my art project is because Muslim women have constantly been victims to media and the stereotypes that come along with it. Whether classified as oppressed or simply assumed to be uneducated due to their dress code or beliefs, there is no denial that the media tends to make rash associations between Islam and lack of women rights. Lack of women rights is not something that is encouraged by Islam and in terms of women’s rights to education and success there is no reference in the Holy Quran or a specific rule in the religion in general that requires women to abstain from receiving an education. Another purpose for my specific interest in this topic is the fact that I am a Muslim Afro-Arab woman whom was given the chance to study whichever major I desired abroad, along side many peers with a similar cultural background.

Although I am well aware of the fact that there are women that are oppressed in specific countries and these activities tend to be highly associated with Islam, I believe that these accusations do the religion no justice. Different individuals can portray religion like most other things differently, which is why different Muslims act in different ways. People who do not follow the religion may also view some of the attributes of the religion as restrictive or extreme, and although having specific doubts about something you are unfamiliar with is natural, there is no justification for generalizing when it comes to religion.

Media: Mirror, Permanent Black Marker.

Technique: Sketching.

Dimensions. 30x30 cm Mirror.