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Life Talk!

Head Covering or Hijab in Christianity

roshandel

roshandel

Iran, Islamic Republic Of



Introduction


A common misconception is that Muslim women are the only ones who cover their hair. It may be true that Islam is the only religion in which most women follow its directives to cover the hair, but it is not the only religion to have such directives.

It is particularly interesting to look at the case of Christianity, since Christianity is the predominant religion in the West, and it is Westerners, including observant Christians, who are often the first to criticize Islam because of the hijab (modest dress, including headcovering).

Is Covering the Hair a Religious Commandment for Christian Women?

There can be only one answer to this: yes, it is! Simply open the Bible to the First Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 11. Read verses 3-10.


But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying with his head covered, disgraces his head. But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head, for it is the same as if she were shaven. For if a woman is not covered, let her be shaven. But if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. A man indeed ought not to cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God. But woman is the glory of man. For man was not created for woman, but woman for man. This is why the woman ought to have a sign of authority over her head, because of the angels.


The meaning of this passage is plain enough. We can make the following syllogisms:

Syllogism 1

Praying with an uncovered head is a disgrace

Having a shaved head is the same as praying with an uncovered head

Therefore, having a shaved head is a disgrace

Syllogism 2

If it is a disgrace for a woman to have a shaved head, she should cover her head

It is a disgrace for a woman to have a shaved head – see syllogism 1

Therefore, a woman should cover her head

In other words, the passage means what it says. Have you ever wondered why Catholic nuns dress like they"re wearing hijab (Muslim hijabi women, have you ever been mistaken for a nun? I have, more than once).

 
Have you ever wondered why Mary the mother of Jesus (peace be upon them both) is always depicted in Christian art with her hair covered? Did you know that until the 1960s, it was obligatory for Catholic women to cover their heads in church (then they "modernized" the service)?





There are some interesting points that can be made about the Christian directive.

1) The explicit purpose of the Christian woman"s head covering, as stated by Paul, is that it is a sign of man"s authority over woman. The explicit purpose of Islamic hijab is modesty. Strange how so many Westerners think that the purpose of hijab is a symbol of male authority.


2) The Christian woman is to cover her head whenever she is praying, whether it be at the church service or just personal prayer at home. This may mean that if she is not praying at home, she is uncovered around male guests who are not related to her; or if she is praying at home, that she is covered around her own husband and family. If any more proof were needed than Paul"s own words that the Christian head covering is not about modesty, this must certainly be it!




This puts hijab (head covering) in a whole new perspective, doesn"t it! To my non-hijabi Muslim sister who feels that hijab is a sign of oppression for the Muslim female, please do read the above and then read the Quran. Believe me, if Allah SWT meant for hijab to be a sign of male authority, the Quran would be as unambiguous about it as Paul is in the Bible. Isn"t this difference the kind of thing that attracted you to Islam in the first place?

Do Any Christian Women Today Cover Their Heads?

It is true that most Christian women do not, and many don"t take other teachings of the Bible (against pre-marital sex, adultery, etc) literally either. However, there do seem to be a growing number of Christian women out there who are committed to following the Bible as it is written.

Christian Women wearing Head covering and practicing what it says in Bible:

Below are some of the Picture and comments of our Christian sister who practices according to bible teaching. I have manage to get the details from one of the website.


Source is: Charming the Birds from the Trees

Other Link:


 


Bible Verses regarding Head Covering

History of Hijab or Head covering




03:19 PM May 08 2008 |

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mike_gwen

mike_gwen

Indonesia

God’s will is beyond our comprehension.I absolutely agree with you…I believe d in my holy book because it teach me about love and compassion and to try not doing harm to other.and by doing this loving stuff I’d feel joy .because my original aim being embrace a religion is to gain happiness…I respect your choice to believe in any religion and its belief because maybe you found happiness there.but I myself won’t be happy if I’m being arrogant to other because it’d make me looked like a fool and like some sort of bigot without fully understand his own truly religion…

10:29 AM May 11 2008 |

mike_gwen

mike_gwen

Indonesia

God’s will is beyond our comprehension.I absolutely agree with you…I believe d in my holy book because it teach me about love and compassion and to try not doing harm to other.and by doing this loving stuff I’d feel joy .because my original aim being embrace a religion is to gain happiness…I respect your choice to believe in any religion and its belief because maybe you found happiness there.but I myself won’t be happy if I’m being arrogant to other because it’d make me looked like a fool and like some sort of bigot without fully understand his own truly religion…

10:30 AM May 11 2008 |

mike_gwen

mike_gwen

Indonesia

God’s will is beyond our comprehension.I absolutely agree with you…I believe d in my holy book because it teach me about love and compassion and to try not doing harm to other.and by doing this loving stuff I’d feel joy .because my original aim being embrace a religion is to gain happiness…I respect your choice to believe in any religion and its belief because maybe you found happiness there.but I myself won’t be happy if I’m being arrogant to other because it’d make me looked like a fool and like some sort of bigot without fully understand his own truly religion…

10:30 AM May 11 2008 |

mike_gwen

mike_gwen

Indonesia

God’s will is beyond our comprehension.I absolutely agree with you…I believe d in my holy book because it teach me about love and compassion and to try not doing harm to other.and by doing this loving stuff I’d feel joy .because my original aim being embrace a religion is to gain happiness…I respect your choice to believe in any religion and its belief because maybe you found happiness there.but I myself won’t be happy if I’m being arrogant to other because it’d make me looked like a fool and like some sort of bigot without fully understand his own truly religion…

10:30 AM May 11 2008 |

mike_gwen

mike_gwen

Indonesia

I’m so sorry for the error.maybe there’s a trouble with the connection.. : D

10:45 AM May 11 2008 |

devindernagpal

India

Dear markchina,

When the head is fully coverde,face is covered ,dear there will no passage for warmthness to enter & burn headLaughing.

05:46 PM May 11 2008 |

devindernagpal

India

To covr the head & upper part of body by a woman is also a tradition in Hindu & in sikh religion where men don't cut their hair of face as well as head also cover their heads there was also a tradition of covering the head by a person who cut his hair short. But now this tradition has lost somewhere.

In all the religins woman is kept under the thumb of man & & considered as personal property of man.Ther might be minor differencecs but basically woman enjoys same attitude in all religions & countries.

05:52 PM May 11 2008 |

pop272001

pop272001

Indonesia

I just found it in Suster's clothes, i mean head covering.. And maybe that's only in Catholic. I don't know another christian (like protestan). O'yea…I also found it when I have watching Telenovela from Mexico or Venezuela… woman (the actress) use scarf when she come to the church..

12:14 PM May 12 2008 |

hano202

hano202

Saudi Arabia

thanx for this nice topic..& i want to add somthing i think is important to be known for all…

first of all , Hijaab for muslims women is Modesty  . Allah says: "Oh Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies (when outdoors). That is most convenient that they should be known and not molested" [33:59] In the above Ayah there is an evidence that the recognition of the apparent beauty of the woman is harmful to her. When the cause of attraction ends, the restriction is removed.This is illustrated in the case of elderly women who may have lost every aspect of attraction. Allah (SWT) made it permissible for them to lay aside their outer garments and expose their faces and hands reminding, however, that is still better for them to keep their modesty.

Also,the Hejaab is Purity the (wisdom) behind the legislation of the Hejaab: "And when you ask them (the Prophet's wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and their hearts" [33:53]  Allah had showen us that the Hejaab cuts off the ill thoughts and the greed of the sick hearts.

In the end i want to say that Nearly 1,900 women are raped every day in America, according to a study released on Thursday that paints a much grimmer picture than US Justice Department figures announced earlier this week.

The National Victim Center, which promotes the rights of victims of violent crime, said 1.3 adult women are raped every minute and 683,000 US women are raped each year, based on a survey of more that 4,000 women, including 579 rape victims.

One in eight adult American women has been raped, bringing the total of rape victims to at least 12.1 million, it said.

The survey indicated that 61 per cent of all rape cases involve women under 18 and that 29 percent of all rapes occurred when the victim was less than 11 years old. Reuters (Source: MID-DAY Bombay 25-4-92)

wht do u think is better for women hejaab or nakedness ??

 

10:10 AM May 15 2008 |

Hala

Hala

Jordan

Hello All 

 

Nice topic …..Laughing

 

In my point of view, Hijab is a valuable thing for woman. and it gives her a respect…. 

Hijab has its fashion as any other wears and it is not of bad things as some consider …

Finally, Thanks to Allah that he save Muslim by his orders

 

Hala  

 

11:25 AM May 15 2008 |