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01 06 2007 Last Friday’s Life in Kosovo TV show turned into controversial debate about women's role in Islam and the importance of wearing a scarf.
Among the subjects raised in the discussion were how women are
perceived by their families and society and the barriers and challenges
a veiled woman has to face in her everyday life.
These issues were discussed by the following panelists:
Visare Gorani-Gashi - Kosovo prime minister's office;
Zake Prelvukaj - painter;
Besa Ismajli - interpreter;
Suela Dibra - psychologist;
Idriz Kosova - theologian.
Ismajli explained why she had decided to cover herself, “I found myself, my faith and the reason for my existence in God.”
But according to Ismajli, it was more difficult to convince her family that it was the right thing to do.
Prelvukaj insisted that she was first and forement an Albanian and then a Muslim. “If I’m not covered it doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in God,” she said.
Dibra explained that wearing a veil was an obligation, but was unable to say whether a woman who remains uncovered should not be considered a true Muslim.
“It is a personal choice,” she said.
Gorani-Gashi said that religion is something that cannot be categorised.
“It’s absurd to measure someone’s belief in God. Beliefs cannot be measured,” said Gorani-Gashi. “It cannot be said that a veiled woman has a stronger belief than an unveiled one.”
Kosova said that women who wear a veil are more respected and protected.
Gorani-Gashi disagreed, saying that respect had nothing to do with the veil. She stressed that respect is something that people have to earn through their work and behaviour.
“I’m respected by everyone who knows me or who works with me,” said Gorani-Gashi. “I’m not covered!”
Kosova said that the smallest problem an Islamic woman has to face is the veil.
“There are other reasons why women in Kosovo have been and still are discriminated,” she said.
Ismajli agreed and explained the other reasons. “A women raised in Islam has more freedoms and rights,” she continued, “but people are not aware of the rights that the Koran gives women.”
During the debate, the barriers and challenges a veiled woman has to face in her everyday life were discussed.
Asked if the veil is a handicap for her during her everyday life, Dibra explained that she gets more attention because she is covered but that this doesn’t prevent her from having a normal life.
Gorani-Gashi said that women who work for institutions have to wear formal clothes.
“A covered woman who works for an institution would get unnecessarily more attention than normally dressed women,” she said. “Only a very small percentage of women in Kosovo are covered.”
Prelvukaj said that the veil doesn’t belong to Kosovo’s culture or its tradition “This phenomenon, covered women, is something new in Kosovo,” she said.
Ismajli strongly disagreed with her, “When people live in freedom they have the chance to express their beliefs more freely.”
Dibra explained that after she finished her BA in Psychology she applied for a job, but didn’t get it, because she is covered, but still she doesn’t have any regrets about wearing it.
“It was my personal choice of lifestyle, because I see this as an obligation to God,” she said.
Gorani-Gashi said that covered women may even face more difficulties when it comes to education or finding a job. “Women are discriminated, but do we need another ‘handicap’ to make it more difficult to be fully integrated into the society?” she asked rhetorically.
Ismajli said that it’s a matter of perception, “The veil has never been a handicap for me.”
At the beginning of 2010 BIRN network published Digging Deeper - A Guide for Investigative Journalists in the Balkans, written in cooperation with Sheila Coronel, Director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism and professor of professional practice at Columbia University, New York.
Komentari:
If Hijab is not part of Kosovo culture, what is Pork and Alcohol?
Poslao: 2007-06-13 01:01:53,
To say the veil is not part of Kosovo culture is the same as saying Islam and Christianity are not part of Kosovo culture! Islam and Christianity are both from the Arab world. People from Europe believed they were true religions and joined them. Some one is a Muslim if they believe in Islam, and in Islam we believe God told us to cover ourselves. www.geocities.com/hijabhypocrisy
Freedom for women
Poslao: 2007-09-12 08:40:32,
I am a Kosovar and more then 80% of the women of my clan wear the hixhab on their own free will. No matter how bad u wanna change it Gorani. Kosovar society will always be a society of dignity and honour. If you go to Kosova now u will find that many Albanians have become more religious and closer to Allah since the war with the serbs happened even in Albania itself. Go and ask anyone even westerners have noticed this. But ill tell ya even before the wars we were always conservative and people of honour if u went and paid a visit to the villages u would atleast find a few sisters wearing the proper hixhab and the rest would still cover themselves wear decent clothes the traditional clothes because it has always been part of our culture. Why is it that freedom has to be taken away from our sisters Gorani? that they cannot get a job or an education just because they wanna cover themselves from men to feel more comfortable? In a democratic society that shouldnt be the case should it. There should be more respect for women.
Ramazan Mubarek
Poslao: 2007-09-17 08:05:15,
The uncovering of women has always been to please men no other reason. Many girls these days think its freedom and all that but the truth is all their doing is enslaving themselves to mans sexual desires fulfilling his lusts. It is the hijab that in fact liberates women from the mans eyes and lusts and they hate it. Thats the main reason the west hates islam so much because of its protection of women it gives women strength and high status whereas in the western view her status is a mere sex object. Gorani-Gashi describes it as a Handicap how is it? why does it have to be one. why is it that the woman has to compromise her modesty and chastity to get a job in the 1st place? u always speak about democracy but how is this democracy if a woman is forbidden to cover herself but on the other hand its encouraged to wear almost nothing. What you should really be pointing out is that Man has no right to tell our sisters how many clothes she can wear to fit his criteria and approval in the 1st place that he has to change his conception about women and have respect for her for the beautiful and precious person she is. Dont u get it your playing right into the hands of the pervert man and you dont even know it.
hijab
Poslao: 2007-11-21 22:11:32,
It seems that since 9/11 it has been easier for the west and its allies to opnely attack our muslim women covered in hijab and even legislating it against our believe
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Poslao: 2008-02-19 04:51:39,
The veil isn't something that was invented; it was there since the Prophet's time (all the proper Muslim women used to wear it). The veil isn't particularly about you, but you should wear it for the intention of entering Jannah and then covering yourself from men. It isn't oppression. The main reason is this, and it is judged by covering yourself from men. If you don't wear the veil, you are being just like the other people. You also expose yourself to men; and many men cannot control their desires and their eyes. Not wearing the veil can corrupt the society. Muslims are supposed to distinguished, even in spite of any discrimination.
VEIL OR NO VEIL - DONT MATTER
Poslao: 2008-02-20 06:12:08,
WEARING OR NOT WEARING VEIL IS NOT IMPORTANT! IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO INDIVIDUALS CHOICE . . IF WE SAY IT LIBERATES WOMEN. CUZ SOME SAY WEARING LIBERATES WOMEN AND SOME SAY NOT WEARING LIBERATES! FORGETTING ABOUT LUSTFUL EYES OF MEN, LET US CONCENTRATE ON REDUCING OTHER UNISLAMIC THINGS LIKE KILLING PEOPLE, ALCHOHOLOISM AND OTHER CRIMES AMONG US. LET US ISSUE FATWA AGAINST THESE AND NOT ON A HAPLESS WOMAN WHO DRESSES AS PER HER CHOICE.