Islam

Swami, Viren, et al. “Is the Hijab Protective? An Investigation of Body Image and Related Constructs among British Muslim women.”

Donya Ishaq

Swami, Viren, et al. “Is the Hijab Protective? An Investigation of Body Image and Related Constructs among British Muslim women.” British Journal of Psychology, vol. 105, no. 3, Aug. 2014, pp. 352-363.

This study was an investigation of the relationship between wearing the hijab and body image among British Muslim women. They conducted a survey of 587 women and found that those who wore the hijab had a more positive body image, higher self-esteem, and greater satisfaction with their appearance than those who did not wear the hijab. The authors concluded that the hijab may serve as a protective factor for body image and related constructs among Muslim women. This study provides strong support for my thesis by presenting a thorough analysis of survey data that demonstrates how the Islamic concept of modesty, as exemplified by the wearing of the hijab, has a positive impact on body image and related constructs among Muslim women. The authors of the article are all well-established researchers in the field of psychology. Also, The article was published in the British Journal of Psychology, which is a reputable and peer-reviewed academic journal. This means that the article underwent a rigorous review process by experts in the field before it was accepted for publication. However, the study is limited by its focus on a specific sample of British Muslim women and may not be generalizable to other contexts or populations. 

  • “The results indicate that the women who wore the hijab had significantly more positive body image, higher self-esteem, and greater satisfaction with their appearance compared to those who did not wear the hijab” (425).
  • “These findings suggest that the hijab may serve as a protective factor for body image and related constructs among Muslim women, and that the positive psychological effects associated with the hijab may counteract the negative effects of Western beauty ideals and media images” (428).

Personal Interview with Donya Ishaq

Brandon Digman

Donya Ishaq is a fellow classmate of mine in our college English class. She is a long standing practitioner of Islam, allowing me to choose her as testimony for Islamic practices and its teachings. In our conducted interview, I asked her a variety of questions related to Islam and how it affects her. Donya is a revered individual in her religious practices. She believes that discovering the true meaning of Islam can shape her life in a way that has meaning. She has never been made to be inferior or oppressed in her time as a practitioner. In fact, Donya argues that Islam actually gives women better rights and power. If she ever felt oppressed by Islam, she would not follow it at all. Islamic teachings such as dressing modestly helped her realize that her body is sacred and is not meant to be paraded around for others to see. She concluded by saying, as a woman, she has been given a sense of empowerment and respect. I believe this interview is crucial to include because it provides an outsider perspective. Donya is a practitioner of Islam in the United States, a country that has more religious tolerance than Iran. Her lifestyle can be used to provide an alternate practice when compared to Iranian Islam, which will allow me to further set the notion of my thesis, and therefore reinforce it.

  • 1 – “I have actively sought to discover the true meaning of Islam and how it can shape my life in a meaningful way. One of the ways I have done this is by researching Islamic teachings and principles, which has had a significant impact on my lifestyle choices” (Ishaq)
  • 2 – “I have never felt oppressed by my religion. I mean why would I follow a religion that treats me as inferior. Looking through an outsider’s perspective, I can see why they may think women are oppressed. When you only listen to the media and don’t research about the religion itself, Islam can look like a misogynistic religion. When in reality, Islam gave women basic human rights centuries before the West did” (Ishaq).

Populism and Feminism in Iran by Haideh Moghissi

Brandon Digman

Moghissi, Haideh. Populism and Feminism in Iran. Cuny-Si.primo.exlibrisgroup, 2016

Hadieh Moghissi is an Iranian-Born sociologist, working as an Emerita Professor for York University in Toronto. She was also the founder of the Iranian National Union of Women, and had experienced the Islamic Revolution first hand. She wrote the academic journal, “Populism and Feminism in Iran,” which discusses the timeline of the women’s question in the country around the time of the revolution. The content of the journal addresses many instances of changes to law that had affected Iranian women, female counter-attacks of such laws, and analysis/explanation of them. Moghissi argues that the hindrance towards female progressiveness in Iran is attributed to the dictatorial power of the Islamic Regime. As such, the revolution had sparked many gender awareness ideas to fly around the country as women were being stripped of so much in society. This source will be important to include during the analysis and pre-analysis of my thesis as it shows the female reaction toward the revolution, as well as providing some reasoning as to why the Islamic Revolution changed women’s social life the way that they did.

  • 1 – “Both Islamist and socialist forces engaged in frequent criticism of feminists and feminist ideas. In these areas, the left contributed to the saliency and acceptance of Islamic populist themes. So male-centered were their views of social change and their definitions of democracy that they left no space for women’s democratic rights and voices” (Moghissi 2)
  • 2 – “A key factor in understanding this pattern, I will argue, is the central importance of female sexuality and sexual control in Islamic culture. It helps explain why the homogenizing forces of Islamic culture  are expressed with utmost clarity and strength in the assertion of male control and authority over women’s lives and in the uniformity of policies in the areas of women’s rights and status” (Moghissi 13).

True Islam – Women’s Dress Code

Brandon Digman

“True Islam.” True Islam – Women Dress Code, 2001

True Islam is a non news, online version of the Quran, the holy book of the Islamic religion. Its principles have been translated to English with background information on its principles provided. Within this chapter of the book, the content provides the actual teachings set in place for the attire of women that practice the religion. The chapter preaches on women dressing absolutely modestly, covering private areas for the body, and being humble as God, also known as Allah, is always with them and watching. This source provides vital information to the teachings and practices of women’s wear, which is seen in Iran’s regulations placed onto women. This source can be used to enforce the opposing side of the argument as it can be beneficial in aiding the justification of women’s rights in that country. 

  • 1 – ““Revering God is the most important guideline for women when they choose their dress. The righteous reverent woman will know that God is always watching her, she will therefore dress modestly and in line with God’s requirements for decency and morality. Any woman knows full well what clothes are considered decent and what clothes are revealing, she will not need to be told. This is why God set the rule of reverence as the first rule” (True Islam)
  • 2 – “The third rule can also be found in 24:31. Here God commands women not to reveal their beauty spots except what is normally apparent such as the head (face and hair), arms, lower legs, etc” (True Islam).

Part 3: Iranian Laws on Women by Andrew Hanna

Brandon Digman

Hanna, Andrew. “Part 3: Iranian Laws on Women.” The Iran Primer, 10 Dec 2020

Andrew Hanna is a legislative and policy analyst for the U.S Senate, as well as a member of the Committee of Foreign Relations. He wrote the article, “Part 3: Iranian Laws on Women,” for the Iran Primer, a news website dedicated to all things related to Iranian affairs. In this article, Hanna provides a timeline of the many rules and regulations set in place by Iran’s government for its women to abide by whilst living in the country. Afterwards, notable activists that have tried to resist these regulations are listed. As Hanna states these rules, he labels them to be discriminatory laws, and then goes in depth on each one for the rest of the article. This article is beneficial for providing claims that can be used for the thesis and even the opposing thesis, given the content of the quote used. This source will also provide a deeper understanding on what women’s rights are like in Iran. 

  • 1 – “The second constitution, written by Islamic revolutionaries and passed overwhelmingly in a referendum in 1979, specifically stipulated that women were “equally protected.” But in practice, it gave women fewer social rights and personal liberties” (Hanna).
  • 2 – “Female activists and civil society organizations faced “harassment, intimidation, detention, and smear campaigns,” the State Department reported in 2019. Iranian courts have imposed harsh sentences on dozens of activists who challenged compulsory hijab laws” (Hanna).