Experience #20
Theme: social awareness: living in a Muslim abaya for a day

My friends, Garth and Holly, have been working in Saudi for about 3 years. They suggested this challenge to me- Why don't you dress like a Muslim for a day? This experience took me farther than I originally thought it would. My aim was not to wear a disguise and walk around creating havoc. I wanted to live as a conservative woman of Islam to feel what she may experience living is such a western culture.

My first step was to read up on Islamic faith and practises. I realised I knew nothing about them. The Qur'an states that both men and women are equal but different. Men have a public life where they are charged with maintaining and providing/protecting their family and their wives. Women live a more private life. The Sharia (Islamic law) provides complimentarianism, differences between the sexes. Neither the Qur'an or Hadith mention women having to be housewives. The majority of Muslim countries give women a varying degree of rights with regards to marriage, divorce, civil rights, legal status, dress code and education based on different interpretations of Islamic doctrine.

5 pillars of faith:
These "pillars" are to be followed by the faithful as a guide to living a full life. I took note of these and tried to find a way to incorporate many of them during my day. Some I had to make time for, others actually happened naturally as I transformed into this woman.

Let's start at the beginning. My bird got me up at 5am. Time for prayer. I'm not religious so I use this time for quite contemplation/meditation. I got dressed in my borrowed Abaya (black manteau/coat, hijab/scarf over hair and nipaab face veil). At first I felt a bit claustrophobic, but got used to the confined feeling and feeling some freedom as none of my looks mattered. As I steeped out of the apartment I became aware of my man radar. A Muslim woman would try to avoid close contact with men not related to her. She can do business with a man, as long as no physical contact is made and that conversation remains civil and respectful. So as I made my way to my coffee date, I became aware of the obstacle course men made for me on the streets.

All service that day: coffee shop, grocery store, restaurant, shop clerk were all normal and respectful, as though I was Julie C. Men glanced as they passed by out of curiosity, but I felt they were less interested in me than if I was my Canadian self. The women were different. Their looks included pity, disgust and even anger. Their stare felt cold and judgemental making me feel even more isolated.

My physical demeanour changed. My steps had to be smaller due to the long coat, my pace slower as I lacked the fresh air. But the dress made me aware that this woman would be modest not only in dress but in actions. Sit up right, knees together, softer voice.

Testimony: pillar #2-I did this without knowing. My 2 Friends who joined me for meals both were at first disturbed by their feeling toward this "Muslim woman". I felt her speaking through me stating that she did this not out of oppression but out of her respect for her God and her husband. That her beauty was a cherished gift she kept private for them.

Fasting: pillar #3- Eating is HARD with the niqaab. I could drink OK by lifting the veil and tipping to cup to my lips. But food-I could not see the fork and aim it at my mouth so a lot of my salad ended up on my lap.

Alms giving: pillar #4- I looked at the beggars differently. I felt ignored and isolated and could see that they too were treated this way. I bowed discreetly to them and offered the greeting "peace be with you"/ as salamu alakum.

Pilgrimage: pillar #5-this whole day was my pilgrimage. It transformed my view of myself and of the other women of the world. We are often treated differently by society; judged for what we say, do, wear. We are somehow at fault for bad things that may happen to us. But I realised, we are our worst enemy. Instead of supporting one another we ofter judge more harshly then the men do. Food for thought.
As salamu alakum