Hijab chic on the catwalk

"Irish Times"
Saturday, February 7, 2009


IT’S FASHION, but not as we know it. The latest trends in “hijab chic” will be unveiled at a fashion show in UCD today when over one hundred young Muslim women gather at a female-only event to strike a pose in a headscarf.

Instead of the usual catwalk uniform of plunging necklines and form-fitting couture, participants will be conservatively covered up for the second annual Hijab Fashion Show organised by students of the university.

“Our aim is to promote the hijab, to show how it can be worn anytime, anywhere and to communicate the message that beauty can be modest and fashionable at the same time,” says food science student Fatima Elkhomssi (18), at a meeting with the rest of the event’s organising committee in UCD’s Student Centre.

The women – some international students from countries such as Malaysia, others who have spent most of their lives in Ireland after arriving with their families from Libya, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan – are keen to dispel what they see as myths about the conservative Muslim dress code.

Student teacher Anissa Majeed came to Dublin from England with her family as a young girl and says the stereotypes of Muslim women being oppressed by the dress code are, in her experience, misleading.

“Hopefully this event will show people that we don’t go around in black sacks and that we enjoy covering our heads,” she says. “There’s a natural curiosity about women who wear the hijab so we wanted to give people a platform to ask questions and show that it’s possible to be fun and fashionable while still retaining our Islamic principles.”

The practice of “observing hijab” means to cover up in loose clothes, only exposing the hands and face of a woman, and stems from a passage in the Koran which states: “Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. They should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their ornaments.” According to the Koran, men must also behave respectfully in front of women. “Men are also expected to lower their gazes, it’s not all the responsibility of the woman,” explains Fatima.

Full text/article link
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2009/0207/1233867924682.html

http://hijabfashionshow.wordpress.com

The Hijab

"Irish Independent" By Martina Devlin, Thursday May 22 2008

"If Muslim men like the veil so much, let them wear it"

"If Muslim men are so keen on seeing their headscarf introduced into Irish society, they should wear it as well as their women. Let them cover up, too.

Otherwise there must be no place for the hijab in civic life here. Not in banks, hospitals or libraries, not in the guards or civil service and most definitely not in schools."

For full text/article link see below

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/martina-devlin/if-muslim-men-like-the-veil-so-much-let-them-wear-it-1382759.html full text/article link

Hospital suspends Muslim doctor over alleged Islamic conversion attempts

"The Post", Sunday, April 13, 2008 - By Kieron Wood

A Muslim doctor has been suspended and reported to the Medical Council for allegedly trying to convert patients to Islam.

The doctor, who worked in a south county Dublin hospital, was suspended several months ago, following complaints from the mother of a 19-year-old female patient and a fellow member of staff.

The Health Service Executive referred the complaint to the Medical Council, which is examining the matter. It is understood that the man denies the allegations and claims he referred to Islam during a normal conversation.

The HSE’s Dymphna Bracken said: ‘‘Following complaints from the public and members of staff, a non-consultant hospital doctor has been placed on administrative leave.”

Full text/article link http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2008/04/13/story32031.asp

The Project

This project which has been titled here is about misrepresentation of Islam and its followers, with specific attention to Ireland. Over the past few years, the Islamic community has come under increasing attack from the media for numerous reasons. As a general it has been found that media reports published are more often than not, misleading, untrue or simply have been twisted in a bad light. It is unfair that the entire Islamic community suffer for the wrong doings of but a few.

This site's main gaol is to give muslims, and in particular, muslim women a leading chance to correct these misrepresenations and voice their opinion on current matters.

Post will be published on this site regularly. The hope is that these posts will be read and commented on. Perhaps even redited if anyone is feeling adventurous. We aim to provoke debate and discussion. We also hope that many of you will take initiative to write your own text which will be posted on the blog. The material gathered will serve as a collective of similar minds, aiming to re-write the non-truths that get published on a daily basis. Hopefully, insha'allah, this site will provide an outlet for muslims, where they can feel like they are in control of what is said about them rather than the media.

Please become a follower, and/or contribute to the site in any way, or anonymously!!! This site is yours!!!