Yes, “hijab is only compulsory for women who have reached puberty”… and it is the “amanah” [trust put upon] the parents, especially the father, that those whom are under his responsibility are well taken care of and protected… especially, when a husband [father] can’t always be there [present] for his loved ones. And he is definitely be accountable [to the Almighty] should anything happens to them. As we all know that bad habits are hard to break… and bad habits is easier to be picked up than that of the good ones… it is important to have them be at ease in wearing modestly.

Allah is the Almighty… some may have mistaken with the term “Allah” as the moon god… because Allah in arabic is God [I apologise if this is wrong] long before Islam [the Al Qur'an] arrived.. to be the last “book” to straighten out the much amended holy books before it.

As for the cases of women [rape victims] being charged or had to marry those that had raped them… these are UNFORTUNATELY cultures that many of those who called themselves as Muslims had integrated them into the islamic teaching…

ISLAM do not condone marriage by force… a woman has every right to choose his groom.

Marital love-making [bear in mind, I am not using the word "sex"] is sacred… and doing it with love and respect shall be rewarded by the Almighty.

I pray for all of you… regardless of race and religion… to really understand a religion(s) and not discount it [them]… by the actions of others that called themselves as religion “crusaders” or freedom fighters that claimed to act upon others’ interests… but basically just making things worst… yes, just like one of you were asking why there are still wars and fighting among the muslims… just like other religions too… where centuries after centuries, blood had been spilled on this earth… was it the religion? Or was it MEN [with desires]… regardless of religions that had put this small planet of ours through so much pain?

Religion… is spiritual… and it instills values, moral and respect… it’s a way of life…

I pray and wish you all contributors to this forum a happy and joyous lives.

on the contrary, the western representation of absolute freedom to wear whtever one wants, with the less the better- it’s helping to change the definition of a woman from a dignified honored being to that of a sex object, one wanted only for her physical attributes.is this even right? i ask u all out there why do u prefer women as sex objects, and hate and defame the idea of dignity, honor and modesty in a women, which she deserves, and comes with the hijab?what is our world coming too, where is our society going??? where is our humanity, dignity,and honor? what have we all become when we prefer our base desires, our animal sides, our lowest selves, to tht of our mind and spirit,to values, to morals,to strength and virtue, to all that which gives us humanity?

that all said, the hijab is only compulsory for women who have reached puberty. and no one is allowed to force the hijab on anyone, either.
this article does not show force, it just shows a Muslim woman encouraging young Muslims to learn about their beliefs, and how special they are, how every culture deserves to be preserved, every religion honored.

-speaking as a young Muslim woman who wears the hijab with free will.

* In Islam, females are not required to cover until they hit puberty and their girly bits become somewhat more attractive. Before puberty, there’s really no point. Anyone expecting their daughter to accept the hijaab because she’s been wearing it from kindy will be in for a wake up call. EXPECIALLY in western countries. I know countless women here in Australia who never expected the hijaab on their daughters at this age for this same reason.

* In Islam, rape is punishable by death. It is the cultural traditions of various nations, dressed up like part of this religion, that have shaped peoples thoughts otherwise. The hadith on this subject is clear. The line between culture and religion has become so blurred that even the vast populace of Muslims can’t see it. Things not in Islam: genital mutilation, honor killings, forced marraiges (actually, according to Islamic law, such marraiges are considered invalid), hijaab from before puberty, the burden of rape falling on women, just to name a few misconceptions.

* Muslim women are equal to Muslim men. Now if someone would only tell the Muslim men this, I would really appreciate it. This is clear from both the Quraan and hadith.

* Many Muslim women CHOOSE the hijaab for themselves. As the daughter of an Irish-Australian convert who choose the hijaab, it does disturb me to read otherwise. My father is a Pacific Islander who was born Muslim and the majority of the women of his family do not wear hijaab. She choose it and faced much criticism from them (and him). Her reasoning: her religion tells her to cover in a way that projects modesty, where she is not making herself fashionable to men other than her immediate family members. She didn’t throw on a burka, but she covered her hair, didn’t wear makeup outside and wore loose clothing that doesn’t reveal her body shape.

Now, someone tell me, if that were the latest fashion trend, such dress would then be acceptable, right? She would be considered empowered. Free. Modern. Strong.

Instead, because she did it for her religion, a personal belief that she felt valid and a good characteristic to possess. But for whatever reason, this is unacceptable. We live in a time where everyone chooses their religion, sexuality, food and clothing according to their own wants, and criticize so freely when it differentiates from the norm. Why should she (an adult) be expected to dress in any other way other than how she chooses best?

***As for the hijab; it is disgusting to think that women should cover themselves instead of men controlling themselves. I think we should all be naked, like Adam & Eve were before the fall. We can see each other naked WITHOUT lusting if we are pure of heart. The Hijab is going in the opposite direction***

Muslim men are supposed to control themselves. They’re also supposed to cover themselves (the minimum being from navel to knee in loose clothing), not look at women who they’re not related to, not mix with them (without necessity, like daily shopping and business needs) in order to avoid causing fitnah, not to even touch them because they have nothing to do with them. Their social side is supposed to be toward their wives, their mothers, their daughters, their sisters, their aunts, etc. They are supposed to show manners and respect to all women when dealing with them. Unfortunately, the Ummah is at a point where many women try to follow their religion and the men want to call themselves Muslim and then do as they please, still expecting the goodness from their women when they do not repay such goodness in return.

I know noone today who is pure of heart. Do you? Does anyone? It’s a wish and a dream. That’s what heaven is for.

The fact is, the Muslim men are bringing the destruction of the Muslim Ummah upon us all. They refuse to follow the religion and exclude their cultural practices from it, bundling it all as one and the same.

***Terry Johnson: Muslims are encouraged to rape infidels. Look at the huge number of Scandinavian women and girls who have been raped by muslim men or muslim gangs.***

And where are they encouraged from? Not from the Quraan. Not from the Hadith. So where, then?

Investigate! Learn both of it! Then you will know which one is true or fake!
Power in your hands!

I agree. The main difference centers on the core of their religious beliefs. In the 21st century, Christianity teaches us to educate ourselves and develop a belief in the religion before taking it on fully (thus religious education classes). Islam, on the other hand, centers on actions preceding belief. If you practice all the symbols of Islam, it is accepted that you will eventually believe. The core of their entire religion is based on accepting everything they are told by their religious leaders as fact. NOT questioning the logical, moral, ethical, or common sense basis for any action is, therefore, the key flaw in their belief system (which is enforced by any Muslim person who shames others for exercising their human right to free will). I admit some extreme Christian religions also encourage their followers not to question their religion; however, at least these people do not force their beliefs on others or make elaborate displays of themselves (minus the former Hitler youth pope). There is no convincing radical Islamists because they cannot think for themselves. They are like rapists – mentally flawed yet perceiving themselves to be correct in their flawed beliefs.

For “normal” Islamic believers, who recognize that rational thought plays a major role in day-to-day living, they are just like the rest of us. I respect their decisions as long as they are based on educated critical thinking. I have friends who wear hijab when they go out in public. They wear it because they feel more comfortable in public that way, not because they feel pressured by Muslim men. I know they are smart, educated women so I respect their choice as a personal decision rather than something forced upon them by a religion or men.

In school, students arrive with the mentality that whatever they are told is the truth (especially at the elementary level). To seduce young girls into accepting religious attire, which has HEAVY political and submissive gender-related connotations, is WRONG!

Advertizing for a religion with pictures is also inappropriate in grade school. Plus, religious organizations already have this type of service though their churches/synagogues/temples. For example, when I was in elementary school in the US, many of my friends went to catechism (religious education) classes on Wednesday nights. I know this because they would all get off the bus at their church. Although I felt left out, my parents explained that it was related to our religious choices. If this had been offered in school, it would have been 100 times worse for me!

***I would have begged my parents to allow me to attend even though it had nothing to do with believing in the religion***

Since religions are perpetuated by “believers”, allowing them to “teach” students, in a public school, about one religion (while ignoring all others) significantly influences children’s’ future religious choices. This right belongs to parents and children (when they’re old enough to understand what they are *really* getting themselves into), NOT to public schools.

I believe women and men should be treated as equals and even Catholicism does not encourage this. This is the 21st century, not the middle ages. Women deserve equal rights and freedoms, which include choosing to dress in ways which do not place them in a subordinate position. For some women this means wearing hijab, for others it means not wearing it —it should be their choice, not something they’re led to believe is the only way to look pretty or be accepted.

Also, for anyone who would assume I am religion “bashing”, I am Christian. My mother is Methodist and my father is Catholic; I attended church with each of them on alternate Sundays until I was in high school. Only then was I old enough to fully understand what my choices were and choose the religion that best fit my beliefs.