The New Hijab In Iran

Nicolas Christoph, NewYork Times reporter in an article says something strange about Iranian society: “In first years of revolution in Iran a woman or girl would be punished for not wearing the islamic hijab mentioned in Law book. Yet nowadays she wears some clothes that not only doesn’t hide her beauti, but also makes it more apparent!”
And he is right in many ways..

29 years after Islamic Revolution in Iran, Iranians are still emotionally religious. They celebrate their Religious festivals and appreciate their beliefs . But there is a new culture that growing up day to day more. Even if this culture is under influence of events in a century ago, however nowadays it is going to come up with different face.

Almost less than a century ago, Iranians opposed the new law by Reza Shah, the Pahlawi king of Iran, which forced Iranian women to remove their Hijab.

He was that much strong in his decision that had sent many policemen in the streets and they were ruled to remove Chador, Niqab and even scarfs from women’s head. For years Iranian women defended their hijab and even some women didn’t go out the home in the society up to resign of Reza Shah.

I believe that people are like metal coils. When you push the metal coil, it pushes you back. When you  stop pushing, it will fly and open up at the maximum of its power. And that’s what happened in Iranian society.

After Islamic revolution, suddenly the atmosphere changed to be very religious. I really don’t remember those years for I am from the first generation after Islamic revolution. Yet from what I read and heard, Hijab automatically has been publitized. Day to day more women wore hijab and little by little it made  a mandatory of Hijab in the society. That’s true that Hijab or Islamic veil came to be mandatory 2 or 3 years after revolution. Before that who got to be unveiled, there was not any problem for her.

Anyway, during Iraq-Iran war, Iran was also under too much political and economical pressure and the way of Hijab wearing was same.

But after war, the years were years of rebuilding. The first generation was teenager . They had their own needs and ideas, different from their parents and the society they were living in.

Nowadays in Iran, less girls really care about hijab. This problem is more in big cities like Tehran, Shiraz, Mashhad and Isfahan. Specially Tehran, as a city with white culture, usually appoints the culture of other cities. Tehrani Culture, from its veil, its lifestyle, and  worries of people is transferred year after year to the rest of Iran. The new generation in Iran had to face so many difficulties. They’re enduring the ruins that war brought for them, the ill economycal management, and unemployment.

I agree with Cristoph when he says: “Iranian Youth want to change the laws.” Nowadays wearing Chador or Niqab in Tehran is more weird than wearing tight, thin and rictal clothes. Wearing a n appropriate scarf, without showing hair is more weird than wearing kind of scarf that are more similar to Headband. That’s their way to make it more beautiful and attractive, instead of covering their highlighted hair. Finding a modest mantou – the Iran’s islamic dress code- is as difficult as finding needle in granary.

Remember again, that Iranians are emotionally religious. So what happened to Iranian society that tries to wear strange? Kind of veil that is more similar to a sarcasm toward religion, instead of  a suitable and modest hijab? That’s not the result of Mandatory  of Hijab in Iran?

That’s famous that Iranian women in other countries are the most immodest muslims in wearing clothes. I saw with my two eyes that in foreigner flights when the planes passes the borders, Iranian women quickly start to remove their dress codes.

God says in Quran: ” It is not required of thee O Messenger to set them on the right path, but Allah sets on the right path whom He pleaseth” (2:272)

And somewhere else says:” If it had been Allah’s plan, they would not have taken false gods: but We made thee not one to watch over their doings, nor art thou set over them to dispose of their affairs.” (6:107)

There is no restriction or force to accept religion and its laws. Iranians have shown in the history that they accept religion when it is offered freely and not by force. They also have showed that defend their beliefs when others want to oppose it. Like what they did against Reza Shah’s mandatory of being unvelied.

Even though, The new hijab epidemy is not something just in Iran but also it is growing up in whole Muslim world. Yet I personally know the Iranian government is responsible for the problem.

Freedom of wearing is one of human rights.. I as a muslim woman want this wrong atmosphere get changed. I am worried. Modesty is something that most women in Iran are really concerned about. I don’t want when non-Iranians hear my nationality, suddenly suppose me as an immodest woman. What nowadays is famous about Iranian women.

I wear modest so if somebody judge me with kind of labels, I will never forgive Iranian leaders. They are responsible and must find a solution.

Now that’s duty of Iranian leaders to let women chose hijab by own. The lawful pressure of  being veiled or unveied was never successful in Iran.

In this way, maybe who want to wear hijab, wear it in its true way and don’t be labeled for what some other women wear. And who don’t want to be veiled, at least don’t make joke by this beautiful religion!

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