Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The veil, or better known as the 'hijab', has been a part of the Islamic and Arabian culture for a long time.
In my opinion many Westerners view this practice as a way of oppression and lowering the status of a woman but they must be reminded that the veil is a holy and sacred thing to a woman and it is a decision that every female eventually takes one day in her life.
It should also be acknowledged that the hijab is a method of covering the hair of a woman and not her mind or brain.
Some Westerners think that a Muslim woman is obliged by her family to wear it, but obviously this is not the case for most women, since it is something sacred and religious that she has to undertake. However, it is sadly noted that many teenage girls are misusing the hijab - or rather using it as a fashion statement.
Most of the hijabs I personally see these days only cover one fourth of a girl's head. Now I do not want to be seen as attacking any of the girls out there but someone has to break the silence. Someone must ask why a girl who only covers half of her head can claim that she is a proud wearer of a hijab. I mean, if a girl does not wear the veil to conceal her hair in a proper way then it is defeating the whole purpose of wearing the veil in the first place.
Just take a stroll in any one of Bahrain's malls and you will straight away notice the many girls who improperly wear the veils.
What annoys me the most is the insult to injury which I find in girls who not only prefer to show half of their hair while being veiled but also the girls who decided to beautify the "uncovered" part of their hair.
One may ask why I am writing this in a way that shows girls in a bad way.
The reason is that I personally blame these girls for the defamation of the hijab.
How can a non-Muslim respect a girl with a hijab if a girl herself cannot properly respect her own hijab. Again, I repeat: a hijab is a personal decision to be taken by a girl for religious and personal reasons, not for reasons because it is becoming mainstream and a fashion statement.
