This refers to the article "Women's participation in Olympics against cultural norms" (July 2). Indeed, the article has been written in a positive way and it is well balanced. However, I would like to put forth some points.
First, every culture is different to another culture and the West should not raise unnecessary hue and complaining that Saudi women are not driving, why they are not participating in active sports and why they are covering themselves behind the veil, etc.
Nobody has the right to say to another person what to wear, what to play, what to drive, etc. Frankly, it is only western media’s wrong projection that women in Muslim countries, especially in Saudi Arabia, are not happy and feel rejected behind the veil. Many Muslim prominent journalists interviewed Saudi women to know what they did feel behind the veil, and the women simply said they were happy and there was nothing wrong we felt behind the veil.
Prominent religious scholar of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh few days back urged Saudi women to maintain their chastity and do not get deceived by the ulterior motives of the west. It is a simple thing to understand that if a person is working for the company and if he says he will not abide by company's rules and regulations then naturally company will not like his attitude and he cannot work positively in that atmosphere.
Similarly, Islam has given clear-cut instructions to Muslim women to guard their modesty and chastity and lower down their gaze, and being a Muslim. Muslims must abide by Allah's command otherwise he or she cannot be called as a true Muslim. Carrying out such justification, they tend to forget that Islam is a true religion and its commands are till doomsday and modern justification cannot modify its command. In Islam, wearing the veil is obligatory as this command has appeared in Holy Qur’an. My question is: How come Muslim women who intend to participate in sports can maintain their veil and simultaneously play sports to its full potential. Then naturally choice is: If you are a true Muslim you will abide by Allah's command and will stay away from sports as it is highly impossible to maintain the veil as well as play sports.
The current scenario in women’s world football, where some section of the women covered themselves with tight clothing from head to toe except face and named it as Islamic dress and allowed themselves to play football. Such shallow knowledge of some people in regard to Islamic teachings has tarnished the Islamic values and has given the chance to critics to criticize its basic concept. My point is wearing tight clothing and running full ground before the thousands of people where body gets shaken obviously, then how come it will permissible as per Islamic teachings.
Modern interpreters may agree that what is wrong is to play football in such clothing. Then my point is do not call it Islamic dress and play what you want as per your choice, at least it will save Islamic image.Now question is that women are gaining weight not having physical activities for this purpose they can have exercise schedule at home for an hour daily or they can have gym exclusively meant for women only where they can exercise regularly.
For example, if a Muslim woman wants to become athlete, then naturally she must be intimate with her coach, who can touch to her body parts under the pretext of giving her training. Do you think it will be a legitimate sport for a Muslim women when Qur’an has commanded hijab for ladies. Seeing in this perspective, Muslims must not think that Islam is the hindrance in the path of progress. No, not at all, as a matter of fact, it is the true religion and if mankind acts upon its teachings then human race will progress by leaps and bound. Muslims have to change their frame of mind that they should not follow the West blindly as their culture and trends are different to Muslims. — Anees Lokhande, Alkhobar
Letters — Saudi women in the Olympics
