According to the Islam teachers at my school, the hijab or tudong, as it is called in Malaysia, is worn to suppress desire in boys. I must admit, it is an extremely effective instrument. Who knew that covering the head of a school girl could effectively eliminate the high school boy's libido?
A tiny bit of background on the hijab - mainly just because I'm interested and feel like we all need to have some level of understanding. Hijab comes from the Arabic root hjb which means "to veil; separate; or cover by a curtain". These definitions point to the original purpose of the hijab, which has evolved from a curtain for separation to a headscarf in the past 1300. The Prophet Muhammad used the term hijab to denote the curtain that separates his wives from men who are addressing them. In its original form, it did not make any specific mandates regarding women's attire. The Qur'an makes very clear the importance of modesty and moderation and references to the contemporary hijab can be found in the Hadith, but in its original form as found in the Qur'an, the hijab only referred to the curtain to separate guests from the Prophet's wife, and his wives only. (Qur'an, 33:53)
Before I came to Malaysia, I heard many people say, "Malaysia is a moderate Muslim country". Be careful not to misinterpret the term "moderate". I know I did. I must admit that I am living in Terengganu, which is arguably the most conservative Muslim state in Malaysia and is home to one of the highest percentages of Malays in the country. My state is nearly 100% Muslim, while the majority of the country has a variable mixture of Chinese, Indian and Malay cultures. Consequently, I am surrounded by some of the most devout Muslims nationally. There is evidence to show that, if Malaysia continues to progress as it has, it will become more and more like Terengganu. Twenty or thirty years ago the tudong was a rare siting in Malaysia. It is only in the years since the Iranian revolution that the popularity of the tudong in particular and Islam in general have blown up in Malaysia.
A little history lesson to clarify the politics of Islam in Malaysia: In 1946 , after the British were bankrupted by WWII, the Malay states became independent of British rule and all citizens gained equal rights regardless of race. In response to the threat that the Chinese and Indians (who were shipped to Malaysia in the 1700s by the British to work the tin mines) would dominate the Malaysian economy, the Malay people founded a political party called UMNO (United Malay National Organization), which would be devoted exclusively to answering the needs of the ethnic Malays. In 1957, when Malaysia came into existence, UMNO took power and hasn't capitulated since. By the way, in order to be considered ethnic Malay and gain all the benefits of Malay status (termed bumiputra), one must by Muslim. There is no such thing as a non-Muslim Malay. With UMNO in power, Islam became more and more involved in Malaysian social and economic fabric.
Islam, like most of the Abrahamic traditions globally, has experienced massive growth in the past 20 years. Since 1989, Islam has experienced 72% increase globally. Malaysia has felt the rush of Islamic fervor itself, especially in terms of economic and political policies. In response to the Iranian Revolution, the government implemented policies promoting conservative Islam that are formally called dakwah, which translates to something close to "missionary work" in the 1980s. In 1991, usury - or collecting interest - was made illegal. The same year, the Prime Minister set quotas on how many Malays must be on corporate boards. In recent years apostasy - the act of leaving Islam - was made illegal. And in 2009, the government issued a ban on Christians using the word Allah. The ban was short-lived and was removed the same year, but its removal caused a nationwide uproar that resulted in a number of fire-bombings on churches around Kuala Lumpur (1)(2), portraying the growing intensity of the Muslim community.
From my experience here in Terengganu, I would say that Malaysian people are moderate Muslims in their tolerance for other traditions (relative to some Middle Eastern countries), but are not moderate in the intensity of their devotion. My experience so far has been defined by my encounter with Islam. Even beyond the Azan, or call to prayer, which reminds me every classes, practices and morning that I am in Malaysia and not Vietnam any more, Islam is noticeably more pervasive in Malaysia than any religion I have ever seen. Every class, meal, football match, and personal encounter is packed with reminders of where I am. My initial reaction to this intensity has been, 'wow Christianity is so much less integrated into American life than Islam is in Malaysian life'. Like Buddhism in Vietnam, Islam is completely integrated into the Malaysian experience. In Vietnam, Buddhist ritual was seamlessly assimilated into mundane life to the point where there is no separation between the sacred and the profane. In Malaysia, Islam is deeply integrated into mundane life, but there is a clear delineation between the sacred and the profane. This delineation makes the Islamic influence on the society stick out every time it is brought to my attention because I am reminded of the presence of their god. It's a pretty fascinating experience.
Well, that's all for now. Another disorganized essay on my thoughts is waiting in the wings. Thanks for checking in.
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Interesting website I just stumbled upon:
Muslim Women in Malaysia
Veil: Modesty, Privacy and Resistance
