People often conflate “hijab” and “headscarf”. Wearing the headscarf is one form of hijab, but users often forget that hijab is much more.

And at the genesis of the hijab discussion, the Quran commands men to not stare at women and to not be promiscuous. The Quran 24:30 obliges men to observe modesty: “Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they do.” But you will hardly hear an Imam discussing this to those men showing their branded underwear even in mosques?

The above verse rebukes forced laws on women that claim “women must cover otherwise men are distracted”. It destroys rape culture because it commands men to reform themselves first and exclusively. It demolishes complaints that what a woman is wearing is “too provocative”, whatever that means, because it flat out forbids men from gawking at women.

In Islam, men have an obligation to God and to women to observe hijab. I wonder how many Muslim men will agree on this?

Written by Abu Maruf, 10 October 2019

Why do you break your wings, oh my mind!
You want to fly, look for the storm in the sea.
My abused world burns by the southern wind,
Burning mind responses like a meliponine bee.

After playing this losing game, my dream goes back laughing;
Thousand words and all my angers I leave behind.
Now the sky is breaking, everything is floating
I am buried in my grave decorated with light aligned.

Heart still beats and both hands light my fire
As much as the world falls and mixed into the ground,
The dream of mine becomes something like all conspire.
The divine energy brings a miraculous healing for the wound.

A Poem by Abu Maruf, 5 January 2021