The Friday rush to be devout Muslims

Aisha Jumah, 24, who was born and raised in a Muslim family is very passionate about her faith. She fasts during Ramadhan and dresses accordingly with a veil and the hijab or long skirts and dresses, and occasionally a niqab.
On Friday when there are Juma prayers, she always wears the hijab and the veil but on the other days when there are no prayers or it isn’t fasting, she will pass for any other youth; occasionally in a pair of jeans or short skirts.

When at university some of our classmates always questioned her about her dress code, asking why she only dressed like a Muslim on Friday and during Ramadhan. She reasoned that she did not believe in confining her dress code to religion, even then, her parents did not make it look like she had to wear the “religious” clothes.

The Koran calls for both men and women to ‘cover and be modest’. As with many other religious scriptures, the reference to dress is open to interpretation and has been shaped by centuries of cultures in different nations.
“Some scholars argue that it is a religious obligation, particularly the more conservative factions within the Muslim world. There are many variations and interpretations,” says Dr Ismail Raihan Ismail, a lecturer in Middle East Politics and Islamic Studies at the Australian National University.

Thus, some Muslim women opt to wear the complete attire while others choose to wear it on specific days.
According to Dian Kuswandini’s article Why Some Muslim Women Don’t Wear Hijab, she believes the hijab is a form of suppression on women. One cleric friend of hers asked why Islam obliges Muslim women to wear the hijab likened it to two candies; he unwrapped one of them and threw both onto the floor and asked the man which of the two candies he would pick.
The man had, of course, picked the latter because it was clean and the cleric responded: “ …in Islam the women are protected through the hijab.”
This led to a heated debate that, of course, has surfaced in our country as well.

Must you wear a hijab?
Some Muslim women such as Joweria Namazzi, a graphics artist, believes, it is only about being decent. “I do not have to follow that to the dot as if I am in a bandwagon,” Namazzi opines.
Sheikh Sam Ahmed Ssentongo, Imam at Makerere University Mosque, says it is a strict order in the Koran that a mature female should cover herself with exception of the face and hands (the palms). The rest of the body must be covered in a dress that is not transparent.
“If a girl is in puberty then the sharia law dictates that she must wear the traditional Muslim attire and cover up as well,” he emphasises.

When going to the mosque to pray, it is mandatory for the women to wear the hijab. He adds that whichever Muslim woman defies the dress code disobeys the law.
However in modern times, some women choose specific days to don the attire. Sheikh Ssentongo says although some will choose to do this, it is not right. So, it is up to the persons who are responsible for these young women, for example, parents, husbands or guardians to advise them. Nonetheless, many Muslim women choose attires of their preference.

Why we wear it
Zura Ahmed, a communications assistant, says she doesn’t think the issue is about wearing the hijab on Friday. “I wear Muslim attire on Friday because it is a sign of respect for my religion. It is not a must to dress like that but if you are going for prayers then you should be decent. As a Muslim woman you have to be decent at all times,” she says.
Hamidah Nakato, a university graduate, however, thinks that usually it depends on the woman and how she perceives her faith.
“You are required to wear a veil because it is an unwritten law and that is what makes Friday very special because it is for Juma prayers. On the other hand, it gives those that are not strong in their faith to flaunt their Muslim side,” she says.