Minister asks Pakistani women to dress properly in Saudi Arabia

[Well.wisher]

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Mohammad Yousaf has advised ‘mehram’ [a close male relative accompanying the woman going to perform Hajj] to ensure that women dress modestly during their stay in Saudi Arabia.

PTI withdraws ‘mandatory hijab’ resolution in Punjab Assembly

While inaugurating a two-day training programme for pilgrims on Wednesday at Faisal Mosque, the minister said every year a lot of complaints had been received about Pakistani women pilgrims not covering themselves properly and modestly during their stay at Saudi Arabia. “Every single woman pilgrim should take at least two ‘abayas’ along with her,” he said.




An official of the Ministry of Religious Affairs on the condition of anonymity said that during the Hajj it had been observed that mostly Pakistani women pilgrims did not follow the Saudi Arabian dress code for women strictly when they went out shopping or for other purposes.

“Even while performing Hajj they do not cover themselves properly and modestly,” he said, adding “People should understand the culture and tradition of they country they are travelling to. Saudis are very strict about their women covering themselves properly and modestly.”

Punjab minister’s hijab proposal sets off furore

In March, a female Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Punjab Assembly member submitted and withdrew a resolution calling to make the hijab mandatory at college-level across the province.

According to reports, PTI MPA Nabila Hakim Ali submitted the resolution during a Punjab Assembly session to demand that the hijab by made mandatory at all public and private colleges but later withdrew it for reasons unknown.

Meanwhile, Express News anchor Gharidah Farooqi said the MPA claims she drafted two different versions of a resolution, one in favour, and one against.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2017.


This mullah want us to wear topi burkahs in the hot summer of Saudi Arabia while he can easily wear his light coloured white ahraam that has no sleeves , no bounding .

 

[waz]

Having seen many Pakistani women on Haj, I didn't see any immodesty from them.

 

[Imran Khan]

TBH after 11 months in KSA when we go 1 month pakistan we feel we are in USA too much freedom in pakistan these days

 

[TheLahoriGuy]

Since theyre going to a foreign country they should go with whatever that country demands of them. If they set a condition then it should be the duty if every pilgrim to go by their conditions. That being said I havent heard of any Pakistanis dressing immodestly that too in Saudi Arabia that too on religious pilgrimages.

 

[LeGenD]

They have every right to enforce modesty in their country, specially for Hajj and Umrah.

This mullah want us to wear topi burkahs in the hot summer of Saudi Arabia while he can easily wear his light coloured white ahraam that has no sleeves , no bounding .

What would be the appropriate dress code for women during summer season there?

 

[Thəorətic Muslim]

Just leaving this here.

This mullah want us to wear topi burkahs in the hot summer of Saudi Arabia while he can easily wear his light coloured white ahraam that has no sleeves , no bounding .

From what i've heard the burkah is very comfortable.

 

[abdulbarijan]

This mullah want us to wear topi burkahs in the hot summer of Saudi Arabia while he can easily wear his light coloured white ahraam that has no sleeves , no bounding .

-Did he say anywhere he wanted women to wear "topi burkas" .. cuz I read the article and I couldn't find that line anywhere ...I guess he's just advising to conform to the cultural values of KSA while visiting there (which BTW most Pakistani women do already so thats the only point of disagreement because overwhelming majority of the time, you don't find improperly dressed Pakistani women to begin with) ...

-Secondly, ask ANYONE who has done Hajj or Umra ... which is the most challenging piece of ahram (the ones that men have to wear or the ones which women have to wear) and you'll come to know that men have it waaaay difficult. You can't even walk normally in our ahram because it restricts your legs and shortens your stride ... so every time your trying to walk normally it's like your literally playing football. Handling a male Ihram in terms of "Pakezgi" is waaaaay harder. Let's not forget the fact that it's mostly men that have to manage handling luggage and stuff, so basically handling 2-3 30 kg bags while not being able to walk properly, while the upper sheet of our ahraam needs constant adjustment in hot temperatures while listening to you about how hot the weather is and how hard you gals have it ...

 

[IceCold]

Trying to be more arab than the arabs themselves. Chutia

 

[Well.wisher]

They have every right to enforce modesty in their country, specially for Hajj and Umrah.


What would be the appropriate dress code for women during summer season there?

Shalwar kameez is a modest dress with daupatta as a scarf.
Women shoukd wear white or any light colour shalwar kameez and use daupatta as a scarf . This is enough .
No need to wear that black biiiiiiigggg abaaya with only eyes covered in the hot summer of Arabia .

Just leaving this here.

From what i've heard the burkah is very comfortable.

It's comfortable but I fear not in a hot summer .

-Did he say anywhere he wanted women to wear "topi burkas" .. cuz I read the article and I couldn't find that line anywhere ...I guess he's just advising to conform to the cultural values of KSA while visiting there (which BTW most Pakistani women do already so thats the only point of disagreement because overwhelming majority of the time, you don't find improperly dressed Pakistani women to begin with) ...

-Secondly, ask ANYONE who has done Hajj or Umra ... which is the most challenging piece of ahram (the ones that men have to wear or the ones which women have to wear) and you'll come to know that men have it waaaay difficult. You can't even walk normally in our ahram because it restricts your legs and shortens your stride ... so every time your trying to walk normally it's like your literally playing football. Handling a male Ihram in terms of "Pakezgi" is waaaaay harder. Let's not forget the fact that it's mostly men that have to manage handling luggage and stuff, so basically handling 2-3 30 kg bags while not being able to walk properly, while the upper sheet of our ahraam needs constant adjustment in hot temperatures while listening to you about how hot the weather is and how hard you gals have it ...

You might feel difficulty in walking but we can't even breath with our face covered in hot summer . At least your face is free and you can feel the air and breath , in this hot summer we've to two covering of dresses .. One our shirts then other burkah outside and then cover the face even cause the 'men ' are here too000oo .. : / , duh they can't leave us alone . Why do only we've to endure it for them ..

Other problem with hijab is that it sometimes hit your eyes and might be a blockage to see clearly and you get hit by a stone .

Well, to be honest I don't like men telling us what should we do , how should we live , how should we dress blah blah .. because it's not your freaking life .. its my life and I know how to control and I'll wear what I feel comfortable in ,, you keep your mouth shut , don't dictate me ..
For me , except God no one should tell us how we dress . God tell us to cover our body and we indeed are covering it but God didn't tell you to wear uncomfortable topi burkah or abayaas that can be a blockage to breathe or to see clearly . God tell us to practice religion in ease but these Mullah's are making it hard .

 

[Sugarcane]

Don't go to a country whose laws you can't follow, it's simple choice.

 

[Well.wisher]

Don't go to a country whose laws you can't follow, it's simple choice.

It's not about laws . It's about not allowing the women to wear a comfortable modest dress in summer other than topi burka.

 

[Mentee]

Trying to be more arab than the arabs themselves. Chutia

 

[Sugarcane]

It's not about laws . It's about not allowing the women to wear a comfortable modest dress in summer other than topi burka.

I think the context here is while in KSA, do as per laws of the country. So, if someone don't like the laws of country then don't go there. And in Pakistan there is no law to wear topi burka. So, it's upto you and your family to wear it or not.

 

[abdulbarijan]

Do they think of our culture and values when they visit Pakistan ? Do we roam naked in KSA ? Height of stupidity.

Just because 'they don't' doesn't mean you shouldn't ...

You might feel difficulty in walking but we can't even breath with our face covered in hot summer . At least your face is free and you can feel the air and breath , in this hot summer we've to two covering of dresses .. One our shirts then other burkah outside and then cover the face even cause the 'men ' are here too000oo .. : / , duh they can't leave us alone . Why do only we've to endure it for them ..

Other problem with hijab is that it sometimes hit your eyes and might be a blockage to see clearly and you get hit by a stone .

Well, to be honest I don't like men telling us what should we do , how should we live , how should we dress blah blah .. because it's not your freaking life .. its my life and I know how to control and I'll wear what I feel comfortable in ,, you keep your mouth shut , don't dictate me ..
For me , except God no one should tell us how we dress . God tell us to cover our body and we indeed are covering it but God didn't tell you to wear uncomfortable topi burkah or abayaas that can be a blockage to breathe or to see clearly . God tell us to practice religion in ease but these Mullah's are making it hard .

You just happened to forget, that we're given guidelines for clothing by islam, both for women and MEN, so as long as any person of any gender is following those guidelines they are just practicing what their religion asks of them. Plus I'm not exactly a fan of these feminist arguments of 'No man gonna tell me somethin' ... the same ideology that deems that loyal housewives are oppressed while a stewardess 30,000 feet in the air, serving hundreds of men is empowered. I don't take lectures from the supporters of the ideology who talk so much about how 'women's bodies aren't objects' only the have their most vocal and proud supporters from the fashion, tv serial and film industry, where being an object is your job description.

BTW, Aren't females supposed to show their faces when they are in ahram?Secondly, don't put us all (dudes) in a generalization because not every individual is the same. e.g. I know dudes in my university (usually touted as one of the more liberal institutions of the country) who upon seeing members of the opposite gender, actually start to look down instead of looking upfront ... so ... it's not like all men are the same ...just like all women are not the same ... some of you fall exactly in the same category where you put us 'evil men' in ...

 

[Well.wisher]

Just because 'they don't' doesn't mean you shouldn't ...


You just happened to forget, that we're given guidelines for clothing by islam, both for women and MEN, so as long as any person of any gender is following those guidelines they are just practicing what their religion asks of them. BTW, Aren't females supposed to show their faces when they are in ahram?

.

Yeah God told us to cover so we're covering but these strict mullahs should not dictate us what to wear . Topi burkaah, black thick abaayaa, black clothe are all oppression of these mullahs on women while in islam woman has to be at ease practicing religion .
I don't know about not covering face in haj but overall , I don't there's compulsion in religion for covering the face . I don't cover face when in pardah, only scarf and modest dress but still feel Allah's mercy and his pleasure .

Just because 'they don't' doesn't mean you shouldn't ...


You just happened to forget, that we're given guidelines for clothing by islam, both for women and MEN, so as long as any person of any gender is following those guidelines they are just practicing what their religion asks of them. BTW, Aren't females supposed to show their faces when they are in ahram?

Secondly, don't put us all (dudes) in a generalization because not every individual is the same. e.g. I know dudes in my university (usually touted as one of the more liberal institutions of the country) who upon seeing members of the opposite gender, actually start to look down instead of looking upfront ... so ... it's not like all men are the same ...just like all women are not the same ... some of you fall exactly in the same category where you put us 'evil men' in ...

Such guys are rare ... very rare , I correctly remember one guy who was like this was when I once went to a madrassa and that guy was a controller and whenever women walked by or talked to him , he looks down . Other than him , I have not yet find such decent man .
But have experienced so many moments when men looked , stared , , hoot, stalked , harrased , flirt .... even in pardah, ignorant ones . But has also saw some of respectable too
So finally , such decent men would be a miracle in the world .