Behind the Veil: My Experience with Hijab by Pavarti K Tyler
Hijab is the headscarf some Muslim women wear. There is great debate over the need, use and
appropriateness of the hijab, which has fueled cultural debate and
conflict. In Islam there is a cultural
practice of covering a woman’s hair and neck, this is considered modest dress
and the roots of the practice are based in the Qu’ran. There are multiple surahs (verses) and
hadiths (oral histories) which are used to explain the need for men and women
to dress modestly.
The specifics of what needs to be covered is
controversial. Some say only the hair
must be covered, others say everything but the eyes and hands should be. From Burquas in Afghanistan to hijabs in
France, it seems everyone has an opinion.
In 2001, right after 9/11, I participated in an event called
“Sisters for Solidarity.” The sponsoring
group was an interfaith movement for social awareness. Over 200,000 women in the US donned hijab for
Eid Al-Fitr, a celebration that marks the end of the fasting
month of Ramadan.
Somewhere in the depths of my basement there is a picture of
me with a beautiful red-and-gold scarf covering my hair and neck. For three
days in November, 2011, I went to work, the grocery store, church and
everywhere else with my hair covered.
I could discuss the political reasons for doing this, or my
own religion beliefs, but what I learned during those three days has nothing to
do with either. I donned a headscarf for very personal reasons, which I
believed deeply and still hold dear. And
every moment I wore it, I felt stronger in my convictions. Something about a physical declaration of my
beliefs was empowering and liberating.
I also felt a part of something. Other women in hijab would stop, smile and
speak with me no matter where we were.
It was a kind of sisterhood I haven’t experienced in other parts of my
life. Even when they found out I wasn’t
Muslim, the kind response I received for what I was doing was deeply touching.
Simultaneously, I found the covering very oppressive. It was hot under there, and kept
slipping. This was probably mostly due
to my inexperience, but I found it physically cumbersome and something that
needed constant monitoring. I was also
very surprised to find that a number of co-workers with whom I had been close
to did not speak with me during the days I was wearing hijab. I received
sideways glances on the bus and subway, not the usual smiles and commuter
camaraderie I was accustomed to.
There are three female characters in my novel, Shadow on the Wall. Each has an opinion of and relationship with
wearing the hijab. I pulled on my short
experience to inform how I wrote these characters. Rebekah, Darya and Maryam -
each of them represents a different archetype of Middle Eastern women. While it's certainly not an exhaustive
representation, the issues of gender and the veil are explored in depth through
the course of the story.
What I learned during the Sisters for Solidarity movement -
and what I hope Shadow on the Wall
conveys - is that covering is a deeply personal experience. Ideally each woman would be able to decide for herself
without the pressures of politics, family or cultural assumptions. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that world,
which is what makes the discussion so volatile.
I’m curious as I move into publishing Shadow on the Wall how readers will feel about these women. Which will they respond to? With which will they identify?
About the Author
Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and
number cruncher. She graduated Smith College in 1999 with a degree in Theatre.
After graduation, she moved to New York, where she worked as a Dramaturge,
Assistant Director and Production Manager on productions both on and off
Broadway.
Later, Pavarti went to work in the finance industry several
international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm in the
Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and two
terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is busy working as the Director of
Marketing at Novel Publicity or penning her next novel. www.FightingMonkeyPress.com
Synopsis:
Recai
Osman: Muslim, philosopher, billionaire and Superhero?
Controversial and daring, Shadow on the Wall details the
transformation of Recai Osman from complicated man to Superhero. Forced to
witness the cruelty of the Morality Police in his home city of Elih, Turkey,
Recai is called upon by the power of the desert to be the vehicle of change.
Does he have the strength to answer Allah’s call or will his dark past and self
doubt stand in his way?
Pulling on his faith in Allah, the friendship of a Jewish
father-figure and a deeply held belief that his people deserve better, Recai
Osman must become The SandStorm.
In the tradition of books by Margaret Atwood and Salman
Rushdie, Shadow on the Wall tackles issues of religion, gender, corruption and
the basic human condition. Beautiful and challenging, this is not a book to
miss.
Ø Winner of the General Fiction/Novel Category of the 2012
Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Ø Winner in the Fiction: Multicultural category for The 2012
USA Best Book Awards!
Ø Honorable Mention in the Mainstream/Literary Fiction category
of the 20th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards
Purchase
Links:
Paperback Edition: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Wall-The-SandStorm-Chronicles/dp/0983876908
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