[Respond To Mariam Mokhtar Article In Malaysiakini]
Assalamualaikum sister Mariam,
All Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
I write in response of the article you wrote, entitled “A symbol of liberation or subjugation?”
I believe your views on the matter are distorted and wish to correct you; and further request that the article be removed. I have no intention of insulting you as a person and this is written with all due respect.
Firstly, Nina was merely told by her employer she “Should” wear a tudung – was it a threat that she would be fired for non-compliance?
Or perhaps merely advice as a Muslim to do what is better with respect to following her religion?
Although religion is indeed, as you say, a ‘personal conviction’, we are nevertheless instructed to advise others towards betterment and goodness.
Let us say that indeed it was part of the dress code. The employer has a right to specify codes of conduct and dress codes which are deemed suitable to meet the organizational requirements, standards or reputation of a company.
Dress codes are important as they directly portray the impression of the company’s image – even before customer interaction or customer service itself. I’m sure an educated person such as yourself have no difficulty in understanding or appreciating this aspect.
Thus is the case as employers such as hotel concierge or receptionists are required to wear ties/bowties, or armed forces having to wear uniforms, or chefs having to wear their special hat and specific white dress, or generally speaking – there is no office in our country that I know of that allows men to wear short pants.
If the employee does not wish to comply, then he/she may leave. No hard feelings, no oppression, no accusations of “control”, no coercion, and no unnecessary rants on the media by other completely unrelated people. Although yes, what would have definitely been much better – was for the employer to specify the dress code well in advance, to manage expectations. But it does not change their rights to specify these requirements.
This is not an instruction that is deemed difficult or complicated – an unlettered simpleton would have no difficulties in understanding or complying to this, let alone an intelligent person such as yourself.
If the employee deems it necessary for its employees to put on more modest clothing, such as covering your head – and I can name a multitude of justifiable reasons for doing so – then it is their right.
In fact, I can put on a more factually sound article to blast at certain airlines for imposing their female employees to wear such skimpy clothing of short skirts and tight blouses, revealing them to people around the world, whilst at the same time indirectly representing our country on an international scale. But those who do want to guard their modesty, simply choose not to be employed by this company – do we hear them rebelling in the media?
Now, I can write about an article condemning why men aren’t allowed to wear slippers to the office. Is it the subject of the oppressive whims and desires of the bosses and powers that be? It’s a free country, let me wear my crocs to the office!
I can also write on media condemning why I am not allowed to wear round-neck t-shirts to the office. Is it a sign of authority and subjugation? Who do these people think they are?
It would appear here, that you deliberately selected the topic of tudung to be the topic of your rants – perhaps, out of a personal preference that, you yourself do not wear the tudung?
And thus your rantings on this page merely represent an emotional and personal displeasure at the instruction, since it challenges your beliefs and refusal to don it.
Imagine if people who refuse to wear anything other than t-shirts and slippers are as vocal as you are – Our media such as Malaysiakini will be filled with non-beneficial rants such as yours: a nationwide fiasco abusing public media about the rights to wear t-shirts and slippers to work.
The islamic obligation of women covering the head is a long established obligation from the teachings of Islaam – one that has been established firmly in our Shari’ah, and an issue that is considered ijma’ (consensus) amongst our scholars: people who are far more educated than you and I with respect to the Shari’ah.
This is not the time and place to discuss such matters of shariah in detail (though I will gladly have a conversation with you in private to clarify), but the point is, even if you do not ascribe to such beliefs, at least have the decency to respect the personal principles of those who do, and those who want others to do it.
This article shows vast disrespect to our principles and just takes a step back by way of unity and respect to religions – especially you being a Muslim yourself.
Thus I appeal to your good intellect and reason, to please remove this article from the web and refrain from writing such derogatory articles.
I will be happy to further discuss this issue with you in person, and to clarify the subject matter.
Thank you for your understanding.
Regards,
MRM R&D Dept
https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/366532?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
