Source: Globe and Mail
The Olympic clash of cultures – Muslim tradition versus judo tradition – went to the fundamentalist Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s as female judo fighter Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani will fight in Friday’s heavyweight match wearing a head scarf or hijab. But the main Imam of the Islamic Foundation of Toronto calls the decision to overrule judo’s stipulation of no head covering “a compromise. I don’t look at it as a victory or a defeat,” said Imam Yusuf Badat. “We want women to participate in sport.”
Shahrkhani is scheduled to fight in the over-78 kg class against Melissa Mojica of Puerto Rico, a former medal winner at the Pan-American judo championships. Her father Ali Shahrkhani, who has been her trainer, had told Saudi Arabia’s al-Watan newspaper his daughter would not fight if officials insisted on her doffing the hijab.
“If it’s designed and engineered to meet the needs of the activity and the person doing the sport, there should be no problem,” Imam Badat said.
The Koran requires males to stay covered from navel to knee and females to cover the majority of their bodies except face, hands and feet, the Imam said. “It’s really up to the individual. No one can be forced to wear a certain amount of clothing, though you can if you follow the Koran.”
Hijab was the practice of early christians. It was pacticed even before christinity. Its only that these days, christians do not really follow the real teachings of the bible but if not, the Bible teaches the wereing of hijab in both the New Testament and old. Islam being a practical religion,continue to practice it, and it will be continued to be practiced whether non muslims like it or not. Some men like looking at women loosely so they keep talking adainst Hijab. The fact is immorality is overpowering the words of God but God willing it will fail.