DEARBORN — Is it haram for a woman in a headscarf to dance in public? Is it haram for her to wear fashionable jeans or paint her face in colorful make-up? Or should she just stay at home altogether, while some of her Muslim peers freely indulge themselves in westernized culture? 

Western Muslim communities have long debated the appearance and behavior of a woman in a headscarf, as the line continues to shift between what is modest and acceptable and what is too liberal and over-the-top.  

In some parts of the U.S., a veiled woman seen in public can often spark strange glares and whispers, due to the political environment and perception of Muslims in the media.  Even in Dearborn, which has the largest concentration of Muslims and Arabs in the country, a veiled woman can also spark strange glares and whispers by members of her own community. Especially if she happens to be wearing a fashionable dress, carrying trendy accessories and showcasing her headscarf through vibrant colors.

Naysayers have even coined the term “Hijabih 2000s” for this category of Muslim women.  

“Hijabih 2000s” seems to have taken off as a fashion statement in the mid-2000s, as more Muslim women around the world began to express themselves through designer name brands, leaving traditional drab colors behind.  

On a local level, Middle Eastern immigrants have successfully been able to infuse their culture in southeast Michigan, as evidenced through the influx of mosques, hookah lounges and Mediterranean restaurants.

While the community has successfully introduced Middle Eastern culture to western society, it would also only seem natural that the Muslim and Arab communities would adapt to American culture— whether shopping at a mall, attending concerts and sporting events or dancing at a night club.

But is it okay for a woman in a headscarf to partake in these activities? 

Debates ignited recently on social media regarding the expected behavior of an American Muslim women who wears a hijab. 

Last month, a music video shot in Dearborn and uploaded by local rapper Baze depicted Muslim Americans dancing at a hookah lounge. In the video, two women in hijabs can also been seen dancing and socializing with men. The images in the video led to a spectrum of mixed reactions and community outrage. 

But what that video depicted doesn’t seem too far from reality. It’s very common in Dearborn for women in headscarves to attend a social gathering at a hookah lounge or to show off their moves on the dance floor at a wedding. 

Local resident Suehaila Amen, who wears a headscarf, said she sees no issues with a veiled woman attending a concert or going to a cafe, as long as they display modest behavior. 

“I don’t see an issue with people enjoying their lives,” Amen said. “Just be aware of your actions. As I got older I began to realize that I was looked at as a representative of my faith and my community and I needed to ensure that I was showing off a proper image. I don’t want people to look at me and then think negatively of my community and my culture.”

Amen added that for women in hijabs it can often feel like a double edged sword, as they are subjected to scrutiny and criticism in both their own communities and in westernized society. 

“Unfortunately, society places labels on us and we have to be okay with the fact that this is something that is out of our hands. As a Muslim woman wearing the hijab, I can’t say ‘don’t look at me as a representative.'” 

Regardless whether they are veiled or not, Amen believes all women should display appropriate behavior in public. 

“Young women should be aware that they are representatives of their gender, profession, race and ethnicity,” Amen added. “Young women should remember that they are constantly being looked at. They should carry themselves with class, have respect for themselves and for others.” 

Zeinab Chami, another local Muslim woman who wears a headscarf, said she has her own opinions on what type of behavior crosses the line, but she has no authority to pass judgment. 

“I’m not in a position to say if someone’s hijab is true or not,” Chami said.

Chami pointed out that there seems to be a double standard between Muslim men and women in the community. She adds that both sexes should be held to the same merits in Islam. 

“Islamically speaking, both sexes are supposed to avoid environments that are haram,” Chami said. “As an adult you are choosing to go to a hookah lounge. But when you are dancing in such an environment with both sexes, to me that clearly crosses the line. Does that mean you are burning in hell for it? Who am I to say?”  

Chami added that women in hijabs do carry the extra weight of being representatives of their religion and community by default, because of the political environment in the U.S. However, she interprets the term “modern” in contrast to what has been recently used to describe a veiled woman who “crosses the line.” 

“I think a woman who is educated, financially independent and not afraid to voice her opinion is modern,” Chami said. “It’s not dancing on tables or going clubbing. If somebody looks at me and thinks I’m old fashioned or backwards, then they haven’t taken the time to know me. I know many woman who wear the scarf and are open minded, informed and thoughtful on the ideologies they chose.  They have degrees, they are physicians, attorneys, or even stay at home moms. That is modern to me.”

One local veiled Muslim woman who wished to remain anonymous and described herself as a “regular” at hookah lounges, told The Arab American News that community members have this perception that a woman in a headscarf should stay at home until her knight in shining armor comes to her rescue.

“I’m almost 30, I have a career and I’m not married, and people are constantly passing judgment on me,” the woman said.  “Whether I’m going out to dinner, listening to music or carrying the latest Louis Vuitton. People look at me like I am committing a crime.  But I know I am close to my creator and I pray five times a day.  I worry that all of this shaming in our community is going to drive the younger generation even further away from our religion.”  

Imam Elahi, spiritual leader of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, said the hijab is meant to be a form of protection for both women and men. He added that a covered woman’s behavior and appearance is expected in forms of modesty to protect purity and innocence between genders. 

“We have gender segregation when it comes to modesty for that reason,” he said. “The whole boyfriend-girlfriend culture is destroying the culture of marriage. It brings children out of wedlock and along with that comes social problems. Women can dance together at a wedding, but what is problematic is mixed dancing between men and women. If it’s a gathering with ladies themselves and they want to dance, and men are not involved, then that’s okay. ” 

Elahi added that there are no issues with a woman in a headscarf engaging in a modest conversation or being in the same setting with the opposite sex. He said there are misconceptions as to what Muslim women can and can’t do, whether or not they wear a headscarf. Westernized culture seems to have misinterpreted it as being “oppressed.” 

“Some people think that the hijab will stop a woman from attending social events, but there is no problem with them being engaged on a social level at all,” Elahi added. “It shouldn’t stop them from having and education or having a career.” 

He added that in the Qur’an, the subject of hijab is broad, as it is mentioned and referenced in a number of chapters. On the surface, it signals a woman’s identity and commitment to her faith; but the woman has to be spiritually invested before making that commitment. 

“The whole concept and message of hijab is about modesty,” Elahi said. “The purity of the mind and the purity of the heart.  Spiritual purity needs to be internal before being external. Then modesty comes through expression by having your desires and emotions under control.  The purpose is to protect purity in relationships and to provide safety and security.”