Serving you topics featured in conversations over coffee and tea.
Baal is the Arabic word for concern,thought & mind. It is also Urdu for hair.
November 14, 2006
The stamp of approval on Hijab
Sweden's new stamps feature two women wearing the headscarf in a very Swedish forestry environment. Notice the moose and pine trees? Artist Irina Gebuhr is behind the new design.
Here's what will happen: 1. Denmark will print a stamp demeaning Islam. 2. It will cause an uproar in muslim nations. 3. We will march on the streets and burn danish flags. 4. We will boycott all danish products. 5. The Danish government will vaguely apologize. 6. A few weeks later we will start using danish products again. 7. We will forget about the whole thing like it never happened. Until next time!
Great post, It is gestures like these that create harmony and understanding between different religions in a community, There might be some backlash from extremists but in the bigger picture this is a very good move by the swedish postal service.
Nice. But tell me is that a headscarf denoting hijaab, or just the type that women in the countryside wear? (Or used wear; working in the fields, milking cows etc.) There was a time when headcovering was something Christian women did as well, and I am not talking about Hats to church. Im talking about long cowl like head covering (circa 16th century onwards)
Clay F, and point number 8: By that time the Pope will have said somehting stupid to draw the attention to him instead and then again people will go out on the streets.
D Reb, yeah I'd like to think it is.
Kaya, the headscarfs are not of swedish tradition in that form. They were much shorter, nor are those dresses in those colours that either. It is a very oriental theme. Either way, most people will associate it with headscarfs and not sweden during the 1600's which is cool I think :)
Looks like country life to me...I wouldn't have guessed they were Muslim. Other than the Burka (spelling?) I can't tell if a woman is Muslim anyway, because sometimes the scarf is just worn as culture and not religion.
I haven't seen a stamp in years since I've been using the Internet for my correspondence. It is a nice gesture by the Swedes to represent the ethnic diversity in Sweden now. But I wonder what is meant by would you see this in Muslim countries? A stamp like this? Sure, why not.
Sophia welcome! Hopefully I'll post a poem or two soon :)
Jewaira, nice to have you here :9
My question was more rhetorical, I wanted to see what others would feel about it.
To my knowledge, in Muslim countries, such initiatives are lacking. Syria I believe is too secular to do it, Turkey bans hijab, so does Tunisia. Saudi Arabia in general "ban women." Pakistan to date has not produced anything like it. Morocco and the likes I cannot speak for nor Indonesia etc. So I ask myself, would a Muslim country do this?
i wish that religion and way of chosing and practicing it could be a complete private matter in the whole world. but the desperat fight of fate being the ONLY TRUE one is such a dead end alley... boring. and killing.... :-(
I understand what you mean, however represting the world as it is, with both believers and people who believe that believing is not the right way, is something that should be part of every society.
Depicting people with headscarf in a counry where a quite significant group walks around with it, is a positive step, as long as it is not done to prove what is right or more right.
Let everyone believe as they want to, and there is no need to advocate that one belief is superior to the other.
Sweden's new stamps feature two women wearing the headscarf in a very Swedish forestry environment. Notice the moose and pine trees? Artist Irina Gebuhr is behind the new design.
27 comments:
That's a pretty stamp.
Watch Denmark come up with something stupid.
Yeah I am waiting for it. A stamp competition of who can draw the most obscene picture with a woman in hijab. I would not be surprised.
Thank God I don't live there. I'll be visiting next year with work though...should be interesting.
Here's what will happen:
1. Denmark will print a stamp demeaning Islam.
2. It will cause an uproar in muslim nations.
3. We will march on the streets and burn danish flags.
4. We will boycott all danish products.
5. The Danish government will vaguely apologize.
6. A few weeks later we will start using danish products again.
7. We will forget about the whole thing like it never happened. Until next time!
Great post, It is gestures like these that create harmony and understanding between different religions in a community, There might be some backlash from extremists but in the bigger picture this is a very good move by the swedish postal service.
:) nice
Nice. But tell me is that a headscarf denoting hijaab, or just the type that women in the countryside wear? (Or used wear; working in the fields, milking cows etc.)
There was a time when headcovering was something Christian women did as well, and I am not talking about Hats to church. Im talking about long cowl like head covering (circa 16th century onwards)
Clay F, and point number 8: By that time the Pope will have said somehting stupid to draw the attention to him instead and then again people will go out on the streets.
D Reb, yeah I'd like to think it is.
Kaya, the headscarfs are not of swedish tradition in that form. They were much shorter, nor are those dresses in those colours that either. It is a very oriental theme. Either way, most people will associate it with headscarfs and not sweden during the 1600's which is cool I think :)
That's awesome! As good as the Eid stamp we have here in the States. InshaAllah, such gestures can go a long to balance out the Danish/Pope nonsense.
I am really glad to know that Sweden is far tolerant than Denmark, thanks for highlighing this good gesture by the Swedish government :-)
I think it's absolutely lovely! Indeed reminded me of the 3id stamps in the US.
Why can't people take things more calmly??
And as to your question about seeing this in muslim countries... i would say sure, why not?
There was an article in the NYTimes 2 weeks ago about egyptian television showing veiled actresses.. and it seemed to cause quite some controversy..
I think I am not very smart because I don't understand why it would offend anyone. It looks like two women and two men on a picnic to me.
Looks like country life to me...I wouldn't have guessed they were Muslim. Other than the Burka (spelling?) I can't tell if a woman is Muslim anyway, because sometimes the scarf is just worn as culture and not religion.
It's a nice stamp. :)
whats up with denmark considering banning the burka?
No u wouldn’t c that in any arab country…..r u insane…u want them to put a pic of a woman on their stamps …ah no no no …NO WAY…
How bout a pic of moroccan belly dancers on a stamp - to signify dubai's sinful yet cultural nightlife!! :D
Moroccan! wut about a british or russian!!
:) Welcome Digital Nomad!
DG, believe me, although Sweden has its share of racists and islamophobes, it is nothing like denmark.
Well Mohamed, imagine in Turkey or Tunisia, Saudi or Syria, a stamp with a woman in hijab. It seems highly unlikely.
Exseno, it might offend swedish nationalists or racists and islamophobes.
Wil R, the interesting thing is, the picture is open for interpretation, however they are not wearing traditional swedish wear.
Samawel, still around? good :)
Umar, I must confess I have not heard of the Burkah ban although I am not surprised.
Arab Lady, tell me about it!
Clay, will you design it? lol
Sure I'll design it! Get me the morrocan belly dancers! I have to take the measurements! :D
Thanks Shaykhspeara. I have linked to this post yesterday.
Keep writing poetry.
I haven't seen a stamp in years since I've been using the Internet for my correspondence.
It is a nice gesture by the Swedes to represent the ethnic diversity in Sweden now. But I wonder what is meant by would you see this in Muslim countries? A stamp like this? Sure, why not.
Sophia welcome! Hopefully I'll post a poem or two soon :)
Jewaira, nice to have you here :9
My question was more rhetorical, I wanted to see what others would feel about it.
To my knowledge, in Muslim countries, such initiatives are lacking. Syria I believe is too secular to do it, Turkey bans hijab, so does Tunisia. Saudi Arabia in general "ban women." Pakistan to date has not produced anything like it. Morocco and the likes I cannot speak for nor Indonesia etc. So I ask myself, would a Muslim country do this?
i wish that religion and way of chosing and practicing it could be a complete private matter in the whole world.
but the desperat fight of fate being the ONLY TRUE one is such a dead end alley...
boring. and killing.... :-(
I understand what you mean, however represting the world as it is, with both believers and people who believe that believing is not the right way, is something that should be part of every society.
Depicting people with headscarf in a counry where a quite significant group walks around with it, is a positive step, as long as it is not done to prove what is right or more right.
Let everyone believe as they want to, and there is no need to advocate that one belief is superior to the other.
Lovely - thanks so much for highlighting the positive.
Baraka Happy to highlight! :)
Post a Comment