V 1 N. 26 To Hijab or Not Hijab, That Is the Question

 Don't Organize A Marathon In Iran If You Are Going To Allow Women To Run Bare-Headed

Two Marathon Organizers Arrested for Not Enforcing Hijab to Be Worn by Women Runners :link

This story appeared in today's The Guardian about a low key marathon event run on the island of Kish off the south coast of Iran.  Some photos of women running and not wearing a hijab led to the arrest of two of the race organizers.  

Before I get going on this I want to say that I think that the name of the country 'Iran" is the absolutely coolest name for a nation participating in our sport.  When you finish a long run, a race, or a time trial  what might be the most common thing that comes into your brain but the words.  "I ran.  I ran"   In the US we often even pronounce the name 'Iran' as if it were spelled as two words,  "I ran".   Okay I know that's not the acceptable way in the King's English, that's sort of the Appalachian or West Texas Way.  The name could only be better if they changed the 'a' to a 'u'.  But that would probably take a fatwah to happen.  

If someone is bitten by the bug of running, it can  sometimes be said that running becomes a religion in their lives.  Even on Sunday, if you don't get up early for a long run before going to church, some might say they have failed in what the angels expect of them.  That 'faith' in the sport can cross all religious boundaries, although some of the higher ups in the temples, synods,  and holy councils may be sitting on their thrones making the rules, and they don't want to see their power being bushwacked.  

I'm reminded of a line from Hal Higdon's book, On the Run from Dogs and People when a couple of guys on their twenty mile run on a Sunday morning in a rural area of the Midwest are passing a small church as it is letting out after the closing  hymn, and a couple of lady members look down their noses at the runners as they pass by. Maybe they had been thinking, "Oh Lord, those men in shorts, shirtless, sweaty, heaving chests, bulging calves...the temptation....".    Maybe a cry of "those heathen" drifts out of the mouth of one of the matriarchs.  One of the runners lays this on the old biddie.  "Lady, for the last two hours, I've been closer to God than you will ever be."   It's been so long since I've been to church, I can't remember if that is something out of Old Testament or New.  Anyway I'm starting to drift.  

And before I start pointing a finger at another culture, I must also remember my own culture where in the state of Ohio  young muslim girls were starting to run cross country in high school,  and they were forbidden by the Ohio High School Athletic Association officials from wearing the hijab.  It was claimed that the girl had not applied for a waiver to run in a hijab .was a lack of continuity in the team uniform or some such decree.  .Muslim girl DQ'd in Ohio  :link  The cultural pressure on those girls must have been enormous to go without their headcover.   I don't think that wearing a cross on a chain around one's neck was banned.  It was pure religious discrimination.  I believe that ban has now been lifted.   Ohio Gov Signs Law Allowing Hijab in Competition :link

I also feel that some officials just like to 'Lord' it over athletes, and they get bragging rights over how many DQ's they impose at a meet. 

Some of the Arabian Gulf States are now bringing in a lot of western sport, because there is a lot of money and international prestige to be gained by hosting these events.  But there are also some women athletes who are holding out going there to compete due to questionable rights for women in those countries.  Can you imaging a women's soccer event in Riyadh or swimming competitions or beach volleyball?

Here in some parts of Canada, religious affiliation cannot be shown in public.  In Quebec, once a very Catholic province, a public servant cannot wear a cross.  That goes right down to bank tellers.  So it is not just one religion that has extremes.  However imprisonment for violating that law  may not yet be an option in Quebec.  In France the hijab is banned from sport.  Also in Ohio I once saw a judge tell  an Amish woman to remover her bonnet while in the courtroom.  The poor woman was so distraught that she could not remain in court and learn what the sentence of her child would be.   Remember when it was very common to make the sign of the cross before taking a foul shot?  I recall playing a Catholic school in basketball and noticing that many of the spectators were doing the same when their team was taking a foul shot. If the player misses the shot, is it because he or she is unworthy or the cause is not just?   In the Ohio State Indiana football game yesterday there was some zealot with a John 3:16 sign under the goal posts during a field goal attempt.  Fortunately the kick was good, but there were also two very critical misses, one for each team.  I'm not sure if the poster guy was praying for or against the kick.  That raises a philosophical question.  Is is okay to pray against another team or just for your team?  My personal opinion is that religion and sport should not be confused.  Praying to dominate another person or group of people is not worthy of prayer.  

A few more articles on the subject for your perusal:

Article on banning hijab in sport in France :link

First Muslim Woman to Win an Olympic Medal :link

First Muslim American Woman to Win an Olympic Medal :link

George,

 

Well said.  My two primary interests over nearly 89 years of living have been running and consciousness. I have authored nine books and about 2,200 articles  -- one book on running and eight on consciousness, but about 50-50 between the two subjects for newspapers, magazine, journals, blogs, and other media.  Many of my running  friends think I am a "religious nut," as they don't grasp the difference between consciousness studies and religion.  The fact is that I belong to no religion and disagree with much of what religions preach, especially the whole "worship" thing.  I shudder whenever I see an athlete bless him- or herself self on the field, as I'm sure the nihilists will scoff and ask the person where their God is when they fail on the field.  My interests are more existential and as I see it, distance running is to a large extent a microcosm of life.  As I also see it, adversity is our best teacher in life and as science has given us many comforts to reduce the physical stresses and adversities in life, running has helped fill the gap and better understand the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of this life. Unfortunately, many runners are slow in grasping the link.  

 

Aloha!

 

Mike

Michael Tymn