Around the world we all share th
e same clinical problems dealing with diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients. The hearing problems and patient’s reaction to them present the same difficulties in other countries that we experience here. As clinicians we have so much in common and much to share regarding how to rehabilitate our patients. Evidence of this is on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other sites where clinicians from around the world follow each other and offer solutions to the various clinical problems encountered.
Customs and Traditions
Although we have much in common, there are customs in other countries that are part of their culture and everyday life, that can seem quite strange to Westerners on their first visit or so. In most Western cultures, such as Europe, there are notable cultural differences as well, often due to language, accents, mountain ranges, old traditional boundaries, or other subtle differences. As foreigners, it is of course always respectful to honor the cultures in the countries that we visit as we would expect those that visit us in the USA to respect our way of life. A good rule to follow is that you should not be the “ugly American” even when these customs seem to be quite a departure from what you expect.
In my Travels to the Middle East, I was always taken by the respect and hospitality that was offered as well as the appreciation expressed for traveling to their country to present scientific and product information. If fact, if you ever get to to this part of the world the food is fabulous and there is lots of it. Be prepared to gain a few pounds and be treated like a respected Nobel Lauriet scientist, even though most of us will never get to that level.
New to international travel and rather naive of the traditions and culture, one of the first questions posed to my hosts on the first Middle East trip was the purpose of the covering of women in public. To an American that has worked in the field of Audiology for well over 3 decades, most of my colleagues are women (sorry guys only about 15% of USA Audiologists are male these days) and working with female colleagues as equals (or superiors) is normal. In the West, we have grown up over the past 50 years or so to respect the contribution of women to society and expect them to participate fully in families, working, politics, voting, and many basic rights and responsibilities of citizenship. It seemed
strange for women be expected to cover themselves up in public, especially on a 
hot day when all the extra clothes add to the heat. Although there were other issues that seemed very strange, such as not allowing women to drive, separate waiting areas for women in hospitals or separate areas for women to sit at a conference or a meeting, but the wearing of the robe or “Burqa” in public places is one that deserves discussion. Norm (2010) indicates that it is not so much a question of rights as it is custom and there are so many misconceptions and misunderstandings about Islamic attire for women. Many westerners have this mental image of a woman draped in a shapeless black cloth with a slit for the eyes. In reality, because Islam is not a monolithic geographical bloc, dress practices themselves vary from country to country and even from region to region within a country.
History
The wearing of the Burqa is basically a custom that dates back centuries in this part of the world. There is evidence that this type of dress was worn by some Arab and Persian women long before Islam came to the Middle Eas
t. For example, the Roman African Christian, Tertullian, writing in Chapter 17 of The Veiling of Virgins around 200 AD, praises the modesty of those “pagan women of Arabia” who “not only cover their head, but their whole face, preferring to enjoy half the light with one eye rather than prostituting their whole face.” Strabo, writing in the first century AD, also refers to covering the face as a practice of some Persian women (Geography 11.13. 9–10).
What is a Burqa (Burka, hijab,niqab,abaaya, chador)?
Carpenter (2001) indicates that perhaps the most visible manifestation of a Muslim woman’s faith, it goes actually by many names — hijab, niqab, abaaya, burqa, chador. It can be anything from a simple scarf draped around the face and neck to a shawl, and, in some countries or regions, a full cloak or shroud that covers the head and everything, in fact, but the eyes. According to Ask.com (2011) the
Burqa is defined as an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions to cover their bodies in public places. The burqa is usually understood to be the woman’s loose body-covering, plus the head covering and, in some cultures a face-veil. Many Muslims believe that the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an and the collected traditions of the life of Muhammed, or hadith, require both men and women to dress and behave modestly in public. Thus the traditional Islamic dress for men as well. However, this requirement, called hijab, has been interpreted in many different ways by Islamic scholars and Muslim communities (Geography 11.13.9-10). The hijab has continued to arouse debate between Muslim scholars and jurists both past and present concerning whether it is obligatory. The following verse from the Qur’an is cited as support for the covering:
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters, and the believing women, to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies. That will be better that they should be known (as respectable woman) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
God is forgiving and kind.
In today’s 21st Century world, fashion is a means to express your personality and project the kind of person that you are and the purpose for the dress. Your choices of fabric, colors, style and so on are made keeping the personality and the situation in mind. There is now a wide range of Islamic dresses that are available, which let you project your personality while still respecting the tradition and the rules
of religion. In other words, you can be fashionable, relaxed, or business attire while still being modestly dressed, and you can be trendy without breaking the rules.
Although totally an understandable custom, an interesting situation came to pass a few years ago when I was asked to speak to a group of Deaf Educators in Riyad, Saudi Arabia. The topic was on FM systems and how they could play a big role in the education of the hearing impaired. As the teachers took their seats and I looked out into the audience, all I could see were the ladies’ eyes. As the presentation progressed, all participants were totally respectful and attentive, however, without seeing facial expression, I had no idea whether they were interested in my talk or bored. At the end of the hour, I didn’t know if the presentation had flopped, been a success, or somewhere in-between. It was a bit like giving a lecture to an online audience when 
you have no feedback from seeing a face to let you know how the topic is developing and being received.
My Middle Eastern male friends and colleagues tell me, however, that when at home their wives dress causually as wives do in most of the world. And NOW…you will not have to ask the same questions that I did on your trip to the Middle East!…..RMT
Next week, look toward Hearing International for another travel story titled: “Exposed Underwear”……RMT
References:
Ask.com, (2011). Burqa. Retrieved from the World Wide Web June 26, 2011: http://www.ask.com/wiki/Burqa
Carpenter, M.(2001). Muslim women say that the veil is more about expression than oppression. PG News. Retrieved from the World Wide Web June 29, 2011: http://www.post-gazette.com/headlines/20011028muslimwomennat3p3.asp
Norm, (2010). Will Muslim dress for women ever make a significant change. www.themuslimwomen.org, Retrieved from t he World Wide Web June 26, 2011: http://www.themuslimwoman.org/page/2/
