Is wearing the veil a ‘mission’?

Two leading authorities on Islam debate whether the veil is merely a personal symbol of belief, or an object that loads the wearer with a mission.

Prof. Dr. Saim Yeprem, lecturer at the Faculty of Theology at Marmara University and member of the High Commission of the Department of Religious Affairs, states: “The covering up of a woman shows that she attaches importance on Islamic values. The responsibility that wearing a veil bestows on the woman denotes her obligation to control certain aspects of her behaviour. Any person wearing a uniform, such as a policeman or a soldier, should behave according to the mission they are charged with.”

Hidayet Sevkatli Tuksal, a feminist theologian, has a different perspective on the issue. “As a woman who chose to wear the veil 10 years ago, I too had similar thoughts as to what a covered-up woman should and should not do in public. Things have changed, however, and as more women from different social groups have begun to wear the veil, the veiled woman on the street has become more diversified in her behaviour, which reflects her social background. I believe that the veil should no longer be charged with such a mission."