The Veil -- A form of Rebellion?

The case of Tashnuba Hayder, a teenager who was detained on suspicion of being a potential suicide bomber and subsequently deported from the US for immigration violations, is unfortunate. Many aspects of this case is still shrouded in mystery, including the reasons why this girl first roused the interests of the FBI. But, what is clear is that Tashnuba is a rebellious teenager who found expression in religion.

From childhood, Tashnuba embraced religion with a kind of rebellion. By 10 she was praying five times a day - and reproaching her more secular father, a salesman of cheap watches. At 12, Tashnuba even explored Christianity. But at 14, she adopted a full Islamic veil. [NYT]

The Veil (Hijab, Burqah, purdah) as a form of rebellion? In addition, Tashnuba was reported to have attempted to elope with a muslim-American boy defying her parents, who were not amenable to her demands for home schooling. Why would she volunteer for a child marriage to a stranger just to avoid (supposedly raunchy) public school education?

I remember the Veil as an oppressive practice. My sojourn in the Mid East left me with a bad taste for this restrictive institution. But, maybe my rebellion against it was not so different from Tashnuba's rebellion for it. We were both longing to have the freedom to dress as we please and thereby express who we are. . . And she is not alone. Many muslim women are embracing the islamic dress to empower them against the objectification of female beauty.

Unfortunately, Tashnuba and her family has had to pay dearly for her rebellion. Just as I was lured by the promise of Western liberalism, Tashnuba echoes innocently about the utopian Islamic state . . .

What she recalled was talk of a utopian Islamic state that would follow God's will, not human desires. "You don't pay for water in an Islamic state, you don't pay for transport," she said. "There are certain rights that can't be taken away."

Growing up and closer study usually reveals that things may not be as they seem. . . My advice to Tashnuba: Start a blog and share your journey.