Do I HAVE to wear the hijab?

Primadonna wrote:

I never wear a scarf when I go out but I guess that Jordan is totally different then other countries.
But their are some cases I wear it, indeed loosely on my head  just for the respect and nothing else.

It seems to me it is just weird that a strange men can tell you what to wear. This is the opposite of what the religion says: no force!
In these cases respect comes from one side.

I've been to Jordan--totally different from Saudia. In Saudia, it's often based on intimidation.

Alliecat wrote:

Small areas are more conservative.  You don't HAVE to wear one but mutawa (and regular guys who freakin' *think* they are mutawa) try to flex their muscle by  telling you to cover your head.

Allie
Any one can be a Mutawa, Mutawa means "religious" and not the religious police.
It is being far right wing person who is extremely religious, as long as a Mutawa isn't accompanied by an actual cop he's not part of the religious police. Just wanted to clear that out

Local Brownie wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

Small areas are more conservative.  You don't HAVE to wear one but mutawa (and regular guys who freakin' *think* they are mutawa) try to flex their muscle by  telling you to cover your head.

Allie
Any one can be a Mutawa, Mutawa means "religious" and not the religious police.
It is being far right wing person who is extremely religious, as long as a Mutawa isn't accompanied by an actual cop he's not part of the religious police. Just wanted to clear that out

Thanks, appreciate that--for most expats, 'mutawa,' 'mutaween' means the religious police.  In fact, if you google 'religious police Saudi Arabia,' you get the word 'mutawa' over and over again.

Alliecat wrote:

Local Brownie wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

Small areas are more conservative.  You don't HAVE to wear one but mutawa (and regular guys who freakin' *think* they are mutawa) try to flex their muscle by  telling you to cover your head.

Allie
Any one can be a Mutawa, Mutawa means "religious" and not the religious police.
It is being far right wing person who is extremely religious, as long as a Mutawa isn't accompanied by an actual cop he's not part of the religious police. Just wanted to clear that out

Thanks, appreciate that--for most expats, 'mutawa,' 'mutaween' means the religious police.  In fact, if you google 'religious police Saudi Arabia,' you get the word 'mutawa' over and over again.

My pleasure Allie, you're right -as MOST of the time- expats confuse the two, my advice is to just completely and utterly ignore them, with or without a cop, just deny them any recognition of their existence and they will leave you alone eventually

Alliecat wrote:

I've been to Jordan--totally different from Saudia. In Saudia, it's often based on intimidation.

Intimidation. Yep, that's the right word for it.

Alliecat wrote:

Local Brownie wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

Small areas are more conservative.  You don't HAVE to wear one but mutawa (and regular guys who freakin' *think* they are mutawa) try to flex their muscle by  telling you to cover your head.

Allie
Any one can be a Mutawa, Mutawa means "religious" and not the religious police.
It is being far right wing person who is extremely religious, as long as a Mutawa isn't accompanied by an actual cop he's not part of the religious police. Just wanted to clear that out

Thanks, appreciate that--for most expats, 'mutawa,' 'mutaween' means the religious police.  In fact, if you google 'religious police Saudi Arabia,' you get the word 'mutawa' over and over again.

the Literal meaning of "mutawa" is "volunteer". in today's society it is associated with the religious police, but don't ask me why.

If anyone stops you and tells you to do some thing.

1- Ask them for an ID showing that they have authority in this matter.
2- if not ask for their ID to report to the police (mostly a bluff, but you have the right to do so)
3- If they are apologize do what they say to avoid hassle, but if they are rude or impolite report them.

Local Brownie wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

Local Brownie wrote:

Allie
Any one can be a Mutawa, Mutawa means "religious" and not the religious police.
It is being far right wing person who is extremely religious, as long as a Mutawa isn't accompanied by an actual cop he's not part of the religious police. Just wanted to clear that out

Thanks, appreciate that--for most expats, 'mutawa,' 'mutaween' means the religious police.  In fact, if you google 'religious police Saudi Arabia,' you get the word 'mutawa' over and over again.

My pleasure Allie, you're right -as MOST of the time- expats confuse the two, my advice is to just completely and utterly ignore them, with or without a cop, just deny them any recognition of their existence and they will leave you alone eventually

that is actually a bad advice, because you don't want to escalate a situation. The best thing to do is comply with authorities, report vigilantes, and if the authorities are being abusive report them as well.

ahelpfulsaudi wrote:

1- Ask them for an ID showing that they have authority in this matter.
2- if not ask for their ID to report to the police (mostly a bluff, but you have the right to do so)
3- If they are apologize do what they say to avoid hassle, but if they are rude or impolite report them.

You are forgetting ONE very important thing:  Many (most?) of us do NOT speak Arabic.  If we knew the language, we could stick up for ourselves but since we don't, we can't do any of this!! 

Simplest thing is to momentarily comply and then take it off. I've only been approached a few times and they NEVER had a policeman with them.  So it's some local yokel charging around the mall, talking to strange women, sometimes being loud and rude .. for what reason?  To make us cover our heads .. for 10 seconds?  Seems like they're doing it not out of religious conviction but, rather, a power trip, and I certainly can't respect them.