Lifting the veil

the long version

The controversy over the veil is symbolic of the issues facing Muslim women today. This piece of cloth embodies the debate over liberation or subjugation. While the Muslim fundamentalists are becoming more vocal and aggressive, a minority voice is courageously being raised in protest against Islamic rites and rituals. It is the Muslim women who are in the eye of the storm, and unfortunately, they seldom get the opportunity to set a direction. Secluded from the eyes of anyone but family members, Muslim women live under a system of tradition, rites, and rituals that favor men above women. "A man loves first his son, then his camel, and then his wife," says an Arab proverb. Phil & Julie Parshall understand the issues, heartaches, and dangers facing Muslim women today, having lived among them for more than four decades. They bring a sensitive perspective to this thoughtful, yet sobering book that examines the controversy of female circumcision and proof of virginity, the heartache of arranged marriages, divorce, polygamy, and the status of women living in a male dominated world. This book will not provide you with easy answers but will prompt you to begin praying for these "daughters of Ishmael" and give you sensitive awareness to life behind the veil.