SaudiLife.net published Sunday a narrative of a young girl that highlights the growing immodesty in our society. I NEVER imagined a usual weekend trip to Danube in Jeddah would end up infuriating me to the extent that it almost made me feel sorry for myself for being a woman. While I am not new to sundry men throwing their most “charming” smiles and lustful glances at me or any of the women accompanying me outside, what amazes me is how all of this works when the woman is: (a) wearing Hijab; (b) doesn't lift her head to even glance at the passersby; and, (c) strictly minding her business. My plight started when I stepped out of my apartment and, along with my mother and sister, walked down to a nearby souk. Cars stopped before us and honked to disrupt the otherwise tranquil locality of ours as we made our way to the market. While at the market, the two or three seconds that are consumed in hopping from one shop to another were torturous as I could feel a plethora of gazes from all sides gathering on me and my company in these brief moments. A storekeeper of South Asian nationality paused for a good few seconds before entering the store and when he did, I noticed he still hadn't got his eyes off the three abaya-clad figures that were scampering from one store to another. Next stop: Danube. Here again, it was an extremely uncomfortable period, as, after I was done, I stood waiting for my company at the corner-most corner of the supermarket, where I wrongly thought I would be spared of all the usual gawking and ogling. Now I was tired of looking at the floor, done with looking at the Danube brochure over and over again and even tried looking like a snob staring at my mobile phone for no reason and punching buttons pretending to be doing something very important just to avoid looking at anyone. Quick, make me disappear or at least shrink, I thought! And as if the best was still to come, on our way back home (a five-minute ride), we were chased by a car filled with five to six Saudi boys sending out flying kisses in our direction. Finally I was home feeling miserable. It was one of those times when I thought that I was a liability to my family, who have to face all the embarrassment because of me when we are out together. This is just one of the few reasons why I have stopped going to certain crowded places, like markets, etc. with my parents. But that clearly is not the solution. “Tell the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well-acquainted and with all that they do.” (Qur'an 24:30) While the society thinks it's doing its job by telling women to cover themselves up and guard their modesty, I feel it has taken a more lenient stand towards men. How many times are men told about their conduct towards women on the street as opposed to women being told about Hijab? Not many. Refrain I will from being preachy, but men really need to learn to lower their gaze. I have done my Hijab, have my gaze lowered and yet I ask: What more should I do to achieve a happy and secure weekend outing? __
