Islam discussion
Is wearing a bindi haram?
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Famma
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Mar 08, 2012 09:23PM
I don't wear bindi and I haven't heard its haram. My aunt wear Bindi and she is also a muslim. If you mean that hindu wear bindi so its haram then thats pointless as Hindu also wear saari, ghagra, pajama so does muslim.
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I think that Bindis are more cultural than anything. The only time I feel like it would pose a problem is if you are offending people of the culture. BUT I WILL SAY, The Bindis are traditionally worn by Hindus to signify marriage, spiritual enlightenment, and a variety of things but there is a duel meaning to that because it's also worn for fashion and purely fashion. Women of other cultures and religions partake in this and like Famma said, hindus wear saari and so do Muslims so it's really your call. but if you are being mistaken for a Hindu or following more religious practices of Hindus it would be a problem. I'll share with you two hadith I found related to the subject 1.) "Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4649: Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'Asl;;
Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He does not belong to us who imitates other people!”"
2.) "Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4020 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar;;
The Prophet (saws) said: ‘He who copies any people is one of them!"
(I think these hadiths refer more to partaking in other religion's traditions and celebrations but it could relate to some religiously related body adornments/jewelry/etc )
I will also include two excerpts from two Islam question and answer resource;;
EXCERPT #1
The Messenger of Allah (saws) himself, his chaste and noble family, and his noble companions themselves wore the dresses which were worn by their people of the times. Allah and His Messenger (saws) have neither specified nor limited the believers to a particular Islamic dress, but rather gave some conditions which the dress one adorns himself/herself with must be fulfilled:
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 25:
26 O ye children of Adam! We have bestowed clothing upon you to cover your shame as well as to be an adornment to you; but the clothing of ‘taqwa’ (piety, righteousness, etc.) that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah that they may receive admonition!
Provided that the below five conditions of apparel are not violated, there is absolutely no restriction on the type or color of clothing the believers are allowed to wear in Islam:
1. Clothes worn should not announce arrogance.
2. The ‘satr’ of the person (man or woman) must be covered in the presence of their non-mehrams.
3. The clothes worn must not be tight so as to display ones figure and curves, and should not be transparent.
4. The clothes worn must not be an imitation of the pagans or disbelievers.
5. Men should not imitate women in their clothing; nor should women imitate men in their clothing.
Thus if the culture or tradition of the people where one resides is shirts and pants, skirts or blouses, saris, or whatever else; there is absolutely no harm if a believer adorns himself with his/her prevalent cultural clothes, as long as none of the above conditions of Islam are violated.
[[ www.islamhelpline.com/node/4940 ]]
EXCERPT #2
""The use of clothing of the kuffar (unbelievers) which they have worn is permissible as long as there is no known najasa (impurity) regarding it, because the default for things in general is tahaarah (purity) and it is not overridden by mere doubt. Likewise, what they have woven and dyed and what has been imported from their countries are also permissible, as long as they do not comprise anything haram (forbidden), because the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his sahaba (his companions) wore items the kuffar had woven and made, and likewise the Prophet (peace be upon him) wore a Roman jubba (a long outer garment, open in front, with wide sleeves)."
[[ islamqa.info/en/ref/30/haram%20clothing ]]
So in conclusion I don't think it's anti-God but other people might not regard it solely as a cultural practice. It's all about intention and interpretation I think! For instance, I wouldn't wear a bindi because of the religious and cultural values it has to others, in which I have no part of that culture/religion so I feel like it would be cultural/religious appropriation for me to do so.
Insha'Allah I hope that I have answered your question!
The point is how you see it... My aunts wear it because its some kind of a fashion statement for her. However, imitating other religions is not allowed in islam. so after a thought I searched for you:Bindi is derived from the sanskrit word bindu, which means a ‘dot’. It is usually a red dot made with vermilion powder and is worn by the Hindu women between their eyebrows on their forehead.
Bindi is considered a symbol of ‘Parvati’ and signifies female energy which is believed by Hindus to protect women and their husbands. It is traditionally a symbol of marriage and is worn by the Hindu married women. It is also called as tika
Nowadays, wearing bindi has become a fashion and is even worn by unmarried girls and women. The shape of the bindi is no longer restricted to a dot and is available in various shapes, including oval, star, heart shaped, etc. It is even available in different bright colours like blue, green, yellow, orange, etc. The material of the bindi is no longer restricted to vermilion powder, but is made of coloured felt and other material. It is also available in a variety of designs in combination with coloured glass, glitter, etc.
Allah (swt), our Creator, is the best to protect human beings. We do not require any red dot or black thread to protect us from evil. It is mentioned in the Glorius Qur’an in Surah Anam Chapter 6 verse 14
"Say: Shall I take for my protector any other than Allah, the Maker of the heavens and the earth?"
[Al-Qur’an 6:14]
It is mentioned in several places in the Glorius Qur’an including
Surah Ali Imran Chapter 3 Verse 150 and Surah Alhajj Chapter 22 Verse 78
"Allah is your Protector, and He is the best of helpers."
Wearing a bindi or mangalsutra signifies a lack of faith in Almighty God, our Creator, who is the best to protect.
Again I will say the point is how you see it or feel it. If you think what you doing is wrong then don't do it. You believe in God then thats between you and him. Don't let other things confuse you.
Do you think that any kind of jewellry or makeup is haram, or just specifically the bindi? I don't want to draw away from the main topic, but I was just curious.
Makeup, nose-studs, Tikka, mehandi There are many things i can point out means different things to different people religiously and non religiously.
Above all, I know that God knows my intentions and He knows my heart and I hope that the light of Him will shine through me so people would know that I follow Him and that He is working through me. I understand what you are saying perfectly and how people would react, but I think wearing the bindi could also be a good way to bring people together and share each other's beliefs and teach about God. What do you think? Do you think the bindi has too much of a religious aspect despite if the one wearing it has good intentions? If one is not Hindu, do you think they could wear it for cultural reasons or fashion? Or would that be disrespectful? If your intentions are good and pure then I think you are okay. Allah knows and sees everything and he is most forgiving if we have made a mistake without the intention to do so. As for bringing people together, I don't think it would really be teaching beliefs as much as it would be just wearing an adornment on your head. I think the best way to teach beliefs is to share it with somebody and to not imitate(it could be offensive to turn a practice into something fashionable), judge, or push people's feelings aside because of religion/ethnicity/nationality/etc. I feel like the bindi was originally religious and then it gradually became integrated into society as a cultural practice. The fact that it has morphed into this doesn't take away it's importance, whether for fashion or religion, to people all over the world BUT we do have to be wary of this regardless.
As for the cultural appropriation aspect of it, to ME I feel like it would be wrong because I am not South Asian or apart of any traditional culture that would grant me a reason to wear it. In the same way I shouldn't wear a Native American headdress because it is something sacred to that society (and confined to mostly men) in which I have no reason (or permission) to wear it. You get what I mean?
Regardless of your intention, there will always be somebody to tell you what you are doing is wrong even if what you are doing is right. For instance, I wear hijab and people try to tell me that it's 'oppressive' and 'wrong' but in my mind AND heart I know that it is my obligation therefore I shall abide by it no matter what.
Anyways, like Famma said "The point is how you see it or feel it. If you think what you doing is wrong then don't do it. You believe in God then thats between you and him. Don't let other things confuse you."
That is very true... if you feel like you are offending somebody or God then don't do it. But on the other hand, if you feel like it's right then continue to research it and pray for Allah to continue to guide you on the straight path!
As for your school, I am deeply sorry they allow such prejudice :"(
"Do you think that any kind of jewellry or makeup is haram, or just specifically the bindi? I don't want to draw away from the main topic, but I was just curious." I did some research for you on this topic that will hopefully bring some insight, I will include sources.
RESEARCH #1 :
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah. May the peace and blessings of Allah shower upon our Beloved Messenger, his family, companions, and those who follow them.
Dear Sister,
Wearing kohl is one of the sunnas of the Prophet, peace be upon him. It is allowed for both males and females. Unless you will bring undue attention to yourself, it is permissible for you to wear kohl.
Makeup is different. In Surat al-Nur, Allah says, "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers, turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss". (Qur'an 24:31).
Scholars have interpreted the directive to not display beauty and ornaments except what ordinarily appears in terms of ordinary adornment and extra adornment. Ordinary adornments like kohl, henna, or a ring are permissible to wear in public. Extra adornment, like perfume, lipstick, dazzling eye colors, and the like are not permissible to wear in public. In short, any type of adornment which makes a woman look "made-up" and attracts amorous attention is not permissible, as this would defeat the whole purpose of hijab.
And Allah knows best.
Umm Salah
[[ qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?ID=4871 ]]
Also this ;;
Praise be to Allaah.
If a woman does wudoo’ then puts makeup on her face, that does not matter, and it does not affect her wudoo’ or her prayer, so long as it is not naajis, because purity of clothes and body are essential for the prayer to be valid.
It should be noted that it is not permissible for a woman to wear makeup in front of non-mahram men, because she is commanded to cover her face in front of them and because wearing makeup is an adornment that leads to fitnah. If she does that and then prays, she will have the reward for her prayer but she will have the burden of sin for tabarruj (wanton display).
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (17/129): There is no reason why a woman should not adorn herself by wearing makeup on her face, or kohl, or doing her hair in a manner that does not make her resemble kaafir women, but it is also essential that she cover her face in front of men who are not her mahrams. End quote.
It also says (17/128): Using kohl is allowed in Islam, but it is not permissible for a woman to show any of her adornment, whether kohl or anything else, to anyone other than her husband or mahrams, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“…and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands…”
[al-Noor 24:31]
And Allaah knows best.
[[ islamqa.info/en/ref/72390]]
Personally, I think that makeup CAN be used to deceive if you wear a lot but a little bit is okay to wear as long as you take it off before you pray and you can apply it again afterwards. Also, your intentions in wearing it should be just to please yourself :) but Allah knows best !
Clothes are fine because they aren't something sacred but but the point I was trying to make is I feel like things like native headdresses are something different because they are sacred and something worn by only certain people in that group. For ME, having no native/african/asian ancestry it would be weird for me to wear anything sacred or restricted to a culture I don't belong to (or has been oppressed and destructed by the majority [[ex: Native Americans and Europeans]] and will further be by my mockery and use of these symbols for fashion, costumes, fulfilling stereotypes etc). There is a difference between wearing a native headdress and wearing moccasin shoes! Because native headdresses are restricted, even within Native cultures . You get what I mean? I'm not saying that you can't adopt ANYTHING because like you said I think it's interesting and fun to appreciate a culture by wearing their clothes etc but there are things that are okay to wear for simply fashion purposes and some things that just aren't.
I WILL go far as to say if you understand what something found in a culture (in this case, the bindi) means and stands for, I think it's okay because you took the time to understand it and appreciate it. You aren't just blindly mocking something just because it 'looks cute' without caring about how it makes people of the culture feel, but rather you are 'adopting' it and you have not only an appreciation but an understanding.
In my opinion some things are completely okay to wear without understanding for fashion purposes only (dashikis, kaftans, jallabas, saaris, moccasins, etc), some things you should understand the meaning behind (bindis, dreadlocks, etc) and things that just are restricted and sacred therefore should not be used for fashion purposes unless under some reason you were granted permission to do so (Native headdresses, bachelors diplomas, military medals, etc)
by the way, I am engaged to a Moroccan so I wear Moroccan jallabas all the time lol!
Do you ever have any problems with wearing the hijab at school?
I'm going to attach some articles and posts that go into the dynamics of this appropriation way better then I can!www.racialicious.com/2008/09/18/cultu...
Discussions about American Apparel’s new Afrika line of clothing on this blog, Feministing and Racialicious sparked some confusion among people who wondered “What’s so wrong with being inspired by another culture?” Nothing, really. But “inspiration” drawn from a historically oppressed culture comes with a tangle of baggage born of generations of marginalization and bias.
Cultural appropriation is the adoption of some specific elements of one culture by a different cultural group. It denotes acculturation or assimilation, but often connotes a negative view towards acculturation from a minority culture by a dominant culture.[1][2] It can include the introduction of forms of dress or personal adornment, music and art, religion, language, or social behavior. These elements, once removed from their indigenous cultural contexts, may take on meanings that are significantly divergent from, or merely less nuanced than, those they originally held. Or, they may be stripped of meaning altogether.
The term cultural appropriation can have a negative connotation. It generally is applied when the subject culture is a minority culture or somehow subordinate in social, political, economic, or military status to the appropriating culture; or, when there are other issues involved, such as a history of ethnic or racial conflict between the two groups.Cultural and racial theorist, George Lipsitz, outlined this concept of cultural appropriation in his seminal term “strategic anti-essentialism”. Strategic anti-essentialism is defined as the calculated use of a cultural form, outside of your own, to define yourself or your group. Strategic anti-essentialism can be seen both in minority cultures and majority cultures, and are not confined to only the appropriation of the other. For example, the American band Redbone, comprised of founding members of Mexican heritage, essentialized their group as belonging to the Native American tradition, and are known for their famous songs in support of the American Indian Movement “We Were All Wounded at Wounded Knee” and “Custer Had It Coming”. However, as Lipsitz argues, when the majority culture attempts to strategically anti-essentialize themselves by appropriating a minority culture, they must take great care to recognize the specific socio-historical circumstances and significance of these cultural forms so as not the perpetuate the already existing, majority vs. minority, unequal power relations.
zinelibrary.info/cultural-appreciatio...
www.adailyriot.tumblr.com/post/168249...
http://apihtawikosisan.com/hall-of-sh...
www.anti-politics.net/distro/2009/wan... (this is a long PDF essay lol )
Hello. My first question is, do you think a man, like myself could wear a Bindi, without bringing any amount of offense to the Hindu religion? I was doing some reading, and learned that it is also a symbol for the Third Eye, and that it marks the location of the sixth Chakra. I recently have found my love for the Hindu religion, and I feel that if I were to wear it, it would be a symbol for me, not just a fashion statement. My second question is, are there any books you recommend any books for someone is new to the Hindu religion and would like to learn more. Thank you kindly.
Hello Lisa, thank you so much for your response. I have looked into the paste Bindi as well, such as the one achieved using Vermilion powder. Is that what you were referring to as well? I do like the Bindi for cosmetic reasons on women, as just a symbol of their cultural beauty, but for me, as with others, I do want it to symbolize something more. Recently I've come to discover the Hindu and Buddhist religions and I feel that they are beginning to fill many voids in my life. I cant wait to through your blog and continue to learn, not only about the Bindi, but everything that surrounds it. I look forward to more of your advice and insight on the subject. Thank you!
Domenic wrote: "Hello Lisa, thank you so much for your response. I have looked into the paste Bindi as well, such as the one achieved using Vermilion powder. Is that what you were referring to as well? I do like t..."Hi Domenic, just came across your question. It would be interesting for you to know that a lot of Hindu males in the past would always wear a tilak or a tika, if not a bindi. It signifies the Sixth Chakra / Third Eye and also the location of our pineal gland, which regulates our hormones including the happiness hormone (serotonin) and the sleep hormone (melatonin). Instead of a bindi, applying a tilak of sandalwood paste would help you healthwise. A lot of men (and women) commonly do this even today. Sandalwood is cooling and is known to have beneficial effects on our brain and overall health. Always know that all these rituals, though symbolic, also have some significance attached to it, and none are made with the intention to cause harm :) Personally, I wear a bindi for fashion but in the temples, the pandits apply sandalwood tilak on our foreheads. I never had a problem with it because it was cooling & pleasant. And when I came to know about the other benefits, I was even more happy! Take care.
