Spotlight: What Did the So-Called "Veil" or "Hijab" Look Like in Pre-Islamic Arabia?

Library > Community Presentations

Presenter: Razan Abu Sharia

Delivered: Riyadh on May 27, 2023

Razan Abu Sharia talks about what the veil/hijab looked like in pre-Islamic Arabia. She explores ancient veiling in Mesopotamia, Roman, Greek, Assyrian, and Byzantine Empires, and much more! 

Sources & Future References

• The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women's Rights in Islam by Fatema Mernissi | Goodreads

• Veiled Sentiments by Lila Abu-Lughod | University of California Press

• The Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon | Google Books

• A Community of Secrets: The Separate World of Bedouin Women | JSTOR

• Permission to Rebel: Arab Bedouin Women's Changing Negotiation of Social Roles | JSTOR

Note: All community presentations are prepared & presented by non-experts on the subject. They are sharing information in the hopes of spurring interest in that subject.

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About Afikra Community Presentations

Delivered and prepared by afikra Community members, the presentation’s goal is to showcase the presenter’s curiosity and research and share some knowledge on a ‎topic related to the Arab world’s histories and cultures. The presentation is the ‎culmination of the afikra coaching process to help identify a topic, find research, and develop the ‎presentation. afikra presentations come in two forms, a long question-driven afikra Feature, and a short afikra FWD with the purpose of sharing something interesting.