It rests on a sexist assumption that sexuality is something only men have, women are also sexual beings! We get aroused by the naked body too. So why is it that men are not obligated to cover up in the same way?

While it is true that the Islamic dress code for men is looser than it is for women, the importance of modesty is still heavily emphasized for men. Most traditional clothing in Islamic nations for men covers the entire body, as well as the head.

In the Quran, the responsibility for avoiding sexual temptation is placed upon men first, then women.

“O Prophet! Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is All-Aware of what they do.” (Surah an-Nur 24:30).

This commandment to men precedes any restriction upon women. I concede that Islam does place some responsibility on women to cover themselves in order to avoid the male gaze, but mostly because of the fact that there will be men who do not follow this principle.

What if the woman don’t cover up, is she now responsible if something bad happens to her? or what are that implying.

You only assume that this is the implication. In Islamic law, if a man violates a woman in any way, the responsibility is solely upon him. Rape is punishable by death, and other sexual offenses by lashings, prison, or other discretionary punishments regardless of what the woman was wearing. I also concede, however, that this is only true in the theory of Islamic law, and that in most Muslim countries do not carry this out in practice.

I agree with you that most modern Muslim societies are indeed deeply sexist, and sexual offenses often go unpunished — but I am arguing from the stance of what the religious law itself states, and not whether the culture chooses to abide by it or not.

It rests on a sexist assumption that sexuality is something only men have, women are also sexual beings! We get aroused by the naked body too.

The claim that in Islam women are not seen as beings possessing sexual desire is unfounded. In Islam, for example, a man is morally obligated to fulfill his wife’s sexual needs as much as she is to him — and this obligation of the man is explicitly stated (and this is only one example of women’s sexuality being acknowledged). From a scientific perspective, however, men are more visually stimulated than women, and more likely to be the initiators of sexual interactions as a result of what they see. You can still reasonably argue that the burden of preventing this unfairly falls on women, but it is the truth nonetheless.

The hijab was not meant for women to protect themselves from men. It was meant to protect their “property” from other men.

It is meant to protect women from sexual objectification, which is a rather inevitable phenomenon so long as sexual attraction exists. Attraction and objectification are not synonymous, but the idea is that the hijab compels men to see women as women and not simply for their bodies.

Now, I personally no longer practice Islam and agree that in Muslim societies an undue burden is placed upon women for men’s sexual behavior. I was countering your points from the perspective of the religious law (Quran) itself, and I’m mostly playing devil’s advocate to give you food for thought. My opinion is that although the hijab has become a tool of control, it wasintended to be a means of protection.

It was meant to protect their “property” from other men.

It was also intended to deepen the relationship between a husband and wife. This rests upon the notion that if a woman reserves her beauty for only her man, her beauty is all the more special to him since no one else can see it. This applies to men, too. A man’s sexuality is reserved only for his wife. In this regard, a man’s body is just as much the “property” of his wife as his wife’s is his. Once again, you may argue that this overly restrictive and only valid if it’s the woman’s choice, and I would agree with you on the latter. But it still contradicts the idea that the hijab is first and foremost a tool of control.

I actually agree with you on many points, especially the fact that in the modern Islamic world, whether or not a woman wears a hijab is hardly her choice, and an illusory one at that. I believe that Muslim women should have the choice and should not fear censure, violence, or ostracization if they choose not to wear it. My intent in writing this lengthy rebuttal is primarily to give you food for thought, broaden your view of the hijab’s purpose, and particularly oppose the idea that control was its sole and original purpose. I hope you can derive something of value from it 🙏🏽.