TERRE HAUTE —
A 36-year-old orthodox Muslim, Zohra Sarwari frequently confronts misconceptions and stereotypes — even prejudice — when she is in public.
Some assume she is oppressed and forced to wear her head scarf and long, loose-fitting clothing. Others may be afraid if they see her on an airplane.
“I take it with a grain of salt. I try to educate people and laugh it off,” Sarwari said.
And that’s what she spends much of her time doing, speaking and writing books to dispel the myths and misunderstandings so prevalent in America. “There is so much negativity against us. True believers need to stand up and say, what is our faith. They need to bridge those misconceptions,” she said in an interview before her hourlong talk at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College as part of its Four-Star Series.
A Fishers resident, she is the author of 10 books and has appeared on ABC News, Fox News and numerous radio shows. She came to the United States from Afghanistan as a refugee at the age of 6.
Her talk Wednesday night was titled, “Are Muslim Women Oppressed?” She delivered her message with plenty of anecdotes and humor.
“Muslim women are not oppressed,” she said in the interview. “They are by far very empowered and very knowledgeable and very educated.”
There is a difference between what culture portrays, and what religion — and the Quran — says. Sarwari wants people to know the difference between the two.
During her talk, she explained why Muslim women wear head scarves and loose-fitting, modest clothing, and it’s not because they are forced to or oppressed. “It is a commandment from God and we’re doing it to obey him,” she said.
In Islam, “You are beautiful from the inside out. Your outer beauty … is for your immediate family, who accept you regardless,” she said. Modest clothing also discourages adultery, she said.
The clothing is obligatory once a Muslim woman reaches puberty, however, “You can’t force it on anybody,” she said. If her children later decided not to wear the head scarves, she would not cut off ties with them — her religion does not allow it, she said.
“It’s between her and God,” she said.
U.S. society places too much emphasis on women’s appearance, which puts a lot of pressure on them, and teen-age girls in particular.
“We have a society where if you’re not size zero, you’re not in. If you’re not looking like Kim Kardashian, you’re not in,” she said. Younger girls are thinking “I’m not good enough,” and that can lead to destructive behaviors.
Married and a mother of four, she has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in business administration. She is pursing a second bachelor’s in Islamic studies.
Her religion has not stopped her from achieving anything, she said. In Islam, “It is obligatory upon us to be educated” so a mother can be a good teacher to her children, she said.
She also said that in Islam, a woman can’t be forced to get married against her will. Also, it’s important for men to respect their wives and treat them well, she said.
She frequently made reference to the Quran and the teachings of the prophet Mohammed.
More than 50 percent of Americans are afraid of Muslims, she said in the interview. “People fear us for a reason. They are uneducated about our faith and who we are. Media’s portrayal is horrific all the time. What else can I expect from the average person who doesn’t know?”
That’s why she seeks to educate others about Islam. “How can I make you feel comfortable … and not be afraid the next time you see a Muslim on an airplane going to the bathroom.”
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
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