Originally Posted by A'isha Azar

Dear Kaydeera,
There is some evidence that Jesus MIGHT hve taught a sort of spiritual equality among the sexes. There is a book called "The Gnostic Gospels" that tells about a Chrisitan sect that discusses Mary Magdalene as an Apostle and perhaps the lover or wife of Jesus. It is an interesting read. Some of the rules that the Apostle Paul wrote about women sitting in the back of the church and shutting up might even be directly related to the habit among Gnostics of letting anyone, including women, speak and preach at their religious meetings. ( It is also true, that his buddy, if I am remembering correctly her name was Priscilla was not subject to these same rules.) We also have to remember that not all of Mohammed's wives (Peace be on him) just sat around letting him dictate what they would do. They used to argue with him and according to Nawal Al Saadawi, they even questioned whether everything he dictated about women actually came from God or he just said it to make his own life easier.
We need to keep in mind that men and women wore veils, headgear, etc in the Middle East for a very long time before either the Christians or the Muslims dictated it. In the Qur'an it is dictated that both men and women dress modestly. It was common sense to cover oneself against the sun, just like at the time it was common sense not to eat pork because of rampant trichinosis and it was common sense not to drink alcohol if one lived in the desert, as it deydrates the body.
If you look at pictures of people in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf today, who has their hair covered?? Nearly EVERYONE of both sexes.
Regards,
A'isha