Keffiyah: The New Trendy Gear
I suppose you will find people wearing a Keffiyah over their shoulders in those gentrifying neighborhoods over a cup of latte. In the early 1990s, the kufi had a similar status in hip hop culture. In Philadelphia, it became trendy for non-Muslims to wear clothing associated with Muslim cultures.
Hat tip to Racialicious:
A few years ago, nearly anyone wearing the keffiyah wore it for cultural reasons or as a political statement. As retailers begin to market the scarf, the line between political solidarity and aesthetics continues to erode. The keffiyah has suddenly become what it’s never been - bohemian, military-chic hipster gear. What was previously able to unite people on a shared political front is now trendy, making it impossible to differentiate between hipsters and political enthusiasts.
In the Middle East, the keffiyah serves a functional purpose: to protect against the sun and the desert sand. Culturally, it demonstrates masculinity. Within African-Muslim communities, the keffiyah is a symbol of piety, which men wear along with their finest clothing to Friday prayer. On an intellectual level, people wear the keffiyah to express political solidarity with the struggles of the people in the Middle East, and in this context, women also wear the garment to demonstrate camaraderie. Even British and American troops fighting wars in the Middle East wear the keffiyah to protect against the sun and sand. In cinematic representations of Arabs, even in the absence of Arab actors, the keffiyah is always a component of the wardrobe.
Vendors like Urban Outfitters began selling the garment as an “anti-war scarf,” but to consumers, the trouble in the Middle East has not been of particular interest. Instead, many found the piece to be fashionable. It’s “Eastern,” therefore it’s exotic and chic. The idea that people value the aesthetics of the keffiyah is wonderful, but the fact that people fail to appreciate the cultural value of the keffiyah is regrettable.
The most interesting aspect of this trend is the question of where people are buying this scarf. In Minneapolis, it’s not likely that these consumers purchased their keffiyahs from the Arab shops on Central Avenue or from any one of the Somali malls. In fact, the hyper-commercialization element of the keffiyah is most unfortunate. Factories have replaced the art of handcrafting in refugee camps. Some traditional scarves are handmade in the refugee camps, allowing dispossessed groups to sustain themselves on such embroidery projects. The fact that chains are now producing the product takes away from the original purpose to support neglected populations.
Even more offensive is the complaint that the keffiyah is an endorsement of terrorism. With its popularity grew the allegations that those who sport the keffiyah are Fatah and terrorist sympathizers. Urban Outfitters eventually pulled the item and apologized for offending anyone. It’s one thing to cheapen cultural symbols of other societies, but it’s worse to suggest that an integral part of the culture of “the other” is somehow offensive. The decision to stop selling the keffiyah seems to imply that it’s a provocative garment and accepts the argument that it’s an endorsement of terrorism - making a broader case that anything culturally Arab or Muslim is an endorsement of terrorism and providing yet another excuse to significantly deny the culture of the other.
The checkered print scarf has been cheapened and tokenized at retail stores without teaching consumers anything meaningful about the cultures it comes from. Such reductionist tendencies are among the awful consequences of globalization. But globalization itself is more than the material, nearly all-encompassing, market-driven element. In the process of transporting culture, it’s often the case that meaningful cultural implications are forgotten while superficial interpretations are adopted. The keffiyah, which is rich in meaning, has been reduced to a racist association with terrorism, an association worthy of both criticism and protest.
Filed under: Changing World, Posts of no Benefit
I recently found a local store that sells keffiyah for quite cheap, both black and red. If any of you would like some, please contact me: dunner99rok at yahoo dot com.
(Sorry for the advert, TN. If you delete this, I won’t be offended.)
A funny thing that I saw in Saudi Arabia before is that one brand that is considered a good brand and I noticed many Western “students of knowledge” wearing at the universities there to purchase (i.e. it’s the “in-thing”
is made in UK and it even has it written clearly in Arabic and is visible to a person behind someone wearing it… and of course others are made in China. Even the names to the different styles that are made now are from non-Arabic words such as Special, Park Lane and Laplene. I narrowed this observation down to the possibility that Saudis just like to wear it since its part of their culture and they don’t really care wear it is made, yet those who wear it and it is not part of their culture are wearing it thinking that they are wearing something that removes them away from where they are from, such as UK.
This has been around in the DC area for a couple of years. I remember seeing one African American lady wearing one at Crystal City. I had been seeing people doing this for sometime so I decided to ask her why she wore it.
I asked her was it a political statement or fashion statement? She really didnt know what the thing was other than Queen Latifah wore one in a music video.
I will wear one to anti-war and pro-Palestinian marches. I will wear one from time to time, as a scarf around the neck when it is REALLY cold, which is seldom here in the DC area.
I wear it as a political statement, full stop.
It should be noted, from my understanding of the Arabic language, keeping in mind it is pretty regional in nature, that the term “kuffiya” is really anything that covers the head. That could be the laced “hat” that covers the head or a baseball cap. The word “hatta” itself is also used.
What is being talked about is actually what would be better known in the Gulf as a “ghuttra” غطرة held in place by an agal, with some of the most religious brothers not using the agal عقال as they think it is haraam. Kuffiyah in the Gulf is the word used for the skull cap itself, not the cloth. Other places in the Middle East it is known as a shmagh شماغ,
What I think is really interesting is the ability to tell where someone is from by the design of the ghuttra or the manner in which they wear it, as a turban, straight down, ect.
Yeah if you wear the agal you are considered by some as not a religious person or at least it isn’t the in-way to wear it among “students of knowledge.” This thinking reached so many people in the society that one time I read Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) was asked if it was okay to wear it and then he put one on his head.
It’s possible that this is an example of us mistakenly taking on a cultural thing as if it is from the deen but the reality is that the deen encourages us to wear all clothing which is considered good, as long as it is not imitating the opposite gender or non-Muslims exclusively or violating any manners of dress such as exposing the ‘awrah and so on. I have even heard some scholars discouraging wearing clothing that makes you stand out, though I think they were talking specifically about living in a Muslim country. For example a Mauritanian wearing their traditional, unique clothing that sticks out in a city where everyone dresses exactly the same, such as Riyadh.
Come to think of it, I’d like to see someone, maybe Hood, post about this clothing issue to clarify it for us - waAllahu a’laam.
I have an old raggedly one I use as a scarf. It occasionally duals as a prayer rug as well when I have to pray in public. On eids I wear a nice one as intended.
But yeah, I can sense the fear here. It has great symbolism for *US*, but adoption by people who don’t even understand it leads to it being played out like a dashiki and Africa medallion.
As for the name-brnad shamags . . . Saudis do the same thing, but Americans going there just amplify it because they’re coming out of a Nike, Sean Jean, Hillfiger culture where this type of extravagance has always been valued.
“Calvin Klein’s no friend of mine, don’t want nobody’s name on my behind . . . ”
Sorry
Kinda like the Kangol myself
lol @ Farooq
I dig the kangol also. Just call me TheSaveRashadProject L. Jackson
But seriously folks (ahem) I must admit that I have a couple of ghuthras in my closet from back when I use to buy and wear that stuff. I also have turbans (Tariq was the turban sheikh back in the day), thobes, kurta shirts, khuffs (ugh), African style clothes, etc. I probably can’t find the stuff now if I tried. To me it just became a costume. A novelty. It didn’t make me any more piuos or knowledgable and it wasn’t really me. I won’t knock anyone else for wearing it. Just wasn’t me.
I wear the ghutra, like I said, for use of a scarf in cold weather and it also marks a political statement.
I have been known to wear a thobe every once in a while, but very seldom. The only thiab that get regular use from me are my thiab Maghrebe which I wear at home because they are so darn comfortable.
It is great to be able to pick and choose what cultural bits you like and discard those you dont.
Many of us adopted Islamic dress because we wanted to show the world we had changed, that we weren’t that same guy people knew in high school. In my experience, it also opened a lot of doors for discussion about Islam. I suppose I wanted so shed everything that had been before, and clothing seemed to be one way of doing that. Another side of it for me happened the first time I went overseas. I can remember the feeling I had knowing that for miles, 95% of the people surrounding me were Muslim, wearing similar clothes, speaking a similar language. I think I wanted to import that in my own way; it was a way of reminding me of where I had been.
On the other side a lot of people did it for ego. A lot of people did it to hide their ignorance. A lot of people used it as an excuse to not get a job. Those conversations went something like this:
Akh: “Oh, they won’t hire me because of my dress!”
Me: “What kind of job was it?”
Akh: “Construction.”
Me: “Well, I wouldn’t hire you either. How are you going to do construction in that? They don’t even do that in the Gulf.”
Akh: Silence.
Or:
Akh: I want to dress like the sahaba.
Me: But the sahaba didn’t wear what you’re wearing.
Akh: Yeah, but we should resemble the Muslims.
Me: But in Jordan, the Christian bedouins dress just like Saudis. So it’s not really even Islamic.
Akh: Silence.
I think the real key here is appropriateness. Going for a job interview? Speaking to the media? Make some adjustments. Going to the masjid or jaloose with the brothers? I think it’s preferable that you dress more culturally in that atmosphere. That doesn’t mean thawb, or shalwar and khemis, but it means something that identifies us. Most of us recognize the importance of language and identity, small things like clothing can also play a role. The kids see the grown ups and notice they are different, and it becomes part of the culture.
On the other hand, if the kids see the adults wearing the clothes and not living up to it in character, it becomes something they despise. That’s happened a lot.
No offense to any of you but it has always really annoyed me when I see nonArab people wearing ghutras/keffiyah. My first impression of them is that they are trying to be something they’re not or they think that that makes them a good muslim. Because they are dressing “islamically”.
I really did have no idea until I read this post, however, that it had become so commercialized in nonmuslim circles.
Hey Anonymous,
Where are you from? I have heard statements like this from Arabs before, but then I had to laugh at them because whilst they were there saying they had a hard time with Westerners wearing a thobe they were sitting there in pants, long sleeve shirts and dress shoes.
Didnt they realise that they could be accused of trying to be “Western” and “something they are not” when they wear Western clothes?
Do you hold the same standards for those from Muslim countries who wear Western clothes? Are they trying to be “something they are not”?
Where does one draw the line? Cars were invented in the West, yet the whole world now drives them because they realise their value. Does that mean people who adopt things they like or respect from another culture automatically want to change cultures?
If you have ever been to the Middle East you certainly realise walking the streets of Beirut, Amman or Cairo that if what you say is true a good majority of the Middle East want to “be something they are not” because they wear American jeans, wear American shoes and watch American TV and movies and listen to American music.
I tend to think that if you stress cultural associations to Islam (clothes, food,etc.), you alienate people who would be open to Islam otherwise. People begin to think that they have to adopt certain cultural practices in order to be Muslim because they pick up that attitude from us Muslims. I make it a practice to never wear thobes and kufis to the Masjid because the Masjid is in America and Americans for the most part do not wear thobes and kufis. I am in fact an American. It is no different than having a khateeb in an American masjid who does not speak English. It’s alienating and gives off an air of exclusivity. It says “You’re not one of us and you’re not really welcome and this speech is not really for you”. How does a curious American feel welcome to explore his or her interest in Islam at a place like that?
I used to think that dressing up in thobes and kufis would open up conservsations for da’wah, but what ended up happening is that I was just another oddity in a sea of oddities that you come across in America. People would ask a question of two, or make a comment and even with the best da’wah techniques that you can muster, it was no more than a passing curiosity. People here need to understand that I DON’T have to dress like that and I can still be Muslim and worship my Lord. I can still look dapper and dress professional and be a good Muslim. We sometimes come off as if these things are mutually exclusive. I think that turns a lot of people away.
Abu Sinan is indeed right. Although I don’t really appreciate the marketing of culture without at least a small amount of understanding–I find nothing wrong with Muslims who are non-Arab wearing Arab style clothing.
Although I understand your reasoning Tariq about the problems of associating a rigid dress code with what it means to be Muslim-I think that there is a significant amount of brothers and sisters who wear these clothings because they are a) comfortable and b) modest. As a sister, I do like a nice abaya sent to me from Qatar because I know I won’t be pulling down that oh-too-short shirt while I’m praying. My husband wears a kufi everyday to work because he likes his hair to be covered and a thobe on occasion because it “gets the job done” meaning that if sisters are praying behind you-you don’t have to worry about giving them an eyeful!
I actually wish that “Western” style clothing would take a lesson from the salwar kameez or abaya. As a woman, I envy the choices that men have in finding appropriate clothing even in “the West”.
Abusinan, I am from the US. Born and raised. (not Arab at all). As I said, when I see American nonarab men wearing a keffiyah I do think it looks ridiculous. Is the sand and sun really so blinding in NY or Washington? My first thought when I see them is that they think they are being better muslims. Im not at all apologetic for my stance. About the western clothes in Arab lands I personally find that more understandable than a white man wearing a keffiyah. The western world has had a long history of colonial involvement all over the middle east, asia, and africa. It’s seems like it would be onlly natural for western clothing styles to encroach/over take “native” styles especially with the message of western superiority that they put out during the past and even now.
Like I said, my main objection is to those who think that they are somehow acting in a more “Islamic” fashion. For those who wear it at political rallies and stuff like that as a message or statement I don’t see the problem, but when people insist on wearing it on a regular basis I just think its plain stupid. Sorry if you have a problem with that.
Anonymous,
So it is okay to wear thiab if you dont think it adds to your “Islamic credentials”? What about kilts for people who are not Irish or Scottish?
How about thiab for people who live in Arizona where the temp reaches 120+ degrees? You are aware that robes are known in Western culture? Ie Romans, Greeks, even the Germans often wore a cloak as their main garment.
Interesting to note that you use colonialism to justify your stance. I am not Arab, rather I am just a “regular American” as Archy Bunker would say. I have no issue with what anyone wears, as long as they dont think it makes them more Muslim. I dont care if you walk nude, but then again, maybe that is just something Africans and South Americans in jungles do, so that would be trying to be like them eh? It really does sound like you are trying to pass off your perceptions on others.
You talk about the first time you saw them and your thoughts, but at the end of the day that is all that is, YOUR thoughts. I have zero issue with anyone wearing anything, go for it, I dont feel like I have the right to judge others based on their dress.
If you feel the right to do so, then go ahead.
For the third time since you didn’t seem to notice it the first two times “My main objection is to those who feel that they are acting in a more Islamic fashion” or being a better muslim by wearing the keffiyah/gutra.
“So it is okay to wear thiab if you don’t think it adds to your “Islamic credentials?”
I really don’t recall writing that nor did I ever say anything about judging them for what they are wearing. That’s something you wrote. I said I don’t like it and find it to be stupid. I’m not quite sure what your problem is with that. It’s my opinion. Did I ever state anything to be factual? No. I expressed it as being my opinion from the beginning. Notice how in my first comment I said “MY first impression”. Notice the MY in caps. I didn’t say “EVERYBODY’s first impression SHOULD BE…” I find walking around naked in the streets of America to be strange as well. Again, that’s my opinion. I’m not really sure why you even care? If your comfortable wearing it fine, go ahead. All I said is that I don’t particularly care for it and find it to be silly.
“But at the end of the day that is all that is, YOUR thoughts”.
Thank you for stating the obvious. You’re right those are my thoughts and opinions so I’m not quite sure why you feel the need to bash them. You have your opinions and I have mine. Just because I feel a certain way doesn’t mean I’m trying to “pass my perceptions off on others”. I’m just stating the way I feel. If I read your blog I wouldn’t comment on a post and tell you that I think you’re trying to pass your perceptions off on others. Because I know that that happens to be your opinion no matter how much I disagree with it. Using your logic no one should ever express their thoughts because that would be “passing your perceptions off on others”.
And with regards to the westerners wearing robes (Romans, Greek, Germans, etc). If you’re referring to the time of the Roman Empire or something like that I don’t really see what that has to do with anything. I’m very well aware they wore robes as their main garment. During the time of colonial expansion, however, westerners were not wearing robes.
As-Salaamu ‘alaykum.
It is interesting to see all the views. I would suggest that people look at the fact that the thobe is modest, in fact, the most modest form of dress for a man. And we all know the importance of modesty in Islaam.
The kuffaar might not appreciate the thobe, and may only ask curious questions. But if you look at their way, then they wear the thobe on the most important occasions and for the most elite jobs. What do the kuffaar wear during graduation except a thobe? What does the judge wear except a thobe? Because it looks noble. And the kuffaar dont want to be noble. They want to be pimps and players who are dapper and down.
As for the ghutrah, then the ulama wear it and they are usually inside giving a dars and then straight to their car or what is similar. They wear the ghutrah because as can be proven from the Sunnah that this is the type of turbanthe Prophet sallaa Llaahu ‘alyhi wa sallam wore (according to Jibaly and Abu Khaliyl). And when a foriegner wears it, I think he is trying to be like the Prohpet and his Companions and the ulama. Since a person will be with those whom he loves. And imitation is a sign of love.
And besides, are we trying to DO SOMETHING. What is this thread about? Arent there bigger fish to fry?
Was-Salaam,
Mustafaa
Barakallahu feek Mustafaa. The same people (in general not on this thread) that whine about all the emphasis on women’s hijab are the same people that will complain when a male convert dons a thobe and/or shamagh. My husband wears the thobe everyday and I have requested that he not wear the shamagh, because to me it just isn’t him and it is considered the national attire. I love the thobe, it is very modest and it levels the playing field for the sisters and brothers. I also like how American convert brothers, that choose to wear American clothes - wear it. When they wear their pants above the ankles it becomes Islamic and is obvious. Now on my dh he just looked like a white boy in floods, so I prefer the thobe on him.
The way an American convert in the Gulf is viewed about wearing the local clothes is really based on your race i most cases. We know African American brothers who wore only thobes in America but came here and swithced to regular clothes, because they looked like local blacks. Many didn’t like the treatment and wanted it to be known that they are not locals but have a blue passport with an Eagle on it and the salary scale to boot. Others resent taking it off and being foced to wear western attire on the job. White guys like my husband are either highly respected and awed at or they are ridiculed by both locals and fellow Westerners.
Boy has this thread digressed…
Hi
If anyone has any information on what material the shmagh are made from this would be very much appreciated. I am particularly interested in whether a winter shmagh is used and if this is substantially different to a summer shmagh i.e made from fine wool as opposed to cotton.
thanks!
Rebecca
ISLAMOfashion — a hilarious mock-umentary KABOBfest.com created about the kuffiyeh kraze. You’ve got to check it out!
Salaam Alaykum
I think the main issue here is the the principle was laid down by the prophet of Allah sallah lahu alayhi wasalaam. He sallah lahu alayhi wa salaam worke clothes from yemen and wore clothes from different areas. The people of hadeeth deduce that the prophet’s actions, approvals, disapprovals, physical expressions to things all have something to do with sunnah.
Even within the field of sunnah we must understand that there is wajib, mustahab (or mandub), mubah, makruh, and haram (there is another cetegory in the hanafi madhab). Clothing can fall under u’rf (culture). The clothes does not make the man. If you wear your beard as a man (which is what the ulama say that is wajib) and wear loose clothing then you are fullfilling your obligation.
Barak Allahu Feekum
Musa Al Colombee (Musa The Colombian
)
FYI,
The US Army’s 5th Special Forces Group issued ghutra’s to it’s soldiers as a practical desert item. The checked weave matched the Cammo pattern of the uniforms.
I wear the Shmagh/Ghutrah and Thobe as a part of my everyday clothes. I really feel that I am better able to enjoy the experience of going to the masjid, Praying, and reading Qur’an, etc, with these clothes on. I even go to the mall, library, market, and (in the future) college with them.
By the way, Im not white, I am in USA, going to live in Qatar, and I am of Moroccan/Tunisian descent (dark-skinned, too).
Not only are the clothes beautiful and enhance my experience of Islam, but they are Sunnah. The Prophet (saw) wore a Thobe (not all the time, though), it is reported in Bukhari (I think) that he would wear waist length or knee length shirts, and I wear those too (Kurtas/Shalwar Kameez). And it is reported that the Prophet (saw) wore a Ghutrah on one occasion. But it is still an Islamic way of dressing, because realistically speaking, if a Muslim wearing Thobe/Ghutrah walks by a non-Muslim in New York, the non-Muslim won’t say “He might be a Christian Bedouin from the Levant”, most people associate that with Islam. Many actually see the Ghutrah as the male version of the Hijab, which I find to be true. Rasulallah (saw) said : “The difference between us and the mushrikeen is that we wear Amamah over our heads.” “Amamah” is a Turban, but the Ghutrah is a type of Turban and Mohammad (saw) wore one.
I think if a non-Arab Muslim wants to wear it, there should be no problems with anyone. It is his choice, isnt it? I strongly oppose both non-Muslims wearing Muslim clothing, and Muslims wearing Western clothing.
“I strongly oppose both non-Muslims wearing Muslim clothing, and Muslims wearing Western clothing.”
Why?
As salam ‘aleykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. When I was studying in the Emirates (al-’Ain) I wore the local dress (thobe, sandals, izar, white gutra wrapped as a turban) but often wore another gutra over the gutra-turban or around my shoulders. When someone asked me about it I said it was to block the sun when I was outside and shelter me against the air-conditioning when I was inside. He said “SubhanAllah”, but I think it had become clear I had made the faux pas of a cultural bid’ah.
Several years ago, my late great-aunt gave my relatives and me some gifts: Some precious jewels and in my paternal grandmothers case, what I would later know to be a Sawal Kameez. I wondered did my great-aunt evaluate those gifts based on our race/religion.?We’re non-Muslim African-Americans and she ’s a non-Muslim Indian-American woman.