Kashmir being a Muslim majority region, religion has a major influence in deciding how someone gets an education. Though Kashmir has progressed into a comparatively liberal stance, some schools and institutions still have a conservative outlook towards life and society. From schools that require learning religion to gender segregation and traditional attires in supposedly liberal institutions, religion still affects how some girls get educated in Kashmir.
In Islam, an elaborate ruling for attire is ordained for both genders. A girl is supposed to cover herself from head to toe while outside the house. This concept of hijab can be a major factor in determining the way a girl gets an education.
In Kashmir, almost every school allows hijab, and there are even schools that teach religion as well. The concept of hijab and sometimes even purdah isn’t always a hindrance but mostly a prerequisite. If a school disallows hijab or religious attire, that school would be out of the question for some families, and they would prefer schools with a conservative dress code. In some schools, hijab and niqab are even compulsory whether a girl prefers it or not.
Aalima Ashiq, a student, shares that her experience of studying in a highly orthodox school was bittersweet. On the one hand, it helped her understand her religion better, added to her spirituality, compassion, and other virtues. A habit of praying regularly and on time was also inculcated in her from a young age.
On the other hand, a “school” as an institution stands on various pillars, “co-curricular activities” being one of them. She and her schoolmates were not allowed to participate in sports. When, by chance, they were allowed to do so, the uniform (which was an abaya and headgear) proved to be a hassle as wearing a sports uniform was completely out of the question. School life was mundane for the most part, as the curriculum was confined only to academics and sermons.
“While the quality of education was good, in regards to both religious and worldly knowledge, there were also numerous obstacles”, she added. “Today’s highly competitive world demands us to be bold and confident, but, in my school, we were always taught to lower our gaze and forbidden to stand beside men, let alone talk to them. Consequently, when I had to face boys in debates in college, I used to back out. So, my school didn’t really prepare me to face the world outside the four walls of the school, which is home to both genders. My school was always conscious of students crossing the line of modesty. I have always wanted my school to be a little liberal in this case, at least.”
This brings us to another major debate about cross-gender interactions. Even though these interactions are common in Kashmir now, many people still frown upon them. There are many all-girls and all-boys schools, and in many major schools of the valley, the classes for boys and girls are segregated.
In such schools, interactions between boys and girls are almost forbidden, with the onus of blame mostly on girls to the extent of questioning their character. This doesn’t just create an unsavoury environment but also an unsupportive space, especially when it comes to serious instances of harassment in schools.
Meher un Nisa, another student from Kashmir, conveys that her school helped her in learning about the religion, but she also experienced moral and religious policing, gender stereotyping and most of all, presenting religion and God as something they should be afraid of.
“Our school had separate wings for boys and girls, and extracurricular activities for girls were a dream, justified in the face of religion. Despite being a religious one, the school never made us understand the beauty and importance of religion in our lives. For a long time, I only respected the religion because I was scared of it.”
Muslims who make up the majority of the population in J&K with 67% of the total population are the least literate at 47.3% literacy rate with 58.7% being males and a dismal 34.9% being females. Religion is the backbone of the cultural fabric of Kashmir. The problem, however, doesn’t arise from the religious directives but the rampant misogyny veiled behind the garb of conservative and religious labels.
The main problem with this type of conservatism is that it sets out to misconstrue or straightaway misinterpret the religion for its own means. The line between what is culturally acceptable versus what is asked by religion is blurred. Take, for instance, the case of hijab; there is no point in hijab if a woman is supposed to stay at home. But the place considered best for a woman is undoubtedly her house. Another concern is interaction with the opposite gender. While historically woman has interacted with other men, with examples of women scholars teaching men religious texts, yet it is culturally enforced as a sin.
At the heart of all these restrictions is the fear that education may turn a woman away from her culture, religion, and gender-specific values. What does a society that believes the clothes of a woman bring calamity need the most? It needs education and knowledge to do away with not just cultural but religious ignorance as well. Because as Islam teaches us, knowledge is compulsory on women as much as it is on men.
“Seeking knowledge is a compulsion on every Muslim.” -Prophet Muhammad
The author is a Kaksha Correspondent as a part of writers’ training program under Kaksha Crisis.