Response to Interview 1 with Rasheeda Abdul-Musawwir

Throughout my interview with Rasheeda Abdul-Musawwir, I was impressed with her knowledge of the Quran and with her strong sense of faith. Despite the strict requirements of practicing Islam, she maintains a firm belief in the values of that religion. Personally, I was raised Catholic, and I had to do very little, only go to church for an hour each week and complete Sunday school. I believe that in part because of this low level of commitment, I do not have strong religious sentiments. There is a theological theory about this phenomenon, known as the “costly signaling theory of ritual.” As discussed in Richard Sosis’ article “The Adaptive Value of Religious Ritual”, “groups that impose the greatest demands on their members will elicit the highest levels of devotion and commitment. Only committed members will be willing to dress and behave in ways that differ from the rest of society” (Sosis 142). At one point during the interview, Rasheeda mentioned that she likes representing her religion by wearing the scarf. It is, after all, a fundamental part of her identity. Why shouldn’t she put it on display for the world to see? She is proud of this facet of her life and does not feel it should remain hidden. Indeed, I believe one should be proud of one’s religion and its values and teachings, for if one does not place value in that, what is the purpose of practicing? Therefore, I have discovered that one of the many purposes of the hijab is to announce one’s culture and religion to society, and proclaim one’s pride and conviction in their own religion.