#MahsaAmini and the Hypocrisy of Western Allyship

On September 16th 2022, a 22 year old Kurdish Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini died, reportedly as a result of injuries inflicted by the Guidance Patrol (Iran’s morality police, responsible for ensuring public compliance with Iran’s legally enshrined moral standards). In Mahsa’s case, she was arrested by the Guidance Patrol for not wearing her hijab according to the Iranian legal standard; that is, her hijab was loosely tied and some hair was visible. The specifics of her cause of death are not fully known, although it is believed she suffered catastrophic injuries which may have caused a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke, resulting in death.

The consequential global uproar regarding Mahsa’s death has been incredibly interesting to observe. On a personal level, I am in full support of the Iranian women fighting back against a regime which has forcibly ensured compliance with a legal standard in a realm where perhaps, legislative control is not the answer. I am not by any means Islamically knowledgeable enough (yes, despite being a practicing Muslim), to pontificate upon the interface between the moral versus legal and individual versus collective, when it comes to observance of religious commands. The most immediate question which comes to mind for example, is that formal ritual prayer (Salah) has been enjoined upon all Muslims, men and women, once they reach the age of puberty. If however, a man or woman does not pray or chooses to never pray yet professes to be a Muslim, is it the role of government to step in and ensure compliance via legislative control? I don’t have the answer and as I say, this is more of a personal musing than anything else.

However, as a Muslim woman residing in the UK who does wear a hijab, it is the reaction of Western, specifically non-Muslim individuals, that has given me pause. In the last few weeks I have observed a huge number of people and brands (largely on social media) posting in support of Iranian women’s right to choose whether or not they observe hijab. From celebrities and influencers to billion dollar conglomerates, everyone seems to be on the same page. That sounds great one would think. Finally! People are paying attention to ordinary, everyday Iranians who simply want to live their lives as they choose. And therein lies the hypocrisy.

Whilst Muslim women in a largely Muslim country fight for their right to choose whether or not to wear hijab, Muslim women in non-Muslim countries (I’m looking directly at you, Europe) also fight for their right to choose - this time, it’s Muslim women who do want to wear hijab but are increasingly subject to hostile governments looking to govern how Muslim women dress, and thereby how they live their lives. The outpouring of support for Iranian women is wonderful to see. The lack of outpouring of support from the same influencers, individuals, brands and conglomerates for Muslim women in Europe, is without a doubt, a gross indictment of character of those who would have us believe, are standing in support of women’s rights.

Supporting a Muslim woman’s rights when she is doing something you approve of or something which aligns with your worldview does not make you the upstanding ally that you seem to believe it does. If anything, it highlights the disingenuity between your word and your practice. The protests in Iran on behalf of Mahsa Amini and against the Iranian regime display a level of righteous anger which is not pretty, or nice to look at, or easy to swallow. But it is raw and real and a true indicator of the level of anger and frustration of a population.

I therefore cannot help but think that if the same level of anger and vitriol being directed towards the Iranian government, was to be seen in Europe - only this time, it’s Muslim women fighting against European governments for their right to choose, burning pictures of European leaders and calling for their removal or death (as is happening in Iran); would the reaction be the same? Would the reaction of these self-appointed allies of Muslim women in far flung places of the world, be the same when other Muslim women fought for the exact same rights, but on their doorstep? If teenage Muslim girls all turned up to schools wearing hijab (as opposed to cutting their hair), would there be support? Of any kind? Or would these Muslim women and girls be subjected to anti-terrorism action, their voices drowned out by those who say they know better, telling them they ‘don’t assimilate?’ What would the likes of France, Belgium, Denmark and the rest do? Because I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty. They wouldn’t sing the praises of these Muslim women. They wouldn’t call out in support of their actions and their fight. There wouldn’t be a mass social media movement in support of these women. These women would be left alone to fight, forgotten and left behind again.

So please don’t tell me you support Muslim women or the right to choose. Your support starts and ends with yourself and your worldview. Your support is not for others, it is for yourself.