So What's it Like there, Anyway?
As much as I try, I can't paint a picture of what it is like to live in the women's hawzah. It's something you really have to live to experience. But since so many have asked, I will try.
Life here is very structured and organized. Every morning, about half an hour before dawn, they attempt to wake us up by blasting Qur'an and du'a. (This is generally ineffective since dawn happens to be around 3 AM and I even caught the lady responsible for awakening us struggling to get up from under a blanket the other day) Afterwards, we have a second, louder wake-up call at 6:45 AM, and classes start at 7 or 8. Classes continue until noon, at which time we have lunch and then are expecetd to do what the rest of Qom does in the hot afternoons -- namely, sleep. After that, classes resume, and we have the rest of the time to study, or take care of personal business. We do not have to cook and, with 16 girls per room to do the work, only do occasional chores. Coming from living on my own where I had to do everything myself, I really appreciate the easier pace of life here, but by the same token I still feel uncomfortable accepting the food and lodging they offer here.
I have mixed feelings about living here. On the one hand, the system is convenient and effective. But on the other, it seems strikingly similar to a convent -- which is prohibited by Islam -- and I feel it is cruel for some of the families to send their girls here since many of them -- particularly the ones from the Subcontinent -- are extremely depressed and homesick. A few told me with teary eyes that they were "chosen" for tabligh. Others from Turkey told me that they came here because, in their country, to go to university, they have to take off hijab. One girl I know here from Africa is here because she is an orphan and her family didn't know what to do with her. The only real sign of happiness I have seen here was the other day when a contingent of Pakistani girls was on their way home and decided to break out into the Pakistani national anthem. I think it would be psychologically healthier for most of the girls to remain with their families -- but, as I mentioned elsewhere, life is complicated, and ultimately it is an individual and a family choice.
Qom itself, while not a perfect city, is very peaceful, and is a welcome change from the hectic pace of living where I was before. Society is mostly pretty clean (although I heard some dude on the street whispering about a clandestine disco once). While it is still a very traditional city, it has also modernized a lot in the past few years and there has been a sudden appearance of pizza restaurants, rollerblades, and stylish jeans with the letter "D" embroidered on them in blue gems poking out of chadors. (Why"D"? I don't know. That just seems to be the popular letter) Gamenet can even be found in certain parts of the city (yes, I was tempted; no, I will not admit it in person). Since I had more than my fill of all of that in America (except for the jeans with the letter "D"), none of that is particularly interesting to me, but it does show how the city has changed even since the last time I was here. And it goes without saying that of course the religious infrastructure is the most prominent, and pretty much everywhere you see libraries, educational institutions, bookstores, mosques, and husainiyyahs.
But by far the best part of living here is being able to visit Hazrat Ma'soumah (saa) on a regular basis, and I hope everyone who would like to has the opportunity to come and do that too.
Life here is very structured and organized. Every morning, about half an hour before dawn, they attempt to wake us up by blasting Qur'an and du'a. (This is generally ineffective since dawn happens to be around 3 AM and I even caught the lady responsible for awakening us struggling to get up from under a blanket the other day) Afterwards, we have a second, louder wake-up call at 6:45 AM, and classes start at 7 or 8. Classes continue until noon, at which time we have lunch and then are expecetd to do what the rest of Qom does in the hot afternoons -- namely, sleep. After that, classes resume, and we have the rest of the time to study, or take care of personal business. We do not have to cook and, with 16 girls per room to do the work, only do occasional chores. Coming from living on my own where I had to do everything myself, I really appreciate the easier pace of life here, but by the same token I still feel uncomfortable accepting the food and lodging they offer here.
I have mixed feelings about living here. On the one hand, the system is convenient and effective. But on the other, it seems strikingly similar to a convent -- which is prohibited by Islam -- and I feel it is cruel for some of the families to send their girls here since many of them -- particularly the ones from the Subcontinent -- are extremely depressed and homesick. A few told me with teary eyes that they were "chosen" for tabligh. Others from Turkey told me that they came here because, in their country, to go to university, they have to take off hijab. One girl I know here from Africa is here because she is an orphan and her family didn't know what to do with her. The only real sign of happiness I have seen here was the other day when a contingent of Pakistani girls was on their way home and decided to break out into the Pakistani national anthem. I think it would be psychologically healthier for most of the girls to remain with their families -- but, as I mentioned elsewhere, life is complicated, and ultimately it is an individual and a family choice.
Qom itself, while not a perfect city, is very peaceful, and is a welcome change from the hectic pace of living where I was before. Society is mostly pretty clean (although I heard some dude on the street whispering about a clandestine disco once). While it is still a very traditional city, it has also modernized a lot in the past few years and there has been a sudden appearance of pizza restaurants, rollerblades, and stylish jeans with the letter "D" embroidered on them in blue gems poking out of chadors. (Why"D"? I don't know. That just seems to be the popular letter) Gamenet can even be found in certain parts of the city (yes, I was tempted; no, I will not admit it in person). Since I had more than my fill of all of that in America (except for the jeans with the letter "D"), none of that is particularly interesting to me, but it does show how the city has changed even since the last time I was here. And it goes without saying that of course the religious infrastructure is the most prominent, and pretty much everywhere you see libraries, educational institutions, bookstores, mosques, and husainiyyahs.
But by far the best part of living here is being able to visit Hazrat Ma'soumah (saa) on a regular basis, and I hope everyone who would like to has the opportunity to come and do that too.
posted by Ayatollah Logic's Wife at 4:23 AM
3 Comments:
It sounds a bit like college dormitory life mixed with hajj pilgrim life.....:)
If you do go visit Hazrat Masooma , please if you think about it, extend my greetings there insha'allah, I would appreciate it.
as salaamu alaykum,
I can explain the letter "D". As you know one of my names begins with tht letter. They are part of a secret society to make me leader of the entire world. It's a grass roots revolution and it will take time, but I have confidence in my minions. Soon "D" will take over the world! Insert maniacal laugh here.
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