~ Flower and Pearl ~

[Palwasha]

An interesting perspective...

Flower and Pearl

One day, a brilliantly beautiful and fragrant flower with attractive colors met a pearl that lives far in the bottom of the sea and has none of these characteristics. Both got acquainted with each other.

The flower said: "Our family is large; roses and daisies are members of the family. And there are many other species that are various and countless; each has a distinctive scent, appearance etc."

Suddenly, a tinge of distress appeared on the flower. "Nothing accounts for sorrow in your talk; so why are depressed?" The pearl asked.

"Human beings deal with us carelessly; they slight us. They don't grow us for our sake but to get pleasure from our fragrance and beautiful appearance. They throw us on the street or in the garbage can after we are dispossessed of the most valuable properties; brilliance and fragrance."

The flower sighed. And then the flower said to the pearl: "Speak to me about your life! How do you live? How do you feel it? You are buried in the bottom of the sea."

The pearl answered: "Although I have none of your distinctive colors and sweet scents, humans think I am precious. They do the impossible to procure me. They go on long journeys, dive deep in the seas searching for me. You might be astounded to know that the further I lay, the more beautiful and brilliant I become.

That's what upraises my value in their thought. I live in a thick shell isolated in the dark seas. However, I'm happy and proud to be in a safe zone far from wanton and mischievous hands and still the humans consider me highly valuable."

Do you know what the flower and the pearl symbolize?

Think, Think, Think...

You will find that: The flower is the unveiled woman (who shows her charms) and the pearl is the veiled woman (who conceals her beauties).

So My Dear Sisters...Which one do you prefer to be "The Flower" or "The Pearl"?

[Dukemina]

awwww so sweet :D

and yeah I totally adore your signature Khaney - who said that?

[Roshina]

Well, It depends on where the flower is located
Like, if the flower is placed in someone’s path, of course it’ll be stepped on and destroyed. If it’s somewhere nice like a garden, the flower is always in good condition and never harmed.

It also depends on who is taking care of it. (In our metaphor, it'll be how the woman is taking care of herself, how she views her own self.)

So I see it this way: It’s the confidence of the woman that determines her place in any society; it's the way she represents and carries herself that determines if she's a pearl or, what the above metaphor seems to consider, a "brilliantly beautiful and fragrant flower." A purely unveiled woman with confidence and intellect is far better in my opinion than an unlettered, weak-minded veiled woman. Why? Because the latter doesn’t know anything about self-confidence. No, this doesn’t mean all unveiled women can’t think for themselves.

Another thing it depends on is one's definition of "veiling." What is it, covered from head to toe? Covering all skin but not necessarily wearing a jalbab, etc.? Covering just the hair? Covering the hair along with all curves? Modesty just on the inside or just on the outside, or both? And which one is more important, if either?

So, this whole pearl vs flower (veiled vs unveiled) metaphor isn’t a compelling one to me. The first time I read it - like some 3 years ago - I was like, "WooooWwww!! SubhanAllah! SO beautiful!" And now, when I read it, I find it merely amusing because now I detect its ulterior motive whereas I couldn't back then... or didn't allow myself to.

By the way, you won’t believe –I mentioned this whole “pearl” thing in another post just yesterday! What a coincidence :D

Why is it that the woman is always compared to a “pearl”? (You know how they have these little posts here and there that "if you had a pearl, where would you hide it? You find pearls deep inside the oceans, not out in the open! Women are the same way." Well, I'd say, why is she seen as a delicate “object” and not a strong *subject*?)

Now, I'd like to add ... what about men? What about them is NOT pearl-ish? ... Why view poor men as "flowers" and women as "pearls"?

Yeah, not compelling for Qrratugai at all. Enlighten me, folks.

[Palwasha]

awwww so sweet :D

and yeah I totally adore your signature Khaney - who said that?

Not sure to be honest, as far as I know it wasn't a Sahaba.

[Roshina]

Just to clarify my earlier post ...
When I say that I'm not up for comparing women to "pearls" or "crystals," I don't mean that they're not precious. But what I DO mean is ... neither gender/sex is any more precious than the other and should therefore not be viewed as such. I think that when we see women as "delicate pearls/objects," we start TREATING them as such. And I refuse to see myself as a delicate ANYTHING, be it a pearl. The brightness of a pearl is great, but the delicacy should not be ignored either. And delicate here can also mean delicate in intellect, which certainly doesn't apply to all women. So I'd be more careful in defining women in such "delicate" terms. Besides, what about men is it that they don't need to be treated as delicate or taken care of (since many people infantilize women such that they have to be "taken care of," in whatever way that is)? ...

Bottom line: I think that both men and women are equally precious. I cannot view either as more precious or delicate than the other.

[Laila]

I'd prefer my lady to be a pearl.

Awwww, and your lady will surely be your pearl

[pukhtana]

Ill stick with a pearl.