THE PERCEPTION OF SELECTED MUSLIM WOMEN ON WEARING NIQAB IN BARANGAY PANANAG, MAASIM, SARANGANI PROVINCE

Wearing Niqab Connects women to God. The connection is a concept underpinned by the notion of interiority, personal experienced of the transcendent, and to God's path framed by exteriority, that is, external religious practices the study of the holy book, prayers, fasting. thus, it is the covered body that connects their interior and the exterior, or in other words, the spiritual and the religious aspect of piety. wearing of niqab shows that it emerged as a personal choice, an expression of religion piety, public modesty and belonging to the Ummah. It is also preserved as a form of agency, and non-conformity to western consumerist culture and lifestyle (PIELA, 2010)

This study was conducted to determine the perception of selected Muslim women on wearing Niqab in Barangay Pananag, Maasim, Sarangani province in an aim to know the perception of those who are wearing Niqab and how the social norms accept the concept of those wearing Niqab without any violation to the Islamic belief and providing rights of women to be protected and covered.

The researcher used the quantitative design and the respondent of the study were the Muslim residents of Pananag, Maasim Sarangani Province. The research shows that the religious perception of the respondent in wearing niqab is that Niqab is optional or sunnah. In terms in wearing niqab in public places they view it as a visible sign that a person is in high level of religiosity. Furthermore, the positive impact of wearing Niqab is they are seen as good Muslim and a believer of Islamic faith, in negative is stereotype as extremist Muslim. Lastly, the result shows that all respondents agree to the benefit that provided by the researcher in terms in wearing niqab among the respondents and only one benefit got lowest total of 85% which is the increase respect from other people.