Growing up as a Muslim woman, I have read the Quran back-to-back and believe that wearing the Hijab is a choice. According to our holy text, women should wear a hijab at some point in their life. However, being a Hijabi is more than a piece of clothing.
Stories are told everyday by what one wears: wearing a uniform, stepping outside of the school dress code, or donning a head covering. A Hijab is part of a Muslim woman’s identity, and each telling a story. However, some of the stories behind these head coverings may cause controversy.
Many people around the world have different interpretations of Hijab’s: there are those who view the hijab as a form of patriarchal oppression, particularly in countries where it is legally enforced, such as Iran and Afghanistan. On the other hand, in France, a ban on religious symbols -including the Hijab- has been in place since 2004 in schools because their government believes that people who display their religious affiliations harm the unity and secularism of the country.
To understand how students perceive the Hijab, East Meck senior Henry Molina described what he has learned. “I know that the Hijab is this head piece that women wear that covers their face and head.”
In spite of the different perceptions, what matters most is what hijabs believe: the headscarf promotes modest behavior as an individual and having devotion to Allah, the Arabic word for ‘The God.’
“I would like to learn about what the Hijab resembles. What is the religious symbolism behind it? How come they wear it?” Molina asks.
In the Quran, Surah An-Nur (24:30-31), both faithful men and women are directed to lower their gazes and guard their chastity. For women in particular, it states that they should not display their beauty except what ordinarily appears, and that they should draw their veils over their chests.
The Hijab is a powerful choice Muslim women make in a society full of judgment and prejudice. It represents an act of self-definition in a world that often tries to define them first. There is bravery seen behind every woman who makes decisions to highlight their cultural differences in comparison to others.
I would love to wear the Hijab someday, similar to other women who don’t wear it. For women who don’t wear the Hijab, the constant reminders of the possibility of being judged and harassed for wearing the covering can be discouraging. I would rather amend my behavior and change for the better by becoming more courageous until I am ready.
It’s not only prevalent in majority Islamic countries, the Hijab is worn by women around the world. It ties women of many different backgrounds and ethnicities together, a beautiful connection seen even on campus at East Meck. “The reason why I know a lot about this stuff is because I’ve been around people who have these beliefs… I learned more because I was curious,” Molina explains.
Our community emphasizes diversity and the Muslim community boosts it even more with its Hijabi students. Razia Ahmed, a Hijabi senior at East Meck, explains her thoughts about wearing the Hijab. “Wear it with pride every single day. Don’t make it seem that [wearing the hijab] downgrades yourself. It makes you more than who you are. It really amplifies you amongst the people,” said Ahmed. So no, the Hijab isn’t forced on Muslim women. The Quran doesn’t enforce wearing a Hijab, because it should be worn when one feels ready.
So, even though Hijabi women may look different; they are still like everyone else and are striving to change our community for the better. “I would like [my peers] to know that this is something that we are not forced to do, but this is something that really just makes us who we are. We just feel more proud. It really defines what Islam is. It shows the privileges of the woman,” said Ahmed.
