World Hijab Day: Don't let our pride be your prejudice

THE question of Hijab or the veil is one of the most controversial issues both in the Muslim country and the West, where it causes collective hysterical paroxysm. Hijabophobia is a type of religious and cultural discrimination against Muslim women who wear it. Discriminations had manifested in public, working, and educational places. Hijabophobia is a term referring to hostility against Muslim women who wear veils, including the hijab, chador, niqab, and burqa. It is considered a gender-specific type of Islamophobia, or simply "hostility towards the hijab".

In an Islamophobic view, all Muslims are associated with terrorism. Likewise, for Muslim women, they are equated with terrorism because of their covering (hijab) which is a clear and instant indication of their Muslim identity. The Muslim woman is guilty by association. This led many non-Muslim to fear hijab-wearing females. Every female Muslim around the world who wears her hijab is challenging this stereotype. A practicing Muslim woman might be discriminated especially in the workplace and public areas, where they are judged by their appearance instead of qualities and excellence they have.

Discrimination is more than rude stares or remarks; it includes actions too. Many hijabis were denied in job applications for practicing Islam. Studies have found that Muslim women with a college education are less likely to be chosen for a job against non-Muslim women with a similar level of education. Some assaults can go as far as physical abuse. Women were beaten up inadequately because their preferences in dressing up. On a lesser extent, yet a vital note, women are threatened with verbal abuse. Some women had their hijabs ripped off from their heads just to spite them. There are news reports often showcasing many attacks against these women who are wearing a hijab. A plethora of cases was reported in the UK, Germany, and France. In some countries, there are even laws forbidding the hijab or other modest coverings. In 2016 in France a reporter was disrespected because she wore a hijab and reported about terrorist activity. Different news sources questioned on why she could report because of her hijab. Cases come up all over European countries constantly. TRT World reported six cases in detail and went on to say that most cases leave unreported.

Allah mentioned in the Quran,

“O humanity! Indeed, we created you from a male and a female, and you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Surely Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.” (Al-Hujurat: 13)

In this verse, the whole of mankind has been addressed to reform it of the great evil that has always been causing universal disruption in the world, that is, the prejudices due to race, color, language, country, nationality, and ways of living among the people.

Due to this occurrence, Nazma Khan, a young girl who immigrated to the United States from Bangladesh at age 11, faced years of shaming over wearing a headscarf in New York. Therefore, in 2013, she initiated World Hijab Day – a day for both Muslim and non-Muslim women to experience wearing a headscarf. Celebrated on Feb. 1, the day is an expression of solidarity and support for religious freedom. As a scholar of Muslim immigrants, she has also long argued for women’s right to religious expression in their clothing choices.

In Islam, the Qur'an instructs Muslim women to dress modestly.

“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers, turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss.” (An-Nur: 31)

Beside to preserving a woman’s beauty, the true purpose of the hijab is to strengthen her connection with God and a form of obedience to Allah, but the world has objectified it to be the opposite because of racism and Islamophobia.

SIGMA would like to invite all Malaysians to challenge these stereotypes. Let us stop the hate and discrimination towards women who choose to wear hijabs; to be treated with respect and dignity. Together we support World Hijab Day. Let us all be united and stay on each other’s back to against any forms of hostility upon hijabis.

“It is not wrong to practice our belief”

" Leading Prosperous Students"

* This statement is issued by Sinergi Gerakan Mahasiswa (SIGMA)