A special blog by Munira Habib, BSWN Administrator
The celebration of World Hijab day started in 2013 and came about through the efforts of Nazma Khan, an Bangladeshi immigrant to the United States who had been shamed over wearing a headscarf. She decided to start a day when both Muslim and non-Muslim women could experience wearing the head garment.
This is a significant day for both all hijab-wearing women; as it gives Muslim women the chance to educate the world about the hijab and their choice in wearing it, and non-Muslim women to be educated and have a better understanding of what the hijab represents and why it is so important in Islam.
The word ‘Hijab’ in Arabic translates to ‘barrier’ or ‘partition’ in the literal or metaphorical sense. The term head covering in Arabic is called “Khimar.” However, the modern interpretation for the word “Hijab” is used to describe a head scarf Muslim women wear on their heads. When we talk about the hijab, it’s not just a veil that covers our hair, but it’s a way of life or a lifestyle. It's a method to express your own religious identity, as well as a spiritual practice that keeps you linked to God and religion. For many women, it is a step or practice that helps them regain their religious origins.
Islam began as a small faith community in the Arabian Peninsula. The community was established in Medina by the prophet Mohammed (c. 570–632 CE) and eventually started spreading across the world. The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) and it is the first and the foremost source of Islamic laws and values. It is considered the final message of God for mankind, and it is to be followed at all times and in all places until the end of this world. In the Quran it says:
While some Islamic scholars believe the hijab to be a requirement for Muslim women, as it was commanded by Allah, others ethnic groups believe it’s a cultural tradition and do not believe the covering of the hair is necessary. Each ethnic group has adapted its own version and interpretation of the hijab over the centuries. This is due Islam being a world religion, and it cannot be confined to one region, tribe or culture.
As a result, Muslim women in Arabia wear 'abaya; Persian Muslim women wear chador; Afghani Muslim women wear burqa; Indo-Pakistani Muslim women wear niqab or purdah; Malaysian/Indonesian Muslim women wear kerudung; East African Muslim women wear buibui; and now, European and Western Muslim women wear mainstream clothes worn with a larger scarf over the head and a loose outfit.
Image of various headscarves worn by Muslim women globally, sourced from Springer Link
Women are encouraged to practise decency and modesty in Islam. This principle is not exclusive to Islam however, as it is widely adopted by other religions such as Christianity, or Judaism, where modesty is referred to as Tzuniut.
My intentions when wearing the hijab have evolved over time, from resistance to society's expectations that women dress a certain way, to yearning for total surrender to Allah, and finally, as an expression of tremendous appreciation. Being a Black Muslim woman and growing up in the Western world has been a journey. I was constantly treated differently from a very young age, first when growing up in Switzerland where the population of Muslims was 5% and parents would advise their children to stay away from me because of my hijab, to moving to England and being faced with constant discrimination at work and in public spaces.
This made me question whether I wanted to continue fighting this battle or if I should give up and fit in, because being discriminated against is not a small matter. According to a recent study, 69 % of people who wear the hijab have experienced discrimination, while just 29% of non-hijabis have experienced discrimination. Most discrimination comes from the lack of education and what the hijab represents, which is one of the reasons why I decided to write this blog - to help educate and share my own experince as a young, hijab-wearing woman in today’s society.
In much of the Western world, the headscarf is still to-date seen as a symbol of Muslim women's oppression. In March 2021, Swiss voters adopted legislation banning facial coverings, while France is aiming for a more severe hijab policy. The Court of Justice of the European Union, which interprets EU law, enabled private enterprises in France to prohibit employees from wearing "religious, political, and philosophical signs" in the interest of "neutrality" in a judgement issued on March 14, 2017.
While Western countries are taking extreme measures in restricting Muslim women from wearing the hijab, major brands such as Nike partnered with female Muslim athletes such as Egyptian marathon runner Manal A. Rostom, the UAE weightlifter athlete Amna Al Haddad, and boxing champion Zeina Nassar in creating a hijab that fits well with Muslims women in sports and gives them visibility and inclusion. Although there was a mixed reaction from this collaboration as Nike will profit from the hijab, the athletes believe “with the Nike sports Hijab, it surely will encourage a new generation of athletes to pursue sports professionally.” This type of visibility is still taking steps towards educating and normalising those in our society who remain resistant to the concept of hijab.
Photograph of Zeina Nassar, Nike Pro Hijab Ambassador in the “I Fight Prejudices by Boxing with My Headscarf” campaign. Sourced from Mvslim
Having a Black Muslim Director like Sado, who also wears a hijab has made me feel empowered, represented and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work for a racial justice infrastructure organisation such as BSWN. In the UK, there are currently no statistics available on the number of Black Muslim directors who wear the hijab in the UK. Research like this is crucial as it helps us identify if there is a lack of Muslim hijab-wearing women in roles of leadership within the UK and other Western countries. When asking Sado how she about the lack of Black Muslim women in a leadership role she said:
“It’s not easy to earn your voice as a woman, especially as a Black Muslim woman. It’s a constant battle.”
Sado also likes to wear her hijab as an expression of her individualism and as a fashion statement, which also gives me the confidence and freedom to express myself at work. In my previous work experiences, there didn’t appear to be much inclusivity within the working environment, or people from my background.
Since working for BSWN, I feel seen and heard, and my hope for other young hijab-wearing women like myself is that they will also experience visibility in the world.
Munira photographed in the BSWN office.