World Hijab Day marks a beautiful, new beginning to a more enlightened spiritual journey for me.
I have never worn a Hijab before this moment. As a Christian, my hijab represents a stand for true beauty and modesty. It also represents a connection with millions of women around the globe who share that same sentiment. Without shared experiences, we cannot gain a suitable perspective of similarities amongst us; we become immune to valuable relationships and prone to disregard and misconceptions. Wearing a Hijab reflects a lifestyle of dignity, modesty, and honor–I love that! As I discover more truth about Islam and myself, I’m filled with joy as I stand here in unity holding (virtual) hands with you. My Hijab is reshaping me into a more whole person and it is the truest reflection of who I am. As an engineer in a large corporation, one can lose herself quite easily in the hustle of climbing the corporate ladder–my Hijab reminds me that my identity is deeper than beauty or even intelligence.
Thank you for the opportunity to share the World Hijab Day experience. Thank you for sharing truth.
I love my Hijab.

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My story is no different than many other women converting to Islam, but I share it in the hopes that it may be of some encouragement, as so many have been to me. Hijab played a large role in opening my mind to Islam, as I admired the khimaar pictured on women in Bible story books and Christmas plays from a very young age. I was raised in the U.S. in a very devout Protestant Christian family, so I knew almost nothing about Islam except some false information written by Christians that I read as a young teenager. When I began to study Arabic – and subsequently Islam from Muslims – at 18 years old, I found the concept of niqab extremely appealing, the freedom of not worrying what every single person on the street thought of your fashion sense, makeup, hairstyle, outfit, etc. When I decided to convert, my family was still unaware, so I would put on a simple headscarf after I’d leave the house, and take it off before coming home, but it wasn’t enough.

After a few months I moved to Egypt to study Islam and Arabic in more depth, and have the freedom to practice Islam without my family’s interference – the day after I arrived, I began wearing niqab, the traditional black head-to-toe, eyes covered, gloves, etc., and for the first time in my life I felt completely happy – it felt like living in a castle, complete protection and privacy, and once I learned the Egyptian dialect I could go about undetected as a foreigner, and the respect I was shown was remarkable. After a couple of years I returned to the U.S. and wore it there for a year or so, which received mixed reactions, some very positive and others very negative, before having to take it off for work. Wearing hijab in a non-Muslim-majority country was remarkably different from wearing it in the Middle East – in the West, it felt like being a walking billboard for Islam every time you walked out the door. Most people recognize your religion right away from the hijab, and those who are curious about Islam will come and ask you questions, those who are antagonistic towards Islam will often insult you (based on the hijab) or try to debate with you, while others will often compliment you on the hijab. It’s also a wonderful way to identify other Muslims in the street and shops.

My family was initially shocked more by the conversion to Islam than the niqab, and they always remained focused on the change of faith, not what I wore, though like many Americans they seem to have found the hijab alone somewhat less intimidating than the niqab – they have remained against Islam and the hijab, but the decision to leave home played a large role in establishing my independence, and with time and difficulty, they accepted and adapted to my choices – though not agreeing with them. Since then, I’ve moved back to the Middle East, this time Algeria, to continue Islamic and Arabic studies, and kept a simple jilbab/khimaar, as these are the garments mentioned in the Qur’an, and once again it’s played a vital role in blending into the culture and feeling at home, but I’ll always miss the completeness of the niqab, and hope to wear it again someday Insha’Allah.

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 Since I started to wear the Hijab, I am treated differently. It seems to be one extreme or the other. On the negative side, I have had people avoid me. They will go down a different isle at the grocery store, or turn their head away. Some people will just give me evil looks. I have not had anyone say anything negative, though some whisper under their breath so you cannot hear them. It is in their actions toward me. They may think I am a terrorist, and are scared.

Many things I have seen lately show the ignorance of people. Hating on Sikhs because they think they are Muslim. Hating on Muslims because they think all are terrorists. I am hoping to enlighten some of the ignorant to know there are good and bad people in all religions and races of the world. Hopefully, I can help people to see NOT to judge people by their appearance but by their hearts.

On the positive side, more men open doors for me when I am able to get out and about. Some women have asked why I wear Hijab (apparently because I am white, or they think I do not look Muslim). I started wearing the scarves as head cover, but they do not stay in place that well. So I tried the Hijab and like it much better. I started partly for health reasons and partly to be more modest. I know Christians and Jews used to wear the head covering all the time. Some still do.

I am a Christian and my religion also talks about wanting women and men to be modest in the way they dress. I am sure it is personal for every woman that wears Hijab. I know Muslim women who do not wear them. So it is a matter of choice here in the USA. I know in some countries Muslim women are required to wear them or the burka. I am thankful for the religious freedom in my country so those of any faith may worship their own way.

I do believe we are all praying to the same God, whether one calls him Allah, Jehovah, Heavenly Father or something else. This world be a better place if we can only get people to love one another instead of hating.  Just the other day at the VA hospital I had a nice talk with a lady about my Hijab. I do not know if she was Muslim, but I was guessing she wasn’t. She was very respectful and curious. I talked with her for about 15 minutes. One person at a time, maybe people will come to understand and be less ignorant about those that look different from them in the world.

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 “Look…look at her. Did you see her? It’s truly heartbreaking. I bet she’d be a victim of an honor killing if she didn’t wear it; I saw something on the news about that once. They have no choice, you know? Their fathers make them wear it, so they can marry them off young. Poor oppressed thing. Surely there is something we can do.”

We dwell in a society that is excellent at perpetuating stereotypes. Unfortunately, in the average Westerner’s mindset, the hijab has become a symbol of oppression. In the average Westerner’s vocabulary, the hijab is synonymous with 9/11 and misogyny.  Interestingly enough, those that are perhaps most guilty of keeping these stereotypes alive are those that claim some sort of a Judeo-Christian worldview. Overlooked or unbeknownst to the average Westerner, the practice of wearing hijab or veiling oneself not only predates Islam, but is a practice that is alive and well in many different sects and denominations of both Judaism and Christianity.

Since the inception of Judaism, the oldest Abrahamic religion, Jewish women have covered their hair. Today, many Orthodox Jewish women keep this tradition alive by donning snoods, tichels, or wigs after marriage. Head covering is practiced to preserve modesty, as well as to denote status as a married woman. It is believed among certain Orthodox groups that the hair possesses sensual abilities that are reserved for the husband’s eyes alone.

Christian women are commanded in 1 Corinthians 11 to cover their heads. “…Every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head, for it is the same as if she were shaven. For if a woman is not covered, let her be shaven. But if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.” Bible scholars and historians have debated the historical context of this verse; however, many denominations of Christianity interpret this verse literally.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is depicted in icons and paintings as a veiled woman. Most, if not all, of the female saints honored by the Catholic Church are shown wearing a head covering. For hundreds of years, the Catholic Church required women to cover their heads while within the Church. Hats, scarves, hoods, mantillas, (a sheer lace veil) or even handkerchiefs adorned women’s heads within the Catholic Church until the 1960’s, when that rule was abandoned in pursuit of a more modern Church. However, many Catholic women still choose to cover their heads when attending services.

Perhaps the most obvious example of modern Christian veiling is the mental image we all carry of the Catholic nun, donned in a habit that covers her from head to toe. This outward expression of her inward faith is viewed by the general public as devotion, not oppression or victimization.

Anabaptist communities are home to another form of Christian head covering. Amish and Mennonite women are most easily recognized by their prayer coverings—Kapps—that covers the back of the head. Amish and Mennonite women cover their hair for the sake of modesty and humility, as well as in obedience to Scripture. Anabaptist women dress simply and modestly as a reflection of their humble lifestyle—one that is often without modern conveniences such as electricity or telephones. One of the most recognized Anabaptist communities is in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a place that tourists frequent year-round to both observe and absorb the simple and peaceful lifestyle of the community.

Neither the Jewish or the Christian woman needs to be rescued from their head covering, nor are they portrayed as such. This whole idea that Muslim women need to be liberated from wearing hijab is ignorant and disrespectful of both her faith and her ability to practice it. Women of all faiths ought to have the right to choose to cover what they wish to cover, and we, as a society, need to maturely embrace that, in order to protect our women. Hijab is not something that should be insulted or looked down upon, it should be held to the highest regard by people of all faiths. Those of us who practice a faith other than Islam need to fully understand and embrace our own heritage in head covering and its significance, both in years past as well as now. We need to stop promoting these dangerous ignorant ideas that equate hijab to extremism. This ignorance will continue to have a detrimental effect on the hearts and minds of our young people, on the media and its portrayal of women, as well as dangerously affect the safety and livelihood of our Muslim sisters who have chosen to represent their faith in this way.

This cycle of ignorance and hate needs to end with us. Promote interfaith discussion. Help to create a safe environment for women of all faiths. Pray for the safety of our veiled sisters; ask God to protect them from acts of discrimination and hate crimes. Stop discussing how to rescue women from the “oppressive” hijab and start defending and supporting the right to choose.

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