I am a devout Christian.

Growing up, I distinctly remember the first time I saw a hijabi in The Hague, Netherlands. I was about 3 years old. It was also the first time I saw a black person, so all in all it was a very culturally enlightening day! I remember I didn’t think it was strange when I was a 3 years old after my mother had explained why these women were covering their heads and I kept that indifferent attitude for most of my life.

About 6 years ago, I met one of my best friends in the entire world who is like a sister to me. She is the most dedicated and devout Muslim I have ever met and we really supported each other in our faith in a school where most of our friends were secular. To me, she was an absolute rock to depend on.

Being friends with a hijabi, I of course became interested in the whys and wherefores of covering up. First, I wanted to know how to style it because I’ve always loved playing around with scarves. Later, I became more interested in the day-to-day implications of wearing it.

Worryingly, I became distinctly aware of the abuse she experienced while just walking down the street and one day, I decided to walk home from her house in hijab just to see what people’s reactions would be like. It was only a 15 minutes walk down a relatively empty street but the experience was enlightening. I got some very intense stares and dirty looks although most people simply looked right through me.

Personally, I have considered becoming a nun several times. As you may or may not know, nuns cover their bodies much in the same way that a hijabi does because it is a sign that they are “married to Christ” aka have dedicated their life to the glory of God and to doing His work. I strongly urge you to speak to any nun or monk you come across because their experience of God and spiritual life is incredibly inspiring and enlightening, even if you don’t personally believe and just want to find out more or talk to someone about your problems.

We live in a world where being religious has become a sign of stupidity, of a servile attitude or weakness of mind. I believe that it is a sign of immense strength. We must declare our belief in God, the Almighty, maker of Heaven and of Earth, loudly and with pride.

I am incredibly proud of my hijabi sisters for being so brave and going out there every day to face the worst aspects of humanity head on.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” [2 Corinthians 4:16-18]

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I am a Christian and I don’t usually wear hijab. However, I would like to support all the women in the world that have decided to do it. I have met quite a lot of Muslim girls.  They are one of the most wonderful and kind-hearted friends I could imagine. Their hijab have always seemed to me something that show true female beauty and dignity.

I have never considered it to be a tool of oppression.

On this day in particular, I would like to do my best to show you girls my understanding and respect for your faith; to bring the people and religions together; to make you all feel powerful and proud to be women.

Lots of love from Poland!

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One of my most memorable moments was few years back when I took a comparative world religion class. I ended up going to a Mosque with one of my Muslim friends and her sisters. I remember being very nervous, not because I was scared but because it just seemed like such a foreign religion.

I didn’t think I would feel comfortable. After meeting loads of lovely women, and talking to them about their religion and what wearing a hijab meant for them, I realized how silly I was to be nervous. These were some of the kindest people I had ever met! I really enjoyed studying Islam in that class, and came to realize just how similar it truly is to Christianity.

I think the root of fear and hatred is ignorance, and the only way to solve that problem is by education, and it’s so over due in this country. If more people truly understood Islam, and many other religions, there would be more peace. I also find it ironic how we call women in Hijab “oppressed”, but women walking around in bathing suits is perfectly normal. I think there is something incredibly powerful in choosing what you allow others to see of your body, and forcing them to pay attention to your mind instead. Keep doing what you’re doing ladies, and rock it.

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I was born into a relatively conservative Christian home and consider that as my Faith of choice. However, when I came upon an advertisement on Facebook for World Hijab Day, seemingly by chance, I decided to participate. I think Islam is a beautiful religion with beautiful people when practiced as it is meant to be (with love rather than hate), which can be said for nearly all religions, truth be told. In any case it was a very humbling, freeing, and eye-opening experience.

I worked hard today and was told I could not wear a scarf unless it was for religious reasons. I assured them it was. It certainly was not for fun or a bad hair day! As a Christian, I support all my sisters, especially those in my fellow Abrahamic Faiths. Only a little less than a century or so ago, we were held to the same standards, after all! In any case, this spoke to me deep within, a need or something. I took it very seriously and found myself more conscientious about what I said and how I carried myself. Given this, I have decided to wear it not just today (Feb. 1st), but all this week and perhaps beyond. I am sort of in a middling place right now and this feels right.

I hope my words have not caused offense, or that it seems as if I am simply “experimenting” lightly and not taking this to heart. I assure you I am. I am well aware there are many Muslims, Jews and Conservative Christians/Catholics who make a choice not to wear a traditional scarf as their laws encourage. My admiration and love for them is no greater or less. I believe we all have our own paths to travel and there is only One who can know our hearts and judge if we are wrong. Peace to all of you. Thank you for the opportunity.

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I am a Christian minister in America.  Although I don’t always wear hijab, often times I do in prayer/dua, in daily routine, and even in church!!! God sent me many beautiful Muslim friends. Really, I cannot imagine my life without them. They have been there for me in good times and bad. Some Christians have taken issue with me about this matter but they are not God. My God says it is good. So I tell them that if they don’t like it too bad. Hehe

There is so much hypocrisy in all the Christian movies of the Old-testament and the Gospel. The women wear them. Mary, mother of Jesus is always presented wearing a hijab in our Christian paintings. The Catholic nuns wear them. African women wear head dresses. In many Christian churches, women wear  head coverings  before entering to worship. It is their belief according to the way they interpret the scriptures in the Gospel!!!

Christian women in many parts of the world wear them and yet they have the audacity to criticize a Muslimah (Muslim woman) for her hijab!!! Too many Christians are singling out the Muslims and just picking on them. Well, me and many of my Christian friends know the meaning of fairness & respect. I will preach it ’till the day I die!!! I dedicate this to all my Muslim friends…Alhamdulillah!!!

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For World Hijab Day I put on the hijab…and I haven’t taken it off!

Although I’ve been raised in a christian family I have been strongly considering reverting to Islam. One of the big parts of the change that made me stutter was wearing the hijab. It is very different for someone raised in the American culture, and different can be scary. However, when I wore the hijab I felt safe. Comfortable. Elegant. Modest. Me.

For the most part no one really acted differently towards me when I dressed up for World Hijab Day. I went shopping at one of my favorite stores that was having a big sale. I laughed and joked with the girls in the lines, the associates helped me and asked me if I was finding everything ok. The men parted when I perused the men’s section for something I could bring to my husband. Everyone was smiling, just like always. I was the only hijabi in the building, but I didn’t feel isolated. Later, an elderly man asked what I was wearing on my head. I told him it was a scarf, since that was what it was (I didn’t feel comfortable discussing the hijab with someone on a public bus, since it’s not a place you can walk away from someone being hurtful or mean). He said “ok!” and left it at that.

I’ve also received comments from individuals about how they never see people wearing head scarves for reasons other than religion. I guess because I’m white I must not be muslim? Or that I must not practice Christianity with fervor? Hum, ok…but then the comments are followed up with how nice it looks on me. I guess I’ll take a compliment when its offered.

Of course, I have the benefit of living in a college town that is full of internationals, including hijabis. I wonder if hijab would yield different results in my hometown in South Carolina? I guess we will have to see, because I don’t see myself taking it off any time soon.

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I strongly recommend this [World Hijab day] experience.  It truly is humbling. One of the greatest experiences I have had is a hijab last February. I wore it to see how my friend Salma Rah and all the other women feel when they wear their hijab. At first, I was nervous about it. What will it feel like? What happens if I get laughed at? But what I did not expect to get was the anger my mother expressed at my appearance. That single emotion proved the experiment worthwhile. “Why would you wear that? You are Christian?” I told my friend had asked me to wear a hijab to support the women who wear it and are getting abused because they do.

Wearing a Hijab is the easy part, being out in the world and seeing the reaction is the hard part. Honestly, I almost took it off when classmates laughed at me. But I persevered and told them I was supporting my friend and women who wear a hijab on a daily basis that suffer abuse from people who don’t understand. It is a great way to walk in my friend’s shoes.

Thank you for asking me to understand.

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