India has a very rich history and heritage when it comes to diversity, from the Aryans crossing over to the Himalayas and then, to the Dravidians. Moreover, its varying religious groups coexisted together for thousands of years!

Up until the last decade, after the demolition of the Babri Mosque resulted in riots, India did not witness any major confrontations between Hindus and Muslims. However, in the last few years, there has been an extreme rise in Islamophobia, leading to the current debate on the hijab ban.

Take, for example, The Citizenship Amendment Act of India 2019. The revised and edited version of this 1955 Act permits Indian citizenship eligibility to illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming in from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan on or before Dec. 31st, 2014. The world, thanks to major media sources, now knows this Act as “The Anti-Muslim Act.”

I remember growing up attending college with no problem regarding my hijab. However, in the past month, Karnataka, which has a population of about 7.9 million Muslims, imposed the hijab ban. We were all shocked by this and this led to nationwide protests.

“The Current Karnataka Hijab Row” came after a college claimed to ban the open display of all religious symbols, but authorities are ignoring the Sikh headgear, the Christian crucifix and the Hindu sindoor. Instead, they are focusing on the Muslim hijab, whereby they shamelessly force Muslim girls and women in hijab, both students and teachers, to take off their hijabs before entering. Even the Constitution of India (Article 25 & 26) gives every citizen the right to practice their religion freely. Therefore, to change the rules, one must also change the laws.

Furthermore, there are open racial slurs and invitations for mob lynchings, even by current politicians of the Right Wing Organizations of India. Meanwhile, law enforcement officials are turning a blind eye.

Anti-Nationals and “Muslim Sympathisers” in government, choose to remain silent out of fear of losing majority votes; after all, democracy is about how the majority rules, right?! Moreover, 90% of all the Major Mainstream Media are peddling the government narrative and propagating Islamophobia, blatantly and with no accountability whatsoever.

However, there are the few social activists and journalists who are raising their voices, but are hounded by central agencies or an army of Online Islamophobic trolls, as a result. Therefore, we have various international media and human rights organizations, publishing reports on the state of the minorities affairs.

We cry and our hearts bleed for our sisters who are forced to remove their hijabs to get an education and to make a living for their families.

Dr. Gregory Stanton, founder of “Genocide Watch,” who also predicted the genocide in Rwanda long before it happened, said, “We are warning that genocide can very well happen in India.”

Today, in India, I wonder if I will be able to practice the steadfastness of Khadijah (رضي الله عنه) or the hope and resilience of Hajar (رضي الله عنه). I just pray that Allah chooses what is best for us so that I can raise daughters in this India I no longer recognize…this “New India.”

About the Author

Mariam Bint Salman Sayed is the World Hijab Day Organization Ambassador in India. She resides in Mumbai and is actively following the hijab ban threats under the Indian government. She is an entrepreneur and a student of political science and Islamic Theology. Fitness is her passion just as much as educating others on the true Islam.

The post MY HIJAB IS MY SHIELD IN THIS “NEW INDIA” appeared first on World Hijab Day.

Articles 25-28 of the Constitution of India professes the freedom of practicing and peacefully promoting one’s religion, there is no State religion and the State is required to treat all religions impartially and neutrally.

I grew up in a small Indian town where there was a lot of diversity, religious tolerance and communal harmony. This is not the India I knew and grew up in, where religious shouts such as “Jai Shree Ram” are hurled at a single Burqa-clad girl walking to her college, where such words are used to intimidate her into removing her hijab, where Ram is a symbol of patience, endurance and righteousness?

In the last few days, we have come to recognize 19-year-old Muskan Khan, from Karnataka, India, who showed no fear when she was freckled by a visibly violent right-wing anti-hijab mob. People across the world are standing in solidarity with her and applauding her courage, as seen by social media posts about her. She defies the stereotype of hijabi girls as being weak, oppressed and uneducated.

In an interview with a news channel, she said she has the right to education and to wear whatever she wants because of the country’s laws. “They’re keeping us from studying because of a piece of cloth, Sir,” she added, indicating her headscarf.

For a little while, the words hung in front of my eyes before piercing my heart. I noticed legitimate anger and immense strength on Muskan’s face; people now know her as the lioness that roared her way through the bullying group. This group was stopping girls from entering their colleges because a handful of individuals dislike the hijab. I couldn’t help, but think, How cruel is that and what does one call this: racism, discrimination, hatred, injustice, just plain bad luck or all the above? What is the definition of oppression when one accuses another of being forced to wear the hijab and then, forces them to remove it?

Women in India and around the world are denied their fundamental human right to dress modestly in accordance with their religion because they do not meet the country’s recent secularism requirements.

Isn’t it clear that the hijab was never the issue? It was always about a certain faith and your apprehension about it. This is called, “Islamophobia.” To all those who are “Islamophobic,” now that you’ve identified the core of your issue, address your personal fears in a more productive and peaceful manner rather than taunting random girls in hijab who only wish for an education, also their right as citizens of India.

About the Author

Sana Khan is a Motivational Speaker, Writer and Coach. Moreover, Khan has attained her engineering degree from Shobhit Institute of Engineering and Technology (now a Deemed University) and Dr. APJ Abdul Kamal University (former UPTU) in India. She has an MA in International Business from EAE Business School in Barcelona Spain and UPC Catalunya, Spain. Khan has recently written a motivational eBook entitled, “Dreamcatcher Framework.” She has also co-authored a spiritual anthology called, “Pause and Pen.” When she is not reading or writing, she prefers to nature-walk or sip coffee with her husband and son in Belgium.

Website: www.talkwithsana.com
YouTube and Facebook @TalkwithSana
Instagram @Sanakrblogs

The post What Should We Call this Attack on Hijabis in India? appeared first on World Hijab Day.

We have all been there at one point in our lives: we have asked ourselves the question, “Who am I?” In an ever-changing world, this is one constant that we attempt to tackle from childhood into adulthood. In our youth, we struggle to define ourselves, create our own identities and surround ourselves with people with whom we feel safe.

However, earlier this month, 7-year-old Sumaiyyah Wyatt felt unsafe in her own 2nd grade classroom with her 2nd grade teacher, Tamar Herman. Herman pulled off Sumaiyyah’s hijab, thereby revealing her hair to the entire class. “Your hair is beautiful,” proclaimed Herman.

That afternoon, having returned home from Seth Boyden Elementary School in Maplewood, NJ, Sumaiyyah told her parents about the incident after which they hired Attorney Robert L. Tarver Jr. to work on their case. They are asking for the immediate termination of Herman’s teaching position at the school.

After the teacher denied the allegation, Tarvar said that a classmate confirmed that the incident did, indeed, occur. Tarvar also said that Herman must have noticed Sumaiyyah wearing the hijab on a daily basis and should have, therefore, understood that it was for religious purposes.

Meanwhile, Sumaiyyah’s family is seeking justice for their daughter who has been humiliated and traumatized due to the experience. Her mother, Cassandra Wyatt, told WABC-TV, “She doesn’t want to wear the hijab anymore. Being Muslim, it’s not just a religion for us, it’s our lifestyle…. I have to go introduce her to a different world that I’ve been trying to protect her from…. She [Herman] had to know that was a hijab. She has to pay for that [pulling the hijab off]. I’d love for her to apologize to my daughter and then my daughter would feel better.”

As stated earlier in this post, in order to discover and embrace one’s own identity, one needs guidance, whether it is from a teacher, a guardian or a friend. Sumaiyyah had learned about Islam from her parents and wore the visible symbol of it on her head-the hijab. A teacher, instead of encouraging her to be proud of expressing herself, ripped her identity off her head in public.

Olympic Bronze Medalist and published author of “The Proudest Blue,” Ibtihaj Muhammad, wrote on her social media, “Imagine being a child and stripped of your clothing in front of your classmates? Imagine the humiliation and trauma this experience has caused her …. This is abuse. School should be a haven for all our kids to feel safe, welcome and protected-no matter their faith.”

Ron Ricci, a Totowa attorney who represents Herman, told NJ Advance Media, “The allegations posted by the Olympic fencer are 100 percent untrue” and that Herman assumed the hijab was a hood covering the girl’s eyes.

​​Meanwhile, investigation is ongoing with school officials telling media, “The district takes matters of discrimination extremely seriously. We remain committed to diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our schools, including providing anti-bias and anti-racism training for all educators in the district on a regular basis.”

This may be defined as a “hate crime,” “harassment,” “assault,” “attack,” “islamophobia” or “hijabophobia.” The truth of the matter is that a  7-year-old girl is now struggling to rediscover a significant part of her identity that has literally been snatched away from her.

About author 

Rumki Chowdhury is Editor of World Hijab Day Organization. She is an award-winning published author. She has an MA in English Literature from Queen Mary University of London, a BA in English Writing from William Paterson University of New Jersey and an English Subject Teaching Degree from Gävle Högskolan in Stockholm, Sweden. She speaks Bengali and Swedish fluently! She has years of experience in the media and publishing worlds. Rumki lives with her husband and their three daughters.

www.rumki.com
Instagram @rumkitheauthor
Facebook @rumkitheauthor
Twitter @rumkichowdhury

The post NJ Teacher Pulls off 7-Year-Old Student’s Hijab appeared first on World Hijab Day.

Isn’t it odd that people tend to have a lot of opinions about and police what women wear? It’s almost as if it’s a distraction tactic to take attention and resources away from solving actual problems in the world. Also, it’s nothing more than exhibiting power over groups of people, and taking away their autonomy. In the same week we saw the EU legislate that hijabs can be banned in the workforce, the Norwegian women’s volleyball team were slapped with a fine for not playing in bikini bottoms. How can you champion women’s rights, but then also create barriers for them to have access to education, work, and sport? When German female gymnasts opted for full body leotards during this year’s Olympics, and praised for their decision, I couldn’t but help but think of how Muslim women who choose to cover themselves aren’t afforded the same treatment.

I understand that these laws and legislations are coming from a place of promoting secularism, to fight against the rise of extremism. However, I can’t help but note the glaring disparity in the treatment of Muslim women. I am also not entirely sure how someone choosing to wear their religious attire is seen as promoting extremism. If we can agree that seeing a nun in public isn’t considered as her pushing her ideologies down our throats, I fail to see how this is applicable to others. Make it make sense to me, please. The opposite is also true: women shouldn’t be forced to cover up to be considered acceptable in society. Frankly, if you disagree with me… I don’t care. A person’s worth is not, and should not, be measured by what they wear.

I’ve worn the scarf for almost a decade now. It was always something I wanted to do. On January 1st 2012, with the help of a friend, I stepped out into public as a hijabi. My first interaction in public that day was a woman accosting me at a McDonald’s parking lot, calling me a “towelhead.” Since then, I’ve had people verbally harrass me on public transport, and have even been groped when out with friends or my husband. Fast forward to July 1st 2021, where I’ve had to make the difficult decision to take off my scarf due to persistent health issues. One of my first interactions in public was a man ogling my breasts… as a 7 month pregnant woman… walking in the mall whilst holding my husband’s hand. My point is, it didn’t matter what I wore. It certainly wasn’t seen as me pushing my ideologies on anyone, nor was it seen as a deterrent for them to attack me.

So why do we care so much about what women wear or don’t wear? Why do we place so much importance on dictating on what women should or shouldn’t wear? Why do we fail to educate people instead?

The post Make it make sense appeared first on World Hijab Day.

I’ve been wearing the hijab for seven years, and the first time I wore the hijab was in my first year of college. A saying that moved me regarding my decision to wear hijab is when I performed Umrah (months before I became a freshman). I was greeted by a Palestinian woman who sat behind me, and said that I have a unique face (in a good way) and asked me where was from, whether or not I originally wore the hijab, etc. I answered that I have wanted to but I just haven’t done it. She told me to wear it because it suits me well. I said : ‘Masha Allah, alhamdulillah. Thank you Aunty for saying that to me!’ This simple gesture of her moved me and got me thrilled.

The people who know me well often would say, ‘How do you become so confident wearing your hijab differently?’ — just because I love wearing the hijab with bright colours, or a hijab with a contrasting colour to my blouse, and the most bold one was when I wore long-sleeve, dark colour innerwear topped with a short-sleeve blouse / top. I think my clothing would be just fine as long as I keep being modest. Deep inside I just want to be myself and set apart from my friends that wear the same kind of hijabs and blouses. I want to be different! (Who wouldn’t?)

I studied psychology. I learned so much about human behaviors, personality, and how to be an individual with actualised aspiration in pursuit of life goals and dreams. One time, I delved into a job that I thought I’d be totally resilient with any kind of formidable hurdles that came with it. I worked 9-5 and when it comes to corporate life, I get to meet different people with different aims, wants, and wishes as well. I thought I’d be extremely accepting of any adversities, not to mention the major I took scaffolds the way I communicate and understand others SO well.

One time, I was told by my supervisor to take a day off. I assumed that was because I worked late the other day and had overtime too at weekends. But a day after my day-off, I found out that was because the CEO (that originally lives abroad) visited the company where I was being an intern at; and the CEO was not fond of and never liked a hijabi person, let alone I was treated not seriously by my seniors as the youngest intern. At first, it shocked me, because where I live is a country (Indonesia) that really instills ‘unity in diversity.’

What I had in mind that time was, ‘Could this get any worse? I must toughen up from now on and be able to just bottle my feelings up.’ A year goes by and I worked for a different company in the Human Resources department. To be honest, I have several reasons why I felt unhappy in this working environment, but one of the top reasons is because of how people interpreted my practice of wearing hijab. I’m still feeling a bit salty about how not one but so many of my co-workers and seniors that (I’d say) were too busy to drag me down when it comes to me wearing the hijab. There was this woman in her 40’s who kept on telling me:

-I look OLDER wearing the hijab

-I look LIKE A MOTHER wearing the hijab

-I look ODD, AND NOT SO FANCY wearing the hijab

I kept asking myself: ‘How can a headscarf, hijab, or jilbab make a woman be any less—less beautiful, and not attractive?’ I know it’s inevitable, but it really got to me. It drove me insane, honestly. It did. My best friends regarded me as a person with terrific, unbroken self-esteem, but every time those bad comments haunted me. It kept me from being myself. I decided to resign from that company to take care of my well-being and hop on another chance that allowed me to be surrounded with more positive and healthier people. I realized I could just get out of a toxic working environment because I have to, and because there IS extremely so many better environments and more accepting people out there.

I had met people who treated me badly because of my hijab and I had encountered verbal and non-verbal, micro-aggression from other people. But no one could ever stop me from being a hijabi. That’s why I started my YouTube channel a year ago (under the name: New State of Tranquil). I uploaded a video of hijab ideas on my channel. I did it because I want to be a storyteller through my videos, and I want to be seen more often because I felt I was ignored and kept out of sight by people.

Besides, the love of learning new languages has pushed me to upskill myself. I learned Arabic first, then I added up German and Russian. I brush up my skills by reading and watching movies in different languages on Netflix. It is all fulfilling to me. Inshallah, I keep getting better and better.

As a devoted hijabi (inshallah), it makes me a lot more content with life. All in all, I learned the hard way and I’m still a learning hijabi in progress.

The post Unapologetically Keep Moving Forward appeared first on World Hijab Day.

Indire Muja is the police officer who was fired from her job at the Kosovo Police because of her hijab. She is a woman who, for five years straight, never gave up fighting for her rights.

After she filed a suit twice seeking for justice by respecting and implementing the laws of Kosovo Police, the Basic Court of Prishtina finally took the well-deserved decision in favour of Indira.

Thus, the Court obliges the Kosovo Police to take the steps below:

︎ To bring back Indira at the workplace or a similar one with all the rights and obligations according to her last work contract.

︎To compensate her all her wages from the moment her contract was cancelled (2015) until the date when she returns to work.

This ruling with a very clear, concise, and detailed explanation will be an invaluable precedent for the treatment of similar cases which deal with the freedom of people working in public institutions to practice religion.

So, should the wearing of hijab be restricted according to directives or regulations?

The Court said: NO

Indira’s unconquerable effort for justice will be the source of motivation for all the girls and women who do not stop seeking their rights, in this way, challenging discriminatory practices in their family, society, or even their own country.

Congratulations to us all!

The post The triumph of rights over the misuse of power appeared first on World Hijab Day.

To better understand these polls, we will provide some backgrounds on our followers.  At the time of taking the polls, our Instagram had 40,000 followers and 790,000 followers on Facebook fan page. Top five countries of our followers on Instagram were from Pakistan, Malaysia, India, Nigeria, and Indonesia.  And top five cities were Karachi, Lahore, Kuala Lumpur, Dhaka, and Cairo.

Top 10 countries on Facebook fan page were Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Philippines, USA, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia.  And top 10 cities were: Karachi, Dhaka, Cairo, Lahore, Kuala Lumpur, Islamabad, Dubai, Riyadh, Singapore, and Alexandria.

Misconception #1: Hijab is a symbol of oppression.

We took this misconception directly to those women who wear the hijab and asked: “Do you feel oppressed in your hijab?” On Instagram, 94% answered No and 6% answered Yes.  On Facebook, 81% answered No and 19% answered yes.

When we asked how women in hijab feel about such remarks, one of the Facebook fans expressed: “It’s a bit offensive to be honest…because a person who asks the question has already made up their mind that you must be oppressed because you wear a hijab.” [Shabnam Sharin]

Next we asked: “Do you feel confident in your hijab?” 93% answered Yes and 7% answered No on Instagram. Same results showed on Facebook.

We also wanted to know if women in hijab felt empowered by their hijab. So we asked: “Do you feel empowered by your hijab?” 94% answered Yes and 6% answered No on Instagram. On Facebook, 87% answered Yes and 13% answered No.

Misconception #2: Women are forced to wear the hijab.

To clear this misconception, we asked women the following question on our poll: “Were you forced to wear the hijab?” 93% answered NO and 7% answered YES on Instagram. 87% said NO and 13% said YES on our Facebook poll.

When we asked sisters to share their thoughts on such stereotype, one fan shared:

 “How is it oppression if I am choosing to wear it? Don’t you think it’s oppression for girls to go on all sorts of diets and have eating disorders in order to “fit” a certain body image that is portrayed by media?” [Shabnam Sharin]

Disclaimer: We strongly condemn forceful implementation of the hijab. The choice should be left to the women.

Misconception #3:  Women are forced to wear the hijab by their fathers, brothers, or husbands.

In the poll, we asked the following question: “Did your father, brother or husband force you to wear the hijab?”  94% answered NO and 6% YES on Instagram. 86% answered NO and 14% answered Yes on Facebook.

When we asked women to share their thoughts on such misconception, one fan on Facebook shared the following: “Incredibly insulting as I speak for myself and managed my own thoughts before I married so he has nothing to do with my decision…Unfortunately, if I asked him, he may not want me to wear it because of how he feels I may be treated, but it’s not about him either.” [Rachel Carol Madeleine Fex]

Misconception #4: Women in hijab do not really face any discrimination.

Many people undermine the numbers of women face discrimination due to their hijab. So, we asked sisters worldwide the following question: “Have you ever experienced discrimination due to your hijab?” 58% answered Yes and 42% answered No on Instagram. However, on Facebook, 60% answered Yes and 40% answered No.

We were curious to know the numbers in Europe, Australia and USA. So we asked the following question: “Sisters in Europe, Australia and USA ONLY. Did you face discrimination due to your hijab?” On Instagram, 71% answered Yes and 29% answered No.  63% answered Yes and 37% answered No on Facebook.  

Misconception #5: Hijab shackles and imprisons women.

To clear this misconception, we asked sisters the following question: “Do you feel free in hijab?” 98% answered Yes and 2% answered No on Instagram. 93% answered Yes and 7% answered no on Facebook.

We would like to conclude by adding the following statement from a sister in Pakistan: “Hijab is not a barrier to my ambitions, neither do I feel oppressed in it. Rather, hijab is a choice, a feeling, an identity. I feel free in hijab, empowered, protected, stronger in faith and more passionate to become a better being overall. Everyone travels through their own spiritual journey & mine just feels more wholesome ever since I embraced my hijab.” [Zara]

The post SHOCKING: Poll reveals up to 71% women in hijab face discrimination appeared first on World Hijab Day.

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]

The post Hijab experience of a devout Christian appeared first on World Hijab Day.

Recently my friend notified me that my story that I submitted last year for world hijab day made the rounds back onto the page again. I thought I’d share what I’ve learned in my one year of wearing hijab. While one year is a short time in comparison to the 24 years I’ve been on this earth, I must admit that I have learned a lot in that small amount of time. Not only have I learned more about myself, but also a LOT about other people and their perceptions of the world and me in hijab. I thought I’d hash out a few of the things that I have come to find out in these last 365 days. I hope this helps others as they embark on this journey of hijab as well.

1. You can’t (and shouldn’t try!) please everyone.

Even when wearing hijab, if not because of it, people will love to judge you. The worst part is that most of the judgement will come from other Muslims! One person will think you are too conservative because you wear hijab, but the next person thinks you are too liberal because you wear jeans. But you know what? Their opinion doesn’t matter! You didn’t put on hijab for people, you put it on for Allah, because you feel it’s important for your growth spiritually. As long as you feel good about how you wear your hijab, no one else’s opinion matters.

2. You are a strong and independent woman! Skin doesn’t determine your strength!

Don’t be fooled by cultural feminists, you don’t need to show some skin to show your strength and independence as a woman. While some women feel that showing cleavage and leg empowers them as women, I feel like my hijab empowers me. While this is a topic for its own post…in a nutshell, hijab doesn’t mean you can’t speak out or have an opinion.

3. You will be treated differently

No matter what people tell you, you will be treated differently. Your friends will need to adjust to you as a hijabi (if they knew you before covering), especially if you partook in activities that are unbecoming of a Muslima (Muslim woman). For instance, now that clubbing and drinking are a no-no, some friends may not find you as interesting or fun to hang out with. You know what? That’s ok. For every person that thinks you are boring, another person finds you inspiring! I have a friend who loves to discuss my (and her) spiritual journies, including coming to hijab. Once on the city bus I saw a girl wearing a scarf loosely over her ponytail, and when she saw me she straightened the scarf to cover her head completely, and then smiled at me. I smiled back. You are making a difference, whether or not you see it.

Also, sometimes you get the stink-eye, but other times you are treated with the utmost respect. I was flabbergasted when a young man (maybe a bit younger than me) stood up on a crowded bus to give me a seat. That never happened to me before I covered. Could it be that maybe there was just one gentleman on the bus that day? Maybe, but when it happened a few more times I started to think it wasn’t coincidence.

4. People are going to assume

People are going to assume that you think a certain way or believe a certain thing because you wear hijab. They think they know why you started to wear it (ESPECIALLY if you just got married to a Muslim). Don’t let that get to you! If you weren’t being stereotyped for wearing hijab, you’d be stereotyped by your race, or your style, or having tattoos, or your hair cut, or your accent… people always want to fit others in a little box, and you don’t need to worry about that. Just keep on keeping on, sister. Their assumptions don’t define you.

5. Everyone’s journey is different

While some people find hijab to be easy, others find it so, so hard. If you are struggling to keep your hijab, while your friends or family seem to be wearing it with ease, that’s ok. There’s nothing wrong with you and there’s nothing strange about your struggle (or lack thereof!) Some days I love my hijab, other days I don’t even want to leave the house because I feel weird with it on. Fortunately, more days I love it . In any case, one person’s trials don’t apply to everyone- but take comfort that someone out there is feeling the same as you are, even if it’s not at the same time.

The post 5 things I learned after wearing hijab for 365 days appeared first on World Hijab Day.

I wore hijab for the first time in the seventh grade and I have been wearing it ever since. It only took that one deciding moment to impact my personality so deeply that I vowed never to take it off. Even so, growing up and especially going to high school to see most girls all dolled up with perfectly done hair, obviously looking pretty, made me feel kinda’ weird. At that age (seventeen), it seemed as if it’s all that mattered or there was nothing more to life than a pretty face and beautiful hair. But I decided to hold my head high and feel proud at my decision of covering up.

I still get tempted by the society even at twenty-one. I recently went for a job interview and they literally told me to take off my hijab to get the place that I rightfully deserved. My point is that there is NO job in this whole wide world that I would take off my Hijab for.  I have been through a lot, from temptations to hardships but I am determined as ever to face up to all the tests that will come my way in the future. Because I believe that it’s NOT just a covering, it is actually our key to Jannah (Paradise). In Sha Allah (God-willingly).

The post I was told to take off my hijab! appeared first on World Hijab Day.