Ching Norris:
The Arabic word ‘hijab’ holds a variety of similar meanings: to cover, conceal, hide, screen, and shelter. Among Muslims, ‘hijab’ commonly refers to a woman’s headscarf, however in broader terms it refers to a full system of modesty that also applies to Muslim men.
As a Muslim woman who wears the hijab, I do it purely for myself and for God. I do not do it as any type of political or hostile statement, and I view the hijab as something honourable. Although not all Muslim women cover their hair, we all agree that modesty is an important part of being a Muslim. Those of us that do wear it justify our decision by the following two verses in the Qur’an:
"And say to the believing women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their head coverings to cover their bosoms, and not to display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule, or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent..." (surah an nur: 31)
"O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their outer garments close around themselves; that is better that they will be recognized and not annoyed. And God is ever Forgiving, Gentle." (surah al-ahzab: 59)
Perhaps the most common misconception regarding the hijab is that Muslim women do not freely chose to wear it and are forced into doing so by the men in their family. Undoubtedly that can happen, but in the U.K those cases are in the minority, and the majority of Muslim women who cover do so out of our own free will. In fact, if any man forced a religious command on other person they would be going against what our religion tells us, namely that there is to be “no compulsion in religion” (surah al-baqarah:256).
In Islam the hijab is not a symbol of oppression nor a sign of a woman’s subservience to men, but is something liberating, dignifying and honourable. To wear the hijab and to identify yourself as a Muslim is not an easy thing to do in these times - you have to put up with constant stares, the racist remarks, the abuse, the feeling that all eyes are on you as you step onto the Underground (look around and they usually are!). To stand out is something that takes courage. Despite what some people like to suggest, the hijab doesn’t stop us from interacting with others, or from being active members of our society, able to contribute as much as anybody else. Like a lot of women all over the world, regardless of religion, we take the view that our bodies are our own, and are not public property. In covering our bodies we can be assured that we are being valued for who we are, for what we say, and what we stand for rather than being judged on our beauty (or lack of).
The hijab is not only a protection and an honour for women but it is also a gift to society. When we cover, we are saving our beauty for ourselves, our friends and families, for those who already value us. We live in a time when both men and women will beautify themselves to go out in public only to come home and lounge around in more ‘comfortable’ clothing with their families. People are going out and being surrounded by a beauty that they don’t even have in their own home, whereas as women who cover reverse that trend and choose to keep that precious, valued and intimate part of ourselves private.
When I first became Muslim it took some time before I felt confident enough to go outside wearing the hijab. Whilst incredibly liberating it was sad to see how people’s behaviour changed as if I had suddenly became a different person overnight. As women who wear the hijab, we find ourselves questioning whether people are rude to us because they hold some kind of prejudice, or whether it is just because they have no manners towards anyone. We have to make a point of the fact that we do speak English and can understand what people are saying to us, and about us. We daren’t ever look sad or upset in case people make assumptions about some supposed unhappy and oppressed lifestyle we lead.
It is interesting to look at the mixture of reactions such a simple act of putting a piece of cloth on your head arouses: looks of anger, intrigue, pity, surprise, hostility, contempt, suspicion. What people seem to forget is that it takes a lot of courage to put up with that on a daily basis, it is something that you have to be strong to do but it is not something we are ever given any credit for.
For those people who seem to be set on “liberating” Muslim women, they should realise that we do not need liberating from the hijab and we do not need liberating from modesty. If anything we need liberating from the prejudice and hatred of others, and in that way we are just like every other human being around the world.