This year’s World Hijab Day (WHD) falls on 1 February. But how should we react to this annual event, which was initiated in the UK in 2013?
Many Muslims regard hijab as the symbol of a woman’s faith and a sign of her modesty. But among Muslims the religious status of hijab is a matter of debate, and Muslim feminists often see it as a sign of women’s oppression. Meanwhile in the UK, wearing hijab is frequently welcomed as a symbol of cultural diversity and a measure of how far we have come since Britain was mono- rather than multi-cultural.
This is a complex context which calls for various responses in different situations.
In some situations, perhaps re-making hijab as a fashionable garment serves to diminish its association with women’s second class status. Thanks to hiphop artists like Neelam, there has been much success in the modest fashion arena, promoting a trend for social and ethical awareness which reaches across Islamic audiences and beyond. The Modist was launched in early 2017 and in December that year, Nike released the Pro-Hijab to the Middle Eastern market.
Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh MP is a WHD supporter who sees hijab as a sign of a cultural freedom: “We must stand up and clearly say that women have a right to choose what they want to wear — whenever, wherever, and however.”
Fair enough to say this in a country like the UK, where hijab can reflect the right of Muslim women not to conform to narrow British traditions. But to millions of Muslim women in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran, hijab is the mechanism that confirms their oppression. In places such as these, brave women are imprisoned for ‘crimes’ against the strict code of modesty
While some women are fighting for their right not to wear the headscarf, in the West other women have had to fight for their right to wear it without suffering discrimination.
The original idea of WHD was to promote religious tolerance by asking global citizens of all faiths and backgrounds to wear hijab for a day in solidarity with Muslim women worldwide. Good, if this makes silly white blokes think twice before comparing burqa to letter-boxes. But what about complementing this with a Women Without Hijab Day? This could be in solidarity with all those women who are taking off hijab as part of their quest for freedom.
Should We Celebrate World Hijab Day? Film By Lulu Zen-Aloush
