Freedom Unveiled
There is a long history of debate and discussions surrounding the hijab, which has highlighted tensions between the Muslim community and the rest of the world. As a Muslim being presented with wrinkled foreheads, raised eyebrows, widened eyes and open mouths have been a norm. “But you don’t wear the hijab?” It has never hit me until recently that this reaction bothered me. Maybe it was because I wasn’t truly a practicing Muslim until now.
A great saying from Mufti Ismail Menk, a popular Islamic scholar and motivational speaker amongst Muslims and some non-Muslims, stated the following: “When you see a female dressed in a manner that is unacceptable Islamically, do not for a moment think that she is lower than you spiritually. If you do that, you are lower than her. She might have one weakness that is outward, and you have 50 weaknesses that are hidden.”
The hijab has become a form of identify for Muslim women. It represents a commitment and an emblem of modesty and piety that includes not only in the way you dress, but also your demeanour and in the way you behave. Furthermore, a woman wearing the hijab visibly expresses their devotion to God.
Unfortunately, it is one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted mark of being a Muslim. Associated oneself with the hijab has resulted in brutal and cruel assaults and a symbol of oppression.
Though there is scant official statistics that reveal how many Muslim women wear the hijab, according to the Muslim Council of Britain, drawing on the 2011 census, there are over two million Muslims that make up the overall population in England and Wales.
Furthermore, in a recent report from the Pew Research project a view that the number of Muslims is expected to “grow twice as fast between 2010 and 2015, and will be the world’s largest religious group surpassing Christians.”
Having been brought up in a non-strict practicing Muslim life, and recently becoming more religious, covering and wearing the headscarf is something I’m considering. Nevertheless, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t cautious about wearing the hijab. One of the biggest causes for concerns is the abuse Muslim women have to face for covering up.
There are many women who are forced to wear the hijab in some countries, however, what people fail to realise is that there are many Muslim women that choose to cover up. The hijab is viewed as the epitome of oppression. Why should someone be defined and judged by the way they choose to dress? Many feminists believe it is a man-based problem. However, the hijab is worn for the sake of God and not for anybody’s sake.
In October 2015, Prime Minister David Cameron, for the first time, announced that anti-Muslim hate crimes are to be recorded as a separate category. According to the Crime Survey or England and Wales, results show that from 2012/13 to 2014/15 “0.8 per cent of Muslim adults were most likely to be a victim of religiously motivated hate crime compared to 0.1 per cent for Christians adults or those with no religion.”
There has been abundant media coverage showing the growth of anti-Muslim hate crimes. In June a Muslim woman was attacked by two women who pulled her hijab as she went to collect her children from school. The same incident occurred to a 16 year old girl who was assaulted and left with broken teeth and a smashed lip as she walked to college.
Just recently the video of a woman shouting abusive statements to two Muslim women telling them to “go back to [their] country” and claiming they hid bombs underneath their clothes. Moreover, within a couple of weeks, another assault where a Muslim woman in her 40s was punched in the head and kicked off the bus by two young women.
The rise of extremist terrorist groups manifested a horrible perception of all Muslims. Terrorism is performed in the name of Islam and has led people to feel disenchanted to the people of the Islamic faith. It has driven them to verbally and physically abuse Muslims resulting in the Muslim society to become fearful of their surroundings.
This fear of wearing the hijab is as a result of these hideous incidents that Muslim women have to deal with. They clearly demonstrate the hate and violence towards hijab-wearing women and Muslims in general. Having to worry about leaving your house, fearing that you’re going to be attacked by a stranger, this isn’t life.
A nun can be covered head to toe in order to show her devotion to their God. But when a Muslim woman decides to do the same thing she is considered oppressed. Why in a free society the only thing not free to be is Muslim?
Who says women are supposed to look a certain way? Media. Social pressure. Consumer culture. Sex is embedded into society within the advertisements of products such as clothing, video games and even cars. The value of beauty is judged by the sexual objectification of women. Hijabi women don’t fit that mold.
Consequently, in a society where women who do wear the hijab are mocked and treated unfairly has made some women make a conscious decision about wearing the hijab. This is due to the attention that the headscarf brings and as a result the fear of being attacked because of it.
In spite of that, our tendency to give in and lose faith causes us to override what is most important. We need to sort out our priorities and dealing with the many obstacles that are thrown our way. One great saying is that sometimes we need to let our faith be stronger than our fears!
