The hijab.

Salaam aleykum!

For those of you who follow us on Twitter, you may have noticed the amount of "SISTER WEAR HIJAB!" posts we've been getting. We want to stress that we do have some very valid reasons for not wearing hijab. If you've never been to the United States, please keep your comments to yourself. You cannot and will never understand what it's like to be an American Muslim, especially for those of us who live in more remote areas of the country where Islamophobia is rampant.

Zahra: 

I have a confession: I'm an ex-hijabi. I converted and accidentally started wearing hijab full-time. I wasn't planning to cover until after I graduated, but once I had to wear it out a few times, I decided it wasn't so bad. I made the decision to keep it on when classes started back up and I just wouldn't tell my parents about it.

Bad, BAD idea.

I needed to find a part-time job so I could have something to do over the summer. I will never forget how I went in to talk to a potential employer about completing the application process and the receptionist took one look at me, went to the back to go talk to someone, came back out and said "We're not actually hiring." Somehow, someone managed to get onto my Facebook account and found pictures of me wearing hijab. They took those pictures, went to my mother's workplace, showed them to her, and started harassing her about having a Muslim kid. My mom called me and started freaking out. "You're a target for crime! You're going to get hurt!" Some other events occurred and I knew that my life would not be stable until I got out of college and out of my parents' care.

I miss wearing hijab so much, especially over Ramadan. I feel like I had so much more respect while wearing hijab. I feel like I'm missing something, and I am. I looked like a Muslim and people were not surprised when I asked if I could be excused for ten minutes so I could go pray. InshAllah I will graduate in May and by my 22nd birthday in June I will be covered up and finally feel whole again.

Nikita: 

I guess I can say what really excited me about Islam was the beauty of hijab. The beauty of covering for the sake of God. Unfortunately, the hijab is often misunderstood as a means of female oppression, creating difficulties, especially for converts. My struggle with hijab and being able to finally put it on is not only a matter of ability to, but the commitment to wearing it for the rest of my life. Sometimes I feel ready to finally put on a scarf, other days, all I have to wear are skinny jeans.

Hijab is more than a headscarf, and as a revert, you often see both men and women adorning their respective hijab (men with beards, you know what I mean) yet they forget they are representing the faith. Hijab is more than a headscarf, niqab is more than covering your face, it goes so much deeper than that. I hold off on wearing hijab because of my family, my community, and because I don't feel I am at a maturity and understanding where I can represent Islam well. I have so much more growing up and developing to do. Hijab is Fard, and for this reason, Insha'Allah I will wear it in the future.

On this note, I'd also like to talk about something I've noticed coming from outside the faith; people are quick to say "sister, put on a hijab" or "brother, grow a beard" but we don't know the struggles the person is going through. We can't and shouldn't judge others just because of their outward appearance.

Until next time,

N&Z

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