A cross section of Muslim women have appealed to the general public to respect and protect the rights of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab a part of their dressing.
The women made the appeal in a one-day sensitisation programme held by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, to commemorate World Hijab Day 2023.
Hajia Aisha Adaviruku who delivered the lecture titled Unapologetic Hijabi; the essence of hijab in Islam, said “the choice to wear hijab is a fulfilment of a religious injunction and not a sign of oppression.”
“Everyone should respect the right of the Muslim woman to wear hijab and she should not be discriminated against, abused, vilified and denied access to anything because of her choice to be modest,” she advised.
Also speaking at the event, Hajia Amina Sani asked women to not be apologetic about the hijab they wear since they chose modesty instead of revealing more flesh. “If a woman chooses not to reveal her skin, it should not be a problem for anyone. Her right to cover herself should be respected and the women who make the choice to cover themselves because of their faith should not be afraid to do the right thing.”
In the same vein, Hajia Sa’adatu Ibrahim who was mother of the day at the event wondered why some people think the hijab is strange when in actual fact, the use of head covering predated the Islamic religion.
“If you look at the pictures and illustrations of Mary the mother of Jesus, you will see that she has a head scarf. As we speak even Christians like catholic nuns also wear a type of head covering so why should the Muslim woman be discriminated against because she chose to be like her predecessors? she asked.
On her part, the Chairperson of the event Hajia Rahamatu Ozigi said school authorities should respect the supreme court ruling in 2022, which ruled in favour of the hijab in public schools in Lagos state. She said all states should understand that the ruling is also applicable across the country.
Dr. Rekiya Momoh-Abaji focused her message on young girls as she called on them to keep the faith and remember the reasons why they wear the hijab. “The world is getting more precarious and this calls for parents to be more committed to their children to teach them boundaries and respect. One way to do that is to teach all children to respect the use of the hijab.”
Away from the messages by Women, the National Imam of Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society Fuad Adeyemi described the theme of the world hijab day as appropriate and a reflection of the truth about hijab. “Hijab is not a sign that the woman is being oppressed, it is actually a symbol of her emancipation because she chose the hijab as her identity,” he said.
HISTORY OF WORLD HIJAB DAY
February 1st is the global day to mark World Hijab Day, and several organisations hold programmes to raise awareness and seek respect for Muslim women who choose to adorn themselves in headscarf called hijab.
World Hijab Day is an annual event that was created to encourage women of all religions and backgrounds to wear and experience the hijab. It is also a day to celebrate diversity and stand up against discrimination. The event was started by a woman named Nazma Khan, and it has spread over 150 countries.
The goal of World Hijab Day is to create a more understanding and tolerant world for Muslim women.
There is often a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding surrounding the hijab, and this day provides an opportunity for non-Muslim women to learn more about it. It is also a chance for Muslim women to feel empowered and proud of their choice to wear the hijab.
