written By Jenna Abdelrahim
Have you heard of the Hijab being referred to as an “ugly scarf” or a “towel”? Have you witnessed intolerance towards women who wear the hijab and are asked to take it off? If you have experienced such things, read on please as I take you on my personal journey of wearing the hijab.
First off, the reason why Muslim women wear a hijab is for modesty and to obey Allah . According to Islamic law, you should begin wearing it at puberty. Think of it like a checkmark growing up, not something to hide your personality behind.
My journey of becoming a hijabi started in fourth grade at my old public school, Roberts Elementary. I returned from Sunday school and I decided, on Monday, I would go to school wearing a hijab. I became a hijabi. I was extremely excited to show my friends, as I felt I looked awesome wearing it.
When I entered the classroom the next day, my teacher told me my hijab was pretty. This made me feel even more welcome, but there are always downfalls. I walked to my seat to show my friends the scarf, but some girls across from me started giggling at it. That made me so mad and I felt ashamed. Later on during class, I went to take a book from a table, and some boys started making fun of my scarf saying that it looked like an “old towel”.
When it was the end of the day, I cried bitterly on the drive home. My mother asked me why I was upset, and I explained, how I felt about wearing a hijab. She explained to me that you don’t need people’s opinion about your hijab, you only need to show Allah that you want to wear it. Because of her words, today, I am wearing a hijab with confidence and pride.
Now you know the point of view of a hijabi. Next time, if you ever see a hijabi or wear a hijab, know that it’s a protection from Allah from all that is bad and a reflection of the confidence and strength of a Muslim woman.