…A symbol of modesty, empowerment for Muslim women.
By Dr. Basirat Akintunde
Hijab, meaning to cover, observes the Islamic idea of Awrah, which is the religion’s law of covering certain body parts, for both men and women. Hijab, thought to have originated from the Arabic term hajaba, meaning to conceal, refers to men and women needing to wear plain, loose-fitting attire to cover their bodies.
Qur’an on Hijab
Such head coverings were worn by women in Arabia at the advent of Islam. Qur’an 33:59 tells Muhammad to ask his family members and other Muslim women to wear outer garments when they go out, so that they are not harassed: O Prophet! Ask your wives, daughters, and believing women to draw their cloaks over their bodies.
The hijab is a head covering worn by Muslim women in observance of the Islamic religion. It is a scarf that covers the hair and neck and is a symbol of modesty. Hijab, meaning to cover, observes the Islamic idea of Awrah, which is the religion’s law of covering certain body parts, for both men and women.
Purpose of hijab
For Muslim women, the hijab serves as an identity that reflects their modesty and strong beliefs or what is called the ‘Imaan’. Hijab or a veil or headscarf is a piece of clothing worn by Muslim women to cover themselves from head to feet
Such head coverings were worn by women in Arabia at the advent of Islam. Qur’an 33:59 tells Muhammad to ask his family members and other Muslim women to wear outer garments when they go out, so that they are not harassed: O Prophet! Ask your wives, daughters, and believing women to draw their cloaks over their bodies.
At what age does a girl start wearing a hijab?
Some girls start wearing hijab when they are around 10 years old and others when they are 12 or 13 years old. There have been many debates as to when exactly Islamic dress should be worn by Muslim girls, but most Muslims agree that hijab should not be worn until the girl reaches puberty (when she begins menstruation)
The practice of veiling long preceded the rise of Islam in the 7th century, and it continues to be observed by some Christians and Jews in the 21st century.
Islam thus did not invent the convention of veiling but probably incorporated local customs as it spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula and to southeastern Asia, northern Africa, and southern Europe over the centuries.
As a result, many women wear hijab and other forms of veiling because of tradition. Some women are required by law to wear hijab, as is the case in Iran since the Islamic Revolution (1978–79).
Moreover, a woman may veil depending on the circumstances. She may or may not wear hijab If she is at home, at work, running errands, or attending a social event. The practice of veiling thus is not simply a religious custom but is sometimes a civil requirement or a personal and cultural choice.
Perhaps because veiling as a practice can be so fluid, hijab as a garment and other forms of veiling have acquired often competing meanings throughout time and place. In the 21st century Muslim women who choose to veil have been seen by some as unlearned, oppressed, or politically radical. Yet veiling could also be perceived as a symbol of piety, freedom of religious expression, privacy, or cultural tradition.
Your hijab does not make you illiterate; it does not suppress you. It does not hide your beauty, and it does not make you a walking ghost shrouded in black. It makes you beautiful because you are saying no to the world, only for Allah.
It makes you graceful because you are not afraid of how people will look at you. It makes you dignified because you do not need to wear revealing clothes to feel empowered. And it makes you stunning because you are wearing it not for the world or yourself- but Allah.
It makes you a Muslim woman- one who deserves everything and more. And Allah does not hold back when He rewards.
Dr. Basirat Akintunde,
FOMWAN, Ogun Chairperson Youth Committee.The Librarian, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic
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