World Hijab Day

World Hijab Day is an annual event on February 1 with 140 countries participating.^[1] Founded by Nazma Khan,^[2] the first World Hijab Day^[3] was celebrated on February 1, 2013. The event encourages all women (both Islamic and non-Islamic) to wear the hijab and experience life like someone who wears a hijab. World Hijab Day is described by its organisers as a way for the non-hijab wearing women to experience the hijab from the other side,^[4] while some critics have described it as a "well-financed effort by radical Muslims to dominate modern Muslim societies".^[5]

Background

Women in the predominantly Islamic country of Algeria wearing a haïk, a type of veil.

The term hijab has become a catch-all phrase particularly in the West for all Islamic veils, but it is mainly referred to as a headscarf. The styles of Hijabs vary, based on geography or also by fashion trends.^[6]

The hijab is viewed by some as a means of expression in the Islamic religion. Others see this practice as a choice that should be left to the woman, and not be forced upon them. For instance, the hijab has been banned in public schools in France since 2004, as it was viewed as a religious symbol.^[7]

In the United States and around the world, hijab-wearing women have experienced various difficulties. Post 9/11, hijab-wearing women around the US have been victims of "bias, misunderstanding, and even hate crimes".^[8] World Hijab Day was created to provide solidarity for the women who suffer from oppression for their outward display of faith around the world.

In countries where most women wear the hijab, many still feel victimised. For example, 50% of the female population in Egypt are said to wear the hijab, but many still feel as if they are not represented in popular media. Despite having such a large population of hijab-wearing women, Egypt's first hijab-wearing news broadcaster appeared on air only in 2002.^[9]

Hijabi women have been repeatedly undermined in foreign missions, as the country wanted to be represented as modern, and the covering of the hair worked as a disadvantage for the hijab-wearing women in Egypt.

Development

The World Hijab Day was started by Nazma Khan as a response to the bias after the 9/11 attacks. She allegedly was a victim of hate crimes from her classmates and professors,^[10] and decided to encourage women to wear hijabs for a day as an act of social protest.

World Hijab Day also aims to discourage the judgement of women by their physical appearance and to instead promote the judgement of them based on intellectual abilities.

World Hijab Day claims to achieve these goals by giving women an opportunity to wear a hijab for a day in order to get real-life experience. It also aims to create a connection between hijab-wearing and non-hijab-wearing women and provides support for voluntary younger hijab wearers as an act of solidarity. The World Hijab Day also gives hijab-wearing women an opportunity to speak out concerning their perspectives, struggles, and experiences.

Criticism of the practice

Some critics say, "As Muslim women, we actually ask you not to wear the hijab in the name of interfaith solidarity" and pointed out that "This modern-day movement spreads an ideology of political Islam". Others accuse the day as a "Well-financed effort by conservative Muslims to dominate modern Muslim societies" spreading the "misleading interpretation" that the head covering is always worn voluntarily and the "hijab" purely means headscarf.^[5] World Hijab Day has also been described as "worse than passe" it was suggested that its name be changed to "Hijab Is a Choice Day".^[11]

See also

• Christian Headcovering
• Tichel
• Duppata
• Hijab

References

1. Grima, Nathalie. "An Affair of the Heart": Hijab Narratives of Arab Muslim Women in Malta." Implicit Religion 16, no. 4 (December 2013): 461-481. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost.
2. Jones, Nicky. "BENEATH THE VEIL: MUSLIM GIRLS AND ISLAMIC HEADSCARVES IN SECULAR FRANCE." Macquarie Law Journal 9, (May 2009): 47-69. Academic Search Complete,EBSCOhost.
3. Prusher, Ilene. "World Hijab Day: Muslims debate where the headscarf belongs." Christian Science Monitor, September 4, 2012. N.PAG, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost
4. Vyas, Sapna. "Identity Experiences of Young Muslim American Women in the Post 9/11 Era " Encounter 21, no. 2 (Summer2008 2008): 15-19. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost.
5. ZAHEDI, ASHRAF. "Muslim American Women in the Post-11 September Era." International Feminist Journal of Politics 13, no. 2 (June 2011): 183-203. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost.
6. "Participating Countries - World Hijab Day." World Hijab Day. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2016.
7. "Assemblyman David Weprin issues statement in support of ‘World Hijab Day’", 01 Feb. 2016. http://worldhijabday.com/assemblyman-david-weprin-issues-statement-in-support-of-world-hijab-day/

Notes