Muslim Students Share Their Experiences with the Hijab for National Hijab Day.
Written By Daniel Cocklin
Arts and Culture
The Muslim Student Association (MSA) of Winthrop University hosted a National Hijab Day cultural event in Dina’s Place to raise awareness to why muslim women wear the hijab, to share their experiences as hijabi women, and to clear the harmful stereotypes of hijabi women.
Event Coordinator of the MSA Sahar Alshaman said the event is meant to be an educational experience for students to learn about Muslim culture.
“An event like this is really important because it educates people on the hijab, why people wear the hijab, and how Muslim women experience it, and it makes people knowledgeable and not ignorant about certain topics that could be sensitive to women,” Alshaman said.
Alshaman, President Hana Kandil, Vice President Mohammad Zyara, Secretary Menna Ibrahim, Treasurer Rohish Fatima, Muhsanah Alshaman and other MSA members planned, worked, and some even spoke at the event. Dr. Muhammet Asil, professor of political science and advisor to the MSA, and Dr. Leigh Disney, professor and chair of Political Science, Philosophy, Religion, and Legal Studies Departments, also were a part of the event.
The event, which happened on Feb. 10, began with a short presentation of National Hijab Day, founded in 2013 by Muslim activist Nazma Khan, to raise awareness of the discrimination and stereotypes hijabi women face. The day also fosters religious tolerance and freedom of religious expression. The MSA brought National Hijab Day to Winthrop to share accurate information from women who wear the hijab and to clear common misconceptions about the attire.
The hijab is a head covering that covers the hair and the neck with the word hijab symbolizing boundaries. The hijab is mentioned in the Quran in Surah An-Nur Ayah 31 and Surah Al-Ahzab Ayah 59. These ayahs say that women should wear the hijab to protect their virtue and chastity because it limits how many people can see a woman’s beauty. The hijab allows women to be recognized for their faith in Islam. The hijab is part of modesty in Islam.
The common misconceptions the MSA members mentioned were that:
- Hijabi women are oppressed.
- Hijabi women are limited in success or ambition.
- The hijab is worn at all times.
- Hijabi women can not talk to men.
The MSA responded to these misconceptions by saying hijabi women are not oppressed. There are many hijabi women that are successful in government, newscasting, science, research, and other areas. A hijab is not worn at all times, hijabi women are allowed to show their hair to their fathers and brothers. Hijabi women can talk to men but limit their interactions to be with purpose.
“So if our relationship is professional, then that is all it is,” Kandil said. “If we are classmates, then that is all that we are. We do not like unnecessary closeness with the opposite gender.”
The event continued with the panel of the MSA students to tell their story of wearing the hijab. The panel consisted of MSA officers like Fatima, Kandil, Alshaman, and Anakkar. These women told their stories of how they came to wear their hijab. The women concluded that the hijab is empowering.
The event ended with a Q&A where audience members were able to ask questions about harmful stereotypes and about Muslim women’s experiences after the events of September 11, 2001.
Alshaman hopes students educate themselves and understand not just hijabi women, but also the celebrations surrounding Ramadan and Islam. “Understanding those events or celebrations would be really helpful and would help hijabi women in general.”