My Hijab, My Choice

When someone feels the need to attack a whole religion based on the actions of a few, then it is attacking the religion as a whole itself. The hijab is much more than just a garment worn on the head of millions of Muslim women, it symbolizes their faith in Allah (God), making it a part of their belief system. The covering of the head was practiced by many other religions like the Amish, Buddhist Nuns, Catholic Nuns, Eastern Orthodox Nuns, Hindus, and Siksh. Till this day you can see the Mother of Jesus (peace be upon him) Mary wearing a covering over her head. The hijab is a form of modest, it makes one God-conscious, it protects you from unwanted looks by men, it is an act of obedience and an act of worship. You are reminded daily to behave in a respectful manner, to abstain from actions that can lead to sin and foul language. Am I claiming to be "HOLY", no I am not. We are human and we fall easily to sin and the temptations of the world. The hijab is truly a keepsake.

There is no compulsion in Islam as stated in the Qu'ran (2.256). No one should be forced against their will to be Muslim or to live their life according to Qu'ran. This is oftentimes misinterpreted by cultural tendencies existing in the lives of families today. We do not mix culture with Islam, in doing so we can end up going against the Qu'ran and the teachings and practices of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They're people who believe otherwise and they portray to be Muslim and they say it is Islam, although Allah is the only one who knows their true intentions. In Islam we can identify an extremist, the actions and character of a person makes you who you are, no matter what you say. How do we break from the chains they have already locked on us? Not allowing us the chance to defend our right, freedom of religion that is.

They say Muslim women are oppressed and are forced to wear the hijab. This is painstakingly true. Some women who live in third world countries are attacked for taking off the hijab, some are punished by being beaten and tortured. We empathize with them, this is 100% against Islam, their rights are being stripped away from them. We are angry too, this shouldn't be happening. What about the women who choose to wear the hijab who are attacked with acid, they are beaten, and ridiculed. What do we do? We can be proactive in voicing the truth opposing these senseless acts committed by extremists. In light of them trying to tarnish the beautiful Islam, we can act with an open heart, open arms and an open mind, without the fear mongering hate, in the hopes of creating a union where we co-exist peacefully. Take a look around the world today. We have enough violence, senseless acts, war, crime circulating us daily. The only way to cure ignorance is by learning, educating yourself so that the world can be a better place because of your contribution.