World Hijab Day

My daughter has a friend who no longer wears her hijab because it was unsafe for her to do so at her University in Wisconsin. So when my college student called and asked me if I would participate in World Hijab Day; naturally my answer was yes.

You never really know what a person goes through until you walk a few steps in her shoes. I must admit that the glares and stares I received caused me some discomfort. However, the smiles and warm greetings I also received helped me overcome the discomfort. I believe that people, at their core, are kind and that lack of knowledge and misinformation creates fear.

Hijabs are not mandatory. Muslim women wear it as a sign of humility and modesty. For some, the way they wear it depends on where they are on their spiritual journey. It requires a great deal of discipline and prayer as they seek a deeper relationship with God (Allah). Learning this deepened my admiration for those who deliberately drape their heads daily with their scarves knowing that there is a prevalence of Islamophobia. Clearly, their faith is stronger than their fear and the necessity of developing an intimate relationship with God is very important to them.

So today, I wore a hijab in support of Muslim women worldwide and respect their right to cover as they demonstrate their chosen faith.

Co-Authored by Sierra Armstrong