World Hijab Day

The word hijab (حجاب) is an Arabic term which means “cover” or “barrier,” and refers to both a specific form of veil worn by some Muslim women and the modest Islamic style of dress, in general.

For Muslim women, wearing a hijab is an act of worship as well as a way to practice modesty, a principle expected in the behavior and dress of all Muslims, reports The Washington Post.

Caitlin Killian, a professor of Sociology from Drew University, cited that various passages in the Quran and the Hadiths make reference to veiling. According to some, the veil has been used as a way of curbing male sexual desire. Yet covering the head and body predated Islam. Jews, Christian, and Hindu women have also covered their head at various times in history and in different parts of the world.

In 2013, Nazma Khan, an immigrant in the United States from Banglades, started the World Hijab Day — a day for both Muslim and non-Muslim women to experience wearing a headscarf.

Tomorrow, February 1, is observed all over the world to honor the Muslim women who wear the hijab. It is also a day to urge women of various origins and beliefs to try on the hijab. But more so, let it also be a day of expression of solidarity and support for religious freedom, understanding, and respect for this Islamic tradition.