Two Muslim students at Purdue clarified the flaws of the stereotype that Muslim women's use of the hijab is a symbol of repression.
Two months ago, The Washington Post published an opinion piece that provided a fresh perspective about the hijab and how that correlates to Muslim women's oppression. The article, "As Muslim women, we actually ask you not to wear the hijab in the name of interfaith solidarity," by Asra Nomani and Hala Arafa, states that the Quran doesn't require women to wear the hijab, so the laws enforcing women to wear it is a form of suppression that's manmade and cultural, not Quranic.
Asma Bahrami, a junior in the College of Pharmacy, responded to this by saying, "Technically, the Quran doesn't use the word hijab to describe headscarf because the direct meaning of hijab refers to a 'barrier.' In Islam, both women and men have a 'hijab' or 'dress code' they abide by. However, the Quran does use the word 'khimar' as a requirement for women to wear. This roughly translates to 'veil.' Upon examination, it becomes clear according to many scholars that 'khimar' does refer to head covering. This article also says that the hijab is a symbol of women subjugation and oppression, which isn't true. The hijab is a symbol of modesty and protection for women, and it's a woman's choice whether or not she wants to wear it. The association of oppression with hijab is the unfortunate result of cultural customs and male dominance that have nothing to do with Islam."
Enosh Kazem, a second year graduate student in the College of Agriculture, and Bahrami both concurred that, unlike how the media portrays it, the real point of the hijab is to prevent sexual objectification of women and in turn value them for who they are on the inside.
"Yes, the Quran describes the women's headscarf, and it's an individual's choice whether they want to wear it or not. Honestly, my wife views the hijab as a feminist statement. The hijab prevents the objectification of women and forces the society to value her ideas, thoughts and words for who she is, not how she looks," Kazem explained.
"I see it as a symbol of independence because I believe it liberates women from societal expectations for women's appearance and puts focus on the person's character instead of her exterior. By wearing the hijab, I chose to submit to the Creator, not the creation (society)," Bahrami added.
Bahrami mentioned, however, that wearing the hijab when she was in high school almost prevented her from playing soccer.
"Soccer season started about the same time I started wearing my hijab. It was a sport I have played all my life and wanted to continue to play. However, I felt very out of place and was too anxious to go to tryouts being a new freshman as well as being covered from head to toe in 90-degree weather. Although I missed tryouts, I eventually gained the courage to talk to the coach and joined the team," she said.
Both of these students are Indiana residents and were born and raised here. Kazem is from here in West Lafayette, while Bahrami is from Yorktown. Thankfully, neither student claimed to have personally faced any hatred or discrimination at Purdue.
"I haven't faced anything except a comment here or there, like a few times someone yelling something to me from a passing car. I find people to be more educated at Purdue and people who have met a Muslim before. When someone has met a Muslim, they get over their fears and also when they have knowledge about Islam," Kazem said.
