Wearing Of Hijab: Significance, Symbolism, Challenges And Way Forward For Nigerian Muslim Women

 

Hijab doesn’t cover the beauty but covers adornments and female body and make them more modest and chaste.”- Taofeek Idowu

 

The wearing of hijab by Nigerian Muslim women, particularly those from the northern part of Nigeria, has long been a subject of profound significance, entangled with both religious symbolism and societal interpretations.

In Nigeria, where the population is religiously diverse, the wearing of hijab has taken multiple layers of meaning, serving as a marker of religious identity, cultural belonging, and even as a statement of fashion style and trend.

 

It is a known fact that every Muslim woman is obligated to wear a hijab, headscarf, or any form of clothing that would covers their hair at some point, but this has always come with a little bit of challenges where they always have to deal with passive-aggressive comments about their headwear.

 

From the Islamic Qur’an teachings in the 11th century through the trans-Saharan trade routes, the term “hijab” literally translates to “barrier” or “partition,” symbolizing modesty and privacy for Muslim women. It is also translated to mean a “veil of protection” or a “spiritual veil” that shields a person from negative influences, protecting one’s spirituality against anything that will negatively impact one’s connection with Allah.

 

The Qur’an explicitly mentions the concept of modesty for both men and women, with specific references to women’s dress. Surah An-Nur (24:31) states:

 

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their head covers over their chests and not expose their adornment…”

 

This is a directive for Muslim women to cover themselves in a manner that reflects their religious commitment. For Muslim women, the wearing of hijab can bring a sense of pride, but it can also attract racism as misconceptions and assumptions prevail. So, let’s set the story straight.

 

For a very long time, I have always wondered why Muslim ladies always have to cover their heads both indoors and outdoors. At some point, I begin to think if these women are sacred beings and I think that’s one of the disadvantages that comes with being a believer of another religion.

 

It breeds curiosity, misconceptions and misunderstanding of another faith or religion, a common phenomenon in every society, not just in Nigeria, but in every part of the world. As time went on, I asked myself questions like why should some Muslim women cover their heads while some do not. Years after, I noticed there has been a change in the standard as regards the wearing of hijab.

 

In the city of Ilorin, Nigeria, where I currently reside, though an Islamic populated city, the wearing of hijab has become widespread and prominent. It is now a norm. There’s a new sense of upgrade as to how the Muslim ladies wear their hijab nowadays, that now comes with different fashion styles and modeling.

 

At every angle or corner you turn, you would be sure to find a group of Muslim women either in their jilbab or hijab, but what has changed?

 

Amoo Kaothar Ajoke, a young graduate of the University of Ilorin who is a fashion designer and data analyst from Ifelodun Local Government Area in Ilorin, Kwara State, shared her personal journey and experience with me during an interview on August 20, 2024.

 

She recounted how she began wearing the hijab, her path to embracing the tradition, the obstacles she faced, and the importance of hijab-wearing for Muslim women.

 

Her story was nothing but full of inspiration. Likewise, she shared with me her perspective on today’s trend of Jilbab wearing which is already a common trend among Muslim ladies and women.

 

Is this a consequence of Islamic teachings or a reflection of societal pressures? In other words, can this be attributed to the impact of Islamic doctrine or is it a result of broader societal influences?

 

The interview is as follows:

 

Interviewer: Kaothar, how would you describe your first time personal experience wearing a Hijab?

 

Kaothar: Hijab is a veil that we Muslim women wear to cover ourselves and it is a sign that symbolizes modesty and decency. When you see Muslim women outside and you see them covering themselves, you know that these people are Muslims.

 

As for my personal experience, I cannot really say that I have experiences with wearing hijab in a bad way or good way. I come from a Muslim home, where my mum wears jilbab, a set of clothes with the same colors.

 

When I was a child, my memory might not be as clear, but what I remember is that when I was still four years old, my mum would say that whenever they put a hijab on my head, I’d just remove it because then I did not have an idea of what my religion entails.

 

But during my secondary school, I remember back then that my mum had some group of women that came to her house for meetings. It was like an Islamic setting where they came by to talk about everything about Islam and read the holy Quran. Then whenever I saw them, they exuded peace and I always fell in love with the way they dressed and looked. So, I always looked at them, watching them.

 

I noticed that some of them wore gloves, socks and then I remember that in the house where we lived then, we had some women who put on Niqab, we call them Eleha in Yoruba. To me then, I used to ask myself why those women looked like masquerade, and say that I wouldn’t dress like that. So, it got to a point when I was in JSS1, I just told my mum, “Mum, I would love to start dressing like you”, and she was like, “Are you sure, this is not like the one you’ll be pulling off from your head” and I told her I was serious this time and would start wearing it. So from there, that was how my journey of wearing hijab started.

 

I started with wearing hijab, then at a particular point, I think when I went to a boarding school, during a holiday, I went to meet my mum and said, “Mum, I want to start wearing Jilbab like you.” The festival we had that year, she sewed that same attire for myself and my siblings and I loved it. I think when I was in JSS3, I started putting on socks.

 

Interviewer: What does wearing hijab symbolize to you?

 

Kaothar: First, I’ll say hijab to me is like an adornment. I see myself as not very fine when I put off my hijab. When I put on the hijab and I go out, people would look and say, “Oh Kaothar, you look very beautiful today. Did you just make this hijab? Did you just do this and that?” So, it is like an adornment to me even though I’m not putting on makeup or lip gloss or eyelashes, people still find me beautiful.

 

So, another symbol hijab gives to me is that, when putting on hijab, it is like I have a connection with my God. When I am putting on a hijab, as long as my head is covered, it gives me this connection with my lord. It gives me the privilege to talk to Allah whenever I want. Another symbol hijab gives me is confidence. It makes me very confident that whenever I am going out, I know that no, I am looking very good in this hijab. It prevents just useless people from coming to me. Hijab makes me confident.

 

 

Monsuroh, a lawyer in Lagos, Nigeria shared her experience with Opeyemi Rasak Oyadiran of Minority Africa that being overlooked or underestimated is a feeling she has sadly gotten used to.

 

“When I was job-hunting, the interview stage always made me anxious,” she says. “Once I walked in and the interviewer(s) saw my hijab and long dress, I could feel the energy in the room change. A prospective employer once asked me if my husband would not interfere if the nature of my job got too demanding. When I answered in the negative, he chuckled and said he didn’t want any ‘alhaji’ to appear and cause a scene in the office. All the personal questions he asked insinuated that he believed that I had very little to no agency over my affairs.”

 

A trip down the memory lane, in 2013, the World Hijab Day was founded by Nazma Khan, a Bangladeshi American.

 

other ground of a characteristic that people who have or engage in the religious belief or activity generally have.”

 

The Bill states further “on the ground of a characteristic that people who have or engage in the religious belief or activity are generally presumed to have or manifest which may include wearing religious emblem, head cover, hijab, scarf, habit, decent and modest religious dress.”

 

If the “Religious Discrimination (Prohibition, Prevention) Bill, 2021” was designed to address and combat religious discrimination in Nigeria, where religion plays a pivotal role in social and cultural identity, then I see no reason why such Bill shouldn’t pass into law.

 

If passed into law, the Bill will provide a legal and constitutional framework for addressing issues relating to religious intolerance and discrimination, particularly those faced by Muslim women in the society and places of work.

 

How the Nigerian government can use the bill to correct discrimination and stigmatization of Muslim women.

 

One of the ways the Nigerian government can utilize the Bill in correcting discrimination can be by empowering law enforcement agencies and the judiciary to actively enforce the provisions of the bill. This could include establishing specialized units or courts to handle cases of religious discrimination, ensuring that cases are dealt with swiftly and justly.

 

The government can also launch nationwide awareness campaigns to educate the public on the provisions of the bill and the importance of religious tolerance. These campaigns can help in dismantling the stereotypes and prejudices directed against Muslim women who wears the hijab or other religious attire.

 

In the place of work, the government can mandate that both public and private institutions adopt policies that promote religious inclusivity.

 

This can include guidelines on religious attire, such as allowing Muslim women to wear the hijab, and ensuring that religious practices are respected in the workplace. Also, in educational institutions, it should be required that every institution must create an environment where students of all religions will feel safe and respected, likewise protecting Muslim women who wear religious attire from bullying, harassment, or exclusion.

 

If these policies and strategies can be implemented, the Nigerian government can effectively use the “Religious Discrimination (Prohibition, Prevention) Bill, 2021” to rectify the discrimination and stigmatization of Muslim women.

 

The law would not only provide protection but also encourage a broader cultural shift towards greater tolerance and respect for religious diversity in Nigeria, providing space for religious tolerance and gender inclusiveness in the society.

 

Conclusively, the wearing of hijab should not be seen as dangerous, nor a religious tool of oppression towards women.