Behind the Veil: The Voodoo Hijab

Here are a few questions I have been asked by classmates, professors and strangers regarding my hijab:

“So, what does this blue one mean?” “Do they have different purposes like summoning rain?” “Do you wear the red one while you are having your period?”

I enjoy satisfying a person’s general curiosity but I have often walked away from such encounters feeling like a voodoo witch doctor due to all of the powers people’s imaginations tend to associate with my attire.

The truth is, hijabi’s like to match their outfits and dress up just like our non-hijab wearing peers. The varying swirly patterns, flowers and colors I don everyday are simply meant to satisfy my own narcissism.

Wearing a red colored scarf, aside from fulfilling my religious duty, serves no higher purpose than to match my red purse. If I’m wearing a brown one it probably just goes well with my shoes. The black hijab is what I default to because it matches with everything and I throw it on when I’m in a rush to get out of the house.

Since these questions humor me, I often used to come off very sarcastic while answering them, but this often ends up generating more confusion, so I have ceased to do so.

My general answer nowadays consists of thanking them for mistaking me for someone who might possess superhuman powers and then explaining the shallowness of my color choice for my hijab that day.

Balancing hijab and fashion is quite a struggle, especially for someone who is fashion challenged like myself, however it’s fun attempting new styles and colors.

In the words of my (best) friend Beenish: “If everyone is going to stare at me because of what’s on my head, I might as well look good while I’m at it.”

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Credit: Maheen Siddiqi, a 23-year-old Southern California native and a recent Cal State University, Fullerton graduate with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Human Communication Studies. Her passions are law, politics and social commentary.

A Veil is Worth a Thousand Words

Three young women with different backgrounds find solace in one way of life

It was an endearing act when her mother laid out her school clothes on the bed. One that Maheen Siddiqi will try to continue if she too has daughters. But her plans for the future include a personal touch – matching headscarves.

The hijab, as it is called in Arabic, is the veil many Muslim women wear to cover their hair in public as a sign of modesty. For young hijabis – those who wear the hijab – the significance lies in having a choice.

“I would want them to wear it (…) [but] I would never force them,” Siddiqi said of having daughters in the future. “If it’s not their decision, they won’t respect it.”

The 23-year-old law student at Western State in Fullerton wasn’t always so close to her faith.

Like many Muslim Americans, she grew up questioning Islam. The cultural influences including arranged marriages and curfews on girls turned her away.

But reading the Quran in English made for a huge transition in her previous agnostic beliefs. Chapters on women helped her understand the significance of modesty, women’s roles and behavior.

At age 19, she decided to test drive the idea of observing the hijab at the mall.

“I thought people would be staring at me a lot but nobody was,” Siddiqi said. “I felt kind of protected.”

She realized people gave her a level of respect they hadn’t before so she stuck with the hijab since.

But simply wrapping a scarf around the head is the easy part, said Samia Ghaffar, a 23-year-old medical student at the University of California, Irvine. The difficulty lies in following and representing Islam diligently through behavior.

“Religion is not just what you wear, it’s devotion, how you act and treat others,” Siddiqi agreed.

Ghaffar is the only hijabi among her peers and doctors at the UCI Medical Center but she takes it in stride. The lingering stares no longer bother her since she has been sporting the hijab for 10 years already.

Rebellion

For Ghaffar, the thought of rebelling occurs all the time and friendly peer pressure never seems to end.

Guys in her class have made bets about who could convince her to reveal some hair. While she is amused by their curiosity, she never gives in.

There is also the yearly formal and a number of friend’s weddings.

“I never had a chance to do my hair and get dressed up so I want to know how that feels,” she said. “But I don’t [do these things] because there are guidelines [I] follow.”

She strongly believes that all Muslim women should wear the hijab and it is not something she could simply take off. To her, that would be hypocritical and it’s not a matter of convenience.

“For anyone who has any strong faith or belief, you just have to be strong and stick to it,” Ghaffar said. “Yeah, I could get dressed up and go clubbing but it goes against what I believe in. [The hijab] does change your life.”

Experience

Hijabis endure varying affects of negativity, which have increased since September 11, 2001, said Fatima Rangoonwala, a graduate student in psychology at Cal State Fullerton. It can range from rude remarks, jokes, stares to being deliberately ignored.

“People that react [negatively] do so based on stereotypes or the media portrayal of Muslims. It’s due to ignorance of the true teachings of Islam,” the 20-year-old said. “I wish that I could explain to them my beliefs and practices.”

To gain understanding, she encourages non-Muslims to ask questions.

“Through learning more about each other, we can all become more understanding and accepting,” she said. “This is crucial if we want to work toward a diverse and harmonious America in which everyone feels safe to practice their religion.”

For Siddiqi, the good experiences have out weighed the bad.

“I’ve learned because of where I live, it doesn’t make a difference,” Siddiqi said. “It doesn’t matter what you wear, people treat you [a certain way] based on your personality, not your clothes.”

She does however, worry about a jury or courtroom’s perception of her based on her appearance.

“I [am] ready to deal with it,” said Siddiqi, whose father objected the hijab because of her career. “There is always the first person who paves the way. There had to be the first African American lawyer.”

For Ghaffar, a similar situation holds true in the medical field.

“A Muslim woman wears the hijab because she chose to,” said Ghaffar, who hates when people assume she’s not smart enough to be a med-student because she covers her hair. “Especially now, no one can force you.”

The idea is to comprehend why it is worn.

“The key is to do it with understanding,” Rangoonwala said. “Islam encourages the individual to understand why [we] practice certain things.”

Misunderstood

While the decision to wear the hijab was personally made by all three women, the early days were still tough.

“The first day you go out with it is probably the hardest,” said Rangoonwala, who recalled being nervous in the sixth grade. “Not only are you a loud symbol of your faith, people see you as a Muslim. I wear my religion on my sleeve, literally.”

She had to explain her reasoning for the hijab to friends and teachers while dealing with negative reactions from strangers.

To dress more conservatively, she started wearing the abaya – an overcoat worn above regular clothes also called the burka – at age 16.

Dressed more modest than her peers, Rangoonwala believes she is empowered through her appearance.

“Wearing the hijab liberates me from [social pressures of idealized beauty],” she said. “I don’t have to conform to those standards and I have no desires to. I’m able to keep my beauty for the people I choose to show it to.”

Being more moderately religious, Ghaffar is okay with others wearing the abaya but has never entertained the idea for herself.

“I would feel way too singled out,” she said. “I’m self-conscious [and] I don’t know if I believe the abaya is required or necessary.”

Her lighthearted personality also plays a role in her beliefs.

“I like shopping too much and I like getting dressed up,” she said laughing.

She realizes that a lot of people assume hijabis think they are more religious, spiritual or just better individuals. The hijab however, is not a differentiating factor in being a better person.

Many factors, from observing the pillars of Islam to personality, determine a Muslim woman’s character. Also, there are lots of religious women who choose not to wear the hijab.

Planning for the Future

The idea of children may still be novel but all three women have considered their options as future hijabi mothers.

“I plan on raising my children with an Islamic mind set,” Rangoonwala said. “[Also] encouraging [them] to dress in a modest way – both boys and girls.”

But she still wants her children to get secular education to allow for healthy interaction with the rest of society and to become productive citizens.

Ghaffar went to Muslim school with her sister at a young age and wants her children to do the same. Once they are old enough, she wants the girls to make the decision on their own.

While her mother does not wear the hijab, Ghaffar and her older sister do. Siddiqi’s mother also wears the hijab and abaya. None of the women wear a niqaab – the face veil.

“It’s a constant struggle,” Rangoonwala said. “But as you strive to be this way, you begin to feel a sense of peace with the practices.”

The origins of the hijab differ according to varying philosophies but modern Muslim women have found ways to incorporate it into their daily lives.

“As a Muslim, you submit to the will of god,” she said. “It’s a way of life. That doesn’t mean you can’t be a regular individual in society. You have a sense of purpose that guides your actions and interactions.”

Credit: Urmi Rahman
Photo: Dreamstime