My hijab, which means ‘covering up’ or ‘cover’ in the Arabic language, is a piece of fabric. To me, however, it obviously means much more. Of course, the hijab is part of my religion, but it’s more than a covering of the body. To me, the hijab stands for protecting your chastity, adopting a bashful attitude, and above all, behaving decently.

With a hijab, I choose to make myself recognizable as a Muslim woman; to dress modestly and chastely, and, moreover, to please Allah by doing so. I’m wearing it for no one but me and Allah. A long time ago, I put on a headscarf and a long, wide dress. Simple, right? Not for everyone. A lot of people think I’m an unusual figure, and many have decided what my reasons are for wearing a hijab without asking me about them.

According to a large group of people, I’m being oppressed by my father. But sometimes that very father – my father – still asks me (after six years) if I really want to wear my headscarf the way I do. The fact is, my father fears that I won’t be able to find a job because of my appearance.

Another group believes that Islam is oppressing women, but that very Islam is teaching me that religion knows no coercion. No one is allowed or able to enforce something on me; they can only give advice. A true Muslim woman should therefore choose to wear the hijab, knowing it is to her own advantage: serving as protection, so that we will get recognized and won’t get harassed. This makes it possible for us to be merely judged on our qualities.

Unfortunately, many people find it hard to understand my way of life. Instead of copying preconceived notions indiscriminately and following present-day misconceptions about Islam, I would like to ask everyone to acquire their own knowledge first. Investigate, read, and judge for yourself!

Siham

This article was originally published in Dutch on March 24, 2015.

Siham is a second-year student in the teacher training college English.