To be honest, I didn’t actually understand the spiritual meaning of hijab until a few years after I had started wearing the scarf. During that time, I faced a lot of hardship when trying to explain it to some friends and relatives who questioned my act of practising hijab.
Although this was a hard time for me and the start of the discrimination was pretty rocky, the more I was discriminated against, the more empowered and stronger I felt to hold onto my hijab.
My hijab felt like a reassurance and always filled me with a sense of peace whenever I faced those difficulties. I had no idea why I felt that way but what I did know was that it further strengthened my faith as I dove deeper exploring the hijab and understanding my own intentions.
During this time, it was so natural to practice and wear hijab that it became an extension of me.
It wasn’t until my late teens when I did further reading and research, and had those fruitful conversations, that I understood that the hijab ultimately redirected the focus from the materialistic world towards the spiritual world of God and faith.
This made me more reflective and more mindful of my behaviour. For me, practising hijab is a form of submission to Allah (SWT) to fulfil His commands and feel closer to Him.
This is even more incredibly powerful and empowering as we live in a world that tends to submit to the self, its desires and also to the endless cycle of consumerism.
Therefore, in a world that is dominated by placing the self at its centre, my hijab is a constant reminder of placing God at the centre of my world.
This gives me conviction, confidence and also control over my body as I choose to submit to the Creator every day through the act of wearing the hijab. I’m diverting attention away from my physical appearance to my inner self, while also redirecting my focus to what truly matters.
Considering the current climate in which we live that is constantly feeding our narcissistic tendencies, the hijab feels like an act of resistance. Although it’s difficult in many moments, it is ultimately a strengthening factor in showing personal agency in regards to choice and self-identity while also helping to liberate me of my own desires.
Thus, my hijab both grounds me and uplifts me and serves as a reminder to continuously strive towards pleasing God, both inwardly and outwardly.
*Disclaimer – this blog relates to my personal experiences only.