From Oppression to Fashion- How We Lost the True Meaning of the Hijab

Ummah Voice Podcast

From Oppression to Fashion: How We Lost the True Meaning of the Hijab In many parts of the world, the hijab has journeyed from being perceived as a symbol of oppression to being celebrated as a fashion statement. Yet in the process of defending the hijab from stereotypes and reclaiming its dignity, many Muslims have unintentionally diluted its true Islamic essence.

Transcript

00:00Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim

00:01From oppression to fashion

00:03How we lost the true meaning of the hijab

00:06In many parts of the world, the hijab has journeyed from being perceived as a symbol of oppression

00:10to being celebrated as a fashion statement.

00:14Yet in the process of defending the hijab from stereotypes and reclaiming its dignity,

00:18many Muslims have unintentionally diluted its true Islamic essence.

00:23This article explores the evolution of the hijab's perception from rejection

00:26to commodification and calls us to return to its true purpose, obedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

00:33Hijab as oppression

00:34In the modern Western imagination, the hijab has often been viewed through a secular and orientalist lens.

00:42It is seen as incompatible with liberal ideas of freedom and gender equality.

00:46Media narratives frequently equated the veil with subjugation,

00:50erasing the voices of the women who chose it as an act of faith.

00:53This perception was reinforced by state policies across Europe,

00:57where the hijab became a site of legal contestation.

01:01France banned religious symbols in public schools in 2004 and face veils in 2010,

01:06claiming to preserve la saite, secularism.

01:11In 2024, the French Senate voted to prohibit the hijab in all sports competitions.

01:16Across Europe and parts of North America,

01:19Muslim women report discrimination in workplaces, education and public life

01:24simply for wearing a visible expression of their faith.

01:28This verbal and physical war against the hijab has not only limited Muslim women's rights,

01:32but also framed their religious practice as inherently problematic.

01:37The result has been a climate where the hijab is either stigmatised or increasingly misunderstood.

01:42The Quranic purpose.

01:46The hijab will always remain an explicit command from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

01:50Its essence lies not in politics or aesthetics, but in spirituality.

01:55Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says,

01:57And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity,

02:21and not to display their adornment except what is apparent thereof,

02:24and to draw their veils over their chests.

02:27Surah An-Nur, verse 31.

02:29And again.

02:30O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the believing women

02:53to draw their outer garments around them

02:56that is better so that they may be recognised and not harmed.

02:59Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 59.

03:03These verses emphasise modesty, chastity, and public dignity.

03:08The hijab serves as both protection and identification.

03:12It is a sign of faith and virtue, not fashion or rebellion.

03:16When these verses were revealed, the women of Madinah responded immediately.

03:20Aisha radiallahu anha narrated,

03:23May Allah have mercy on the first women of the muhajirin.

03:38When Allah revealed, and to draw their veils over their bosoms,

03:43they tore their garments and covered themselves with them.

03:46Sahih al-Bukhari.

03:47Their swift obedience reflected pure faith and submission.

03:51The hijab was not a cultural norm or a social trend.

03:54It was an act of love and servitude to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

03:57The rise of modest fashion.

04:00In recent years, global perceptions of the hijab have shifted dramatically.

04:04What was once vilified is now marketed.

04:08According to the Global Islamic Economy Report 2023,

04:11Muslim consumers' spending on clothing and footwear surpassed $313 billion US dollars,

04:19with the modest fashion industry valued at approximately $91 billion US dollars in 2024,

04:25and projected to reach $146 billion US dollars by 2033.

04:32Source Business Research Insights 2024

04:35Mainstream brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Uniqlo

04:39have introduced modest collections.

04:41Muslim brands like Heltier Hijab, Veiled Collection, and Modern Issa

04:45have gained global recognition.

04:48This visibility has undoubtedly had some positive effects,

04:52for example, making modest clothing more accessible to young Muslims.

04:56However, with this visibility comes a subtle shift

04:59from modesty as submission to modesty as self-expression.

05:04The shift from worship to display.

05:06In the rush to normalize and beautify the hijab,

05:09its spiritual core risks have been overshadowed.

05:13The hijab, which was revealed to reduce public attention,

05:16is increasingly styled to attract it.

05:20Fabrics become more revealing and outfits more tailored,

05:23and the line between modest and glamorous grows thinner.

05:26The Prophet ﷺ warned

05:29There are two categories of the people of hell that I have not yet seen.

05:52Women who are clothed, yet naked, walking with an enticing gait,

05:56and their heads like the humps of camels,

05:59they will not enter paradise, not even smell its fragrance.

06:02Sahih Bukhari, 2128

06:04While this hadif is not a condemnation of beauty or care in appearance,

06:09it is a reminder that modesty must not be compromised

06:12for the sake of fashion or visibility.

06:14When hijab becomes a trend, its real purpose, humility before Allah SWT, can be lost.

06:22The commercialization of worship.

06:24The commodification of modesty represents another challenge.

06:28When modest fashion becomes an industry,

06:30spiritual practices risk being reduced to marketing strategies.

06:35Hijab is no longer introduced as a command of Allah SWT,

06:38but as an accessory, a lifestyle product, a brand identity.

06:44Influencer culture amplifies this issue.

06:47Many creators, though well-intentioned,

06:49promote a performative version of modesty

06:51designed for social media consumption.

06:54As a result, hijab becomes content

06:56created for engagement rather than worn for devotion.

07:00This calls for sincere self-reflection.

07:03Are we wearing the hijab for Allah SWT's pleasure

07:06or for societal approval?

07:09Are we practicing modesty or performing it?

07:12Re-centering the hijab.

07:14The purpose of hijab is not to impress,

07:16but to express submission.

07:19Allah SWT reminds us

07:21And the clothing of righteousness, that is best.

07:27Surah Al-A'raf, verse 26

07:30True modesty is not measured by fabric of followers,

07:34but by taqwa.

07:35Hijab should cultivate humility,

07:38not vanity, spiritual beauty,

07:40not worldly admiration.

07:42Muslim women are not forbidden

07:44from being fashionable or professional.

07:46Islam encourages cleanliness, dignity, and self-respect.

07:50But fashion should serve faith,

07:53not the other way around.

07:54Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb al-Tahrir

07:57by Sumiyyah bint Khayyad

07:59Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.

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