CAIRO – Commemorating the fifth anniversary of Germany’s Muslim hijab martyr, world Muslim women defended their right to choose to wear hijab on World Hijab Day marked on September 4.
“My Allah Loves me, that He Send me a gift of Hijab. Thank u Allah #worldhijabday4sep,” a Twitter user named Mrs. Aliya Mansoor posted on Wednesday, September 4.
“Judge me by what’s in my head not what’s on my head!,” another user named Arooj Kamal, added.
Many Muslims marks the International Hijab Solidarity Day in the first week of September.
A special hash-tag was made on Twitter, #worldhijabday4sep, which attracted hundreds of comments.
The day was first launched by the London-based Assembly for the Protection of Hijab (Protect Hijab) in 2004 to protest a French law banning hijab in state schools.
Defending women’s right to don hijab, the inaugural event of this assembly was held in a conference under “Hijab: A Woman’s right to choose”.
Later in 2009, an international hijab solidarity day was suggested to mark the gruesome murder of hijab-clad Egyptian woman Marwa Al-Sherbini by a German racist in July 2009.
The whole scene happened in front of her 3 year old son, and when her husband tried to save his wife, a policeman in the court shot the husband.
Marking the event, a Twitter user named Samar supported the freedom of choice to wear it.
“Hijab is a religious duty and personal freedom,” she wrote.
Sidrah Zahoor agreed in a later post on Twitter.
“My Hijab is the Sign of MY PIETY which I wear with pride,” she wrote.
Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one’s affiliations.
Men Support
The event drew support from different Twitter users, including men.
“All who r against the Hijab should ask Christian NUNS to avoid it. They should let people follow their Islamic obligations #WorldHijabDay4Sep,” Usman Maqsood wrote.
Another user, HEMZAH, attacked those who accuse women donning hijab as coming from old age.
#WorldHijabDay4Sep …wearing abaya does not reminds me of old age but short clothes always reminds me of stone age !
“FAIZAA IQBAL” shared a similar opinion in another tweet.
“@BushraAamir A women in True and complete Hijab is like Pearl in the Shell #WorldHijabDay4Sep,” he wrote.
“Wearing Hijab Doesn’t take you to Pre-Historic Days , But Half Nakedness Does! #WorldHijabDay4Sep,” @faith089 wrote.
The event was also marked by Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami Islamic party.
Hijab has been in the eye of storm since France banned the headscarf in public places in 2004.
Since then, several European countries have followed suit.