LONDON – A British Muslim mother, who was attacked for wearing hijab, has challenged UK women to try the Islamic attire, to examine see what it is like to be excluded from society or even abused.

“Plenty of people wear things on their heads – from baseball caps to elegant hats,” Nilufa Dahlia, 28, from Brighton, East Sussex, told The Sun on Wednesday, April 26.

“From Dot Cotton in EastEnders to The Queen’s scarf, covering your hair really isn’t a big deal. I want people to see past the scarf and see the person.”

Dahlia, a mother of two, set up the initiative after she was attacked in her local supermarket.

The Muslim mother was shouted at by a shopper who told her “you make my skin twitch” after seeing her wearing the Islamic clothing.

Releasing a video for the initiative, Nilufa wants to use her new video to bust the myths about the hijab.

In the new video, Nilufa explains how the scarf can be “brilliant for bad hair days” and “styled to cover up if you’re feeling fat”.

“Many people think Muslim women are forced to wear the hijab, but we’re not. It’s a purely personal choice,” she explained.

“Taking up the hijab is supposed to make people concentrate on you as a person rather than what you look like, which should lead to more understanding.

“It’s also supposed to deflect unwanted attention, but sadly right now it can often mean you get more unwanted attention of the wrong sort.”

Experiencing strange looks from the public, she’s challenging British mums to try tying a scarf or shawl and spending 15 minutes in public to see if they are treated any differently.

“See what it feels like to be stared at, pointed at, whispered about or even abused,” she said.

“It really shouldn’t be this way and none of us want our children growing up in such an intolerant world.

“This isn’t about pretending to be a Muslim – it’s simply to show what women like me have to go through.”