World Hijab Day in Pakistan

Hijab is seen as a very controversial issue in Western World which sees it as an offense against the social liberties and equal status granted to women by western civilization. On the contrary, Islam grants woman a great sense of security and she enjoys a high status of honor and dignity while under Hijab. Islam discourages the inequality and advocates equal rights for women in every sphere of life, however both men or women have their separate responsibilities and duties to perform which are inline with their biological nature.

1^st February was celebrated as World Hijab Day in order to offset the debate about wearing hijab in more than fifty countries of the world. The original purpose of this day is to discourage the opposition western countries against hijab observing women. These women have to face a great deal of discrimination across the world and hijab has been projected as a symbol of suppression and subjugation in west. In actual hijab is a protection offered by Islam to women against discrimination in male dominated societies. Islam educates women to hide their beauty with hijab and by doing so women feel more comfortable while going outside in public. They are less likely to face any kind of sexual harassment from their male counterparts. Additionally, women are more respected in hijab as opposed to being an open invitation for lewd comments, stares and behind-the-back discussions on their physical appearance.

In the West, women who choose to wear the hijab are shown to be same narrow-minded and oppressed, which is baseless given the fact that most of these women wear hijab by choice. A ban against hijab is depriving them of their basic liberties and it has the same effect as banning women from taking part in elections or voting. These restrictions should be taken as violations of women rights, however most of feminists organizations don’t raise their voice when it comes to hijab.

On the whole, hijab is a choice available to women and must be taken as an offense towards western culture. Women should be free to choose about observing hijab at their free will given its merits and other aspects. The popular notion about forcing women to observe hijab is baseless and must be countered at every opportunity available.