Source: Metro
John Lewis is to sell hijabs in its school uniform department for the first time.
The veil, which is worn by some Muslim women in the presence of adult males outside of their family, is to be sold in the company’s stores in London and Liverpool after it signed contracts with two schools.
The news that a mainstream store is offering the hijab will likely be welcomed by parents in the Muslim community, who would otherwise have to rely on specialist shops for the purchase.
John Lewis has said its decision to stock the headdress is simply a response to demand.
Categories: Europe and Australia, Women
Well done John Lewis. Like this article says…’freedom of expression’. That’s what makes Britain so great and we should be proud of it. John Lewis is offering the hijab in its school uniform department for the first time.
The headdress is to be sold in the company’s stores in London and Liverpool after it signed contracts with two schools – one which was set up to educate Muslim girls and a second that welcomes pupils from all religious communities.
The hijab covers the head and chest and is worn by Muslim women after the onset of puberty as a sign of modesty in the presence of men who are outside their immediate family.
When people used to wear headscarves in this country it was to stop your hair flying around, getting in a mess in the wind. It was NOT to do with puberty, and otherwise tempting men with our wanton display of hair. It was a practical fashion, left over from wartime, when women had headscarves keeping their hair out of machinery. When hair fashion involved a lot of time with rollers in your hair you didn’t want it all undone by a gust of wind on your way out. NOTHING to do with suppressing temptation in those days , so don’t make out it’s the same thing! Exactly. These garments are no different from the ones that nuns wear. What a lot of fuss about nothing. There is nothing wrong with this and doesn’t really need to be on the news column,it is a scarf for a girls school which covers the hair to show modesty. WONDERFUL IDEA! A heartfelt congratulations to John Lewis for celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of our multicultural shores!! Why is this news? If you are Muslim then I think it is great. We used to get our Catholic School uniforms from John Lewis, so I don’t see why not. John Lewis is a profit making business. They are simply responding to the changing demographic of the UK, where numbers of Muslims are increasing significantly. You can’t blame JL for this trend, nor for wanting to make a profit.
These stores have short skirts for young girls to wear as part of their uniform at school and not one complains, yet the minute a girl wants some modesty, everyone starts moaning. Stop with this hate. Start with disliking what is actually bad in this society, like children on FB, smoking, drinking, taking cannabis, going out wearing almost near to nothing. What’s happened to this society? The good has become the bad, and the bad has become acceptable. It`s an item of clothing worn by many in the UK, and how smart many of them look too.Don`t see why this is an article at all, but being next to Birmingham we live alongside and welcome many creeds striving to make a positive contribution to our national wealth. The fact that this is NOT going nationwide must mean that John Lewis are responding to demand in London and Liverpool, pure business sense.
So many racist comments on here. It’s unbelievable. So what if they decided to stock an item of clothing in their store? if you’re not interested, don’t buy it! I’m not interested in many things they sell, doesn’t mean I stop going there. Lots of ignorant, racist people around these days. I don’t have a problem with the hijab, i think they are quite classy. not sure how you can have a problem with a hijab, your granny probably wore a headscarf a few time a week. Many young Muslim girls are actually wearing the headscarf as a form of empowerment and self expression and believe it or not rebellion. It took me a while to realise this so I don’t judge these young women anymore. I will draw the line when a girl is coerced into wearing one by parents and peers against her will or when she is too young to make up her own mind. Honestly, why the outcry? It’s only for Muslim kids to wear, no one else is expected to wear it! What a racist country we live in. The world is changing many Brits are moving abroad and many are moving to the UK stop moaning about it either embrace it or do something other than moan on here. Why exactly does it matter if John Lewis want to sell the hijab? I’m sorry but these people saying ‘I will take my money elsewhere’ John Lewis aren’t taking any items off of sale to sell the hijab. They are adding items that will sell and make a profit as they are a business! I don’t know why people can’t just live and let live I’m pretty sure John Lewis selling the hijab is not affecting your life in any way, shape or form at all. All these people pretending to be offended you sound like two year olds having a tantrum. What does it matter?!?
According to a non-Muslim Mum, Well done John Lewis. Nice to see girls can now wear a modest item which will fit in with school uniform and make girls fit in more instead of white etc. MOST moderate Muslims who choose to wear these (and it is a choice NOT a requirement of Islam) will appreciate these and they ability to fit in more and for the girls to be seen as the lovely young women they are, not just as Muslim. (Conversely, the nasty radicals will impose their tyranny on girls regardless and do not need any encouragement or otherwise from John Lewis. The best way to stop these radicals is to increase tolerance and but the ‘Great’ back into Great Britain, rather than sinking to their intolerant levels). All you Muslim mums and daughters have my support at this difficult time where you constantly have to justify yourselves, and the dads who just want to protect their daughters. I am not Muslim, but a mum and respect your views and am glad a mainstream store has made your daily routine slightly less stressful. We live in a multicultural society – JL is providing a valuable service. There is NO SUCH THING as gender equality. To put it simply – so you can understand – gender equality would include men being able to have babies. Well, they can’t. We DO, however, have equality of opportunity in this country. Wearing a hijab is no barrier to that equality of opportunity.
I say well done to John Lewis for taking the lead here. Along with M&S it is my favourite store and I applaud them for showing the way. Why shouldn’t they stock the hijab for schoolgirls as part of their uniform, lots of our citizens wear them after all But not all Muslim women, don’t forget. Many choose not to. I absolutely do not mind either way. We live in a democracy where everyone is free to practise their beliefs. Kosher meat is sold, halal meat is sold, you can buy alcohol, watch porn, it’s your choice! What’s wrong with hijab being available to buy in a retail store? If you have no use then don’t buy it! “Bye bye JL”, why? Why does this change their trading ethics, and why you can no longer buy from them? They’ll still provide the same level of customer service. What does a product in addition to their usual line do to you? Nothing. It affects you in no way, shape or form. The sole purpose for this article is to kick up hatred the narrow minded live off. They could also sell caps – I don’t wear a cap but I’m not pathetic enough to shun a company because they’re catering for people who want a cap. Why not sell something a section of society wears? why this big emotional reaction against it?
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk
Am so happy for Muslims in UK for this progress,
Well done John Lewis, this should set a precedent in the UK then hopefully other Stores may follow suit.
Am so happy for Muslims in UK.I say well done to John Lewis for taking the lead.We should do in all around the world.
THE MESSAGE!
Assalaamu ‘Alaykum
It’s time for those who call themselves Muslims to start actualising THE MESSAGE in The East and The West.
Al-Islam is a way of life, whereby the Homo-sapiens’ Spiritual, Socio-Economic, Political Welfare are well balanced, indeed the Gender issue mustn’t present any problem. It’s all about ‘ILM, conducive to Ethics, Justice, Eradication of Poverty and Racism, Respect for the Flora and the Fauna, Harmony in Diversity, indeed any Society’s well-being
The true problem is the ongoing Schism in the Muslim World. Regrettably, the silence is deafening among those who call themselves Muslims to sorting out the centuries old Malaise in the 21st century.
Wassalaam
Umar Solim – England
John Lewis is doing business; they will offer whatever’s in demand-doing absolutely the right thing. A spokesman of theirs informed that
“The school informs us of the items they want to sell as part of their uniform list.” and they promised to offer it as part of their contract.
The thing that the school added hijab in their list is a positive attitude displayed in a multicultural society which must be appreciated.
Accepting others choices is to ensure your own right to choose; Respecting others opinion is the only choice you have if you want others to respect your opinion; The sooner we learn this fact , the better. Unless we take this first step, our dream for Peace will be a dream.
I highly appreciate this action of selling hijabs. Despite the fact that it is being sold due to demand, we see that this society has tolerance for other cultures/religions. The reason it is in demand in the first olacr again testifies to the fact that the society is not alienated by Hijabis and welcomes people of all kinds.
This is a great addition to the collection of their product line…..It also reflects the foresightedness of this leading store that will outreach to all communities of UK’s diverse society. It also gives a tremendous encouragement to Muslim women and girls who shop at high-end stores attend high-end educational institutions and work in world-renowned corporations. Hope other band name stores will follow suite!
Munawar Arain
Toronto, Canada
Even if John Lewis is simply responding to demand in a pure business sense, at least we are seeing a positive change in our multicultural society. This change must have allowed many Muslim women to feel accepted into a society where many have tried banning the Hijab and hence inhibiting freedom of expression…