Epigraph:
And say to the believing women that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts, and that they disclose not their natural and artificial beauty except that which is apparent thereof, and that they draw their head-coverings over their bosoms, and that they disclose not their beauty save to … (Al Quran 24:32)
February 1st, 2013, marked the first annual World Hijab Day in recognition of millions of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab and live a life of modesty.
The brainchild of this movement is a New York resident, Nazma Khan, who is the speaker in the above video, came up with the idea as a means to foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting women (non-Hijabi Muslims/non-Muslims) to experience the hijab for one day.
For many people, the hijab is a symbol of oppression and segregation. By opening up new pathways to understanding, Nazma hopes to counteract some of the controversies surrounding why Muslim women choose to wear the hijab.
For the Muslim Times’ collection about Hijab please click here
Nazma knows exactly what she’s talking about. The social activist came to this country from Bangladesh at the tender age of eleven where she found herself being the only hijabi in middle school. She remembers her experience as a difficult one.
“Growing up in the Bronx, in NYC, I experienced a great deal of discrimination due to my hijab, ‘she reflects. ‘In middle school, I was ‘Batman’ or ‘ninja’. When I entered University after 9/11, I was called Osama bin laden or terrorist. It was awful. I figured the only way to end discrimination is if we ask our fellow sisters to experience hijab themselves.”
The whole movement is organized using social networking sites. It has attracted the interest of many Muslims and non-Muslims in more than 140 countries worldwide. WHD literature has been translated in 56 languages. There are over 91+ appointed World Hijab Day ambassadors in over 33+ countries. This movement has been endorsed by celebrities like Mrs. Universe 2013 (Carol Lee), politicians such as Dr. Amina Namadi Sambo (Wife, Vice President(Nigeria)), and well known scholars like Mufti Ismail Menk, Dr. Yasir Qadhi, Sheikh Omar Suleiman and many more. This global movement has been covered by mainstream news media such as BBC, Al-Jazeera, Huffington Post, and many more.
Through out last year, Nazma Khan has been invited as a guest speaker at universities, high schools and religious organisations. Nazma, also had the pleasure to present the World Hijab Day to the holocaust survivors at Kupferberg Holocaust Center where she utterly felt loved and welcome.
Categories: Hijab, Video, Women, Women In islam, Women's right, World
JazakAllah.This post made my day.I am thankful to Allah and The Muslim Post.I don’t call it Hijab but Purdah.Purdah for me has a very deep insight wisdom from the Creator.I do purdah for the love and fear of Allah only.I do not need approval from anyone.I consider it a covenant between me and my Allah.I was mocked at and emotionally abused right from when I got admission in Medical school in Peshawer.I remember every hate word and Jeering that I faced from every group,friend,foe,religious non ahmedies,a small group from even in our Jamaat(molvi like people)from my own in laws which I call them(some of them out Laws and susraeel).I did it for Allah and Allah never left me.I got such respect and successes that were beyond my power.
I was born an ahmedi so being mocked and emotionally abuse is part of my life.It is not new for me.Alhumdolillah my all three daughters are pious and cover their heads with head scarf.We have tons of colorful ,plain ,printed,of all materials scarves.We choose our scarves according to the place where we are heading to.My daughters have also felt the benefits and blessings of wearing scarf.They call their other friends who cover their heads as Hijab wearing friends.
chapter 2 Albaqrah (The Cow)
http://quran.islamicevents.sg/2/172/180
۞ لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ
وَءَاتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَٰهَدُوا۟ ۖ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ ۗ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ (١٧٧)
Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.
– See more at: http://quran.islamicevents.sg/2/172/180#sthash.7tTQ4Kdf.dpuf
In Canada the people I found friendly inspire me of my different look are long list.To mention some are Mr.Goldberg (lawyer)on Kennedy and Sheppard’s intersection in scarborough,Dr.Ayla Revah a Gynecologist at Jane and Finch intersection,Regina Malton on Major Mackenzie road.A psychiatrist Dr.Isen Issac.The Psychologists Catherine and her supervisor. Dr.Dana Saroka at 61 ,Queen street at st.Michael. The two Liberal Politicians Jim Kerry Jennis.He advised me when he accidentally met me near Grace Hospital in Markham and Scarborough area.Mr.Bevilaqua Mayor of Vaughn. I had a pic with him for completing 300 laps of healthy strides under the membership number of 1474 in the year 2012 .I did 500 laps till 2013 but didn’t go for certificate ceremony though I got the call.I am the only registered regular ahmedi woman in this Healthy free Club. It is at Rutherford road.One lap was 1.2 K.m.The Principals of Maple High School as well as the teachers,where my now 4th number teenager is studying.At Ryerson University, and Ukrainian center.Thanks to Almighty Allah.
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
محترمہ ناظمہ خان صاحبہ
السلام علیکم و رحمۃ ا للہ و برکاۃ
High winds blow on high hills. Dear Nazimah khan sahibah, Allah may Bless you for your determination and love for the Religion of Islam and may Reward you for the emotional Sacrifices for the greater cause, You have a greater leadership, for which, as a Muslim I am very proud and the Muslim Ummah is also proud of you. Please keep up good job.
Some proud able stories and emotional sacrifices has been shared by our Dear Sister Shumaila Khan, Allah may Bless her too and other Ahmadi girles should follow her Roll Model, I also want to share story of my daughter Mrs. Sarah Iff’at (Ahmad) Butt, while she was very young and was going to School she was having some what similar experience in school for which she was embarrassed, but when we took her to our Julsah Salanah and she heard the speech of our beloved late Khalifah-tul-Massih (IV) Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (r.m.) wherein he explained the meaning of خاتم النبین صلعم the Seal of the prophet, and said the seal gives its good imprint to others and does not receive the bad imprints of the society. Sarah after listening Hazoor became such confident that when her friend mocked at her, she replied, do I comment to your attire, so why do you on mine? I need not have friend like you.
A couple centuries ago the Western Civilization was not like as it is now a days. Probably it is the impact of Industrial Revolution that women were the need of Industries and recklessly they became free, otherwise if we see the statue of The Holy Virgin Marry, she has been covered from top to toe, it is not we who should feel shame to keep the glorious Roll Model of the Holy Virgin Mary rather these people should feel ashamed calling themselves Christen and yet left the Roll Model Of the Holy Virgin Mary.
These civilized countries talk loud about the right of freedom of individual and his privacy, but when it comes the freedom right of the Muslim girls/ladies, they mocked at, what a double stander?
Only if some times some group became a threat to the Safety and Security under the umbrella of Burq’ah, then and only then the State have the Right to intervene and to protect the Nation or in other scenarios when the recognition of the person is required as per Law.
Zarif Ahmad
JazakAllah for the kind comments.
Kalamay Mahmood says:
Ghum dostuon ka bhee Aghyar ka bhee khana purray humayn
Is zindagi say banter hay most say Khuda his may Tara naam chupana purray human
The sad poet says:
We have to bear the agony of our friends and foes.
How painful it is to hide the name of our Khuda.
It is more excruciating life then the death
Paul Watson Star Columnist, Published on Sun Feb 01 2015
OTTAWA—Roya Shams doesn’t have to dream of graduating anymore.
Now it’s as real as a photograph.
Three years ago, the Toronto Star and its readers helped the Afghan student flee Taliban threats in Kandahar to safety in Canada .
Roya Shams nearing long-awaited goal — graduation
Roya, the Afghan teen the Star and its readers helped bring to Canada, is close to completing what sometimes seemed an impossible climb. This spring the 19-year-old will graduate from Ottawa’s Ashbury College.
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/02/01/roya-shams-nearing-long-awaited-goal-graduation.html
Roya Shams is lucky mashaAllah.We never had any ceremony for academic awards in our Medical college.We never had any graduation ceremony,no annual convention,no athletics.The reason was safety and security of the students.!982-!987 .No medals for students in this era.I saw that ppp students federation arranged 2 times a trip to cinema for some film.I did not join them.We had a community Medicine trip to Lahore for only girls!!!(young women).It was KMC bus and we had lot of fun.We went to Rawalpindi at Flatees Hotel for lunch.We visited Jehlum Museum.In Lahore we stayed at Fatima Jinnah Medical college,We also visited King Edwards MC and Allama Iqbal MC.I had friends every where except in K.E MC.I have now ahmmedi and non ahmedi friends from King Edwards.Here I have friends from almost every medical college of my time period.
Thanks to Allah in all The Times.AlhumdoLillah ala kullay
Hallin.
Think Twice Pakistan is a Project of Black Box Sounds
http://www.thinktwicepakistan.com/nayyara-noor-top-five-songs/
Nayyara Noor is a Pakistani playback singer who started her career in 1971 with a song for Television
She passed on her musical legacy to her next generation by encouraging and training her sons Jaffer and Naad-e-Ali to sing. Today after three decades, Nayyara Noor still has a golden voice and is adored by music lovers in the same way.Nayyara Noor is a great fan of Mirza Ghalib, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Ahmed Faraz and has used their poetry extensively.
My Note:Ahmed Faraz ex wife was our urdu teacher,she was tall and just like Ahmed Faraz
http://www.poemhunter.com/ahmad-faraz/biography/
AeIshq Hume Barbad Na Ker
http://www.thinktwicepakistan.com/nayyara-noor-top-five-songs/
eri Saadgi Dekh Kiya Chahati Houn (by Sahibzadi Nasira Begum Sahiba)
متفرق شعراء کا کلام میری سادگی دیکھ کیا چاہتی ہوں (صاحبزادی ناصرہ بیگم صاحبہ)
http://www.alislam.org/urdu/nazm/viewnazm.php?id=205