To dispel myths about Hijab, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMJ) has launched a nationwide campaign titled “Je Suis Hijabi”, or “I Am Hijabi”. It is to remove the misconceptions that may exist surrounding Muslim women’s identity.
With recent hate crimes being perpetrated against Muslim women in various parts of the world, woman belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community feel that it is essential to use our voice and help Canadians better understand the Muslim identity.
Ahmadi women aspire to open dialogues and public forums with Canadians across the country over the next two weeks. There will be various meet-ups, public events across Canada, social media campaigns, viral video projects, awareness workshops and activities. The aim is to use this campaign to truly highlight Canadian values of multiculturalism, plurality, and freedom of religion.
Tawakkul Karman – A Muslim and Youngest Nobel Peace Laureate
The Ahmadiyya Muslims are not new to running such effective campaigns. Last year, the community organized Meet A Muslim Family, which became a hit all across the country, and later on Fast With A Muslim Friend during Ramadan. The purpose of these campaigns are just to foster inter-faith harmony and further build the relationships we already have with our lovely Canadians!
“As Muslim woman, we’re socially active within our communities: we’re volunteers at local food banks and our children’s schools, we sit on school councils, are involved in Remembrance Day campaigns, and much more. This campaign will allow us to elicit positive messages that will help others get an understanding of what it’s like to be a Hijabi!”
Hijab and modesty are not exclusive to Islam and Muslim women. All religions prescribe modesty. Judo Christianity also prescribes veil for women (I Corinthians 11:3-10). We see nuns wearing Hijab and modest attires, church goers and many Jews women in hats and long dresses. Mother Mary is always wearing a Hijab. All christian women marry in Hijab. This is all in alignment with Judo Christianity teachings. Today most Muslim women live by their religious teachings whereas most Judo Christian women do not.
Islam has recognized the beauty and benefit of modesty and has prescribed it for both men and women in order to foster a more harmonious society that is conducive to a healthy family.
Despite some hate crimes against Muslims, we are hopeful and optimistic. We have faith in our fellow Canadians. We’ve seen communities come together, whether that’s a Synagogue opening its doors in Peterborough, or Canadians cleaning the mosque in Cold Lake Alberta after it was vandalized.
Mother Mary is always shown with a Hijab in artist’s imagination
“Modesty is the best jewel of a woman”(Hazrat Fatima Al Zahra(RA))
Hijaab is the honour of a woman,her protection. Its her choice and also because her religion teaches to veil. Those barbaric acts that were practised recently because of Islamphobia are unjust. Because,the two most widely popular and practised religions of the world also have the teachings of modesty for women as well as for men. Like,it can be seen above that Mother Mary was always in veil.
Hijab is a wall to the uninvited; A Guardian to what is protected; An invitation to the respectful; A statement of values to the unbeliever ; A sense of dignity to cultures promoting self worth; and A gift of honour from our creator. It is a source of our pride and never shame.
Nothing is static in this world. Things change, needs change, culture also changes. The definition of modesty also changes.
Hijab in the West is a symbol of oppression of women. Combined with other restrictions on women in the Islamic Culture (not the religion of Islam) it is a potent tool for oppressing women. When few well educated and well placed women come out on TV and other media to try and defend “Hijab”, they are playing in the hands of the oppressors. They change nothing.
It is not a time to look back in the sixth century definition of modesty. The need of the time is different. Unfortunately Ahmadiyya community has decided to support the most oppressing form of hijab and stand with those who are refusing to modernize Islam.
I think it is time when the Muslim women’s progress in education and science should be highlighted regardless of their dress.
It is also time to reform and modernize Islam and stop looking back to the culture of the sixth century. Islam is in the Holy Quran, and it does not prescribe segregation of sexes and the strict hijab where face is also covered.
That is where you are wrong my dear friend. Religion comes for people, to reform people. If the teaching and meaning of religion is changed with time then what good does that do to anyone. If it was this way then people would have come after a religion is descend so they can change according to their needs. But check the history whether its Judaism, Christianity or Islam they all came in a time where people were living under oppression, were being abused and religion came to provide guidance and to bring them closer to the one and only Creator, God.
By the way, if in today’s world women have the freedom to walk around with no clothes on then why shouldn’t she have the freedom to cover herself.
Its a commandment of the Holy Quran to do Purdah. Who are you to decide the proper and modern way of purdah
Purdah is not holding any women back. In the time of the Holy Prophet (saw), women fought and helped in battles by providing medical aid, giving water to the injured by observing full Purdah. If they can do it, then anyone can. they are people observing full purdah and doing jobs in all kinds of fields. To be honest, it take guts to cover yourself and be out there where its so much easier not to. Not everyone got the confident to do so. I do it because I love my God and plus at the end I am only answerable to Him.
Please don’t spread or change meaning of the Holy Book if you are not aware of what is written in it.
There are important issues than hijab for the women to cover especially.The most important thing is to become a role model women in every sphere of life.The purdah comes with the package of Islam.WE feel this topic is unnecessarily politicized for media campaign. In recent Jehlum Pakistan women were asked to temporarily take off their burqa for their safety. Too much to get media attraction!!!
actually, today is the time to respond to all the allegations against Islam. Do you know what is going on in the world today my friend? Today the attention and main focus of the west is to target Islam and associate all kind of negativity with it. Its our responsibility to respond to all of their allegations in anyway that is possible. Getting our voice out and changing the misconception people are holding against the beautiful teachings of Islam is our main duty. We should fulfill that duty in anyway possible. Other important issues are also being target but it takes time and media is already giving negative attention and its time to show the positive side
The main aim of this campaign is to let local communities know that women who wear Hijab are no different than others. While standing for modesty by all means, the main aim of this campaign is not to promote Burqa or Niqab. In Canada Hijab/ Niqab has become a matter of freedom of choice and women’s rights rather than a religious issue. This campaign has certainly served to alleviate the fear and create familiarity with Hijab and Hijab wearing women.
It is not understandable why world parliaments are out to decide about a little piece of cloth Muslim women wear.
@ CS
Your statement “When few well educated and well placed women come out on TV and other media to try and defend “Hijab”, they are playing in the hands of the oppressors” is misguided and judgmental. Same can be said about you with the kind of comment you have written
Ahmadi women wear modest clothes according to the country they live in. Within that diversity various women observe modesty in various way.
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WHAT ARE DEFINITIONS MODESTY ISLAM?
Prof. Dr. Hajji. Quraish Shihab, a reformer religious Minister of Indonesia said that; A women should not feel guilty (sinned) if she does not choose to wear Hijab/Veil/Burqa/Niqab.
I agree with him.
There were 3 reasons why did Allah and prophet suggested women to cover her hair, and face ?
There are two reasons why women wear burqa:
1. In order women can not be recognized as woman, to avoid be abducted or be kidnapped by enemy for sex-slave.Just like terrorist’s mask.
2. In order women can not be harmed by storm sand.
3. In order to limit women’s activities.
I do not agree If Muslim scholars of Ahmadiyah say that woman do not wear Hijab, or do not cover her hair is immodesty or unlawful.
Most conservative scholars order his followers, women to cover their hair, upper hand, and legs as Islamic dress.
Was Salam
With love
READ MORE ABOUT HIJAB
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CNiUr7i6O6rHeHFRAMjknTxXFVJlspY6cwDhl_1peAM/edit?usp=sharing