I love when people ask me questions about Islam. LOVE. IT. It means you’re showing an interest in who I am and what I believe instead of making assumptions. It gets me thinking about why I believe or do the things I do. I love it – keep them coming.
Over the years I’ve been asked some pretty adorable questions about wearing the hijab. I’m going to answer them for you in case you’re too embarrassed to ask. (If you want to know about why I wear it, you can read more here. )
Are you bald?
This is my absolute favourite. It has been asked so many times and it makes me laugh every time. No, m’dear. I’m not, there’s hair under there but it’s just all covered up. Muslim women will have all the same variation in hairstyles as your regular woman will. We do the long hair trends and short hair trends the ombre hair trends and the blonde streak trends.
So what do you do to your hair then?
Well! Okay this is my other favourite question. We’ll all do different things, depending on what’s comfortable. I like to tie my hair into a loose-ish bun. It keeps it all neat and out of the way and I don’t have to worry about a pony tail sticking out of the end of my hijab. I told one of the people who asked me if I was bald that the lump at the back of my head was just loose skin, and that’s why I wore a hijab. Oh dear. I’m sorry, girl. I was joking 😦
How come your hijab doesn’t fall off?
I wear a cotton cap underneath all my hijabs that keeps my hair in place. Not all women do this. I know my mum doesn’t – in fact, it makes her feel suffocated. I love them because it means I can play with the colours and match them up with the hijab and outfit. The cap keeps it all together for me.
I sort of explained how I wear my hijab here (I also told you about other weird things I do with my hijab, so have fun).
Have you ever pinned yourself with all dem pins?
Never ever! I’m not even that careful – it’s just really difficult to pin yourself when you can feel and sense what you’re doing. Because I wear a cotton cap, most of my pins sit in the cap. The main one that falls under my chin to hold it all together is just a safety pin. Mum always says I’m going to choke on a pin – I tend to hold them in my mouth while I’m pulling it all together, but I’m learning to be better with that.
Do you have sex with a hijab on?
I should stop saying any of these questions is my favourite, because they’re all great. No, no we don’t. Well maybe, I don’t know – it may be a kink for some people. Women wear hijab when they are in the presence of males who they’re not related to, namely, anyone who isn’t their brother or father or uncle or son or nephew or husband. We call these mahrams ( محرم), which basically translates to non-permissibles which refers to marriage – you can’t ever marry those people so you don’t have to cover up around them. Cousins don’t count – you cover up around them because you could actually marry them.
Thusly, you can infer that you don’t cover up around your husband so you don’t have sex in a hijab (remember, no sexual relationships before marriage or you will die).
Can I see your hair?
Are you a woman? Are you my mahram? Sure. Otherwise, I’m sorry. You’re going to have to marry me.
Do your hijabs have to match your outfits?
No, I’m just incredibly stylish.
How do you colour-match all your hijabs with your outfits so well?
See above. Also, I’m smart. My mum and I go to this suburb in Sydney called Cabramatta. It is filled with drugs and fabric stores. AMAZING fabric stores where I can buy a meter of gorgeous fabric for about $4. When I go, I buy 30 or 40 scarves. I get insanely good discounts. I can pick all the amazing colours in all the fabulous shades I want. Patterns that I could’ve never imagined and textures one could only dream of. Each hijab costs me about $6 or $7. There are hijab shops all over the place too where they sell weird and wonderful hijabs with lots of glitter and things. It’s amazing.
Where do you get all your hijab-friendly clothes?
Well, we get resourceful. Know a place that sells plus size, maxi dresses? Me too, and I’m probably their walking wardrobe. City Chic used to be great. Asos makes me happy. There are plenty of hijab fashion stores too. A really popular one is Inayah, which is pretty popular or global hijab fashion which is just so full of beautiful styles. Hijab couture is a thing.
So… like. When there’s a special event, what do you do with your hijab?
You can get hijab-styles. I’m not even kidding. You go to a special salon where the lady does cool things on your head. These ladies are all over Facebook, like this one. It’s pretty bloody amazing.
What if you just want to do your own fancysmanchy hijab?
Don’t worry, there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube. I mean, look at this one – it’s called ‘Hijab Tutorial Pretty Bow Turban – From My Ariana Grande Makeup Tutorial‘. There are hundreds of thousands of them. Be warned, lots of ‘brothers’ go onto these pages to tell the women what sluts they are and that they are helping create an Islamic community of miscreants. Just don’t read the comments. Smart videos like this prevent people from commenting. YAY.
Do you wash your hijabs?
Yes.
How do you wash your hijabs?
My washing machine really liked to eat my pretty hijabs. To prevent that, I now wash my hijabs in those little lingerie bags. Keeps ’em nice and happy and in one piece.
Are you allowed to wash and cut your hair?
Hell yeah, girlfriend.
Can I compliment your hijab?
Of course you can. Beats you trying to rip it off or spitting in my face because you think I’ll spontaneously explode!
Can I touch your hijab?
Are you a woman? Are you my mahram? Sure. Otherwise, I’m sorry. You’re going to have to marry me.
Is it offensive to try on a hijab?
Not at all! In fact, it’s quite fun for everyone! I was wanting to have a ‘try a hijab day’ anyway. Let me know if you’re interested.
I have another weird question. Can I ask it?
Yes, of course!
Even if it’s inappropriate?
Especially if it’s inappropriate! 😉
—
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Hello!
I’ve just started wearing a hijab, and while looking at pictures and stuff I noticed a lot of times girls’ heads/hair look so big! Like way more than could actually be their hair. Is it really their hair and I’m just doing mine wrong? Or do they use something to fill out the scarf?
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Hello, Philippa!
People place hair clips and things under their hijabs to make their hair look bigger. It’s so funny to watch – definitely not my style, but it makes people happy! ❤
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Girls who wear hijabs usually make a bun then wear the hijab.
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True story.
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HHi i believe if your wearing hijab for religious reasons then you shouldn’t make big buns underneath which is also called camel humps ….i believe its forbidden. . Please do more research on it if you may
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I work with a Muslim woman and we are exchanging gifts I wanted to know if it would be rude of me to gift her a hijab, and I wanted to pick out a purple or maroon one. Do older women wear colored ones or is that more for the younger women?
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That is so incredibly sweet! It wouldn’t be rude at all – I’m sure she would be incredibly touched by it. Maroon or purple work fine. I’m forever buying my mum pretty coloured hijabs 🙂
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I see some muslim wear hijabs with like a few strains of their hair sticking out on purpose .. is that allow ? or do the hijab have to cover all the hair – just curious :O
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Hi Katherine
That’s an interesting question. I think it depends who you talk to – some people think that you have to cover your hair totally, others think that you can loosely wrap the hijab around your head and if there are loose strands – it’s okay. So I guess it depends on who you speak to 🙂
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Do you have to practice the religion “Islam” in order to wear hijab ? I dont want appropriate your religion or culture . That’s why I’m asking
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Of course not 🙂 I get the appropriation question a lot and might write a post about it. I don’t think it’s cultural appropriation because women have been covering their hair for religious and cultural reasons for so long and across many cultures.
So if you would like to wear the hijab (or head covering, really!) you should go for it! 😀
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I hope not! I am a Christian girl wearing a headcovering, which was common practice among all Christians until a generation or two ago. My headcovering is a different style to hijab and doesn’t cover my neck but for several centuries Christian women in western Europe wore a cap (base), wimple (neck cover) and veil (head cover) combo which has a similar look to a hijab and has potential to be sooo pretty… I like the look of some hijab styles but my faith only requires covering the hair/head so I only tie under the chin if it’s cold.
I’m careful about the style of headcovering I wear… there are some Christian groups with a particular style of headcovering which shows which area they come from or something like that… I don’t wear their headcovering styles because I don’t like being mistaken for something I’m not, and the same applies to hijab styles for me.
That said, I know (online) some Christian girls and women who do wear hijab styles and that’s fine with them. Some women from eastern churches wear a traditional style which is very similar or the same as Muslim women from the same area, as well.
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When Muslim women wear a headscarf, is it also obligatory to cover the neck as well? And also, does the style of hijab vary by culture?
The reason for my question is that I watched a Buzzfeed video on hijab styles, and some people are blowing up in the comments that some of the styles don’t cover the neck and they said the Quran requires them to do so. However, I’ve seen real-life examples of hijabis, like the ones at my favorite West Chinese restaurant, who wear it by just covering their heads and leaving the neck exposed.
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Hi Anthony
I think I saw the video you’re talking about! Buzzfeed has been pretty cool about these things lately (they’re pretty cool about most things!)
The way in which a Muslim woman chooses to cover up really depends on her interpretation of what the text says. My first post on the hijab (here – https://unveiledthought.com/2013/12/31/why-do-you-wear-hijab/) describes how I interpret the text. I take it to mean that everything should be covered. However, that’s mostly because I am going with the interpretation that in the text and in context makes sense. I can totally see how women take it to mean a loose covering over the head, which by proxy means that parts of their hair and neck still shows.
So I guess it’s just a matter of perspective 🙂
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Whoa. I just found this blog and…… thank God there’s someone in this world who isn’t offended by hijab questions! I was starting to think there was somethign wrong with me xD. Great job gir! I’ll be following you in the future (not stalking, okay? I do NOT stalk… well maybe I creep sometimes. But not stalking ;))
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Hahaha I am so not offended by any questions! Throw ’em at me!
Feel free to stalk away. I’m on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram. Go nuts! Like all the things. Whatever floats your boat 😛
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I was at a salon today and a woman wearing a hijab came in, one if the hairdressers is male and of course at any time male client could walk in. The woman asked to have her hair cut in a back room but one was not available so she agreed to just get her hair cut in front of the male hair dresser. She obviously felt uncomfortable but now what? Does she pray about this, tell someone, or is it just an uncomfortable situation. I was trying to explain this to my son but didn’t know if there were any ramifications for what happened.
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Hi Christina
Thanks for your question! I know that situation all too well – it’s incredibly difficult to find the right hairdresser. I’m lucky that my dad has a hidden talent and can cut my hair for me.
In terms of ‘now what?’ for this woman; that’s a good question. There aren’t really any ramifications or a defined thing that she has to do.
Generally speaking, if someone feels like they have done something that was not good, they look for ways to atone by doing good deeds – donating to a charitable cause or doing a nice thing for someone. This lady may have been relatively comfortable with removing her hijab around males and wouldn’t think twice about this event. I have friends who only wear a hijab sometimes, for example.
It really just depends on the individual – but that is a great question!
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I really want to start hijab and cover, I do wear a veil on my head but it’s not as proper as a
Hijab is. But I have these weird questions, like people would start to treat me differently
and that maybe no one likes me after I’m covered. I know it’s extremely stupid but I want some
motivation. Maybe you can help. :3
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Hi Jade
Sorry for the delay in responding – I’ve just found a bunch of comments in my spam filter!
It’s possible that people will treat you differently once you cover up. It could be for the better; it may be for the worse. It really depends on the situation that you’re in. For the most part, you have to be comfortable with what you’re doing and remember that there will always be people who accept and love and respect you for who you are. Those who treat you in a bad way do not deserve your time or energy – just forget them.
Good luck! Let me know if you have any specific questions that I can help you with.
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I can help you if you want if you have any questions ! Do NOT worry ….I’ll promise you’ll love hijab
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Hello there I have a question that iam not sure about.
I do where a hijab and im wondering if my girlfriend is coming to see me can I keep my hijab of while my husband is home ? Or is even woman not really allowed to see my hair?
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Hello Maryam! Thanks for your questions. You don’t have to wear a hijab when you are around women – it’s only in the presence of men that hijabi women have to cover up. When you’re around women, you just cover from your breasts to your knee, usually 🙂
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Oh dear all woman are allowed to see your hair
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Yeap!
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I love that you are doing this blog! I just learned so much. I was boarding a plane late last night and I spontaneously complemented a woman on her “cotton cap” that was showing a few tiny rhinestones. She smiled and said thank you, but then I thought that maybe I was being disrespectful and worried until I found your blog this morning. Thank you for helping educate me as a Catholic woman and a person who respects all religions.
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Thank you so much for your comment. I couldn’t help but grin – you’re such a darling!!
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I am an artist, and have been working on a painting of a beautiful woman wearing a headscarf / hijab and it was recently brought to my attention that my painting may offend some Muslim people because she has her hair showing and it is the color blue. I asked why this would be offensive and the response was ‘because her hair is showing and it is blue, a strange color for hair’. It is not my intention to offend anyone and I didn’t even consider my painting to be religious or even culturally significant. I meant to portray a mysterious beauty in hiding. What is your opinion and advice? Many thanks to you!
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Hello, there! Your piece sounds absolutely beautiful and rather than being offensive, I think it has the potential to portray veiled women in a humanised light. I would love to see it once you’re done!
I don’t think it’s at all offensive 🙂 Best wishes to you!
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Thank you so much for your swift response!, I am so happy to hear your thoughts, fantastic! I will finish my painting with peace now :). I will message you a link to the finished piece as well on my YouTube channel. By the way, I think you are just lovely!
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You’re very welcome! Thanks for your kind words! I’d LOVE to see it!!
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Oh and to add to my previous comment, I am female and enjoy painting female faces, if that makes a difference.
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Bless – it’s all good, all round!
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Hello Amne! Here is my finished painting, I would love to hear your thoughts on it!
I posted it to YouTube:
Again, thank you for giving me the confidence to finish this piece.
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Hello! I am so sorry – I watched this the instant I saw it, but for some reason I didn’t get back to you!
I think it’s absolutely gorgeous! I love all the detail in the hijab. You’re brilliant!!!
I look forward to seeing more of your work ❤
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Oh thank you for taking the time to watch it! I’m so flattered that you like it! Thank you Amne, you just made my day!
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You’re so welcome! You made mine too!!
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I have a friend that is graduating from college this year and I would like to give her a going away gift. One of my favorite things to complement her on is her Hijab because they’re absolutely gorgeous, but my question is would it be offensive if I gifted her one as a grad gift? (I’d ask her but then she’d know I plan to gift)
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Hi, Lindsay!
That is an incredibly sweet idea! I bet she would really, really appreciate your kindness with this one. There’s nothing at all offensive about buying someone a hijab. I always love it!
You may want to consider the type of hijabs that she generally wears. Are they long, short? Does she wear particular types of fabrics? It might make it easier to figure out which kind of scarf to buy because there are sooo many types!
Good luck 😀
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I have recently started following Islam. I don’t know too much about the customs and rules. I was looking up the info about wearing a hijab and came across your page. This is really helpful. Out of curiosity are there any colors that you are not allowed to wear for a hijab? Also the cap underneath any colors that you can’t wear? I can’t think of any other questions as of now. You answered a good deal of them already. Thanks
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Hi, Kate! Welcome 🙂
Not at all – you can wear pretty much anything that you like! Indeed, as you come across Muslims of all different cultural backgrounds, you will find more and more beautiful headscarves that reflect the colours and traditions of that background.
Feel free to ask any other questions!
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Thanks. I want to ask my friend who is a Muslim. But with this question I wanted to have a females opinion. He answers basically all my questions though. I will continue to think of ones specifically relating to Johan’s to ask you. Thanks
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It auto corrected Johan’s. It is supposed to say hijab.
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Haha I love autocorrect!
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Hi! I have a few questions! I am a non-Muslim, (I am a Christian/Catholic actually), but I love and appreciate the hijab. I have done extensive research on them, and understand the principles behind them as well. Is it bad if I decide to wear the hijab? Is it cultural appropriation? Also, my parents do not support me in my research of the hijab and such, and will not allow me to buy actual material or scarves, so therefore, is it okay, if I buy a cowl, and wear it in the shape of a hijab? Like, if I wear to pull it up over my head and hair? Thank you in advance and great website!
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Hi Sarah
This is a really common question that I receive – so you’re not alone! I think it’s completely fine to wear a hijab, even if you’re not Muslim! Women have been wearing headscarves throughout human history for so many different reasons. So feel free to wear it!!
Women also wear hijabs in so many different styles, so I think that what you’re suggesting totally works! Do whatever makes you the most comfortable 🙂
Good luck and thank you so much for your kind words!!
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Hi, i just found this blog and i think it’s very cool that u discuss hijab freely here:) i wanna ask your opinion about something. So I’ve been wearing hijab for 3-4 years (starts from 13), but sometimes i feel like i’m so ugly wearing it, and makes me wonder ‘i look so much prettier if i take this hijab off’. And it really affects my self esteem. Do you know how to get rid of this negative feeling?
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Hi, Tya! I’m so glad you feel comfortable talking about this here!
I completely understand how you feel. I think I felt a similar way when I was younger – but then again, I think I generally just didn’t feel very pretty at all.
Now, I see a hijab as part of my beauty because it means so much to who I am… it basically creates an identity and allows me to control my image. With age, I learned to appreciate my features (both inside and out). I also learned how to better dress for my own style and identity. I’ve learned to appreciate who I am as a person. Don’t get me wrong, I still have many days where I feel frumpy and ugly and hate myself. I think most people do – I know that my most beautiful friends do too!
Self-esteem is such an interesting thing and to tell you the truth, if someone told my 16 year old self that I would feel pretty as an adult, I wouldn’t have believed it. Please feel free to touch base via the Contact Me form (link on the left-hand side of the page) if you want to talk about this more. I totally empathise and don’t want you to feel alone.
Best wishes
Amnex
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I waant to konw
Please help me
I wear hijab bt not like camel hump it a normal bun but a little high..is it too cursed?
Can i make a normal hair bun inside hijab? I have long hair…pls help me..
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Not at all, sister. Putting your hair in a bun is not a problem – it’s probably the best way to keep your hair from falling down.
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Hey there!! I’m an LDS girl who wears hijabs on the daily. Is it offensive for me to wear short sleeves with a hijab? What is an appropriate length of sleeves? Do I need to have them 3/4 or is shorter okay? Thanks, hon!
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Hi Laura
Go for it! Whatever makes you happy 🙂
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Ok unveiled thought. I have a new question. My BF and I skype all the time. But I was a non Muslim before we met. He was a Muslim. Once I learned about the hijab thing I asked him about it. At this point I had already told him that I would become Muslim. So I asked him if it was wrong for him to see me without a hijab. And he said no. Cuz he sees me as his wife. Both now and someday actually (legally) his wife. His parents have seen me too without a hijab so I am curious is this right or wrong.
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Hi Kate
Thanks for your comment! That’s an interesting theory that your bf has, but unfortunately if you were to take the correct interpretation, he can’t see you without a hijab on until you are his actual wife, rather than future wife. If he sees you as a wife, he should just wife you up! 🙂
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Hi! I have a neighbors from Morocco and I noticed that for months the woman did not wear a hijab and within the past month she has started wearing a hijab every day. I am just so curious as to what caused her to start wearing one. Do some Muslim women only wear the hijab during certain times of the year?
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Hi Caitie
It could be that your neighbour has just recently started wearing the hijab. Women choose to start wearing it at all different times in their lives – I was pretty young, some women wait until they’re in their 20s, 30s or even 60s!
Muslims don’t usually just wear hijab at certain times of the year, but some Muslim women will wear the hijab only during Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, which starts in June this year 🙂
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I really like your blog, it’s the first ever one that I’ve come across from a muslimah. I’m actually a two year hijabi so far and this was great advice! Keep it up!
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Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
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Hi! I was just wondering if you have to wear your hijab around non-Muslim women, or can you only take it off around family/your husband? Thanks!
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Hi Blake
Most schools of thought think that it is perfectly fine for a woman to be uncovered around any woman. So when my non-Muslim friends visit me at my house, I don’t wear a hijab 🙂
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Hello, I have always thought hijabs were so pretty. I once complimented a girl’s hijab and she looked at me like i was crazy. Maybe i pronounced it wrong.
But anyway my question!
So what is the protocol for going to the beach or the pool? Or is it just avoided?
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Hi Sam!
It might be that she’s used to hearing nothing but insults. It took me a while to get used to people complimenting my hijab too!
That’s a great question! It happens, but it’s exhausting! I love the beach and being at the beach and spending time in the water. Pools don’t really do it for me. But what I tend to do is wear leggings and a long top while I’m in the water and have a long sarong waiting for me on the beach.
When I have time to look into it, I’m totally investing in a burqini – that’s right, there’s hijabi swimwear! That might make my life a lot easier!
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Hi, I’ve thought about wearing hijab for a while now and I was just wondering if u could answer a a couple questions? (Some might be stupid.)
●Would it be rude to wear a hijab if I’m not actually Muslim?
●Also when wearing one do I have to cover my arms and legs or could I wear short sleeves and shorts?
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Hi Bailee
Thanks for your question!
Not at all – I think it’s more than fine. In fact, I wrote a whole post about it, which you can read here: https://unveiledthought.com/2015/02/28/is-it-offensive-for-non-muslim-women-to-wear-a-hijab/
In terms of covering your arms and legs, it’s really up to you. I tell people that it’s likely that others will be very confused and may just assume your Muslim – but I think you should do whatever makes you most comfortable.
Good luck!
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Hi,
very nice answers on your blog! I have an embarrassing question: my friend wear the hijab and I want to wear it also but I don’t feel it comfortable. 2 days ago she came to sleep at home and when she took off her hijab she was completely naked under it. she said that since no one can see you can wear what you want even nothing. She convinced me to try and yesterday I tried and felt incredibly comfortable as if I didn’t wear it. I went with my friend on shopping and it was very normal, people didn’t pay attention to us.
still I want to ask if it is allowed to go like that?
many thanks for your advices
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Hi Jennifer – I’m not quite sure what you mean. What do you mean can you be naked under your hijab? Everyone is completely naked under their clothes…
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Hi I’m 11 years old and I’ve been wearing a headscarf for 7 years and I am now at that point where I feel like taking it off (I just felt like I needed some air) ,but only a few times. It’s so hard to search this on Google but is it alright if I show my hair however i dress modestly? (This is only for a few times, I just want to know the feeling!😁😢) thanks a lot!
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Hi Lucy
Thank you so much for your message. 7 years is a long time for an 11 year old to be wearing a hijab! I started wearing my hijab just before I turned 11 and now I can’t imagine not wearing it.
It’s very important that you do what makes you comfortable. It sounds like the sort of thing that you should talk to your parents about 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
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Hi!
Thanks for answering all these questions in the first place.
My question is: i’m currently thinking about the islam a lot and I would like to do an experiment. How “bad” (I don’t know how to word it differently, english isn’t my 1st language, sorry) would it be if I wore a hijab always, just not during school? I don’t want to draw attention on myself and with wearing a hijab in class I would do so. I just have a year of school left and I am pretty unsure about this hijab issue.
Second question: Do I have to wear a hijab as an Muslimah? Or can I choose?
Thanks in advance.
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Hi Lara
Thank you for your message! As I always say, it’s up to you to decide what the best approach would be. If it’s easier for you to wear the hijab sometimes and not at other times – go for it.
In terms of wearing it as a Muslimah – no one has to do anything; and this issue is one in which I have seen a lot of debate. I’m not a religious scholar and can’t give you an actual religious opinion, but I can tell you that my reading of the Quran is that it is required. But remember, when it comes to Islam, the hijab is really not at all important. The only thing required is a belief in God and his prophet 🙂
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Hi
I just started to wear a hijab and I wanted to know how r u supposed to dry ur hair after taking a shower with a hijab?
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Hi Saira
You definitely shouldn’t be showering with a hijab on!
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Hello! I’m writing a fantasy comic and though I’ve scrapped all existing religions, I’ve decided to create a race that wear hijabs so I can represent everyone to the best of my abilities. I wanted to know if it would be wrong if a small piece of a characters hair was showing? I thought it might add a bit more to her design, but I don’t know if it’s technically allowed a
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Hi Peachy!
That’s a great question and the answer you get will differ depending on who you talk to. Some people think it’s okay to have a little bit of hair showing because a hijab should be loosely draped around your head, and others think that it’s not okay to have hair showing because your hijab should be securely placed around your head. So it’s up to you, really!
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Thank you for this blog and your willingness to answer this delicate question. I have had Muslim students and friends and have always felt comfortable complimenting the hijabs, but I had never encountered a woman in a niqab. One of my fellow Macy’s shoppers wore a very elegant niqab with beautiful black beading at the wrist. I love design and the artistry of clothing, especially when it is just so intricate and elegant. I made eye contact and smiled and told her how beautiful the beading was on her gown and I could tell she smiled and quietly said thank you. I only questioned my actions later as I hoped I hadn’t drawn negative attention to her from her husband, being I was a stranger. He passed by me later and casually greeted me and I mentioned there was a coupon available and I asked if they had one and he said yes, thank you. I just felt I wanted to make her feel comfortable in our community being that I had never seen a woman in our city covered in this way and I also meant it!
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I am so sorry for the delay in this response. I have just found over 50 comments that have been marked as spam going as far back as 2015. It’s possible that I have responded to this already – but I’ll answer again in case I haven’t!
Your interaction sounds perfectly pleasant and wonderful! Although I only wear a hijab, my husband is always quietly proud of people who come and compliment me on my hijab. It shows a kindness and openness that a lot of Muslims miss out on a lot of the time. I don’t think the family you interacted with were at all offended! You sound like a warm-hearted soul and I’m sure that comes through what you say 🙂
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Hi there, I’m a women, I’m not muslim, and I have a ton of questions. Actually I have no religion, which is normal since I grow up in a communist country in a time where religion was a bit condemned, we have evolved since.
I do like to respect people who do have religions, I believe it requires among other things lots of discipline. I don’t know any muslim, but i will like to, I am afraid of approaching, I do not know is there is a right way to do so, and I haven’t see any muslim woman that is not with a men all the time, and I’m really afraid that the man will be offended because I’m trying to talk to his wife or I’m not wearing the hijab of something…
any advice?
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Hi Laura
Thanks for your question! There’s absolutely no problem at all with approaching a Muslim woman, even if she is with a man and you’re not wearing a hijab 🙂 You could always say hello and tell them that you don’t know any Muslims and would like to get to know some. That is not a problem at all.
The other idea is that you could visit a mosque or a Muslim community centre if there is one in your area. They will also be willing to help, I’m sure!
Please feel free to let me know how this works out for you or if you have any other questions!
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I actually did have sex with a girl wearing a hijab! She was a co-worker.
I fell for her hard & even offered to convert, she told me not to and it was just a fling for her & we could never be together b/c of her family. 😦
Its been nearly 2 years since I last saw her and I still miss her everyday.
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Sounds like you can’t be together because… it was just a fling.
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Hi, thank you for the very educational post! I’ve been writing some original things and I want to make a character with a hijab, but I am having a hard time finding information on little things. Are there rules to how much other skin you can show (on the rest of the body)? Would it be wrong to have her wearing capris or sleeves that cut off at the elbows for example? Can she wear pants, and if she can do they have to be loose or can they be tighter? Can she wear bathing suits and go swimming? Can she show more skin around other women (like in a relaxed environment, like home watching movies kind of thing)? I am not sure if the amount of skin shown is personal preference or if there is an overarching guideline. Also, this is kind of specific, but in the circumstances there is danger, and she is on a team with only a male doctor. Would it be all right if he ever had to become an exception to seeing her without the hijab because of medical reasons (like a head injury)? Would that be offensive?
Sorry for all of the questions. And I still feel like I have more… I have always wanted to make a character with a hijab but I am so afraid of doing something insensitive, or worse, offensive. I apologise in advance if any of these questions are ignorant or insensitive, I am trying to educate myself. Sorry if my english is bad.
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Hi Kai
You’re very welcome! Hopefully I can answer all your questions – but let me know if I miss anything. These answers aren’t indicative of what every Muslim woman does – but I’ll try and clarify the different variations.
Typically, women who wear a hijab cover everything except their face and hands. Wearing capris or sleeves that cut off doesn’t quiet met the requirements of wearing a hijab, but some hijabi women would wear shorter sleeves etc.
Some hijabi women wear pants, but those who do will typically wear a longer shirt over the top to cover their bottoms. Typically the pants are looser, but not always.
Hijabi women wouldn’t wear a bathing suit and go swimming – but someone smart has invented a ‘burkini’ (which has recently received a lot of media coverage!) which is a hijab-friendly bathing suit.
Around other women only, hijabi women typically look like any other women. For example, when my girlfriends come over, I typically wear short sleeves and have my hair out. The rules for covering around other women is that they should cover from (depending on who you talk to) chest to knees or bellybutton to knees. The rest is fair game.
If a woman is in danger and the only person who can help is a man, then she is Islamically required to accept his help. So it would not be offensive to show a male doctor helping a Muslim woman without a hijab.
In terms of being worried about offending people – I think that as long as you have the right intention, you can’t go wrong. If your heart is in the right place, everything else will follow. Please feel free to ask any other questions! That’s what I’m here for 🙂
I think t
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I work in sales, my customers are schools. I do not want to offend anyone by coming into the school without being covered. How do I know how that school feels on this? I have been really trying to be mindful of the beliefs on the schools I enter. I want to build a relationship with this school and want to make the right first impressions.
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Hi Amanda
Thanks for your question 🙂 The answer to this question may vary depending on where you live. However, in Australia, for example, a lot of Islamic schools have a lot of non-Muslim teachers. They are not required to wear a hijab or anything like that. However, there is generally a dress code that asks teachers to dress modestly – but I suppose that’s no different to what a regular teacher would be expected to do!
You can definitely give the school administration a call and ask them if they have a dress code/etiquette that they typically require. I’m sure they would be more than happy to clarify 🙂
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Hello,
Thanks for providing this forum. I always wondered why some women wear hijab and cover from wrist to ankle one day and then days later they are without the hijab and burka? Also is a burka the dress ensemble Muslim women typically wear?
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Hi Francis
Thanks for for your message! A burqa is the outfit that covers a woman completely – this includes her whole face, eyes etc. Muslim women rarely choose to wear a burqa. It is typically reserved to Afghanistan.
Women have many different reasons for wearing a hijab. Some women, like me, wear it all the time as a symbol of our identity. Other women only wear it around Ramadan, the Islamic holy month. Some women only wear it when they pray and other women aren’t Muslim and wear a hijab anyway because they find it to be the best way to show their modesty.
I guess it all comes down to personal preference 🙂
I hope that answers your question!
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Hello. Thank you very much for your wonderful website.
I was curious about how women keep cool and comfortable while wearing their hijabs, especially black hijabs, in warm and humid weather.
Thank you.
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Hello!
That’s a good question! Sometimes there’s just no helping it – you’re going to be really hot and sticky and uncomfortable in a hijab! For the most part, we wear thin, breathable fabrics so that we don’t feel suffocated. I personally don’t wear dark coloured hijabs when it’s hot because the sun just loves to make them burn right up!
Hope that answers your question!
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Hi Amne! I’ve been cast as a Muslim teenager in a play touring schools here in Scotland, but the script has been written by non-Muslims, and I am not Muslim myself, so I’m trying to do some work ahead of time to make sure we’re not reinforcing any stupid stereotypes, and suggest changes where necessary. In the script, my character is in her bedroom at home, typing to a Scottish teenager via an internet messager. Right now, the script has her wearing a hijab while she’s doing that. I think this is partially a strategic costume choice, because I also have to play two other characters with quick changes, BUT if it’s not realistic then I want to let the director know so that we can change it. I get the impression that hijab in the bedroom by yourself is probably not realistic, but let me know what you think, if there is a situation in which that would make sense – I don’t want little Muslim girls in the audience to be going “Huh?” when they see me!
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Hi Beth! Thanks for your question – this one’s a really interesting one!
For the most part, women don’t wear a hijab at home if they are around their families or if they are hanging out with girls only.
In saying that, sometimes I keep my hijab on when I come home out of sheer laziness; but most days it just comes right off.
A way you could overcome this is that the character is so eager to talk to her friend that she doesn’t even get out of her uniform when she gets home? That could work!
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First off.. Love this website. I educated myself alot reading through this as well as other sources. My question that I am having is.. You often times see Muslim women where the hijab, niqab, or burqa. I realize there is a difference in the styles but is there any reason why one woman may wear a burqa instead of just the hijab.. Can the same woman who usually wears a full burqa wear just the hijab?
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Hi Nathan
Thanks for your kind words! I hope that my posts give you the insight you’re looking for!
The difference between women wearing a burqa and a hijab really comes from person understanding and comfort regarding modesty. Some women take the Islamic literature on covering up to not include the face; other women believe that since the Prophet Muhammed’s wives covered their faces, that they should too.
Ultimately, it’s a matter of personal preference. Although personally, I don’t think I’d ever wear a face veil, I also can’t suggest that women who do wear a face veil (whether burqa or niqab) should remove it. It’s important to me that these women feel comfortable wearing whatever they want so that they continue to participate in society in a way that makes them comfortable 🙂
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Salaam alaikum. I have been wearing the hijab for only a year now. At first, I was quite strict with it, but now I’m slightly less conservative, as in I, for example, sometimes roll my sleeves up when doing physical labor. In my opinion, that should be permissible since my interpretation of the Qur’an is that we must not veil anything that obstructs our ability to work (e.g. hands, face, etc.). What is your opinion?
Second question:
I am also in college and planning on rejoining the swim team. Clearly no suit I will don will be considered “loose” or in compliance with general rules of hijab. But it’s just not an option in competitive swimming, though I do plan to cover my hair, legs, etc. What do you think about this?
Lastly, with regard once again to swimming, full body competition suits are VERY pricey. Consequently, I am considering covering my legs, torso, abdomen, hair, but leaving my arms, neck, shoulder blades exposed. Will this then make my wearing the hijab out of the water irrelevant and, well, pointless? Jzkheir
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Hi Brittany
Of course, all of us approach religion in a way that makes us most comfortable and in a way that makes most sense to us.
In terms of question one, I typically try not to roll my sleeves up too much, even when I am working. I haven’t heard the interpretation that you have before, but I would check with a religious scholar who has a better understanding of the ruling than I do!
In terms of question 2; this is always an interesting situation to talk about. Although I wouldn’t personally wear something like a competitive swimsuit because of how tight they are. But when I see a hijabi woman in competitive sport who isn’t quite ‘compliant’ with the religious ruling… I tend to think that the harm must be outweighed by the benefit of society seeing hijabi women do cool things like compete in the olympics etc.
Whether there’s a point in wearing a hijab out of water or not if you’re going to be relatively uncovered in water – I think that’s up to you. I would personally say that there is still a point and it would still be worth it to cover in situations where you can. Ultimately though, you need to do what makes you the most comfortable.
I know that these answers are a little bit vague, but I think there’s a difference between whether something is Islamically permissible and socially acceptable. The Islamic rules are pretty clear – they tell us to cover up. But whether that works in your life is a question that only you can answer. Be honest with yourself about your thoughts and feelings and trust your heart. The rest will follow naturally, InshaAllah!
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Hi, I’ve a few questions, i hope they aren’t offensive;
One of my older relatives talked about how she didn’t like seeing women in face scarves driving, because it must restrict their vision. I wanted to argue that it wouldn’t be worse than long hair (probably better as the hijab is tight against the face), but didn’t know for sure.
Also, does it get warm under a hijab? I’ve seen women at the gym in full headscarves and thought it must be difficult having your head wrapped up.
I’ve been trying to learn about different religion/cultures to demystify them.
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Hi Mathew
Thanks for your questions! I’m always really happy to hear from people who are just trying to learn about other cultures – so no question is offensive!
Although I don’t wear a face covering, as far as I know, wearing a face covering doesn’t obstruct or even limit a woman’s vision. It’s out of the way of her eyes!
In terms of question two – yes, sometimes it gets hot under a hijab. On really hot days, there’s not much we can do about it… although, on those sorts of days, no amount of stripping down is going to make things better!
To help with the situation, we typically wear really lightweight hijabs that are breathable. On a good day, you forget that you’re wearing a hijab at all.
Please feel free to ask any other questions!
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I’m so glad there are articles out there like this to foster the amazing hijab community! And I’m so glad you answered all these wonderful ladies questions! You’re truly wonderful! 🙂 much love!
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I am so sorry for the delay in this response. I have just found over 50 comments that have been marked as spam going as far back as 2015. It’s possible that I have responded to this already – but I’ll answer again in case I haven’t!
Thank you so much for your very kind comment! Glad you enjoyed the post!
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Hi there! I absolutely love this blog and I absolutely love your personality~
I’d just like to say thank you for giving us a straight answer about the bits of hair not tucked into the hijab. I had been searching for quite a long time specifically about that, but nothing gave me a straight answer. I wanted to draw and write a Muslim character but didn’t want to offend anyone >~<
Thank you ❤
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You’re so welcome! Thank you for your kind words and for reading – hopefully this helps you build your character!
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Im 16 and im not muslim but im a boy and I like this girl or woman really and shes also 16 but I just wanted to know if like since we dated in 8th grade she had shown me her hair and I was wondering if that is okay because I do think about if I just gave her a one way ticket to like being a horrible person for life and it upsets me because we have been in touch for years and she feels comfortable sending me pictures with her hair out.
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Hi Norri
Thank you for sending me a message. I think it’s very sweet that you are concerned about the impact that you may have had on this girl who showed you her hair.
I think if she is comfortable showing you her hair, then there’s not really anything that you can do about that 🙂 It’s her choice. If you think that maybe it’s not the best idea, you may wish to tell her that she doesn’t have to show you her hair if she doesn’t want to. That way if she is doing it because she feels like she has to, she will know it’s okay not to.
I hope this helps!
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Hi, I asked someone wearing a hijab how long her hair was. I am male, was it bad for me to ask this question?
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I am so sorry for the delay in this response. I have just found over 50 comments that have been marked as spam going as far back as 2015. It’s possible that I have responded to this already – but I’ll answer again in case I haven’t!
I personally feel a little bit uncomfortable about any questions that males ask about my hair. I’ve answered questions but it isn’t something I enjoy doing. I think it depends on the relationship that you have with the person wearing the hijab and her own personal comfort levels. It’s a question that I think you should avoid with most hijabi women.
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Hi there! I’m so sorry for the delay – I have just found a huge amount of comments that I hadn’t seen before and this is one of them. I can’t believe how far back some of these go… anyway! I personally prefer that men don’t ask me anything about my hair. Part of covering it up is to not show it to people, so describing it defeats the purpose. I hope that helps!
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Thank you for this post!
Quick question—there is a woman in a college class that I see every day as I go in for the next class. She always has the most beautiful hijabs and I would like to compliment her on them (I’m a woman). I was reading on some sites that some Muslim women would find that offensive or uncomfortable if I were to say something like, “You always have the most beautiful hijabs. They’re very tasteful.” Or that some Muslim women don’t want attention regarding their appearance.
I tend to wear neck scarves quite often, and have a love and admiration for fabric. So I would like to pay her a compliment, but I do not want to offend her or make her uncomfortable.
Am I just overthinking this entirely too much?
Your insight is much appreciated. 🙂
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Hi there!
I think you are totally overthinking it – but it’s a very sweet and considerate form of overthinking. If more people took the time to figure out whether their actions had a negative impact on people, the world would be a much better place.
I receive compliments about my hijabs and the way they match what I’m wearing quite often. I don’t find it at all offensive when people do that. The world is filled with so much negativity that is directed at Muslims; so when someone is saying something nice to me, I am always totally appreciative 🙂 Feel free to compliment her!
Best wishes!
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Hi….I contact you yesterday but you didn’t send me anything….I really enjoy this website and this web was really helpful and exciting
Think about my offer about making a page on Instagram to contact people more I really love to help people to know more about Islam and hijab so then please help me to help people
Perfect wishes for you and your blog
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Hi Melika
It doesn’t look like I received any other message from you. Can you please try again? Maybe through this link? https://unveiledthought.com/contact/
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Hello there :). Thank you so much for your wonderful site. I am a filmmaker and am writing a short film/teaser that will be than looking for more funding to make it into a feature. Okay please forgive my ignorance on this matter, I grew up in a muslim country and have a muslim grandfather, but still have a lot of questions about hijab culture. The lead in the film will be a muslim woman that wears a hijab, she will eventually befriend an Argentinean man and it might or might not be a love story, we are still writing it hehe. However, I wanted to ask, if our character indeed will be wearing a hijab, will intimidate relationship outside of marriage with a non muslim man be completely out of the question? I just started researching this topic so again forgive my ignorance. We want to push boundaries with this film but we want to push realistic boundaries, not stereotypical ones. Thank you so much.
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Dear Lidiya
Thanks so much for your message. It sounds like a really interesting production.
I think the story of ‘forbidden love’ between a Muslim woman and non-Muslim man has been overdone. It’s something that happens, sure, but it’s mostly unheard of.
Unfortunately, racism is still rampant amongst some groups in the Muslim community. Thus, you could get the effect of pushing boundaries by making it a story about an interfaith couple where both are Muslim. That would be enough to set a lot of families off. It also means that your audience is more likely to connect. A lot of us know couples where the parents disapprove because one of them comes from a particular village or a neighbouring country etc. Potentially!
Let me know if you have any other questions!
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Hi there! I hope this isn’t an odd question, I’ve seen a few of your posts about wearing the hijab as a non-muslim (im an Indian Hindu woman) and I see you mentioned that you believe it’s okay for women to wear the hijab for modesty reasons etc. but I was wondering what your thoughts would be if someone wanted to wear the hijab or particularly like a turban style head cover for a purely style reason? I find the hijab and turban to be very beautiful and I want to try it out, aesthetically speaking, but I wonder if this would fall under appropriation as it’s just for style and doesn’t carry the same religious weight as a Muslim woman wearing it for religious purpose. I’d like to hear your thoughts – whatever they are, so I can make a much more informed decision about it! I absolutely do not want to appropriate culture at all and can easily abandon the idea of trying a turban if it is in fact appropriate because I can understand how harmful it can be. Thanks!
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Go for it! Style, modesty, religion, for fun – whatever reason. I don’t think that women need to justify why they wear or don’t wear a particular thing. I want to advocate for women to feel completely in control of their bodies.
I don’t think that it’s cultural appropriation or anything like that. Wearing a head-covering is something that has been done across cultures and religions throughout human history. No one owns the concept; well, except for the individual choosing to cover up at any given time 😉
Go for it!
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