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February 2, 2025 | 09:31 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Did you know that February 1st is World Hijab Day? Hijab is identified with the identity and form of expression of Muslims around the world. Hijab is usually a long cloth that is long enough to cover the head and neck of Muslim women. According to Islamic teachings, the head and neck are aurat that should not be seen except by people who are already mahram, such as parents and husbands.
In Indonesia, wearing a hijab is something that is normal because the majority of the population is Muslim. However, in many countries whose populations are heterogeneous and consist of various groups, Muslims are a minority.
Wearing a hijab is something that is very striking in these countries. So there are many challenges that must be faced as a woman wearing a hijab. Nazma Khan, the initiator of World Hijab Day came up with a movement to introduce the hijab throughout the world.
(Picture above) Nazma Khan. Twitter.com/aa.com.tr
Nazma Khan, a Bangladeshi citizen, initiated the World Hijab Day movement to foster personal freedom in expressing religion and culture. Nazma invites all levels of society, both Muslims and non-Muslims, to wear the hijab on February 1 every year.
The World Hijab Day movement was first commemorated in 2013. Through this movement, Nazma tries to fight the controversy surrounding the question of why Muslim women wear the hijab in their daily lives. Nazma feels that being a woman who wears the hijab often experiences difficult challenges such as her experience when she was eleven years old and was the only woman who wore the hijab in high school.
"Growing up in the Bronx, New York City, I experienced a lot of discrimination because of my hijab. In high school, I was called 'Batman' or 'ninja.' When I entered college, 9/11 happened. Now, I am called Osama bin Laden or a terrorist. It's terrible. I think the only way to end discrimination is if we ask our fellow sisters to wear the hijab themselves,” Nazma said as quoted from the official World Hijab Day website
World Hijab Day has been successfully celebrated in more than 150 countries every year. Volunteers to ambassadors are two parties who have successfully organized World Hijab Day to raise awareness about the hijab. In addition, World Hijab Day has been supported by many popular figures in the world. There are scholars, politicians, and celebrities. The media also took part in this movement, media such as TIME, BBC, CNN, and Al-Jazeera have supported by covering and making World Hijab Day the main news.
This movement has received a lot of support from everyone in the world. In fact, in 2018 it officially became a non-profit organization. This organization has a mission to eliminate bigotry, discrimination, and prejudice against Muslim women. This is done through awareness, education, and empowerment of the community.
Nazma Khan didn’t stop at World Hijab Day, in 2021 she founded International Muslim History Month to eradicate Islamophobia globally and honor the contributions of Muslims based on global history. The New York State Senate Designated May as the month to commemorate Muslim History Month through Senate Resolution No. J718. Roxanne J. Persaud, a New York State Senator in 2025 also passed Senate Resolution No. 88 to recognize World Hijab Day.
Senate Resolution No. 88 states that, “World Hijab Day was started by Nazma Khan as a day designated for women from different cultures, who do not traditionally wear the Hijab, to experience wearing it for that day; the purpose is to encourage religious tolerance, cultural understanding and international solidarity.”
The state of New York proudly recognized February 1, 2025, as World Hijab Day. Not only that, they also recognized International Muslim History Month for the year 2025 by passing Resolution No. 257. Nazma Khan, the initiator of World Hijab Day and International Muslim History Month in 2023 and 2024, was named one of the 50 Most Influential Muslims in America.
Editor's Choice: 5 Countries That Has Banned the Hijab
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