World Hijab Day: Islamic Organization Decries Victimisation Of Hijabites

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

As part of activities marking the World Hijab Day, the Standard Bearers Islamic Organization, Osun state chapter, has decried alleged discrimination against Muslim women at their work place.

The group, in a press statement, signed by its female Coordinator, Rahmat Yusuf and made available to CityMirrorNews on Saturday, in Osogbo said Islam is not only Religion that encourages modesty and covering of the head for females, saying Catholic sisters are in the same habit.

According to Yusuf, wearing of Hijab is not the culture of Arabs as erroneously held by some people or a fashion accessory that the Muslim woman may discard at will.

“It is a religious duty and an obligation on every Muslim woman in the observance of her faith. And this right to believe in and practise one‘s chosen faith is an inalienable right of every human being, as entrenched in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended),” she said.

“Islam is not the only religion that encourages modesty and covering of the head for females. Our Catholic sisters are in this habit as well. There are Biblical verses that encourage females to cover. Generally, modesty amongst females is entrenched in the Abrahamic faiths. We therefore call for support, camaraderie and mutual love and understanding for the believers to stand firm on the path modesty.

“Many students in Secondary Schools continue to be denied the use of Hijaab on School Uniforms, despite several court cases that have affirmed the right. In the case, CA/L/135/15, between Lagos State Government, Miss Asiyat Abdul Kareem, Miss Moriam Oyeniyi and the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, the full panel of the Court of Appeal affirmed this right on July 21,2016 when the Lagos State Government lost at that court.

“Similarly, as far back as 18th June, 2009, the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, in the case between The Provost, Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin & 2 ORS VS Baashirat Saliu & 2 ORS Appeal No CA/IL/49/2006; also affirmed the inalienable right of the Muslim Girl Child to the hijaab. It said “The use of veil by the respondents, therefore qualifies as a fundamental human right under section 38 (1) of the Constitution”.

“Despite all these, the young female Muslims of ours remain victims of psychological trauma and physical torture meted out by several lawless secondary school bigoted authorities across the southwest region.

“There are lots of documented cases of our female Muslim students being denied entry into the School , given corporal punishments, mocked publicly on School assemblies and in classrooms, all because of the Hijaab adorned by these young pious female Muslims.”

Standard Bearers Islamic Organization lamented that Hijaab auestion not limited to Secondary School Students alone , saying “the persecution is not limited to these young minds. Our public space in the South-West is filled with much hatred and animosity towards the identity the Hijaab. Majority of our Schools of Nursing still deny Nursing students their rights despite an existing circular to that effect.”

“The circular dated February 11, 2002 with reference number N&MCN/CMF/721/1/3 was supposed to have put the hijaab question to rest , however, many Schools of Nursing deny the use of hijaab. Indeed, female Muslims often have to remove their Hijaab and all forms of Islamic Identity to attend Nursing School interviews to even stand a chance of being admitted into the institutions that are being run with public funds! Those (Muslim ladies) who managed to find their way into these institutions are continually subjected to harassments throughout their stay in the School. Numerous cases abound.

“Many employers still find it difficult to employ qualified ‘Hijaabites’ in their places of work. While this persecution is bad enough in private institutions, it is most disheartening to witness such in public institutions, including federal establishments where many of our Muslim sisters are discriminated against for employment and afterwards.

“The celebrated case of Firdaws Amasa, the young Law graduate who was initially denied her Call to Bar because of the Hijaab, tested the ‘freedom of religion’ enshrined in our constitution but the Law held firm. The verdict was unequivocal. The denial was, of course, an abuse of her rights, and therefore remains null and void. From the day Firdaws stood her ground with the Law, humiliation of Muslimahs in the Legal profession on their happy day of being called to Bar has ultimately come to an end. But then, for how long had that illegality been carried out in our Law Schools?!

“With this, we can say this is beyond the Law. it has to do with our level of tolerance for each other, our ability to accommodate divergent views and opinions, to understand that we will not all belong to the same Faith and the need to accept others who differ, with respect.

“The Hijab is a commandment of Allah, the Most High. And say to the Believing women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty, except what is apparent of, and to extend their headcoverings to cover their bosoms, and not to display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule (slaves), or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small children to whom
the nakedness of women is not apparent, and not to strike their feet (on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments. And turn in repentance to Allah together, O you believers, in order that you are successful”. Surat-un-Nur: 31

“A Muslim woman appears not in public but with her Hijab. Even in private, she appears with her Hijaab, if those not included by the injunctions of Allah in the Qur’an are present,

“Thus, we should understand that hijaab is not like any other apparel. Muslim ladies do not adorn it just to look different but out of obedience to the commandment of Allah, the Creator of all. The Hijaab is the identity of the Muslim woman, it is her honor, it is her pride, she is not complete in public without it. Hence we crave for understanding from all and sundry.

“Our country is a multireligious society. This can actually be a strength if we understand our differences and strive to harness it. We all belong here. Our happiness depends on one another and our society will only grow in unity, love and prosperity if we recognize each other’s rights and grant it promptly without agitation, rather than allow disunity, hatred and mutual suspicion to pervade our society where rights (human rights) are denied.

“As we use this opportunity of World Hijab Day to remind ourselves the varying issues around the apparel of faith and modesty – The Hijaab, we enjoin us all to respect each other’s right and continue to work towards more peaceful coexistence in Nigeria. We can indeed find unity in our diversity.