In this article, I share 9 things about hijabis that will probably surprise you.

I assume that almost everyone is familiar with the term ‘hijabis’, but just in case you’re not, the term hijabi refers to a Muslim female who wears the hijab (or headscarf), or covers according to Islamic tradition.

The world and his friend has an opinion on the hijab and Muslim women, and I thought it was important to share a couple of things about hijabis that you might not be aware of.

Disclaimer: I do not speak for/represent all hijabis. Please refer to number 6 🙂

1) Hijabis Are The Same As Everyone Else

This may seem pretty obvious and not worth mentioning, but it is amazing that the presence of the headscarf can make people feel like hijabis are from a different planet. Muslim women who choose to cover their heads are the same as everyone else; the only difference is that we are wearing a cloth on our heads. We are exactly the same as any other women under the hijab. The only difference is that our hair, neck and ears are not visible.

2) We Wear The Hijab To Please God (Allah)

The majority of hijabis wear the hijab to please God (or Allah in Arabic). We believe that Allah has commanded us to wear the hijab in the Qur’an, and we wish to follow the commandments of our religion. Yes, a few hijabis are forced to cover, but only a small minority.

3) We Worry About How People Will React To Us

Whenever we find ourselves in a new situation, for example, at a new workplace or a cafe, we wonder how people will react to us, especially in a majority non-Muslim setting. There is always a thought at the back of our minds that people will react negatively to us and are suspicious of us, especially in the current climate.

4) We Take The Hijab Off As Soon As We Can

The act of removing the hijab for a Muslim woman is equivalent to removing the bra. It feels so good! Like, so good! The freedom, the fresh air, pure joy, especially on a hot day. No matter how comfortable the hijab is, there’s nothing better than not having to wear the hijab.

5) We Wouldn’t Wear The Hijab If We Didn’t Have To

If Allah had not commanded us to wear the hijab, we wouldn’t wear the hijab. It is a sacrifice to a certain extent, and I am sure the majority of Muslim females who cover would not do so if the religion did not require it.

6) Hijabis Are Not The Same As Each Other

Hijabis come from all walks of life and we are not all from “back home”. We come from different cultures, races, careers; our personalities, interests, likes and dislikes are not all the same, so it is unfair to lump us into one category of “hijabis”. We have so much more to offer to the world than the cloth on our heads.

7) Not All Hijabis Are Religious

The presence of a cloth on a person’s head does not determine their level of religion or spirituality. Some hijabis are religious, some are not, and people should not make assumptions based on a person’s outer appearance.

8) We Dislike Men Talking About Our Hijab

Hijabis do not like men talking about our hijab; how we should wear it, what it should look like etc. In particular, we dislike non-Muslim men talking about the hijab as they haven’t the first clue about the hijab.

9) The Hijab Makes Us Feel Safe And Protected

For many of us, the hijab makes us feel safe and protected. It protects us from wandering eyes, and forces people to concentrate on our faces and what we are saying rather than our bodies.