Muslim faithful believe that hijab — a veil that covers the head and chest, worn by some Muslim women — presents decency and modesty in public interactions.
According to them, hijab contributes to the stability and preservation of marriage and family by eliminating the chances of extra-marital affairs.
They note that hijab compels men to focus on the real personality of the woman and de-emphasises her physical beauty.
Irrespective of its importance, feminists habitually and erroneously portray hijab as a symbol of oppression and slavery of women.
Beside this, critics insinuate that some unscrupulous elements may use hijab in disguise to perpetrate evil, especially in some parts of Nigeria affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
The critics have therefore, on many occasions, called for the ban on wearing hijab which has generated a lot of controversy on whether or not to ban its wearing in Nigeria.
Quoting from Qur’an 7:26, Mr Hashim Sule, a Muslim faithful, said God commanded the wearing of hijab by saying: “O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment.
“But the clothing of righteousness – that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember.’’
He said further that God also commanded women not to “display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof.’’
He also agreed that many Nigerians in the areas affected by insurgency had suffered in the hands of ladies using hijab as a cover to perpetrate crime.
According to him, the atrocities committed by the Boko Haram using girls wearing hijab has reached a critical stage, resulting in the call for its ban.
In the light of this, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), earlier discouraged the use of long hijab among female corps members.
He said instead of wearing long hijab, female corps would be encouraged to wear short veil in various NYSC camps for security purpose.
According to him, the plan is to check the possibilities of insurgents hiding under hijab to carry out bomb attacks, especially in the northern parts of the country affected by insurgency.
Olawumi noted that the scheme did not have the powers to ban the use of hijab in the orientation camps, noting that the NYSC accorded respect to every corps member, irrespective of tribe and religion.
This explanation notwithstanding, Muslim Youths in Da’wah, a Muslim youth’s group protested against any plan to ban the use of hijab by female Muslim corps members, especially during orientation camps.
Malam Luqman Hassan, the National Coordinator of the group said: “We don’t believe that a female corps member putting on hijab has done any wrong against the Act establishing the NYSC.’’
Also, Malam Kabir Musa, a Muslim faithful, observed that any consideration to ban use of hijab would ridicule the war against Boko Haram.
According to him, the action will mean that Boko Haram has succeeded in their misleading ideology.
Hajia Semira Atoloye, a Muslim faithful, noted that hijab “is a divine uniform, symbol of honour and faith which should be defended by Muslims across the world.
“Without their hijab, Muslim women feel as if they are naked, women must not be at the receiving end as Nigerian Muslims will not succumb to a policy that dehumanises their women,’’ she said.
Sharing similar sentiments, the Muslim Rights Concern, expresses concern about placing a ban on hijab.
“The press has been agog with a debate on a possible ban on hijab in view of the preponderance of bombers who wear hijab. We appeal to the Federal Government to ignore any calls for a ban on hijab,’’ the director of the organisation, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said.
He urged security agents to be more professional and proactive by focusing on intelligence gathering and forward-looking anti-crime tactics.
“There have been many cases of non-Muslims disguising as Muslims to launch attacks. It is indubitable that some people are eager to give Muslims a bad name,’’ he said.
Similarly, the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), says “hijab wearing for Muslim women is a prescribed dress code from Allah.
The National Amirah of FOMWAN, Hajia Amina Omoti, emphasised that any attempt to ban the use of hijab was as good as to trample on the right of worship of the Muslim woman.
In his view, Prof. Kamil Oloso, Head of Department, Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan, said people who criticised hijab wearing were ignorant.
He encouraged Muslim women and girls not to despair or be intimidated as they were protected under the divine law and Nigeria’s constitution.
“Hijab is an injunction from Allah. It does not diminish your intellect, instead, it enhances your beauty and dignify you as a Muslim woman,’’ Oloso said.
Also, Mr Disu Kamor, the Executive Chairman, Muslim Public Affairs Centre, Kamor said: “the purported rationale for the call to ban hijab is that once the hijab is banned, the suicide bombers will be easy to detect, or unable to conceal their weapons.
“If the hijab is banned and the sporadic bombing continues, what will be the next extreme measure to put on the table?’’, he asked.
He, therefore, pleaded with Buhari to reject the vision of those who called for the misadventure of banning the hijab.
He also advised him to take the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and the Muslim community as credible partners in formulating and driving policies to defeat terrorism and for peace building.
All in all, Muslim faithful opine that hijab does not prevent a woman from acquiring knowledge or from contributing to the betterment of human society.
They insist that a Muslim woman should be allowed to wear hijab; and as long as she is following the rules like any other citizens, she and her hijab are of no harm to society.
They note that women are not forced to wear hijab but they wear it because they are in submission to God’s commandment, knowing that hijab is not a symbol of terrorism but the symbol of Islam.
