Hijab wearing model participates in Yeezy Season 7 wearing her Hijab

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Somalian-born model, Halima Aden who was the first Muslim to compete in a beauty pageant wearing Hijab has been signed on to one of the top modeling agencies in the world, IMG Models.

She shot CR Fashion book with Mario Sorrenti and walked in Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 7 at the New York Fashion Week which just ended. She achieved all these wearing her Hijab.

“Never thought I would see the day that a woman dressed like me would grace the cover of a fashion magazine. Thank you SO much @carineroitfeld and my new @crfashionbook family for giving me the opportunity to feel represented in the most beautiful way ??”

Again, Appeal Court strikes out move by Lagos govt to stop hijab in schools.

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Staff Reporter

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The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, MSSN, Lagos State Area Unit, has hailed the striking out of a motion seeking an injunction to stop hijab usage in the state by the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Tuesday heard the motion – stay of execution – filed by the Lagos State Government and struck it out.

The case, CA/L/135/15, is between Lagos State Government, Asiyat AbdulKareem (through her father), Moriam Oyeniyi and Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria.

The struck motion was asking the court to stop the use of hijab in public primary and secondary schools in Lagos State pending the ruling of the Supreme Court on the matter.

After hearing from both parties, the presiding justice, Muhammad Garba, struck out the motion.

With the current ruling, students in public primary and secondary schools in Lagos State can now wear hijab to school without harassment unless the Supreme Court rules otherwise.

Earlier, the Lagos State Government on Thursday, July 21, 2016 lost at the Court of Appeal when a full panel of the court gave approval to the Muslim students to use hijab to school.

The Amir (President) of MSSN Lagos State Area Unit, Saheed Ashafa, applauded the judgement, saying that the favourable outcome was expected.

According to him, the judgement will further strengthen fundamental human rights as enshrined in the constitution.

He stated that the MSSN Lagos would not entertain any act or form of harassment after the current judgement.

He said, “We applaud the judgement as this is not unexpected. The position of the law is very clear on the subject matter. This matter once more assure us that all hope is not lost on having a redeemed society.

“It gladdens to see that the injunction which the LASG is using as a basis to deny the implementation of the Court of Appeal judgement has been struck out.

“We hereby urge all stakeholders to be law abiding for a peaceful implementation of the judgement. There should be no violation of human rights against our Students while we expect an immediate implementation of the judgement in all schools across the state.”

While congratulating and thanking Muslims on the recent victory, Mr. Ashafa said, “We congratulate the entire Muslim Ummah (community) and urge our Muslim students to uphold decency and cleanliness which are the hallmark of Islam while exercising their right.”

A special constituted panel of the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on July 21, 2016 unanimously set aside the judgment of a Lagos High Court which banned students in public primary and secondary schools in the state from putting on the hijab with their school uniforms.

The special panel of the court presided over by Justice A.B. Gumel held that the appeal was meritorious and should be allowed.

In his lead judgment, Justice Gumel held that the use of the hijab was an Islamic injunction and also an act of worship, hence it would constitute a violation of the appellants’ rights to stop them from wearing the hijab in public schools.

Resolving all the five issues raised in favour of the appellants, the appellate court held that the lower court erred in law when it held that the ban on hijabs was a policy of the Lagos State Government (respondent).

Other justices in the five-member panel were M. Fasanmi, A. Jauro, J.S. Ikyegh and I. Jombo Ofor.

Justice Modupe Onyeabor of an Ikeja High Court had on October 17, 2014, dismissed the suit instituted against the Lagos State Government by two 12-year-old girls under the aegis of the MSSN, Lagos State Area Unit.

Dissatisfied, the appellants urged the appellate court to set aside the judgment and protect their constitutional rights.

The government had banned the use of the hijab, arguing that it was not part of the approved school uniform for pupils.

Following the ban, the students filed the suit on May 27, 2015, seeking redress and asked the court to declare the ban as a violation of their rights to freedom of thought, religion and education.

In her judgment, Mrs. Onyeabor held that the prohibition of the wearing of hijabs over school uniforms within and outside the premises of public schools was not discriminatory.

According to her, the ban did not violate Sections 38 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution as claimed by the plaintiffs.

World Hijab Day: Group decries discrimination against Muslim women.

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Staff Reporter

As part of activities marking the World Hijab Day, the Coalition of Nigerian Muslim Women, Wednesday, decried alleged discrimination against Muslim women at their work place.

The group, led by the Hijab Right Advocacy Initiative, spoke at a press conference in Lagos.

According to Mutiat Orolu, the leader of the group and convener of the conference, 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.

Quoting sections 38, sub-sections 1 and 2, Mrs. Orolu maintained that wearing of the Hijab by the Muslim woman was the practical application of these provisions in the Nigerian constitution.

Mrs. Orolu, who is also a lawyer, narrated the ordeals of Muslim women in the society, stressing that their rights were being violated.

“Muslim women who choose to wear the Hijab face this (ordeal) and even worse every day while trying to get a job or even keep the ones they are currently in. In some cases, they have been forced to choose between having a job and practising their faith!

“One thing we all seem to agree on is that violence against women is wrong in all its forms, whether it is physical, emotional or psychological. Asking a Muslim woman to remove her Hijab is a form of violence against women.

“It should have no place in a progressive society like ours. As more people, women inclusive, are getting more educated and moving into the work force, Muslim women who choose to wear the Hijab still face discrimination in their work places and in the careers of their choice. Rather than discriminate, we should encourage work place diversity,” she said.

The legal practitioner, however, called on the media to be fair in its reportage of issues, noting that its role is vital to public perception of issues.

The group also urged the general public to accord Muslim women the freedom to practice their religion, as expressly stated in the Nigerian constitution.

“All we Hijabis want is the Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion; Freedom from Discrimination; Freedom from Violence against Women; Fair and accurate Representation in the Media; Inclusiveness in the Work Place and the right to be a citizen of this country just like everyone else.”

World Hijab Day is an annual event founded by Nazma Khan in 2013. This event takes place on February 1 each year in about 100 countries. It was borne out of the need to identify with Muslim women who face discrimination everyday due to the observance of their faith, the group said.

Female German minister REFUSES to wear a hijab during visit to Saudi Arabia

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A German minister has refused to wear a hijab during a visit to Saudi Arabia – saying women should have the same right to choose their clothing as men.

Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen’s stand came a week after Chancellor Angela Merkel called for the burka to be banned.

Von der Leyen was in Riyadh to meet Saudi deputy crown prince Salman Al-Saud, where she voiced her annoyance at the expectation that women cover up.

Ursula von der Leyen wore a suit when she was received by the Vice Regent and Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman Al-Saud, in the Divan Palace

The German minister voiced her annoyance at the expectation that women should wear traditional clothing when visiting the country

But she shunned traditional Saudi attire, opting instead for a dark blue suit.

Her decision sparked anger on Twitter in Saudi Arabia, Al Bawaba reported.

Speaking of her refusal to wear full-length robes, known as the abaya, Das Bild reports, she said: ‘No woman in my delegation has to wear the Abaya.

‘The right to choose your own clothing is a right shared by men and women alike. It annoys me, when women women are to be pushed into the Abaya.’

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen wore a suit as she was received by Saudi Assistant Defence Minister Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al-Ayesh at the King Salman Air Base in Riyadh

The newspaper reported that although servants looked ‘astonished’ at the sight of the German minister in traditional dress, it did not spark any protests.

Von der Leyen followed the example set by US First Lady Michelle Obama, who was condemned in Saudi Arabia when she went bare-headed on a visit with her husband last year.

Saudi Arabia has been criticised for its attitude to women, who are not allowed to hold driving licenses.

Last week Angela Merkel told her CDU party conference that the full veil is ‘not appropriate’ in Germany

Last week Angela Merkel called for a burka ban, saying the ‘full veil is not appropriate’ in Germany.

The German chancellor told her conservative CDU party conference that wearing the burka should be outlawed ‘wherever that is legally possible’.

Merkel said she would back a nationwide ban just months after revealing that she believed the burka was a barrier to Muslim women becoming integrated into German society.

Adamawa State Government to ban use of Hijab over suicide attacks.

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Staff Reporter

As part of efforts to reduce suicide attacks, the Adamawa State government may temporarily review the use of hijab in troubled areas in the state.

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh on Sunday in Yola.

Sajoh said the decision was taken at the emergency security meeting over the Friday’s twin bomb blasts in Madagali market.

He said Governor Bindow met with stakeholders to discuss the decision.

He also said those who attacked madagali on Friday were in hijab.

“We also resolved in the meeting, based on security recommendations, to assist members of vigilance groups in the areas in view of their contribution to security agencies.”

This Lady Makes History As First Beauty Contestant To Wear Hijab In The US (PHOTOS)

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Halima Aden is flawlessly breaking down barriers in the pageant community: Over the weekend, the 19-year-old made history as the first contestant in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant to wear a hijab throughout the competition and a burkini during the swimsuit round.

The Somali-American teenager, who was born in a Kenyan refugee camp and moved to America when she was just six years old, ultimately made it to the pageant’s semifinals on Sunday. But as she told multiple sources both before and after the pageant was over, despite not winning, she hoped her participation would serve as a reminder that beauty comes in many different forms.

“A lot of people will look at you and will fail to see your beauty because you’re covered up and they’re not used to it. So growing up, I just had to work on my people skills and give people a chance to really know me besides the clothing,” she said in an interview with KARE-11. “Be who you are. It’s easy to feel like you have to blend in, but it takes courage to live your life with conviction and embrace the person that you are.”

Read More: cosmopolitan

No public school in Lagos should ‘punish pupils’ for wearing hijab.

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Staff Reporter

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Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, the Lagos state commissioner for home affairs, says no public school should prevent or punish pupils for wearing hijab, an Islamic headscarf.

Following the Appeal Court ruling which granted the use of hijab in public primary and secondary schools in Lagos, the state government had approached the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment.

Hence, the commissioner said all parties involved in the case should patiently await the outcome of the appeal.

Warning against a potential crisis that could emanate if the matter is not handled with caution, he said reports that some principals punished pupils for wearing hijab to school, were displeasing.

Abdullateef made the comments at a programme organised by the Muslim Congress.

“This government headed by Governor Akinkunmi Ambode is fair to all. We are not against any religion. Those punishing pupils for wearing hijab are not sent by us,” he said.

“We have not asked anybody to punish pupils for wearing it to school. We are aware of the court judgment and we have appealed to the Supreme Court.

“Pending the outcome of the Supreme Court judgement, I sincerely appeal to all concerned parties to keep calm. We don’t want crisis.

“We don’t want this to degenerate into crisis and we will continue to respect the right of everybody as enshrined in the constitution.”

Norway Announces It Will Ban Islamic Veil From Classrooms

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The burqa veil is to be banned in schools and universities across Norway following similar measures in other European countries, according to the Norwegian education minister.

The country’s right-wing government confirmed it was considering “national regulations prohibiting the full-face veil in schools and universities.”, a move supported by the opposition Labour Party.

Education minister Torbjorn Roe Isaksen confirmed the ban would only apply to the full-face veil and not to other Islamic headscarves including the hijab, chador and niqab.

Turkey, Scotland Allows Policewomen To Wear Hijabs

Posted on August 27, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Turkey has for the first time allowed policewomen to wear headscarves while on duty as part of their uniform.

Women serving in the police force “will be able to cover their heads” under their caps or berets so long as the headscarf is “the same colour as the uniform and without pattern”, said the ruling published in the government’s Official Gazette on Saturday.

It came into force immediately.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has long pressed for the removal of restrictions on women wearing the headscarf in the officially secular state.

Turkey lifted a ban on the wearing of headscarves on university campuses in 2010.

It allowed female students to wear the garment in state institutions from 2013 and in high school in 2014.

The move follows similar changes in regulations in other countries and comes after a ban on the burkini in local districts in France made headlines in Turkey.

Hoping to boost recruiting of Muslim women, the Canadian government this week said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police would allow its officers to wear headscarves as part of their uniforms.

Earlier this month, police in Scotland allowed women to wear the headscarf while on duty, following a lead set by their counterparts in the UK capital, London, over a decade ago.

Men Are Wearing Hijab In Support Of Iranian Women

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Photos of men wearing hijab, the traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women, have flooded social media. It’s more than just a trend or hashtag, though. It’s a statement supporting women in Iran. The country currently makes it mandatory for females to wear hijabs.

As The Daily Dot notes, that law has received a lot of backlash. My Stealthy Freedom has lead the charge, starting a campaign encouraging Iranian women to share photos of themselves without a hijab.

“In Iran women have to cover their hair in public according to the dress rule enforced after the Iranian Revolution in 1979,” the My Stealthy Freedom site explains. “My Stealthy Freedom is an online social movement where Iranian women share photos of themselves without wearing the hijab.”

Men are now showing their support by donning hijab and sharing the #MeninHijab hashtag. The argument is that Iranian women should have the right to choose whether or not to cover their hair.

“We Iranian boys do not support compulsory hijab,” one participant wrote.

Whether the movement spurs Iran to change its laws remains to be seen. In the meantime, it’s a powerful display of gender equality.

Credit: refinery29

Buhari Speaks On Banning Hijab

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Staff Reporter

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his government may ban the use of hijabs by Muslim women if the suicide bombings continue without end, adding that it has no cogent intelligence on the fate of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram almost two years.
Buhari admitted as much yesterday during his maiden presidential media chat broadcast live from the State House in Abuja.
Despite the absence of intelligence, he said government was still making efforts to rescue the Chibok girls and would be willing to negotiate their release, but would want to make sure they are negotiating with credible leaders of the Boko Haram terror group.
According to him, “We are keeping our options open with Boko Haram on the Chibok girls on the condition that they can guarantee that the girls are safe and alive.”

The president said the military had combed the Sambisa Forest without any hint about the girls, whom he said might have been dispersed by the terror group.
He said: “I think this is about the third time I am going to talk about the Chibok girls. There was a time the leadership of Boko Haram made contact with us but we insisted that we want to ensure we are speaking with credible leaders of the group.
“Number two is that we want to make sure that the Chibok girls, I think about 219 of them are safe, secure and alive.

“We are still keeping our options open with Boko Haram on the condition that they have credible leaders who can tell that they have the Chibok girls. We have combed the Sambisa Forest but there was no Chibok girl there.
“For now, there is no current information and I am working with Niger, Chad and Cameroun, especially on a humanitarian basis. To be honest with you, there is no credible intelligence that the Chibok girls are alive and in one place.”

Credit: ThisDay

NYSC DG Says The Ban On Wearing Of Hijab In Camps Will Not Be Lifted

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Members of Muslim Youths in Da’wah on Tuesday had a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the National Youth Service Corps in Abuja against the ban on the use of hijab by female Muslim corps members, especially during orientation camps.
However the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General, Johnson Olawumi, insisted on the ban, saying it was “for security reasons” and will not be lifted.

The national coordinator of LMYiD, Luqman Hassan; and the Deputy Coordinator, Kamarudeen Adefila, had told the NYSC DG that a major protest by Muslims was averted because of the ban on hijab in most orientation camps.

Hassan told the DG:

“We are here to discuss with you about the incident that happened recently in various camps across the country. We have a guiding principle which is based on the Holy Q’uran. We are all Nigerians and the principle which guides us is the constitution and the African Charter on Human rights.

“Members of the NYSC are Nigerians who have contributed to the development of this country; female corps members deserve protection by the NYSC. We don’t believe that a female corps member putting on hijab has done any wrong against the Act establishing the NYSC. So they deserve the respect of the NYSC. We have travelled far and wide and visited different camps. Why are the rights of female corps members being infringed upon. We are here to register our displeasure.”

“Many Muslim organisations wanted to protest, but we said wait a while. In fact, we have to intervene to avoid the situation and if Muslims march on the streets, it will attract a lot of negative comments, but people won’t know why we are protesting,” Adefila had added.

Olawumi said:

“Under my leadership, the NYSC will accord respect to every corps member, irrespective of tribe and religion. The incident in Benue State was caused by the use of long hijab. The security situation in the country is tough. There is the danger of somebody using hijab for other reasons.

“Why are you so particular on your alleged infraction on the rights of youths without mentioning any one of such on Christian youths? Produce your evidence, write to us and I can assure you that we will act fast. When the incident in Benue State was reported to us, I swung into action and ensured that the camp commandant was decamped immediately. We are not magicians; if you have any evidence, write to us and we will not hesitate to act.”

The NYSC Legal Adviser, Ahmed Tijani Ibrahim, said the incident in Benue State was still being investigated.

He said,:

“I’m a Muslim and in our camps, I know that we have treated everybody equally. You mentioned the fact that you would have proceeded to protest. Very minor issues could trigger off mass protest.

“We will see the way forward to this complaint. I can assure you that the issue will not be swept under the carpet. The NYSC is very sensitive to the issue of religion and immediately we heard of it, we swung into action and we are on it because issues of religion are very sensitive.”

Punch

Iranian Actress Forced To Flee Country After Posting Photos Without Hijab

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Staff Reporter

?When Iranian actress and director Sadaf Taherian? began posting photos of herself without her hijab to social media sites, she was worried. She told ?Masih Alinejad, a journalist who runs the My Stealthy Freedom Facebook page, she was nervous about the backlash she could face for posing without a traditional Muslim head cover. But she had no idea leaders from her own country would condemn and attack her so viciously she’d be forced to flee her home.

But that’s exactly what happened soon after ?Taherian? posted her photos to Instagram and Facebook. ?Women in the World ?reports the attacks didn’t stop at nameless Internet trolls. Soon, officials within the Iranian government were joining in, going as far as to threaten her career. When another actress, ?Chekame Chaman-Mah,? spoke out on ?Taherian?’s behalf, the government moved to ban both of them from appearing on television.

Hossein Noushabadi, Iran’s ministry of culture and lslamic guidance, lashed out at them in public. “As far as this ministry is concerned, these two individuals are no longer considered to be artists any more and do not have any right to act,” ?Noushabadi? said. That’s when Taherian’s television show was removed from the airwaves.

Because of the threats and attacks, Taherian no longer felt comfortable staying in Iran, so she fled to the ?United Arab Emirates?. “I want to live in a place and live the way that makes me happy,” she said. She still continues to post photos to Facebook without her hijab.

Credit: Cosmopolitan

Read What Donald Trump Said About Women Who Wear Hijabs

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Donald Trump has thoughts on Muslim women, and as you might expect given his previous comments on Islam, they are not very intelligent. Speaking at a New Hampshire rally on Monday, the GOP presidential candidate posited that Muslim women wear burkas because, that way, they “don’t have to put on makeup.”

According to the Daily Beast, Trump said that the United States should stop trying to export “freedom” in countries where intervention has not been successful, and should not attempt to liberate those who are required to wear burkas, a traditional head-to-toe covering commonly worn by Muslim women. Burkas have triggered debates in countries like France and Australia, and even within the Islamic world, where some argue that it is oppressive to women, while others say it is a cultural and religious custom meant to be preserved.?

Speaking of the spread of so-called freedom, Trump said, “I saw somebody say ‘we want it over there where the women don’t have to wear the you-know-what,'” gesticulating an outline of a burka with his hands.

He continued: “[Women] said, ‘We want to wear them, we’ve worn them for thousands of years. Why would anyone tell us not to?’ They want to!”

Whatever respect Trump was trying to demonstrate for Muslim women was undone by his underlying assumption that they are donning burkas not out of religious tradition but to get out of wearing makeup.

?”Fact is, it’s easier,” he said. “You don’t have to put on makeup. Look how beautiful everyone looks. Wouldn’t it be easier? Right? Wouldn’t that be easy?”

He didn’t stop there. He turned his imagined scenario into a joke by saying what it would be like if he wore a burka as a woman. “I’d be like, ‘I’m ready, darling, let’s go!” he said.