The Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), felicitated with Muslims and Non-Muslims all over the world on the occasion of 2018 World Hijab Day (WHD) slated for February 1.
MMPN said the World Hijab Day should not be seen as a celebration but a commemoration to show that hijab is beyond culture or mere head scarf but an injunction to the believing Muslim woman to live her life in accordance to the dictate of Her creator.
“We reaffirm the scriptural basis for the adornment of Hijab by Muslim girls and ladies as contained in Glorious Qur’an 24 verse 31 which says “ And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily ) appear thereof. That they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty….
This is why we are calling for tolerance and understanding from our Non-Muslims brethren who detests Muslim women adorning hijab, which is in complying with the commandments of Allah, the Creator of all mankind.
This is important because many Muslim ladies are subjected to various ridicules, intimidation, harassment, frustration and even beating by non tolerant colleagues, bosses, neighbours and offices especially government officials because of dressing in line with their faith.
In Nigeria, despite its multi-religious status, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in section 38 sub-section 1 as amended guaranteed that “every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion ( either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching , practice and observance.
“It is of note that our support for Miss Firdaus Amasa and her colleague Miss Aisha Zubair over hijab brouhaha during the December 2017 Nigerian Law School call to bar is hereby reaffirmed and we insist that there must be justice for them and others who were discriminated against because of wearing hijab.
“We also use this opportunity to commend the courage of the House of Representatives, the people’s Assembly, in instituting a public hearing into the matter on Feb. 6. We implore all stakeholders, who believe in equity, justice, fairness and equality to attend and share their respective experiences.
“We reiterate our support for the WHD 2018 with the theme: “My Hijab! My Right! and for any woman who chooses to adorn it in line with her God-given right, global practises and fundamental human rights as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria to do so without any hindrance or molestation.
“We asks: How does wearing hijab infringe on anybody’s right in Nigeria? So tolerance and understanding is the watch word.. “