The hijab means different things to different people; hijabi and non-hijabi women in the world attach different meanings and values to the headscarf. There are countless hijabi women at NYU Abu Dhabi who, together, portray great variety in what they associate with the hijab. The recent Hijab Day and the events organized by the Muslim Student Association on campus remind us why shedding light on the stories and experiences of hijabis is extremely valuable.

“I started wearing the hijab when I was graduating from high school,” shared Rama Alhariri, Class of 2021 and a member of the MSA. “I think I always kind of struggled with confidence to an extent… but when I did wear it, suddenly I felt like I wasn’t doing anything for anyone else. I was doing it for myself and for God, and suddenly, external validation didn’t feel as important to me anymore and, through that, I found that I was able to develop a lot more confidence.”

Alhariri also explained how prior to wearing the hijab, she felt that people did not really know her full identity, which resulted in a feeling of insecurity. When she started wearing it, however, she felt more confident in her relationships with other people. “People were seeing an external embodiment of what I felt like was my values, whether that be religious values or even when it comes to my approach to relationships,” she said.

For Sumaya Ali, Class of 2024, the hijab mainly symbolizes her relationship with God. “I officially started wearing it when I was 12 years old, but I grew up with the hijab,” she explained. “Every time we’d go to the Mosque I’d be wearing the hijab, if I was hanging out with my Muslim friends or family, I would be wearing the hijab.”

Ali also explored the modesty component of the hijab and, specifically, how that modesty emphasizes a woman’s inner beauty. “It shows you that you don’t have to look pretty to be beautiful. Your beauty is actually on the inside, and that’s what I think matters the most,” stated Ali.

Ali also shared how, for her, the hijab forms an important part of her identity. “When people see me, they don’t just see Sumaya, they see hijabi, they see Muslim, they see Islam,” she expressed. “And that’s what I love the most about it –– being able to proudly wear your religion outside.”

Maria Benhammouda, Class of 2024, also shared her story. “Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by my mother [and] sisters, who all wore the hijab, so growing up I would wear it on and off,” said Benhammouda. “The first time I decided to fully take on the responsibility and wear it everywhere was in the seventh grade, and what encouraged it was that I was moving to a new school so I kind of wanted a fresh start where I wanted to test how committed I would be to wearing the hijab.”

“The hijab is kind of like a marker of what my beliefs are,” she added. “It is empowering in a sense that I feel like my character has more to offer than what my looks have to.”

Other hijabi women around the world may associate different meanings with the hijab such as pride in Muslim identity, the desire to follow in the footsteps of family members, the influence of cultural or national values or the expression of a powerful message to society such as refusal to be affected by stereotypes.

While there are many hijabi women around the world, there are also many non-hijabi Muslim women, and exploring their stories is equally important when trying to gain a better understanding of the Muslim world.

From empowerment to culture to family, the piece of cloth that a Muslim woman decides to wear or not wear on her head can take on various roles and meanings. These stories are a method of expression but, most importantly, they are a form of education about something that millions of women around the world identify with. They are stories that should not, therefore, go untold. The Muslim world remains mysterious to so many people, but through learning more about the beautiful Muslim women who embody it, one can take an important step in understanding the complexities of a religion of 1.8 billion people around the world.