The MSA hosted its annual Hijab Day tabling event as part of Islam Awareness Week, a week dedicated to fostering understanding of Islam and promoting dialogue and connection on campus. The tabling gave attendees the chance to try on the hijab, learn about its Islamic significance and ask questions, with it falling in the same month as World Hijab Day. It was held in the Busch Student Center’s north lobby on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Tons of vibrant printed hijabs sat on the Muslim Students’ Association table, ranging from floral patterns to animal prints. Fatima Amjed, a sophomore neuroscience major, spotted one that caught her eye.
“Can I try on the leopard?” Amjed asked, pointing to the printed hijab.
As Layali Mutan, a sophomore nursing major helping run the MSA table, began wrapping the hijab for Amjed, other Muslim and non-Muslim students stopped to watch and try one on, too.
The word “hijab” means veil in Arabic, but many know it as the practice of Muslim women covering their hair and body. The tabling created a space for attendees to learn more about the religious, social and personal significance of the hijab for women who observe it, as well as the diversity in how it is observed.
Mutan, the MSA secretary and one of the event planners, brought an array of hijabs from her own collection for attendees to try on. The table also featured educational pamphlets and decorated “Hijab Cam” frames for attendees to take pictures with.
Mutan said putting together and leading the event was important because the hijab is often surrounded by misconceptions.
“[The hijab] isn’t a bad thing,” Mutan said. “Hijab is something beautiful, and it has such a beautiful meaning behind it. Not only is the hijab something you wear, but it’s something you can also feel beautiful in.”
Mutan also said that events like these are important for bringing people together and sharing different perspectives on SLU’s campus.
“I hope people gain a different outlook on hijab,” Mutan said. “[It is] not that it’s something that’s going to hold you back, you’re not going to be looked at in a negative light. It’s something so beautiful and sacred, and I just hope this inspires people to want to learn more about the hijab and try on new styles, and meet new people.”
The tabling took place the day before Ramadan this year, the 9th month in the lunar calendar in Islam and one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. As a time of deep spiritual significance, the tabling helped attendees like Amjed feel like they could commit to furthering their goals during and after Ramadan.
“I really liked how [the hijab] looked, and it just made me feel so happy, like I had some type of glow,” Amjed said. “My biggest fear is always, ‘Oh, what are people going to think?’ but trying it on, it just felt natural…I didn’t really have that fear anymore.”
In a photo recap of the event posted on the MSA’s Instagram, Muslim and non-Muslim women who stopped by the tabling could be seen trying on hijabs and smiling with the photo-op frames.
“Thank you for taking part in such a beautiful event. Our table was filled with inter-religious dialogue, sisterhood and love for a purpose greater than ourselves,” the MSA said in their caption on the post. “We thank you all for your immense support while we exhibited such an intimate, powerful and beautiful portrayal of Islam.”
