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| Fourth year Ryerson Student Aishah Nofal made the decision to start wearing the hijab last August. |
A hijab is a head scarf traditionally worn by Muslim women. It is not uncommon to see women wearing a hijab in Canada, however there are often misconceptions that they don’t wish to, or that they are forced to. It is a very personal decision and represents a change in lifestyle that is often celebrated by the women wearing it.
For Nofal, the decision to wear the hijab provoked other changes in her life. She began to dress more modestly, she quit smoking and has become more dedicated to her faith. Throughout the process there have been some challenges, but for the most part the out-pour of support from friends and family has been continuous, and has made the journey graceful.
Lina Rahman, one of the directors of Muslimfest and the director of People Management has witnessed many young women who decide to wear the hijab in the early years of adulthood. “I think more and more we are starting to see Muslim women starting to wear hijab when they are older because this is when they are beginning to understand the meaning behind this act,” she says. “With a strong understanding of why one is wearing hijab, it means more in a woman’s life.”
Naturally many people had questions for Nofal. Why the hijab? Why now? Nofal expressed the following on her blog: “Outwardly it may seem like these transformations happened overnight, when in reality I feel like it was much more gradual. It's hard for people to understand this because from the outside looking in,” says Nofal. “I went from tube tops and shorts to being covered from head to toe (literally) in a matter of weeks.”
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| Nofal finds the Ryerson community to be very supportive of her faith. |
Although the day she stepped out of her house wearing the hijab was a pivotal moment, Nofal describes the simple act of changing her Facebook profile photo to be even more liberating. “I was really revealing myself to most of the people I know,” she says. This shows how big of a role social media plays today. So many people had questions, and there was just so much to say about the experience. A friend suggested to Nofal that she start a blog. It would be an interesting thing to look back on, and this way she could share her story with the world. “Making all of these reflections public makes me feel like I'm less alone, and I know other people are going through the same things.” Nofal’s blog “Journey of a Muslimah” shares personal stories, interesting internet finds, quotes and more. One of her first blogs titled “Please Allow me to Re-Introduce Myself” begins by saying “Today I started wearing the hijab. Today was also one of the most emotional days of my life.” Nofal brings the reader for a walk in her shoes through the excitement and challenges of her decision.
With social media being so prominent in society today, we are able to share personal experiences with mass numbers of people. Although the process of deciding to wear a hijab is personal and sacred, Rahman believes blogging about it is a beneficial tool to help minimize ignorance. “ I think that social media has an important role in this process, especially when it comes to women wearing hijab,” she says. “It helps make the wider community understand that women in hijab choose to wear hijab, are not oppressed, and are the sister, daughters, mothers and friends they know.”
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| Nofal uses Facebook, Twitter and Blogger to share her experiences with the world. |
Nofal has left some of her old habits behind her. Although her lifestyle is different now, she has no regrets. Her past experiences including her mistakes have led her to grow into the person that she is. “I've never felt more comfortable and more confident in my own skin. It's amazing.”
Nofal’s use of social media has put a face to a religious tradition that may not always be understood by Western society. The internet is her medium of storytelling, and her stories put a face to an important aspect of a Muslim woman’s life.
“So keep your hopes high, your expectations low, and your minds open.
Sincerely,
A Muslimah”
