The following inspiring story is written by Maryam Amir
lthough most of my family members converted to Islam and I was raised in the faith, I really didn't want to be Muslim as a young person. I doubted whether it was for me, questioned God and I especially was not into the concept of hijab.
When I was in high school, my family and I went on a holy pilgrimage to Mecca. For the first time, I felt my heart come alive and I knew it had been touched by God. I began reading the English translation of the Qur'an and the more I read it, the more I fell in love with Islam. The Qur'an taught me about social justice; it inspired me to speak against racism, it empowered me to stand up against sexism.
The Qur'an and the story of the Prophet Muhammad's life (peace be upon him) transformed me as a woman. I had never felt so powerful, so assured, so ready to be an agent of positive change, than I did because of Islam's teachings. Islam inspired me to focus my life's education and scholarly work on women's rights.
I'm enthusiastic, energetic, passionate and assertive. I have a second degree black belt in tae kwon doe and a master's from UCLA in social justice education. I've memorized the Qur'an and speak four languages. I've scored three pointers in intense basketball games and gone running, surfing, biking and dune buggying not only with my head covered, but always wearing long, modest dresses. I am not an anomaly; Muslim women who wear hijab all around the world have incredible background and skills. You think hijab is a sign of being brainwashed? All our uniqueness takes hecka bossness, by God's mercy!
I chose this. And I LOVE this. And so do millions of women around the world. From neurosurgeons to women who have never gone to school, wearing hijab is a choice many share.
Next time you want to claim we're mentally enslaved, consider: Does speaking on behalf of women you don't understand make you a proponent of women's rights? Or does it demonstrate colonial ignorance? Perhaps the one claiming others are brainwashed is the one demonstrating exactly that.
Islam taught me to love myself as a woman, and it taught me to appreciate, value and respect women of all or no faith traditions, covered completely or not at all, simply because God honored us by creating us female. Islam innately honors our gender; we are blessed because we're women.
Isn't that the type of message we want for our daughters? Be who you are- LOVE who you are- because God honored you with being female. Hijab is an act of thanking God for that blessing. #rossignoldemission #frenchwomenchoosethistoo #womensrightsministershouldstandforALLwomen