Nigerian Muslim Communities celebrate world hijab day
Lagos State Muslim Communities have come together to celebrate 2020 World Hijab Day.
This year’s celebration, which was held today at Ojota area in Lagos State, recorded impressive participation from sisters and brethren across the Muslim communities in the state.
Prominent communities that participated in the celebration were: The Muslim Congress (TMC), Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, (MSSN) Al-Muminat, Ansar-u-Deen, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) and Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria.
It is clearly stated in the holy Qur’an and the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) that hijab is a symbol of sartorial modesty for all mature female Muslims.
This annual celebration is aimed at protecting the rights of Muslim women and sensitising Muslims and non Muslims to the importance of wearing hijab.
At this year’s celebration, members of the Muslim communities, including prominent Muslim scholars, walked in procession from Ojota to Maryland in Lagos State.
Participants, who expressed their delight over the celebration, leveraged this opportunity to speak on the essence of hijab in Islam.
Speaking at this year’s celebration, NASFAT National Women’s Affairs Secretary, Alhaja Suwebatu Kupolati, expressed gratitude to Allah for the grace to be part of the celebration.
She said the essence of the celebration was to promote unity among Muslims.
“This celebration is to promote unity in diversity. As you can see that Muslims all over places have gathered here to celebrate with one another,” she noted.
“Another thing I will like to add is that hijab is beyond fashion. It is a divine prescription for all female Muslims. We should not only wear it. It should reflect in our character,” she advised.
National Publicity Secretary, NASFAT, stated that the coming together of all Muslim communities for the celebration authenticates the unity in Islam.
“Unity in Islam and among Muslims is irremovable. It is evident that we are all one. As you can see. Members of various Islamic groups are part of this celebration,” he said.
“Any where you find yourself. Islam is practised the same way all the word. And today’s celebration is to corroborate Allah’s directive to all Muslim women to cover every sensitive part of their body,” he added.
According the Director, Muslim Rights Concern and Human Rights Activist, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the celebration signifies the liberty of the Muslim woman.
“The Muslim woman feels freer when when she is in hijab. Without hijab, she feels she is in nudity,” he said.
“This is a manifestation of the will of the Muslim communities in Nigeria, especially those in Lagos State. And we have organised this to ensure that the Muslim woman uses hijab without being stigmatized, oppressed, molested and persecuted.
“The Muslim woman believes that she is a creature of Allah. She was created with dignity. And her dignity is her hijab, which she must defend,” he added.
In her comment, NASFAT Lagos Zone 1 Women’s Affairs Secretary, Alhaja Sidikat Otunbade noted that it was mainly a celebration of all Muslimas across the world.
“Today we are celebrating the dignity and modesty of women in Islam. We are celebrating a muslima who is proud of herself.
“Today, we are telling the world that hijab is our pride. We are telling the world that using hijab is our submission to the will of Allah, our creator,” she noted.
She added that using the hijab has benefitted the Muslimas in a number of ways.
