Hijab in Kashmir: Way of life or fashion statement?

Although Hijab is presented as a sign of oppression toward Muslim women, Kashmir’s female populace is breaking the stereotype and misconceptions related to it.

Top politicians including Mehbooba Mufti and Asiya Andrabi, Shehnaz Ganai and Sakina Itoo are all doing the Hijab, and so are thousands of modern young Kashmiri girls attending schools, colleges and university.

Kashmir’s most influential female politicians and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti, who spots an Abbaya, says wearing it is her personal choice.

“I started wearing an Abbaya while canvassing for the Legislative Assembly elections in 1996,” Mehbooba told.

The PDP President said when she went for performing the holy Hajj pilgrimage in 1995, she got two Abbayas from Saudi Arabia to gift them to her mother and cousin.

“While canvassing during the election campaign for the 1996 Legislative Assembly polls, I would often feel conscious about my clothes,” Mehbooba said. “One fine day, the idea of wearing an Abbaya stuck me and I got hold of the Abbaya I had got for my mother.”

The “chief minister-in-waiting” said she felt so comfortable in that she has never felt to do away with this attire.

Presently she has four to five fresh Abbayas.

“I don’t have any fashion designer but I get them stitched by a tailor in Delhi,” she said.

Mehbooba is often seen spotting the green coloured Abbayas, which is also the colour of her party flag.

However, she says that has nothing to do with her colour of her Abbayas.

“I love greens, and blues too for my clothes, but I have more green Abbayas as blue Abbayas, in my opinion, does not look so good,” she said.

When PDP was in the government in their previous tenure, and New Delhi and Islamabad agreed to the opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarbad road, Mehbooba waved a green handkerchief to the crowd at a public gathering mocking at National Conference, whose leader Mirza Afzal Baig, a close aide of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, had a penchant for waving a green handkerchief during public meetings for the Plebiscite Front to woo Kashmiris.

Whether wearing green Abbaya is the continuation of waving the green Abbays, Mehbooba said, “No my green Abbaya has nothing to do with it.”

Mehbooba’s friend and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), Anjum Fazilli says, “She wears an Abbaya as it is comfortable, modest yet fashionable.”

While doing Hijab is a matter of choice for Mehbooba, for Kashmir’s leading female separatist leader and Dukhtaran-e-Millat (Daughter of Faith) chief, Syeda Asiya Andrabi, it is not a matter of choice.

Andrabi, who wears a veil, says, as a Muslim woman, it’s obligatory for her to cover her head and body.

“Purdah is obligatory in Islam and it gives me my Muslim identity,” she said. “It also differentiates Muslims from non-Muslims.”

Andrabi said the main objective of Hijab was to cover the body and head with a decent dress.

“One can choose from different colours but I prefer to wear a black Burqa,” she says. “Black colour looks respectable and the Kiswa, the cloth that covers Kaaba is also black.”

In Islam, doing a Hijab is part of the decency and modesty in interaction between members of the opposite sex.

The verse 59 of the 33rd Surah of the holy Quran, Al-Ahzab, says, ‘O Prophet! Tell to your wives, and daughters and Muslim women, that they should keep putting a part of their wrapping covers over their faces. This is nearer than this that if they are recognized, they should not be annoyed. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

Talking to us, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said Hijab is a must for Muslims and no one can deny it.

“There is importance of Hijab in Sharia,” he said. “The holy Quran directs both Muslim men and women to dress modestly.”

Member of Legislative Council (MLC), Shehnaz Ganai, known for being fashionable and trendy, started doing Hijab after performing Hajj last year.

“I performed the holy Hajj pilgrimage last year and I started covering my head completely afterward,” she said.

Shehnaz said she initially used to cover her head wearing a dupatta only but now does the complete Hijab.

 “I am trying my best to cover my head and am satisfied because it is my faith as a Muslim woman,” she said. “Hijab is beautiful and it’s a Muslim women’s duty and no one should mind it.”

However, Shehnaz said she wears whatever makes her feel good and comfortable.

“There is nothing wrong if someone wants to add fashion to Hijab as long as it’s decent and complies with religious laws,” she said.

Former Social Welfare Minister, Sakina Itoo, also does the Hijab but only wears a scarf.

“I cover my head as it is mandatory in Islam,” Sakina said. “I choose to wear a headscarf as I feel comfortable in it.”

She said doing a Hijab gives the Muslim woman their Muslim identity.

With more and more Kashmiri women and girls doing the Hijab, Hijab shops in Kashmir are witnessing good sales.

Atiya Rizwi, the owner of ‘Mahjooba Abaya’ store located in Srinagar downtown, said, “Many girls and women in Kashmir are wearing Abbayas, which is somehow a positive change.”

Atiya and her sister Nafsia, who were raised in Iran, started the store after returning to Kashmir.

They design this Islamic wear themselves.

“Nafsia did a course in fashion designing from Iran,” Atiya said. “We have Abbayas for all seasons and the prices start from Rs 2500.”

Besides Abbayas, the store also witnesses a good rush of customers for head scarves and stoles.

The different coloured Hijab under scarf caps are also attracting Kashmir women.

“I always wear a cap underneath my scarf as it prevents hair from getting messed up,” said Nadia, a student. “I love the colour coordination that compliments the whole outfit rather than just the Hijab.”

There is so much demand for the Abbayas that the customers feel Islamic boutiques and stores in the Valley are not proportionate given the State’s Muslim population.

A bride-to-be, Sana Amin said, “I’ve to shop for my wedding scheduled for April next year and I want some bridal Abbayas for my trousseau but am forced to shop outside Kashmir as we have very few boutiques in the Valley.” haikasajad@gmail.com