Hijab controversy has taken the whole country by storm. While some are applauding the decision to ban hijab in schools, others are protesting against it. But the question arises that is hijab compulsory in Islam? Well, the Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammad Khan, who is from the Muslim community has clearly told that it is not compulsory.
Yes, you heard that right. Arif Mohammad Khan has stated that “The hijab is not intrinsic to the practice of Islam.”
Hijab not essential in Islam
On the backdrop of a raging controversy over the hijab ban in some education institutions in Karnataka, Arif Mohammad Khan has made it clear that there’s no mention of hijab as women’s dress in Quran.
He also retaliated the argument that Sikhs are allowed to wear turbans while Muslim women are being banned from wearing hijabs. He said, “In Sikhism, the turban is considered and accepted as essential to the religion. On the other hand, hijab in the context of women’s dress finds no mention in the Quran.”
Read more: Hijab row successfully buried the case of Lavanya, Kishan Bharwad, and Rupesh Pandey
Further, he claimed that “vested interests” were provoking young Muslim women to tell them that it is their right to wear hijab. Governor Arif asserted that these “vested interests” aims at “pushing Muslim women back into the dark ages”.
Advising them, he stated, “Don’t be instigated by outsiders, focus on your studies.”
“Muslim women will suffer most, “says Gov Arif
Kerala Governor Arif is of the opinion that if the right to wear hijab is accepted, Muslim women will be “the losers”.
“They [protesting Muslim women] are being used by those who will do anything to divide society and embarrass the government. These people are following the legacy of the Muslim League. How long will be engaged in these useless non-issues?” added the governor.
He also responded to Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai who recently criticised the ban on hijab in educational institutes in Karnataka. He stated, “She may be misinformed. She doesn’t realise that if this argument is accepted, Muslim women will suffer most.”
Moving further, he also claimed that Islam harbours the mentality “to keep women suppressed”.
For those unversed, The Karnataka hijab row started from the state’s Udupi district. What started as a controversy over the ban on wearing hijab to classrooms soon took the shape of stone-pelting and lathi-charge incidents at Pre-University Colleges in Karnataka. All thanks to mainstream media and opposition parties.
Well, the protests have now spread to different parts of the nation and the matter is in the high court at present.