Student Takes Mystery Out of Wearing Hijab

Like many teenagers, Naomi Mustafiz occasionally gets some questioning looks about her choice of clothing. But in the Valley View High School senior’s case, it’s not because her clothing is too revealing or inappropriate – in fact, just the opposite. Naomi wears a hijab, which entirely covers her hair and neck, and in a feature in the November/December edition of Scholastic’s Choices magazine, she explains why, removing any mystery from the Muslim practice. In a story entitled, “I Wear a Hijab. So What?” Naomi writes about her decision to wear the hijab and the effect it had initially even on old friends who didn’t understand its significance as a symbol of modesty. “When it was time to take my annual school ID photo heading into my sophomore year,” she explains in the story, “I decided I was ready. I wanted to begin wearing a hijab to feel closer to my religion, Islam.” Her decision sparked questions, and Naomi decided it was an opportunity to clear up some misperceptions of Islam and her religious culture. “My brother created a Muslim Student Association (MSA) at my school in the fall of 2013,” Naomi writes. “The next year, I became president. The organization aims to teach the public more about Islam. You don’t have to be Muslim to join – in fact, most members at my school aren’t.” She tells about an awareness-raising activity in which non-Muslim girls were invited to experience wearing a hijab for a day. The Muslim Student Association provided 50 scarves. “I wasn’t sure how many students would participate,” she said, “but so many girls came by that we ran out of scarves!”