Quora Answer: What Do You Think about the Hijab?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “What do you think about the hijab?” 

The hijab is a fashion statement that has been sacralised into a religious obligation.  I do not believe in it as a religious obligation outside ritual prayer, swalah.  It is not Mentioned in the Qur’an as ahead covering. There are various jurisprudential positions about the obligation to don it, but these should be treated as fatawa, legal opinions, and not as ahkam, rulings.  Fatawa are non-binding.  A Muslim woman has the right to wear it, or not. There should be no compulsion for her to wear it, or to take it off.  This is a form of oppression. 

In Singapore, within the context of uniforms, I do not believe the Muslim community has the right to demand that their women be allowed to wear it, regardless.  We are a secular state, and religious expressions should be discreet, and relegated to the private sphere.  I do not approve of any form of creeping religiosity.