For Muslim women who want to stop wearing the hijab, it’s a difficult and emotional decision. Meet some who have succeeded.
The sight of British Muslim women wearing the hijab, or headscarf, is ever more common. It is a phenomenon as little understood as it is contentious: almost every week there are stories on the rise of the hijab, from the release last week of hijabi Barbie to surveys in the autumn showing that a fifth of English primary schools have the hijab in their official uniform policy and half of Muslim state schools enforce the hijab for girls.
But what of the other direction? A woman taking up the hijab receives status within the Muslim community; she is also admired for facing any opprobrium from non-Muslims. The hijab is a symbol of cultural and religious pride. Deciding to take it off can alarm parents, worry husbands and disappoint communities. [The Times (£)] Read more
