Judge me by whats in my head not whats on my head

BY: Crystal Tudor 

"Judge me by whats in my head not whats on my head"

When I came across this beautiful drawing I was in complete awe. The reason why is because this painting represents more then just an amazing artistic creation, it is also a representation of what is understood and what is misunderstood. What is understood is that the women in this picture is wearing what is known as a Hijab. What is misunderstood is what a Hijab represents. 

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a Hijab is "the traditional covering for the hair and neck that is worn by Muslim women." That is what is understood, what is not understood is what a Hijab represents to the millions of muslim women that wear one. 

I am sure that the women who wear a Hijab don't just view it as a "traditional covering for the hair and neck that is worn by Muslim women." 

The picture on the left is of one of my dearest friends, when I asked what her Hijab signifies for her she responded by saying the following:

"To me, being able to wear a Hijab is more than covering my hair and my body. Literally, Hijab means a screen or curtain. A Hijab allows me to screen myself from the mundane, the insanity of the world, and preserve my beauty, it defines me as a  Muslim, a woman and a future mother. Hijab is my choice, my right and my honor. I think it's a shame that some women aren't allowed to wear it or feel that it makes them look ugly. I wear a Hijab proudly and it is who I am!"

I also asked my friend to discuss some of the negative reactions she faces when wearing a Hijab. She stated that "As a revert to Islam, I choose to wear a Hijab even when there is pressure not to do so. My parents are of the greatest majority who think that Islam is a bad and violent religion and I wish they would take the time to learn about the beauty and riches of it. They go against everything that has to do with Islam even when they don't know anything about it. I pray everyday to be able to enlighten them on it. Hijab is the best decision I've ever taken and I would not have it any other way."

I hear a lot of negative opinions about Muslim people in general. One negative opinion I hear repeatedly would be that people of the Muslim faith are "Terrorists." Ever since the tragic events that occurred on 9/11, anyone who is of Muslim faith or wears a Hijab is seen as a threat. It's this type of ignorance and misunderstanding that is causing an unknown fear amongst people. 

A Hijab is a representation of a Muslim women's faith, why should it be seen as source of terror? Like the quote states "If a woman is free to show her body, why should she not be free to cover it?" I believe that everyone should be allowed to express their religion, which is the right given to them by the First Amendment and not be criticized or judged for it.