I am not going to lament on women’s right. (So you need not rise up your slogan on “Give us Rights”) just some simple thoughts to release. Yesterday I was having a conversation with one of my guy friend and amidst our conversation, He mentioned about a new staff in his office, a Muslim gal in her mid twenties adorning Hijab (Scarf). I was curious to know more about this gal, who is from

India

, when this good friend of mine just shut me off the topic by saying “I don’t think she is a modern gal! Right then I had this sudden urge to defend this gal (whom I’ve no idea who she is) and I popped him this Question, How would you define Modernity? Does being modern means creating the impression with the clothes that clings on to your body. If a Muslimah dons a garb in public, can we presume that she is a typical know-nothing, a great fundamentalist who is only consumed in the world of her religion and if she does so she is not modern. It is time to wake-up to the calls of Modern Muslimah.

Modern: Belonging to the present;Recent;not old or ancient. The exact definition to the word modern, but the meaning is manipulated by some people in terms of the stereotype that they cultivated due to lack of knowledge into the real world. I myself have been arrowed down with few Question which awe-struck some people with the replies I gave them and they went like (Woah, You actually do so, we thought you not into all these) and why so, just because I don Hijab! There is one particular incident which I would like to mention here, there was once when I went for an interview at a production house, I guess over the

conversation we had over the phone they might have presumed that I might walk in door throwing my highlighted strands of hair over my shoulders, adjusting my knee length skirt and straightening out the crisp of my white top (ok I know I exaggerated on the description partJ), but guess, what I presented of myself with Hijab might have made them go like: Oh gosh, I don’t think she is right for the job! But nevertheless I did walk in, dashing all hopes of the image that they might have embedded in their mind. They were “Humble” enough to just ask me to fill up the application form and pop me a few (Nothing to do with the job) Questions and ended up by saying that they need someone who is more outgoing and I muttered under my breath that perhaps they need to hire a social escort not a producer…hmmm (ok, I was angry then).First impression counts nevertheless but unearth more information and perhaps later the you could state all “Labels” that you wana…

I have to go for my class observation now for the lower primary but would leave with this few sentences to sum up my reflection for the day: Hijab is an identity that a Muslimah carries, but not something which veils her thoughts, ideology or her views on modern times. Last but none the least: A woman in Hijab sends a message, “Deal with my brain, not my body!”