I’m standing inside the train, trying to stay steady as the vehicle swerves swiftly across the tracks. From the periphery, I notice the glances and stares from the mostly Caucasian passengers. No matter how many times I’ve been through this, I guess I’m still not used to it.

I’m still a newbie at this; at a stage where the wardrobe malfunctions have been reduced, but not quite at the stage where I’m used to the slight loss of peripheral vision when I drive.

I never thought I would take the word “unattractive” as a compliment. The concept of hijab has changed the way I view myself and the world around me.

My journey to hijab was a roller coaster ride, having a lot of ups and downs. When I was in college, it was “in fashion” or “cool” to wear hijab amongst girls my age. So I too would wrap a piece of cloth on my head without knowing the true purpose of that “piece of cloth.”

Why is the topic of hijab a different story then? Is hijab not a fard (obligation) like praying and fasting? Why do we consider speaking the truth of how Allah (swt) asked us to dress a form of negative judgment and make assumptions about the intention of the person behind the advice?