Azra Gadallah said wearing the hijab-the traditional Muslim female head cloth-is not just a covering; it is a lifestyle.
Gadallah, a pre-dental student, and two other panelists spoke to a small gathering in the Union on Tuesday afternoon to address misconceptions and stereotypes that could have a negative impact on the reputation of Muslims as part of Islam Awareness Week.
Gadallah shared a personal anecdote of how she began to wear the hijab and how her life was changed since then.
"I started wearing the scarf three years ago," she said. "I began to notice a difference in myself and in the way people react around me."
She attributed many benefits to her following the Quran's commandment to wear the hijab.
She said sexual harassment and tension were solved and liberation from male scrutiny, as well as an elevation in self-confidence came from wearing it.
"Plus it prevents skin from burning in the summer," she joked. "And it helps you keep warm in winters."
Emine Hosoglu, who has a doctorate degree in Middle East Studies, expanded on this by telling the background of the hijab and al-zeenah-the way in which Muslims dress and cover themselves-and why different Muslim women dress in different ways.
Hosoglu emphasized that there are many different ways Muslims believe they should cover themselves and that all Muslims do not necessarily agree.
"There are four different schools of thought," she said. "Each one with their own interpretations."
She said that all schools derive their interpretations from the Quran and writings from the prophet Muhammad.
"The written rules are vague," she said. "For example, some scholars believe the palms of the hands should be covered, but others do not."
Hosoglu also said that the rules of covering are intended to aid and help Muslim women and are not oppressive. She also noted that there is no punishment indicated in the Quran for those who choose not to cover themselves.
But for both Gadallah and Hosoglu, wearing a hijab will continue to part of their lives.
"As long as I am satisfying me and Allah, I am fine wearing it," Gadallah said. "I love the identity this scarf provides."
The panel was the first event for the Muslim Student Association's awareness week, with a panel discussing Islam and democracy following it.
The awareness week will continue in the Union with Islamic Art Day on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and an interfaith dialogue on Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The student association's awareness week runs in line with Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam, during which Muslims fast during daylight hours and abstain from sex and alcohol.
j.layton@chronicle.utah.edu
