Meanings of Hijab from the Wearers’ Perspective

Abstract

The most visible and controversial element of Islamic practice in the twenty-first century is the practice of modesty or covering, known as hijab. Many Muslim women treat hijab as a multi-purposed, agentic, and often political statement. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the meanings that the wearers around the world associate with hijab through the lens of Consumer Culture Theory (CCT). To find the actual experiences of women who wear hijab, the researchers decided to investigate Facebook pages related to hijab culture using digital ethnography or netnography. The women in the sample felt that the hijab built an identity for themselves as a Muslim. The dominant views of Western cultures regarding hijab as being oppressive, restrictive, and limiting freedom of the women were contrasted by the wearers considering hijab as non-constraining and non-oppressing rather it gives them a sense of safety and modesty.