Can’t speak for all the veiled ladies out there but I sure can and will speak for myself.
There’s something about how this relatively new term is used, and by whom. It’s interesting, I must say, when a Muslim or Arab refers to veiled women as Hijabi, and the good looking “Hijabi” as Hijabi chicks!!. Especially that those terms are almost always used in cynical, offensive or bad scenarios in which some veiled women are criticized for supposedly doing something wrong. I wonder why. I mean I don’t refer to low-life guys who happen to be wearing dishdasha as Dishdasha boys for example. And if I do, I think that would be discriminative and down right hateful, don’t you agree?
This is not to deny that hijab is part of my life-style as a Muslim of course.
Don’t use the veil as a new way to classify people and assign them some insulting, and most importantly untrue attributes. It’s stupid if you do. Not to mention that it exposes who you truly are: a backward, bigoted, judgmental ass-hole.
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But, not all people use it in a negative way. And not everyone knows that you don’t like to be called that way. Now I know, I know I would never use that term anymore to address you or anyone else. But I never thought it’s ment to be a negative term
Interesting viewpoint but I’m going to have to disagree here. I’m one of those people that uses the term “hijabi”, alot of my friends do as well and I’ve been a hijabi for 9 years. It’s been my experience that the term is used more by girls that wear hijab and when used by others it’s never with any negative connotation and definately not in any judgemental manner. Simply put: it’s just a very convenient term!
I’m american born and raised and alot of my close Muslim friends are actually not arab so when we communicate we don’t say “mit7ajba” because that’s arabic, and it’s too complicated to always say “girls that wear hijab” or “the girl wearing hijab” so to simplify we say “hijabi”. That’s basically what the term is to us!
i never knew it is offensive..i know it is used alot by people who wear hijjab on the muslim board i read…
There is no negative connotation associated with the term ‘Hijabi.’ I don’t believe it’s meant to offend anyone. Maybe it’s a term that some don’t like just like some don’t like the term ‘dude.’ anyway…like asoom mentions, it’s commonly used to refer to a woman who wears Hijab as Hijabi. I found an official meaning for it on the web
Hijabi - a woman who wears a hijab when in public. Similar term: niqabi, referring to a woman who habitually wears a face veil. In Arabic, muhajabah and munaqabah, respectively.
Hijab - general term for the headcovering worn by Muslim women. The term is often used to refer to the square or triangular type scarf that is pinned beneath the chin, but the word can also refer more generally to any type of headcover. Called a “jilbab” in much of Southeast Asia (despite the more common usage of the word “jilbab” as defined below). From the Arabic for “curtain.”
hijabi, hijabek.. kollo wa7ad
Zain, hijabi… a wonderful life
hmm , i never knew some ppl are actully offended by this word , i use it ALOT , but i guess i’ll have to start cutting down and only use it when i have to
It’s not easy to explain why I want people to stop calling veiled women “Hijabi”. But I’m gonna try anyway…
Wearing the veil is a personal choice to practice an Islamic teaching. And even though some Muslims don’t think wearing the veil is an obligation , and some don’t think it’s Islamic to start with; women wearing the veil is not a new thing to Arabic and Muslim societies, as a matter of fact, the veil existed before Islam exists; whereas the term “hijabi” is brand new.
What I’m objecting to is the following: 1) young Arabs and even Muslims are using it to label a certain group of the society and associate the veil with certain characteristics, in other words, they’re abusing the new term, which was originally made by non-Muslims. Most likely in the west. 2) (and most important) is that we don’t need to further divide the society. giving women who wear the veil a name alienates them, as if “hijabi” women and Muslim women are totally different.
Iman, according to the Web definition you copied, we’re not Muslims! which is exactly what I just said above, “hijabi” women are Muslim women, hijab is not a new religion or an extremist religious group’s symbol. If I’m a westerner and I read about “hijabi” women, I’d think they’re a bunch of extremists, who very possibly have their own religious stream.
I mean what’s next? “masjid” guys and “Quraani” people?
Shaden,
I think I understand your frustration … but
A Hijabi may be considered a slang word, or a relatively newly introduced word, however -again and again - it is not meant to be fanatical, offend or degrade. Westerns (at least those I deal with) are familiar with the term and its use.
According to the definition I copied, a Hijabi is a woman who wears a Hijab in public and since we all agree that Hijab is the headscarf worn by Muslim women, then a Hijabi is most likely going to be a Muslim woman! (if this than that type of logic).
The veil, whether we like to admit it or not, IS associated with certain characteristics. I have plenty to say about that…and will be doing so soon.
Hey Hijabi, kaifek ?
I don’t see a problem with it, when someone calls a mohajabeh a mohajabeh or a hijabi it’s the same like referring to the blonde haired one as a blond or the redhead as a redhead, tanned one as samra, fair one as shagra…etc. Refering to people by describing their appearance is nothing new.
If a blond is not happy with being called a blond because of the associations with the name she dyes her hair. You are a hijabi, if you don’t like that take off your hijab and you will be a boring brunette, dye your hair blond and you are a Blondie, shave it all off and you’re a skin head.
Shaden, I’m a western muslim and I personally don’t think I ever heard a non muslim use the term “hijabi,” it’s just a term we use out of convenience, that’s it! In my community (and others I’ve visited) ‘hijabi’ is just the western term for ‘mit7ajba’ which is arabic.
I never saw it as a term of alienation or one that draws negative connotation anymore than the term “mit7ajba” does, and this is really the first time I ever heard of someone having a problem with that word for those reasons.
I think what Shaden means to say is that when the term ‘Hijabi’ is used- certain things immediately jump to mind. I’m a hijabi myself and I use that term very liberally and don’t mind people calling me that. But I have noticed, in conversation, that some people use the term when it is irrelevant as a detail, only to hint at an underlying message without really saying out loud. For example, ‘There’s this girl, a hijabi, who’s like totally sucking up to the boss like you won’t believe it…etc.’
The fact that she’s a hijabi is totally irrelevant to the conversation but some people use it to insinuate something without actually verbalizing it..I’ve heard it so many times and it makes me angry when people use it in that context, and I usually find myself asking the person outright, “so what’s her being a hijabi got to do with it?”…it’s always interesting how people respond to that…
Maha, I’m alright! inti keefik ya samra?
Can you imagine the following scenario please:
a group of Christian girls who happen to wear a cross did something bad. Some guy tells the story: “those cross girls (or even worse, he says crusaders)always throw their cigarette butts on the floor. They’re shameless”.
I want you guys to know that one year ago, I had no problem with using that term, but my personal experience tells me that people are using it to discriminate against veiled women in their subtle or not so subtle ways. I’m not saying that Maha or Iman mean anything bad when they use it, I KNOW they don’t. But I think since some people do, and since it’s a new western term that I’m sure we could do without, then why continue to use it?
Alia, thanks for your comment. This was a point I was trying to make but most probably failed to
Here’s how the scenario actually happens
a group of girls, laughing, smoking, wearing sleevless shirts (one girl is wearing a cross so the whole group is considered christian)
comment: eeh shof shof ah mahomeh labseen solban ya3nny nasara ..3alam mshal6a..el 7amdillah 3ala ni3met el islam wil hijab
If it is not one thing it’s another, people will find a reason to box you with hundreds of others who have nothing in common with you but one visible thing. it makes it easy for them they can build all the prejudices based on one thing and claim to know you.
Maha, you got that one right sister
I don’t understand it. Why is it wrong to call a girl that wears the Hijab, Hijabi? I mean you wear the Hijab to make an announcement, right (besides that you want to be modest and practice your faith). The announcement that you make as a person who wears the Hijab, is that you may not talk to men, you may not be invited for a drink and that you won’t attend a mixed party let’s say. I’m not saying that non-Hijabi women are party animals, but I’m saying that you’re trying to declare that you adopt a certain lifestyle that could be very different from that of a girl that doesn’t wear the Hijab.
If you adopt that lifestyle, wear the Hijab, why would you be mad to be referred to as a Hijabi?
As for negative connotations, do you mean that you are afraid that the term Hijabi is being used as a symbol of backwardness? It really depends on the person using it.
I do not really like any form of religious symbols to be honest, my mother is a Hijabi as well, and I really wished that she wasn’t. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t respect Hijabi women, I respect them all, and I never interfere to ask them why do they wear the Hijab. It’s their personal choice and preference.
And by the way, have you ever heard of the term “Kassiyyatoun 3areyyat”? Well, Sheikhs use that term, I think it is to describe women that are practically Hijabi, but are sort of more revealing as if they were naked. I think that is an obviously negative connotation, because it basically attacks any woman who doesn’t wear the Jilbab. That’s what I really find insulting, because it’s as if he describes all women as mere sexual objects, I find that insulting.