This event originated in New York and was initially organized on Facebook, has grown into a global phenomenon.

The hijab is a head and chest veil worn by Muslim women, usually when they are around males not part of their close family.

Nazma Khan declared the first World Hijab Day. Khan is a Muslim woman from New York City. By allowing all women to try wearing the hijab for a day, she hoped to promote religious understanding and tolerance. When Khan was a child in New York City, she faced a lot of prejudice because she wore her headscarf to school, particularly after the 9/11 attacks. She hoped that by establishing this day, she would be able to put an end to this form of discrimination. World Hijab Day is currently celebrated in 190 countries across the world.

In 2017

New York State declared World Hijab Day, and Theresa May attended an event commemorating the occasion at the House of Commons.

the Philippines’ House of Representatives designated February 1 as National Hijab Day to foster better understanding and acceptance of the Islamic tradition.

This year, teachers worldwide were urged to stand in solidarity with Fatemeh Anvari, a Canadian Muslim teacher who in December was removed from her classroom for wearing a hijab, Thousands of women around the world, of all religions and backgrounds, marked the 10th annual World Hijab Day on Tuesday by posting selfies on social media with the hashtag #DressedNotOppressed.

This year, organizers of the event are calling on teachers around the world to stand in unity and solidarity with Fatemeh Anvari, a Canadian Muslim teacher who in December was removed from her classroom in a school in Quebec because she wears a hijab. Under a law passed in 2019, civil servants in “positions of authority” in the province are barred from wearing visible religious symbols at work “Canada appears to only be doing (this) in Quebec, where they have close ties with France

support for the event and the “Teachers For Fatemeh” campaign from non-Muslims has grown this year. “When people see the possibilities of what their Muslim friends go through, they jump into action,” they said. “Muslims must also be willing to properly educate their non-Muslim friends and family, as part of the events marking the day, a global virtual conference was held at which speakers and other participants discussed issues surrounding “hijabophobia,” and offered perspectives on the issue related to youth, the workplace and everyday life.

Question

World Hijab Day is celebrated on 1 February every year. What do the scholars say about that? What is your view concerning this issue? Is this regarded as coming under the heading of innovation (bid ‘ah)?

designating a particular day in the year, that is repeated every year and is called World Hijab Day, that is not permissible, for the following reasons:

The scholars of the Standing Committee said, in Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah – vol. 1 (3/88): Eid is a word that refers to something that is repeated, of gatherings in a customary manner, either once a year, once a month, or once a week, and the like. So the word eid refers to several things, such as a special day that is repeated, such as the day of Eid al-Fitr or the day of Jumu‘ah (Friday); the gatherings held on those days; or the activities that are done on those days, both acts of worship and customs and traditions. End quote.

The celebrations that happen on this day involve entertainment, exuberance and foolishness that are contrary to the purpose behind the prescription of the hijab, and indeed all other prescribed rulings. That is because when it comes to the rulings prescribed by Allah, may He be glorified, people should hasten to do them and adhere to them in a spirit of humility, submission, seeking reward from Allah and aiming thereby to draw close to Allah, may He be glorified, hoping for His reward and fearing His wrath and punishment. As for women gathering on the so-called World Hijab Day, in an atmosphere of fun, playing, celebrating and exuberance, inviting women of all religions, nationalities and races to put on the hijab for a single day so they can take pictures and publish these pictures as a kind of advertisement, then take off the hijab after that – all of that is a kind of toying with the commands of Allah, because hijab is an act of worship in which it is essential to have the correct intention, seeking reward with Allah and persisting in it.

Based on that, celebrating so-called World Hijab Day is not permissible, even if the intention of the people behind it is good and sincere. However sincere intention alone is not sufficient; rather it is essential that the methods used should be in accordance with Islamic teachings, and not involve anything that is contrary to the command of Allah, may He be glorified.

However, if a group of Muslims, men or women, gather in a certain place at a certain time in order to promote the obligation of hijab and inform people about it, then this is a good thing and comes under the promotion of what is right and good, that Allah, may He be glorified, has enjoined upon us. But when doing that, it is essential to adhere to the following guidelines:

· they should not imitate the disbelievers and their customary practices in celebrating such things

· they should not allocate a specific day that is repeated every year, because this is a kind of innovation, as explained above

· they should call women to adhere to correct Islamic hijab, fulfilling all the criteria and conditions that have been explained by the scholars, as discussed in the fatwa referred to above

· they should inform women that hijab is a well-established obligation and an important act of worship, in which believing women worship Allah, so they should hasten to do it and persist in it. As for calling women to put on hijab for one or two days, and the like, that is not permissible.

https://nationaltoday.com/world-hijab-day/

https://worldhijabday.com/

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2016626/world

https://islamqa.info/en/answers/217241/ruling-on-celebrating-world-hijab-day