Hijab Was Never the Oppression — Your Gaze Was

They say hijab is oppression. That it silences women. That it hides them, controls them, suffocates their freedom. But what they never ask is: Whose standards are you measuring her freedom by?

This article isn’t just about cloth. It’s about the gaze that tries to define a woman’s worth. The world never feared the veil — it feared what the veil refused to reveal.

I. When Modesty Threatens Control

In a society that profits off skin, silence, and sexualisation — modesty is rebellion.

Hijab says:

• • “You don’t get to define me.”

• • “My worth is not in your eyes.”

• • “Your desire has no power here.”

This is not submission to men. It is submission to Allah — a higher loyalty that shakes the very foundation of a gaze-based world.

And that’s why it scares them.

II. You Called It Oppression — But You Never Asked Her Why

No one calls a nun oppressed. No one tells an Orthodox Jewish woman to “free her hair.” But when a Muslim woman chooses hijab — the West frames it as forced.

Why? Because her choice doesn’t affirm your worldview. Because she refuses to perform for your gaze. Because she’s not trying to fit into your system — she’s answering to something greater.

The real question isn’t why she covers. It’s why you can’t stop staring.

III. A Gaze That Harms

Hijab never harmed anyone. But the gaze has:

• • Built billion-dollar industries on the backs of women’s bodies

• • Fueled eating disorders, shame, and insecurity

• • Justified harassment, control, and exploitation

Yet somehow, the veil is the problem?

The world that tells Muslim women to “take it off” is the same one that punishes them for saying “no.”

Hijab protects her from that gaze. And that’s why it’s attacked.

IV. The Power They Don’t Understand

A woman in hijab is not hidden. She is guarded. Not silenced — but dignified. Not erased — but elevated.

She walks into the world wrapped in honour, not objectified for display. She declares:

“My body is not your battleground. My obedience is not to you.”

And that is the kind of power that no empire, brand, or ideology can monetize — or control.

Conclusion

Hijab was never the oppression. It was the refusal to be reduced.

The real oppression was the gaze that demanded she bare herself to be valid. To be seen to be respected. To be desirable to be accepted.

And she said: No.

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty… that is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is aware of what they do.” — Qur’an 24:31

We don’t run ads. We run on dua, dedication, and your support. Help us stay online

Click here to Donate