Date: 2021-03-27

The current controversy over Muslim girls using the hijab in some secondary schools in Ilorin metropolis is an unfortunate development and a mischievous attempt to impinge on the rights of Muslim girls who are desirous of following the injunctions of their Lord.

It is an unfortunate development especially at this time when all of humanity should be advocating tolerance and promoting peaceful co-existence. It would be akin to belabouring points that have been made as to the public status and ownership of the 10 secondary schools in question if we went on to re-engage these points. However, what is germane is that these schools are former mission schools and they were not the only ones acquired by the government. Muslim schools were also taken over in a policy that is almost 50 years old. While the actions of those against the desire of Muslim girls to be modest is indeed abhorrent, we, Pious Muslim Women International Organisation, wish to make it clear that as Muslims we are committed to entrenching peace everywhere. We are also equally committed to following the injunctions of Allah on modesty, including in dressing, which ought to be collectively promoted instead of villified or seen as an action to "take over" public institutions.

Modesty is entrenched in the philosophy of many religions. Covering the head and the bosom with the hijab predates Islam and women in many other religions have at various times in history and in different parts of the world covered their heads and bosoms. In the Holy Quran Chapter 33 verse 59, Allah says: "O Prophet, say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that they let down upon them their overgarments this will be more proper that they may be known as believing women and thus, they will not be annoyed or harassed, and Allah is forgiving, most merciful!" Why a group of people would see the desire by another group to be modest and then conceive it as a ploy to take over public institutions is undeniably mischievous and calculated to undermine the rights of Muslims in public spaces. This is capable of stirring discord in an otherwise harmonious state.

We wish to state unequivocally that our girls who are desirous of wearing the hijab should not be denied their inalienable right to practice their religion in a non-aggressive, non-hostile environment.

The claim that the hijab will single-out non-Muslims in an attack is both ridiculous and hilarious. We must ask these propagandists whether the students attacked in other States were singled out for their faiths. Indeed, should preventing Muslims girls from wearing the Hijab be a solution to the insecurity we all face? The insecurity concerns and affects all of us and while we urge governments to be more proactive, it would be counter-productive to allow internal wranglings over God-given and constitutional rights to push our dear state to a dangerous precipice.

Too long have Muslims and non Muslims co-existed peacefully in Kwara State for us to allow a few elements to plant seeds of discord among us. When our girls don the hijab, they are expressing their surrender to Allah's will and in no way does this infringe on the rights of any person or groups. To this end, we advocate for rational actions on this case.

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu

Hamdallat Yusuf

Founder: Pious Muslim Women International Organisation