Haikuwa rahisi kwa Safaa Bokhari kutekeleza imani yake kama mwanamke Mwislamu nchini Marekani. Mama huyo anayeishi Oakland, Pennsylvania, alisema amekuwa akidhulumiwa kwa kuvaa hijabu.
Lakini Bokhari anatumai kwamba wakati utakapowadia kwa bintiye, Salma Bokhari, kuamua kuvaa au kutovaa skafu, itakuwa ulimwengu salama zaidi kwa wanawake wa Kiislamu.
Ndiyo maana mama huyo Muislamu mwenye umri wa miaka 30 anaungana na shirika la jumuiya huko Pittsburgh kuzindua Hello Hijab , hijabu ndogo ambayo inaweza kutumika kwa Barbies na vifaa vingine vya watoto.
MARANIE STAAB
Grace Fetterman (kushoto) na Salma Bokhari wakicheza pamoja na wanasesere.
Bokhari aliiambia The Huffington Post kwamba anatumai Hello Hijab itatumiwa na Waislamu na wasio Waislamu, ili watoto wazoea kuwaona wanawake waliovaa hijabu.
"Wazo la watoto na wasichana kucheza na hijabu na hijabu kuwa jambo la kawaida, nadhani litafanya mabadiliko katika siku zijazo," Bokhari alisema. "Haitakuwa shida kwa binti yangu, ikiwa anataka kuvaa hijab, haitachukuliwa kuwa kitu cha kushangaza."
Gisele Fetterman alishirikiana na Safaaa Bokhari, wote wakazi wa Pittsburgh, kutoa hijabu zilizotengenezwa kwa mikono kama vifaa vya wanasesere.
Bokhari na rafiki yake, Gisele Fetterman, wote wana mabinti wenye umri wa miaka 5 ambao wanapenda kucheza na wanasesere.
Fetterman alikuja na wazo la kuunda hijabu ya ukubwa wa mwanasesere ambayo watoto wanaweza kutumia wakati wa kucheza, na mapato kutoka kwa mauzo yakienda kwa mashirika ya misaada.
Bokhari alisema alikuwa kwenye bodi na mradi huo.
"Nilifurahi sana kwa sababu, unajua, huwezi kuwa mbunifu ikiwa unaogopa," aliiambia The Huffington Post.
Bokhari na Fetterman walipata mshonaji Mwislamu huko Pittsburgh ambaye angeweza kuunda skafu. Akina mama hao wawili walikuja na kadi ya elimu inayoeleza maana ya hijabu kwa wanawake wa Kiislamu wanaovaa --- na kwa nini ni muhimu kusherehekea utofauti.
Kuanzia Aprili 1, Hello Hijab itapatikana ili kuagiza kwa $6 kwenye tovuti For Good PGH . Hijabu zitakuja kwa rangi nyingi na mifumo. Baadhi zitatengenezwa kwa hijabu zilizotolewa na wanawake wa Kiislamu.
Kulingana na Fetterman, asilimia 100 ya mapato yatatolewa kwa mashirika kama vile Kituo cha Kiislamu cha Pittsburgh na Muungano wa Uhuru wa Kiraia wa Marekani.
Fetterman anatumai kuwa bidhaa hiyo itawafikia watoto wa asili nyingi. Ndoto yake ni kwa kila shule na kituo cha watoto ambacho kina wanasesere kuwa na mdoli mmoja anayefanana na mwanamke wa Kiislamu.
"Nataka wasichana wadogo wawaone mama zao kwenye wanasesere hawa, kwa ajili ya watoto duniani kote kuwachezea. Ninataka watoto wa Marekani wafahamu hijabu," Fetterman alisema.
KRISTEN MICHAELS / FOR GOOD PGH
Sampuli ya kadi ya elimu itakayokuja na hijabu ya kila mwanasesere.
Bokhari alipokuja Amerika kwa mara ya kwanza kutoka Saudi Arabia mwaka wa 2013, alivaa abaya (vazi lililolegea mwili mzima), hijabu, na pazia lililofunika uso wake. Alisema mavazi yake ya kidini yalivutia macho na maoni mabaya kutoka kwa wageni.
Bokhari alichagua kuacha kuvaa abaya mnamo 2016, badala yake kuvaa hijabu juu ya nguo kama shati ya mikono mirefu na jeans. Lakini hofu ya ubaguzi haijaisha.
"Hata skafu inakuwa tatizo sasa," Bokhari alisema. "Ninahisi hofu wakati wote, kusema ukweli."
Safaa Bokhari (kushoto) na Gisele Fetterman walikutana nyumbani kwa Fetterman siku ya Jumatatu, Machi 6, 2017 ili kujadili mipango ya mpango wao wa pamoja, Hello Hijab.
Hijabu ni zaidi ya nyongeza -- pia ni dhana ya kiroho, ambayo inajumuisha jinsi Waislamu wanavyoingiliana na ulimwengu. Ingawa haya yote ni magumu kuyawakilisha na Hello Hijab, Bokhari alisema hajali.
"Ikipata lengo ninalotaka kwa binti yangu, ni sawa kwangu," alisema. "Wazo la mradi ni kwamba watu wazoea hijab ili iwe rahisi kwa wanawake kuivaa."
KRISTEN MICHAELS / FOR GOOD PGH
Mfano wa skafu ya Hello Hijabu.
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I am surprised this article is being featured in this platform. Promoting the wearing of hijab as a spiritual practice is stupefying. This seems to be a tacit attempt to indoctrinate next generation of women born in a free country, using the thin veil of modesty. Strange..
If the hijab has spiritual or sacred meaning, why turn it into a toy? Scenarios where children trying to be creative or funny would put hijabs on other dolls, stuffed animals etc or use them for other play purposes are inevitable. Kids can learn to be respectful of the symbol or can also mock it with or without intention if it's given to them as a toy.
Can someone please let me know why women wear the hijab ? In what way does it contribute to spiritual development ? Why women in particular have the dress code ?
Educating others about your culture is a good thing and hopefully when your daughter grows up, society will be less judgemental. What I find hypocritical is how you want to change society in the western world yet I don't see much said about changing the lives of women in the Middle East. It is well known how badly the expatriate women who work as maids in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are treated. They have no voice when they are beaten and raped, made to work long hours and paid so poorly. No one has tried to change that society. How about raising your voice about that? That would make you a hero in my eyes... most definitely.
Everyone should have the freedom to practice their own beliefs. If wearing a headscarf is the outward display of that belief, then it should be acceptable to all. However I think the explanation could be more explicit on the card (given with the dolls headscarf) for better understanding. It doesn't make it clear why the headscarf is an integral part of the belief or practice.
Also any display of a belief should be universal. If a headscarf is acceptable then wearing a cross and chain should also be acceptable, which sadly is not always the case. It has been said that wearing a cross and chain is not acceptable as it may offend those of a different faith. You cannot have double standards if we are to be truly accepting of each other and others beliefs.
Isn't it really an insult against Allah to cover up the beauty of a woman's hair? I suggest not more hijabs in our USA and less hijabs in Saudi Arabia
I feel sad and heavy reading this. Sensing such a deep and long time conditioning imposed upon women they can not even aware of themselves in prison of oppression and trying to feel some meaning in life justifing little decoration inside of jail - all the while without realizing they are actually in the jail. I wonder what I can do to help them to be aware of their own jail and break out of it and stop dragging their daughters into same jail. If they feel some sense of belonging and safety by staying in jail, maybe there is other ways they can meet that needs without submitting to the unwholesome demand on women. If she needs something that will help her feel like that she is seen and matter among Americans, she can find so many ways she can shine.
I am continually saddened by how a religion with so many beautiful and peaceful tenets has been hijacked by a militant public face, and I applaud this homegrown effort to promote Religious acceptance. I believe that positive creativity echos the Spirit of the Creator, and I think God smiles when two good women try in a small but powerful way to represent the spiritual practice of their faith to the general public in a way that promotes understanding. Aren't mothers everywhere motivated by the love of their children to make the world a better place? And here we see two mothers doing what all loving mothers do.
I am speaking out against all religions and cultures that require women to swaddle themselves. The roots of this so-called "modesty" is shame of women's bodies and blaming women for men's sexual predatory thoughts and behaviors. No! I do not want to see Hijabs, Berkas, Habits, Jewish Headscarfs or other oppressive and required clothing for women normalized. Where does such a dress code exist on earth for men? Let's see some men try to functon wrapped up in mandatory body-cover/shaming clothing when it is 100 degress outside, or when swimming, or running, or biking, or just living! Spare me the "discrimination" claim. Where the discrimination lies is in oppressive patriarchal cultures and religions! Destroy the Patriarchy!
Islam, not www.thereligionofpeace.com
Not sue what "Daily Good" came out of this article. :(
Islam is a violent political ideology with a thin veil of religiosity for protection.
https://clarionproject.org/...