Katie Wallace

Sophomore Rand Al-Hachami poses for a picture at school, donning her hijab and Zulfiqar sword necklace. Even though Islamophobia is very present, Al-Hachami says she has met a lot of positive reactions concerning her decision to start wearing hijab. “[Hijab symbolizes] positive character traits that Islam promotes, like dependability and honesty,” Al-Hachami said. “Wearing it has made me feel closer to my Muslim friends as well as to my religion in general.”

Ramadan: a time of fasting, prayer and focusing on your faith. Ramadan is sophomore Rand Al-Hachami’s favorite time of the year and, this year, it is the time she decided to start wearing hijab. 

Hijab — a scarf traditionally worn by Muslim women to cover the hair, neck and occasionally face — is more than just a scarf. To Al-Hachami, it is a symbol of faith and resilience. 

In 2020, 60-62% of Muslims reported facing Islamophobia, according to the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU). This Islamophobia is reflected in the West high community. 

“A lot of [Islamophobia] happens behind closed doors. However, my sister got verbally and physically assaulted for wearing a hijab, and I’ve heard countless other stories of that happening here [at West]. I still chose to wear [hijab] because I think that it’s a really big symbol of my faith,” Al-Hachami said. “I’m stronger than anything anybody could try to do to me, and a lot of the people here are all bark, no bite when it comes to these things. The thing about Islam is that we’re peaceful. Our religion preaches peace until it’s time for our defense, so if I find myself in a situation where I’m forced to defend myself, I will have no problem doing so.”

Despite the threat of Islamophobia, Al-Hachami has experienced a relatively positive reaction to her decision.

“[My first-day wearing hijab at school] was alright. I was expecting to face more Islamophobia because I am finally becoming visibly Muslim, but I got some compliments, I got some questions and I enjoyed wearing it altogether. I felt somehow closer to my hijabi friends here,” Al-Hachami said. “Me wearing hijab wasn’t a really big deal to [my family], but my friends did have a big reaction, especially my Muslim hijabi friends here. They were really proud of me, and they encouraged me to do better [in my faith].”

Wearing hijab is a choice left up to the Muslim individual and their relationship with their faith. In the U.S., around 38% of Muslim women always wear hijab in public. Al-Hachami’s mother is part of that 38%, but her sister has decided to not wear hijab anymore due to a variety of reasons, including her safety.

“I think that part of [my sister’s decision to not wear hijab anymore] did have to do with Islamophobia, which is one of the reasons why I felt like I couldn’t wear it. One of the [key principles] in our religion is that if you’re in a situation where your life is threatened or you’re in any kind of danger and someone wants you to denounce your faith in any way, you are allowed to do so,” Al-Hachami said.  

Her sister’s past Islamophobic experiences at West delayed Al-Hachami’s decision.

“I found that if there are so many Islamophobic people here, I can’t wear it or I shouldn’t for my own safety. I think that played a part in why she took [her hijab] off. I think it also had to do with her personal history with [the hijab], religious corruption within some of the people that we know and what they had to say about her hijab. She finally got fed up with the stigma and all the bad things surrounding [hijab] that she now doesn’t wear it,” Al-Hachami said.

While the Muslimah does not have the ability to combat Islamophobia completely on their own, Al-Hachami says that there are many things that non-Muslims can do to help and support Muslims. These actions include getting information from reputable sources, being genuinely respectful and being empathetic towards Muslims and Islam as a whole. Additionally, Al-Hachami encourages her peers to stand up against Islamophobic comments, even if they are framed as a “joke.”

“Some of my non-Muslim friends have fasted in solidarity with me for Ramadan. I find that so respectful. It makes me feel heard. It makes me feel seen,” Al-Hachami said. “I hope [non-Muslims] genuinely know how much that means to us.”