International Journal of Research in Social Sciences
Year : 2017, Volume : 7, Issue : 2
First page : ( 396) Last page : ( 403)
Online ISSN : 2249-2496.

The Discourse of Re-veiling: Hijab and Islamic Fashion

Khan Sabah

Research Scholar, Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Online published on 20 June, 2019.

Abstract

The Muslim veil or hijab is often understood to be a sign of piety. This paper attempts to problematize the category of hijab through Foucauldian notions of body and Bourdieu's idea of habitus. There is a noticeable resurgence in the practice of veiling among young Muslim women worldwide. This resurgence is often explained in terms of resistance to Western notions of oppressive veil; challenging the stereotypes in the aftermath of 9/11 whereby by Islam and Muslims are linked to terrorism; assert identity in Muslim minority societies. This resurgence of the veil is accompanied by the rise of clothing brands selling fashionable hijabs, jilbabs, burqas, et al. There is emergence of Islamic fashion which claims to be uniting religious values, traditions with fashion. This paper attempts to explore this newer adaptation of the practice of veiling, why and how young Muslim women are wearing hijabs, etc. Secondly, this paper would also dwell on the aspect of how the brands selling Islamic fashion should be seen as a feedback mechanism which is covertly popularising notions of ‘covered body’.

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Keywords

Veil, Hijab, Habitus, Islamic fashion, Modesty.

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