Spreading Awareness One Hijab at a Time: Noor Eltayech ‘13

As the Treasurer of the Muslim Student Association and an active member of the Interfaith Group on campus, Noor Eltayech’s dedication to educate the Rhodes community on religion is inspiring. The Interfaith Group has two campaigns—Better Together and the Presidents Interfaith Challenge— both of which seek to put students in another’s shoes and experience a foreign culture and/or religion. Noor, amongst other Rhodes students, traveled to Atlanta this past January for a Better Together training session. It was here that she learned about the Hijab-For-A-Day event.
 
Through Muslims and non-Muslims alike, the goal of this campus wide event is to “spread knowledge and understanding of other peoples beliefs” by wearing a Hijab and immersing oneself in Muslim culture for a day. This event has taken place at other schools, and it was so successful that Noor and other Interfaith members decided to initiate the campaign at Rhodes.
 
Hijab-For-A-Day seeks to end the discrimination many Muslim women face by giving everyone the chance (regardless of religion) to wear the scarf. Even though Muslim women are not the only ones to cover-up and wear head-scarves, they face discrimination and ridicule for expressing their beliefs. On this day, the MSA and Better Together want to demonstrate to non-Muslim Rhodes community members what it’s like to wear a headscarf and why Muslim women choose to wear it.
 
Hijab-For-A-Day is by no means trying to convince people to become Muslim or wear a Hijab. Mainly, the day serves to help students see the world through the eyes of a Muslim woman. Of course, there has been some opposition, specifically from those who believe that the event is oppressive and that Hijabis are forced upon women. “But if this was the case,” Noor argues, “I wouldn’t be wearing one in the U.S. willingly and have chosen to do so at the age of 13.” For many Muslim women, wearing a Hijab every day is a choice. There is “nothing wrong with having the personal choice to be modest or cover up,” explains Noor.
 
Through Better Together, Noor hopes to not only give women, but the whole Rhodes community as well, a clearer understanding of her religion. It is important for the Rhodes community to seize this occasion since we are a “liberal arts college—the perfect incubator for everyone to experience something new.”
 
These kinds of opportunities are bountiful at Rhodes. Besides Islamic Awareness week and the Hijab-For-A-Day, the Jewish Student Organization (JSO) is hosting an Interfaith Passover Seder this Tuesday at 6:30pm. Anyone is welcome and everyone is encouraged to participate in this annual Jewish tradition. In the next upcoming weeks, the Muslim Islamic Center (MIC) and the JSO are having an inter-faith “swap” to mix and mingle. Additionally, both organizations will be visiting each other’s respective mosques and synagogues to learn more about one another’s religion and his or her relationship with God.
 
The events formed under the MIC and JSO have received support from both the Rhodes and Memphis community, and they hope to continue to spread awareness and unify the Rhodes community. Noor’s work, as well the work of others who participate in the Interfaith Group, is a reminder to always keep our eyes, ears, and minds open and put ourselves in another’s shoes. To find out more about how you can participate in Hijab-For-A-Day, or any of these activities, check out the Bonner Center for Faith and Service!