American Muslim Women Today

Today’s American Muslim women hold leadership positions at a range of socially conscious organizations, such as civil rights groups and cultural societies and even appointments to President Obama's cabinet. They also work as doctors and nurses, college professors, corporate executives, fashion designers, musicians, and a host of other careers. They even lead Islamic prayer sessions.

American Muslim Women in the News:

Dalia Mogahed, senior analyst and executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, was appointed this April to Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. See our post of Altmuslim's Q&A with Ms. Mogahed here.

Farah Pandith, senior advisor on Muslim affairs covering the European region for the State Department, was appointed this Juneby Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Representative of Muslim Communities to the State Department. See our post of Altmuslim's Q&A with Ms. Pandith here.

Origin of Wearing Hijab

The origin of hijab, women’s head and body covering, dates back to ancient times and the teachings of the Qur'an. The Qur’an encourages both men and women to dress modestly and to avert their eyes when encountering each other—in order to understand each other first as human beings, not sexual beings.  

• In Islamic scholarship, hijab also refers more broadly to modesty, privacy, and morality.

• The Qur’an does not include any reference to a facial veil, which is a tribal Arab custom practiced in many Gulf countries as a personal and cultural choice.

• Today, Muslim women from different countries and cultures adopt many varieties of hijab, ranging from a simple head scarf to a full-length robe.

• Many Muslim women choose not to wear any head covering. In the United States, about as many Muslim women wear hijab as those who don’t.  

Resources

To learn more about real-life American Muslim women, please see our Meet American Muslims section or check out our Find an Expert section. 

The Faith Club