Berkley Center

The colorful scarves hanging from almost every shop will undoubtedly catch your eye as you walk through the underpass by the University of Jordan. Orange and yellow, pink and purple, blue and red. Intricate designs and bright colors draw the attention of many female students who are looking to augment their hijab collection on a daily basis.

In Arabic, the word “hijab” means veil, curtain, or covering, which is an accurate portrayal of its practical function. Conversely, in the Muslim context, “veil” does not have one single meaning; for some followers of Islam, veil refers to a headscarf, while for others it refers to a burqa or niqab. Muslim women have the right to decide whether or not they wish to veil themselves. Furthermore, if they do choose to veil, Muslim women should decide how much of their body they wish to cover.

Veiling should not be confused with a lack of agency; instead, it is a clear sign of the agency Muslim women possess. In fact, most Muslim women in Jordan agree that conservative dress does not represent oppression, restriction, or coercion. Unlike in Saudi Arabia, covering is not compulsory by law in Jordan. That being said, however, modesty in the presence of men and non-Muslims is something that is deeply entrenched in Islamic thought and culture.

For the Jordanian women who veil, this choice represents an indispensable part of their personal and religious identity, one that should not be compromised. Jordanian Muslim women view dressing modestly with a headscarf as an intrinsic expression of their religiosity, not a response to extrinsic oppression or compulsion.

Young Muslim females have managed to make the religious veil a fashion statement, thereby allowing tradition to fuse with modernity. It is not uncommon to see women driving with a cell phone tucked into their hijab, as both hands remain on the steering wheel. Tight jeans, a light blue tank top, and a white cardigan go well with a navy blue scarf. The various styles in which one can wear a hijab have also become fashion statements. There is, of course, the traditional method of pinning the scarf so that it lays flat against the hair, but some girls like to tie it together at the back of their neck, others like to poof it up as high as they can in the back, while others simply drape it over their hair.

These types of practices do not diminish the religious significance of the veil; they are simply manifestations of what occurs when traditional Muslim garb meet the modern world. Even for those women who do not veil, modest dress is a way of life. A disparaging glance is usually directed at those who bare an ankle or a shoulder. Modest dress is a choice that is integrated into the lives of religious people from every segment of Jordanian society, whether one is Christian or Muslim. But modesty does not compromise fashion.

I went to a Muslim wedding party with one of my Jordanian friends who veils. I made sure that I was completely covered, and the only visible part of my body was my hair. When I got to the party, I was surprised to find that I was very overdressed; all of the girls had taken off their veils, while some even wore rather revealing skirts and dresses. My friend explained that modesty was less of a concern since there were only girls in the room, making sexual temptation not so much of a problem.

But when the groom tried to enter the room to surprise his bride-to-be, all of the unveiled girls would not let him in. My peer tutor was handed a scarf to cover her hair, but she was still resistant to the groom's entrance because her knees were uncovered. This episode showed me that the concept of modesty is ever-present in Jordanian society, even if girls unveil themselves while they are together.

Thus, in Jordan, modesty and veiling are not simply a religious duty; it is a way of life. Many young Jordanian Muslim women have mastered the art of blending tradition with modern fashion by incorporating small panaches that give the hijab a certain flair. All the while, however, they manage to remain proud of their modesty and religiosity.