The hijab is rising in popularity in the Muslim world. It makes a religious statement but has also become central to women's fashion. Indonesia is at the forefront of Islamic fashion but that's causing some friction with those who believe the hijab should only protect a woman's modesty.
We hear from a heavy metal guitarist, a businesswoman and an Instagrammer on why they wear hijab. But an actress tells us of her fear that in the near future it might not be a matter of choice.
Produced by: Rebecca Henschke
Camera/edit: Haryo Wirawan and Oki Budhi
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World In Pictures
Big Hitters
Just Good News
Epicurus
There’s nothing wrong with wearing a hijab. But there is something wrong with being socially pressured to conform to a religious rule requiring you to wear one.
This girl feels the social pressure of conformity and plays metal in subconscious protest. The mere fact that BBC considers a Muslim girl playing metal newsworthy proves her oppression: it assumes a ‘heavy-metal Hijabi’ is odd and unique.
This story implies, in other words, that playing metal is not normal for a young Muslim girl. But who told us it was not normal? Islam did.
World of Wisdom
Dead Bait You’re pathetic! What about the millions of Muslims killed by your beloved WEST in the last last 30 years in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and others? Do their lives not matter? Again, pathetic!
Dead Bait
Geedi1977 Who mentioned Muslims, what are you on about you cretin? Have you banged your pathetic head.?
Nadeem Najimdeen
you know that the hijab is not compulsory!!
All you westerners think the same way!
May be in Afghan or pakistani society it is!
Not everywhere, nor religeon!
You are not forced!
the women (most of them) wear it on their own will for simple modesty!
Horny Pervert
Muslims like to listen to death metal when slaying infidels.
Yunita Punarisma
Islam or islamic people? They are two different things
First
Hey BBC, how about doing a feature on the some of the Muslim wives and daughters who are ordered or forced to wear hijab against their will by their husbands, fathers or communities? Oh right, that doesn’t fit your pro-Islam agenda, sorry
hmm
The True Fizz everyone knows that, this is a video on something that’s completely peculiar and unexpected, I understand what you mean but I’m sure you’ll find bbc articles on the issue you’re addressing
TheNostalgiaTear
The True Fizz what about the women who are forced to take off the hijab?
里涩
TheNostalgiaTear preach
Ambassador of Truth
The word ‘hate’ doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings for the BBC.
The Castelan
But it’s a good start point.
Dive Etaz
I just think they’re biased but I don’t hate them cuz that makes me biased against them
Ambassador of Truth
Dive Etaz – biased means being unfairly prejudice against or for someone.
If your feelings are justified you are not biased.
✌🏻
Ganesha Adiguna
at 0:14 , “10 years ago, few Indonesian women wore the hijab” while the photo montages are from 20 years ago
Sarang Ogden
They are also ASIAN
musti mon
Jebus is gay long live Indonesia
Bulat Ashimov
Bravo, BBC! Great job well done!
Surapan Swandragontiger
they’re far better than Saudi Arabian women or Afgan
Madiha A
Oh it’s always so funny to me to see so many ignoramuses in the comment section of any source that shows happy, covered Muslim women/girls. People just can’t bear to viiew women in Islam who make the personal decision to cover themselves. Everyone loves to concentrate on the unhappy muslim women who are forced to cover, not realising that Islam is one of the first things that gave women importance in an entire world where we were considered and treated like sexual objects. Any ‘Muslims’ repeating that horrible history aren’t advocates of Islam. You feed into the islamophobic propaganda the western media circulates and follow like sheep. No surprises here, 1st world countries are always packed with imbeciles with superiority complexes 🙂
Gulaschiltis
Did you actually read the Quran? Or the Hadiths? Also, there is no “true” interpretation, just because it fits your worldview. The ISIS interpretation is as legit as the peacful. Just that the Isis, aka the radical interpretation is closer to what actually stands in there. I have read it.
And also, what about the women who don’t choose to cover, but are forced? Are we to ignore them, too, just because it is en vogue to virtue signal for this abhorrent ideology? If the facts and statistics of violence emanating from this ideology is not enough to not be called “phobic” because of being critical towards it, what the hell is? Maybe the rights it gave to women back then were revolutionary, which they also weren’t, but those did not age well. Or do you think a women’s voice should count as half as much in court, as a man’s voice? Oh right, but this would be the “false” interpretation of this ideology, even thoigh this literally stands in the Quran. Just read it yourself, before you refrain to call other people sheep while blatantly committing the “true scottsman” fallacy. Grow up.
metal502
Since more and more wear the hijab in Indonesia, I kinda doubt that this was the reason for this girl to wear hrs, to be unique…. maybe she got her definitions wrong?
John Kyon
Meliani Siti Sumartini is a good example of Muslim metal fans
Lala
I think a lot of people here don’t understand the context of Muslim fashion in Indonesian history. From the 60s until 1998, Indonesia was under an oppressive, but secular, military dictatorship under Suharto. Suharto’s government was very corrupt, but not wanting to be rivaled by the people’s loyalty to religion, it also suppressed Islamic political parties. After Suharto’s fall, many Indonesian Muslims started wearing Muslim fashion as a way of embracing their religious freedom. So that is why some of these women are wearing their hijabs proudly, as a way of embracing that freedom. I myself do agree that the hijabs and veils are invented to oppress women, and I do not support religion-centric politics. I’m a non-Muslim Indonesian who is afraid of the rise of of religious fanatics. But maybe try to understand where people are coming from before you start hating on them.
Mahmood Mahmoodi
Lala you’ve already contradicted yourself
AronNoor
Read also the story of “FIRST TRAVEL” debacle last year. One of the women who is talking about Hijab Fesyen was teh owner of that “Travel” agent
Phant0mGetsuga993
3:36 yooooo that’s hand of blood
Gomis F
Lol! the right wing nutters getting offended by a mere piece of cloth.
Amadeus190890
Epic. Metal is incredible.
Anna Chan
Some of women in Indonesia wearing hijab only for fashion. Their behavior don’t represent how a muslim should behave. That’s a sad fact.
Mijita Chula
Anna Chan I’m not a Muslim but I’ve heard comments like that in my own religion. I get what’s most important is the intention but also, tbh, God can use whatever “strategy” he pleases to bring us to the place he likes. Meaning, maybe this fashionable hijab is rising with the blessing of God cause he knows even done in this way it is good for Muslim women. Or maybe he’s not bothered by any version of Muslim, he knows some women’s defects are being too vane and self-absorbed so those he leads to scholars version of hijab and also uses them to teach tolerance and love to people from other religions and politics, other women he leads to fashion and glam hijab cause he made those women creative and bold and know they can handle being modest and glamorous at the same time, and others he leads to not wearing hijab at all cause he wants to teach everyone in Muslim community how to be tolerant and unconditionally loving. Maybe God is pleased and happy with every version of human being there is as long as they at good people, not stealing, not killing, being guided by prayer, and not taking people away from him. We are not God, we cannot know what type of people is serving what purpose to his plan. Even you, pointing out what you see as flaws, have a purpose in God’s plans, and me inviting others to reflect on how everyone can be a tool for God, is making myself a tool for him. In that same way each of these women is serving a purpose, and with God’s perfect vision in everything he knew who each of us was going to be. We don’t know, we can be leaders of opinion if through prayer that’s where God takes us, but we can never be judges. He’s the only one. Otherwise even wearing modest clothing we can be prideful.
Chaos Waffles
I dont underdtand why people are hating on this. Do what you want with your life so long as it harms no one else, but let others have that right as well! No one person on earth should be able to judge anyone for that!
里涩
Mashallah this fashion is awesome!! ⭐️
Michelle Schu-blacka
The hijab really brings out the beauty.
Pretty much every hijabi is incredibly beautiful.