Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Women Development Centre in Abuja played host to Muslim women across Nigeria on Sunday for the world hijab day lecture, which was part of the week-long activities slated to mark World Hijab Day 2026 by the Coalition of Nigerian Muslim women.
The epoch making lecture delivered by Malama Zaynab Jibril, a lawyer by profession, stresses the hijab as a symbol of faith, obedience, and global sisterhood.
The lecture, titled “The Hijab: A Sign of Sisterhood and Unity,” explored the spiritual, social, and cultural significance of the hijab, linking it to principles of obedience to Allah, equality, and freedom from societal pressures.
Malama Zaynab Jibril, the guest lecturer, speaking to a diverse audience of women and community leaders said the hijab is “more than fabric; it is a powerful symbol of sisterhood, unity and shared faith that binds Muslim women across the world.”
According to Jibril, sisterhood is a support system that provides safety, confidence, and a “safe space” for women, regardless of blood ties or social differences.
She cited Quranic verses on the hijab, including Surah Al-Ahzab (33:59) and Surah An-Nur (24:31),which stresses that covering is a divine injunction, and an act of worship. “When we wear the hijab in response to Allah’s command, we are united in our submission, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or social status,” she noted.
The lecture drew on historical examples, noting the immediate and collective adoption of the hijab by the women of Medina. “The women of the Muhajiroon and the Ansar, though from different tribes, united in obedience,” she said, highlighting early Islamic practices as a model of cohesion and un
Jibril framed the hijab as an instrument of personal freedom, allowing women to reject objectification, societal beauty standards, and superficial judgments. She stressed that hijab-wearing women in Nigeria and globally, including doctors, lawyers, engineers, and entrepreneurs, can maintain both their professional ambitions and Islamic identity.
Her words: “True freedom is the ability to make conscious choices that align with one’s beliefs. The hijab is a declaration of faith, a shield of modesty, and a banner of unity.”
The lecture also addressed contemporary challenges, including discrimination and Islamophobia, encouraging Muslim women to support one another across ethnic and regional lines, mentor younger sisters, and defend each other’s dignity.
Jibril invoked the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings on Muslim brotherhood and sisterhood, noting that the hijab creates recognition, mutual understanding, and equality among women. She concluded by urging attendees to embrace the hijab as a symbol of obedience to Allah, spiritual dignity, and global sisterhood.
“The hijab stands as a powerful symbol that obedience and freedom are partners in the path to fulfilment,” she said. “In a Nigeria where ethnic and religious tensions sometimes threaten peace, let Muslim women in hijab be ambassadors of unity, love, and understanding.”
The event marked part of ongoing World Hijab Day activities, highlighting faith, identity, and solidarity among women from diverse Nigerian communities.
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