The Prophet Lovers Association in Izmir organised a programme to strengthen awareness of Islamic hijab, highlighting its central place in a Muslim woman's identity and its significance as an act of faith, devotion and obedience to Allah.

Held under the theme “I Intend to Embrace Hijab: Your Command Is Above All,” the event sought to encourage Muslim women, particularly young people, to embrace hijab with conviction and understand it not as a passing choice or fashion trend, but as a divine command.

The programme opened with a recitation of the Holy Quran by Amine Altun and continued with religious songs, a seminar and a theatrical performance.

‘Hijab is a divine command, not a fashion statement’

Addressing the gathering, religious scholar Bildane Kurtaran explained the wisdom behind hijab, its place in a Muslim's life and its importance for Muslim women. She stressed that hijab must not be reduced to a particular style of clothing, a fashion accessory or a temporary personal preference.

“Today, we are talking about intention, but this intention also embodies submission, effort and determination. We chose the title: ‘O our Lord, Your command is above my head and dearer to me than anything else,’” Kurtaran said, congratulating the organisers and praising the young women attending the programme.

“You are our hope and our prayers. God willing, you will be the pride of our foreheads and the purity of our hearts,” she added.

Emphasising that hijab is rooted in the teachings of Islam, Kurtaran said: “We are not talking about a style of clothing, a fashion trend or an accessory. Nor are we talking about a passing enthusiasm. Hijab is one of the fundamental commands revealed by our Lord in the Holy Quran and one of the firm principles upheld by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). A red line means something that must never be crossed.”

‘Popular culture is undermining awareness of hijab’

Kurtaran warned that although many Muslims acknowledge hijab as a religious obligation, its meaning and place in everyday life are increasingly being challenged by contemporary cultural influences.

“We are losing ground today when it comes to hijab. Why? Because we are struggling to understand its meaning, define it and establish its proper place in our lives. We are caught up in the noise of our age. Once, the polytheists of Mecca made noise to prevent the message of the Holy Quran from being heard, understood and embraced. Today, we are surrounded by the noise of fashion, feminism, capitalism, various movements and popular culture,” she said.

She called on Muslims to return to the Holy Quran as the ultimate reference for understanding and practising hijab, stressing that genuine commitment requires sincere faith and unwavering submission to Allah.

“To understand hijab, we must open our minds with tranquil hearts, free spirits and a submission that never falters. We must turn once again to the Holy Quran, take it as our reference and study the question of hijab through its teachings,” she said.

Story of Prophet Adam and Eve highlights the importance of modesty

Explaining the spiritual wisdom behind hijab, Kurtaran referred to the Quranic account of Prophet Adam and Eve, describing it as essential to understanding human modesty, privacy and obedience to Allah.

“Our readings of the Holy Quran take us back to the first human beings, to the very beginning of the story of Prophet Adam and Eve. Unless we understand this account, we cannot come to know the true essence of hijab. As the saying goes, if you button a shirt incorrectly from the very first button, everything that follows will be wrong. The same applies here,” she said.

Kurtaran explained that Allah had established boundaries for Adam and Eve in Paradise and instructed them not to transgress them. She said Satan sought to lead them astray by exploiting ideas of freedom and equality and making them question the divine command.

“Our Lord created them and established an area of privacy for them in Paradise. He allowed them to eat, drink and enjoy its blessings, but instructed them not to cross the boundaries He had set. Then Satan and his schemes came into play. First, he planted doubts in their minds, suggesting that they were living in a beautiful place but were being restricted, that their freedom was incomplete and that they were not equal. Today, we hear similar arguments in the name of equality, freedom and justice,” she said.

Kurtaran also drew attention to Satan's deceptive claim that he wanted only what was best for Adam and Eve.

“He swore by Allah that he wanted their well-being. He presented himself as a friend while concealing his hostility. Does this sound familiar? We are in 2026, discussing the story of the first human beings, yet these tactics of deception and manipulation have not changed,” she said.

She further explained that after Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, their covering was taken away and their natural sense of modesty prompted them to respond with remorse.

‘Hijab is the identity Allah has ordained for Muslim women’

Kurtaran rejected the notion that hijab should be understood solely as a means for women to protect themselves from men's gazes, arguing that such a narrow interpretation overlooks its deeper religious and spiritual significance.

“When you hear the word hijab, you should not think only of clothing that women wear to protect themselves from men's gazes. Today, feminism challenges young Muslim women most strongly on precisely this point. They are told: ‘Why should I change my own behaviour because of someone else's actions? Does this not restrict my freedom and equality? Is this justice?’ If we approach hijab from this perspective, we will inevitably misunderstand it,” she said.

Describing hijab as an expression of placing Allah's commands at the centre of one's life, Kurtaran said that a Muslim's relationship with divine guidance must take precedence over pressures imposed by popular culture and ideological movements.

“Hijab means placing the commands of Almighty Allah at the centre of our lives. It means submitting within the boundaries of privacy that Allah has made permissible for us. This is sufficient for us. However, when we constantly question these boundaries under the influence of Satan's schemes, manipulative narratives and global forces of evil, our understanding of hijab becomes distorted. We then struggle to give it its rightful place in our lives,” she said.

Kurtaran also underlined the responsibility of Muslim women to explain the true meaning of hijab and pass its values on to future generations.

“Of course, we will speak about hijab and explain it. This is light upon light. But hijab is not merely a piece of cloth or an accessory. It is the identity that Almighty Allah has ordained for Muslim women,” she said.

The programme concluded with gifts being presented to women who had embraced hijab, followed by a closing prayer delivered by Amine Şani. (ILKHA)