Hands Off Our Hijab: Essential Reading on Hijab Bans 2025
Key Takeaways
- "Hands Off Our Hijab" addresses the 2021 French hijab ban and similar restrictions worldwide
- Written by Farhat Amin, this book critiques liberal hypocrisy regarding Muslim women's rights
- Covers historical context, practical guidance, and empowerment strategies for Muslim women
- Available exclusively in India, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Sri Lanka through ilmStore.in
- Priced at ₹400, making it accessible for readers across South Asia
- Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand contemporary challenges facing hijab-wearing women
Introduction: Why This Book Matters Now More Than Ever
When France banned hijab for girls under 18 in 2021, the world's so-called champions of women's rights remained conspicuously silent. This deafening silence exposed a troubling double standard: freedom of choice matters only when it aligns with Western secular values. For Muslim women navigating an increasingly hostile landscape—from Karnataka's hijab ban in India to Quebec's Bill 21 in Canada—understanding these challenges has never been more critical.
"Hands Off Our Hijab: Putting Liberal Hypocrisy on Trial" by Farhat Amin emerges as a timely and necessary voice in this conversation. This powerful book doesn't just document the attacks on hijab; it equips Muslim women with the intellectual ammunition to fight back, reclaim their narrative, and stand firm in their Islamic identity. Whether you're a hijab-wearing Muslimah facing discrimination, a concerned parent, or someone seeking to understand these contemporary challenges, this book offers clarity, courage, and actionable guidance.
ilmStore.in is proud to be the authorized exclusive publisher of this important work in India, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, making it accessible to readers across South Asia at just ₹400.
About the Author: Farhat Amin
Farhat Amin brings a unique perspective to the hijab debate as a Muslim woman writer who combines Islamic scholarship with contemporary social analysis. Her work is characterized by unflinching honesty, sharp critique of liberal inconsistencies, and deep commitment to empowering Muslim women through knowledge and faith.
Amin's writing style is accessible yet intellectually rigorous, making complex political and historical issues understandable for general readers while maintaining scholarly depth. She doesn't shy away from controversial topics or uncomfortable truths, instead confronting them head-on with evidence-based arguments rooted in Islamic principles and historical facts.
What sets Farhat Amin apart is her ability to connect historical colonial patterns of oppression with contemporary anti-hijab legislation, revealing the continuity of Western attempts to control Muslim women's bodies and choices. Her work serves as both a wake-up call and a roadmap for resistance.
Why Muslim Women Face Hijab Bans: Understanding the Context
The hijab has become a lightning rod in contemporary political discourse, but why? "Hands Off Our Hijab" systematically unpacks the multiple layers of this issue, revealing that hijab bans are never really about women's liberation—they're about control, assimilation, and the continuation of colonial mindsets.
The French Context: Macron's War on Muslim Visibility
France's 2021 ban on hijab for girls under 18 represents the latest escalation in a decades-long campaign against Muslim visibility in public spaces. The book meticulously documents how this policy emerged not from genuine concern for women's rights, but from a toxic combination of Islamophobia, secularist extremism, and political opportunism.
What makes this particularly insidious is the language used to justify it. Terms like "protecting girls from oppression" and "defending secularism" mask the reality: the French state is dictating what Muslim women and girls can and cannot wear, the very definition of oppression.
The Indian Hijab Ban: A South Asian Perspective
For readers in India, the book's chapter on the Karnataka hijab ban holds special relevance. Amin draws parallels between French and Indian restrictions, showing how Islamophobia manifests differently across contexts but shares common roots in the desire to marginalize Muslim communities and force assimilation.
The book provides crucial context for understanding how hijab bans in educational institutions violate both constitutional rights and basic human dignity, while offering practical guidance for students, parents, and activists fighting these discriminatory policies.
Key Themes and Lessons from "Hands Off Our Hijab"
1. Exposing Liberal Hypocrisy
One of the book's most powerful contributions is its systematic dismantling of liberal feminist claims to support women's choice. Amin asks the uncomfortable question: if feminism is about women's autonomy, why do liberal feminists support laws that ban women from choosing to wear hijab?
The book reveals how Western liberal discourse on women's rights has always been selective, celebrating choices that align with secular Western values while condemning choices rooted in Islamic faith. This double standard isn't accidental—it's structural, revealing the limits of liberal tolerance when confronted with genuine religious commitment.
2. Historical Patterns: Colonial Unveiling Campaigns
Understanding today's hijab bans requires understanding yesterday's colonial unveiling campaigns. Amin provides crucial historical context, showing how French colonizers in Algeria, British colonizers in Egypt, and other imperial powers used the forced unveiling of Muslim women as a tool of domination and cultural erasure.
These historical parallels aren't merely academic—they reveal that contemporary hijab bans are part of a continuous project of Western control over Muslim societies and bodies. The tactics have evolved, but the underlying logic remains: Muslim women must be "saved" from their religion, even if it means violating their freedom and dignity.
3. Playing Offense: Reclaiming the Narrative
Rather than remaining defensive, Amin argues that Muslims must go on the offensive, challenging the premises of anti-hijab discourse and asserting their own values confidently. This means refusing to accept the framing that hijab needs to be justified or defended according to liberal secular standards.
The book provides practical strategies for this offensive approach, from media engagement to legal challenges to community organizing. It empowers readers to stop apologizing for their faith and start demanding that their rights be respected on their own terms.
4. Critiquing Internal Voices: The Mona Eltahawy Chapter
In a particularly bold move, Amin dedicates an entire chapter to critiquing "Headscarves and Hymens" by Mona Eltahawy, a book that has been widely promoted in Western media as representing Muslim women's voices. Amin systematically dismantles Eltahawy's arguments, showing how they reinforce Orientalist stereotypes and provide ammunition for anti-Muslim policies.
This chapter is essential reading for anyone who has encountered Eltahawy's work or similar narratives that claim to speak for Muslim women while actually undermining their agency and dignity. It demonstrates the importance of critically evaluating which Muslim voices get amplified in Western discourse and why.
5. Material Girls: Consumerism vs. Modesty
The book also addresses the broader cultural context in which hijab debates occur, examining how consumerist culture and the commodification of women's bodies create a hostile environment for Islamic modesty. This chapter helps readers understand that resistance to hijab isn't just about religious intolerance—it's also about economic systems that profit from women's objectification.
6. Overcoming Fear: Practical Guidance for Hijabis
For Muslim women who feel afraid to wear hijab due to discrimination, harassment, or violence, Amin offers both spiritual encouragement and practical advice. This chapter acknowledges the real dangers hijab-wearing women face while providing strategies for staying safe, building support networks, and maintaining faith in challenging circumstances.
The book doesn't minimize the difficulties but frames them within a larger context of Islamic history, where believers have always faced tests and persecution. It connects contemporary struggles to the experiences of the Prophet's companions (may Allah be pleased with them), providing spiritual strength alongside practical wisdom.
7. Good Hijabis Shatter Stereotypes
Countering the narrative that hijab-wearing women are oppressed or backward, this chapter celebrates the achievements, diversity, and agency of hijabis worldwide. From athletes to academics, entrepreneurs to activists, Muslim women in hijab are excelling in every field while maintaining their Islamic identity.
These examples serve multiple purposes: they inspire young Muslim women, challenge stereotypes held by non-Muslims, and demonstrate that hijab is compatible with success, education, and full participation in society.
Who Should Read "Hands Off Our Hijab"?
Muslim Women and Girls
This book is essential reading for any Muslimah navigating the challenges of wearing hijab in contemporary society. Whether you're a student facing discrimination, a professional dealing with workplace bias, or simply someone seeking to strengthen your understanding and commitment, this book will empower you with knowledge, arguments, and confidence.
Parents and Educators
Parents raising daughters in an environment hostile to hijab need the tools to support their children effectively. This book provides the historical context, intellectual arguments, and practical strategies that parents can use to help their daughters navigate challenges while maintaining strong Islamic identity.
Educators working in Muslim communities will find this book invaluable for curriculum development, discussion groups, and youth programs addressing contemporary challenges facing Muslim women.
Muslim Men and Allies
Understanding the challenges Muslim women face is crucial for Muslim men who want to be effective allies and supporters. This book provides insights into experiences that men may not directly encounter, helping them become better advocates, protectors, and community members.
Non-Muslim allies seeking to understand and support Muslim women's rights will also benefit from this book's clear explanations and powerful arguments against discriminatory policies.
Students of Islamic Studies and Gender Studies
For academic readers, this book offers a rigorous critique of liberal feminist discourse on hijab, grounded in both Islamic scholarship and contemporary social analysis. It's an important contribution to debates about religious freedom, women's rights, and the limits of liberal tolerance.
Activists and Community Organizers
Those involved in fighting hijab bans and other forms of anti-Muslim discrimination will find this book a valuable resource for developing arguments, understanding historical context, and strategizing effective resistance.
Detailed Chapter Breakdown
Chapter 1: A Very French Inquisition
The opening chapter sets the stage by examining France's 2021 hijab ban in detail. Amin dissects the political context, the justifications offered by French politicians, and the devastating impact on Muslim girls and families. She draws explicit parallels to the historical Inquisition, showing how religious persecution continues under the guise of secular values.
This chapter is particularly powerful in its use of testimony from affected Muslim girls, giving voice to those directly impacted by these discriminatory policies. It moves beyond abstract political debate to show the human cost of Islamophobia.
Chapter 2: Historical Unveiling of Muslim Women by Colonialists
This historical chapter is crucial for understanding that contemporary hijab bans aren't new—they're the latest iteration of a colonial project that dates back over a century. Amin documents unveiling campaigns in Algeria, Egypt, Iran, and other Muslim-majority countries, showing how colonizers used the "liberation" of Muslim women as justification for occupation and cultural destruction.
The chapter reveals how colonial administrators, missionaries, and Western feminists collaborated in campaigns to force Muslim women to remove their hijab, often using remarkably similar rhetoric to what we hear today. Understanding this history is essential for recognizing and resisting contemporary manifestations of the same project.
Chapter 3: Time to Play Offense Against the Anti-Hijab Squad
Moving from analysis to action, this chapter outlines strategies for Muslims to shift from defensive apologetics to confident assertion of Islamic values. Amin argues that Muslims have spent too long trying to prove that hijab is compatible with Western values, when they should instead be challenging the premises of anti-hijab discourse itself.
The chapter provides practical guidance on media engagement, public speaking, writing, and organizing, empowering readers to become effective advocates for hijab rights. It emphasizes the importance of confidence, clarity, and refusing to accept the framing imposed by opponents.
Chapter 4: Critiquing Headscarves & Hymens by Mona Eltahawy
This chapter takes on one of the most prominent critics of hijab from within Muslim communities. Amin systematically examines Eltahawy's arguments, showing how they rely on generalizations, ignore diversity within Muslim communities, and ultimately serve to reinforce Orientalist stereotypes rather than empower Muslim women.
The critique is important because it demonstrates that not all voices claiming to represent Muslim women actually serve their interests. It teaches readers to critically evaluate arguments even when they come from people who share their cultural or religious background.
Chapter 5: Material Girls
This chapter examines the broader cultural context of consumerism, materialism, and the objectification of women's bodies. Amin shows how Islamic modesty, including hijab, represents a fundamental challenge to economic systems that profit from treating women as commodities and sexual objects.
The analysis helps readers understand that resistance to hijab isn't just about religious intolerance—it's also about economic interests that are threatened by women who refuse to participate in the commodification of their bodies. This broader perspective is crucial for understanding the depth of opposition to Islamic dress codes.
Chapter 6: Too Afraid to Wear Hijab?
Acknowledging the real fear many Muslim women feel about wearing hijab in hostile environments, this chapter offers both spiritual encouragement and practical safety advice. Amin doesn't minimize the dangers but provides strategies for managing risk while maintaining Islamic identity.
The chapter addresses various scenarios—from workplace discrimination to street harassment to physical violence—offering specific guidance for each situation. It also emphasizes the importance of community support and building networks of mutual aid among hijab-wearing women.
Chapter 7: Good Hijabis Shatter Stereotypes
Celebrating the achievements and diversity of hijab-wearing women worldwide, this chapter counters negative stereotypes with inspiring examples. From Olympic athletes to tech entrepreneurs, medical professionals to social activists, Muslim women in hijab are excelling in every field imaginable.
These stories serve multiple purposes: they inspire young Muslim women to pursue their dreams without compromising their faith, they challenge non-Muslims' assumptions about hijab, and they demonstrate the compatibility of Islamic modesty with full participation in contemporary society.
Chapter 8: India and the Hijab Ban
The final chapter addresses the Karnataka hijab ban and broader challenges facing Muslim women in India. For readers in South Asia, this chapter is particularly relevant, providing analysis of the specific political and social context in which Indian hijab bans have emerged.
Amin examines the role of Hindu nationalism, the failure of secular institutions to protect Muslim rights, and the strategies Muslim communities have employed to resist discriminatory policies. She also offers guidance for students, parents, and activists navigating these challenges in the Indian context.
Comparison with Similar Books on Hijab and Muslim Women's Rights
While several books address hijab and Muslim women's experiences, "Hands Off Our Hijab" stands out for its unapologetically Islamic perspective and its willingness to confront liberal hypocrisy directly.
vs. "Do Muslim Women Need Saving?" by Lila Abu-Lughod
Abu-Lughod's academic work provides excellent anthropological analysis of Western interventions in Muslim women's lives, but it's written primarily for scholarly audiences. Amin's book is more accessible to general readers while maintaining intellectual rigor, and it's more explicitly grounded in Islamic values rather than secular academic frameworks.
vs. "The Butterfly Mosque" by G. Willow Wilson
Wilson's memoir offers a personal perspective on choosing to wear hijab as a convert, which can be inspiring but lacks the systematic political and historical analysis that Amin provides. "Hands Off Our Hijab" is less personal narrative and more intellectual ammunition for understanding and resisting anti-hijab policies.
vs. "Beyond the Veil" by Fatima Mernissi
Mernissi's classic work examines gender dynamics in Muslim societies but sometimes accepts Western feminist frameworks uncritically. Amin's book is more willing to challenge those frameworks themselves, arguing that Islamic values provide a superior foundation for women's dignity and rights.
How to Get the Most from This Book
For Individual Readers
Read with a notebook to jot down key arguments, statistics, and quotes that you can use in discussions and debates. The book is packed with information that's worth recording for future reference.
Take time to reflect on how the issues discussed relate to your own experiences and community. Consider which chapters are most relevant to your situation and focus on implementing the practical guidance they offer.
For Study Groups and Book Clubs
This book is ideal for group discussion. Consider reading one chapter per session, allowing time for members to share their reactions, experiences, and questions. The controversial nature of some arguments will generate productive debate.
Invite guest speakers who have experience with hijab discrimination or activism to join your discussions and provide additional perspectives.
For Educators and Youth Programs
Use selected chapters as curriculum material for programs addressing contemporary challenges facing Muslim youth. The historical chapters provide essential context, while the practical chapters offer actionable guidance.
Combine reading with other activities like documentary screenings, guest speakers, and community service projects supporting hijab-wearing women facing discrimination.
For Activists and Organizers
Use the book's arguments and historical analysis to develop talking points, social media content, and advocacy materials. The systematic critique of liberal hypocrisy provides a framework for challenging anti-hijab policies effectively.
Share key excerpts and arguments with allies and supporters to help them understand the issues more deeply and become more effective advocates.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is this book only for women?
No. While the book focuses on challenges facing Muslim women, it's essential reading for Muslim men who want to understand and support their sisters, mothers, daughters, and wives. It's also valuable for anyone interested in religious freedom, women's rights, and contemporary Islamophobia.
Is the book too political or controversial?
The book doesn't shy away from controversial topics or strong critiques of liberal hypocrisy. However, all arguments are grounded in evidence, Islamic principles, and historical facts. If you're looking for a book that challenges mainstream narratives and defends Islamic values confidently, this is exactly what you need.
Do I need background knowledge to understand the book?
No. Farhat Amin writes for general readers, explaining historical context and political issues clearly. While some familiarity with contemporary debates about hijab is helpful, it's not required. The book is accessible to anyone willing to engage seriously with the issues.
How does this book relate to Islamic scholarship on hijab?
While the book focuses on contemporary political and social issues rather than detailed fiqh rulings, it's grounded in Islamic values and principles. It assumes that hijab is an Islamic obligation and focuses on defending Muslim women's right to fulfill that obligation without state interference.
Is the book relevant outside of France and India?
Absolutely. While specific chapters address France and India, the broader arguments about liberal hypocrisy, colonial history, and strategies for resistance are relevant wherever Muslim women face discrimination for wearing hijab. Readers in Pakistan, Bangladesh, the UK, Canada, and elsewhere will find the analysis applicable to their contexts.
Can I gift this book to a non-Muslim friend?
Yes, if your friend is genuinely interested in understanding Muslim perspectives on hijab and willing to engage with arguments that challenge mainstream liberal narratives. The book is written clearly enough for non-Muslim readers to follow, though some may find its critiques of Western liberalism uncomfortable.
How long does it take to read?
The book is concise and accessible, making it possible to read in a few sittings. However, the density of arguments and information means you'll benefit from reading more slowly, taking time to reflect on each chapter's insights.
Are there other books by Farhat Amin available?
Check ilmStore.in's catalog for other works by Farhat Amin and similar authors addressing contemporary challenges facing Muslims. The store regularly updates its collection with new releases and important works.
The Broader Context: Why Islamic Books Matter in 2025
In an era of increasing Islamophobia, misinformation, and attacks on Muslim identity, access to quality Islamic literature has never been more important. Books like "Hands Off Our Hijab" serve multiple crucial functions:
They provide intellectual ammunition for Muslims defending their faith and practices against hostile critics. They preserve and transmit Islamic knowledge across generations, ensuring that young Muslims understand their heritage and values. They challenge dominant narratives that marginalize or misrepresent Muslim perspectives. They build confidence and pride in Islamic identity, countering the psychological warfare of constant negative messaging about Islam.
ilmStore.in's mission to make such books accessible across South Asia is therefore not just commercial—it's a vital service to Muslim communities navigating challenging times. By ensuring that books like "Hands Off Our Hijab" reach readers in India, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, ilmStore.in is contributing to the intellectual and spiritual resilience of the ummah.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
"Hands Off Our Hijab: Putting Liberal Hypocrisy on Trial" is essential reading for anyone concerned about the rights and dignity of Muslim women in contemporary society. Farhat Amin has produced a powerful, well-argued, and timely book that challenges readers to think critically about hijab bans, liberal feminism, and the ongoing project of Western control over Muslim bodies and choices.
The book's greatest strength is its refusal to accept the premises of anti-hijab discourse. Rather than defensively arguing that hijab is compatible with Western values, Amin confidently asserts Islamic values and demands that Muslim women's choices be respected on their own terms. This shift from defense to offense is exactly what Muslim communities need in the current climate.
For hijab-wearing women facing discrimination, this book offers validation, encouragement, and practical strategies. For parents raising daughters in hostile environments, it provides the tools to support them effectively. For activists and community leaders, it offers intellectual frameworks and arguments for fighting discriminatory policies. For anyone seeking to understand contemporary challenges facing Muslims, it provides essential context and analysis.
At ₹400, this book represents exceptional value—an investment in knowledge, empowerment, and resistance that will pay dividends for years to come. Whether you read it individually, discuss it in a study group, or use it as curriculum material, "Hands Off Our Hijab" will deepen your understanding and strengthen your commitment to defending Muslim women's rights and dignity.
Don't wait to add this important work to your library. Order your copy today from ilmStore.in, the authorized exclusive publisher for India, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, and join the growing movement of Muslims who refuse to accept discrimination and hypocrisy in silence.
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