Muslim Bridesmaid Asks If She’s A Jerk For Not Compromising And Keeping Her Hijab On For Her Friend’s Wedding

Being there to see your friend saying that magical ‘yes’ to the love of their life on their wedding day can safely be dubbed one of the most glorious moments in anyone’s life. However, as glorious as the occasion is, it tends to bring about miscommunication and misunderstandings, as well as a lot of hurt feelings.

Sadly, the latter was very much the case for this woman who shared her story on the subreddit r/AmIthe[Jerk]. The bride-to-be, the OP’s friend of 5 years, got offended when she realized the OP was to wear her hijab during the ceremony, as in her eyes, all bridesmaids were to look the same. This caused quite the row between these friends, and the internet was there to vote on who the jerk was in the situation.

Being a bridesmaid for a friend’s wedding is both a big honor and a great responsibility, yet some brides take their demands too far

Image credits: LightFieldStudios * (not the actual photo)

One Muslim woman wondered whether she was in the wrong for refusing to remove her hijab so that the bride could have her picture-perfect wedding

Image credits: Photog84 (not the actual photo)

Image credits: AITA-Hijabi 

The hijab is one of the most misunderstood pieces of cloth, yet its religious significance should not be understated

Image credits: YuriArcursPeopleimages (not the actual photo)

Although the wedding is the day when the bride and groom’s wishes get fulfilled—it is their day, after all—there are certain things that are non-negotiable, especially when it comes to a guest’s religious beliefs, as well as what they entail.

Many agree—the hijab is one of the most misunderstood pieces of cloth. As stated by Aminah Mohsin in The Express Tribune, this has everything to do with people’s restricted minds rather than the style and amount of clothes on one’s body, especially when considering the other religious symbols people wear on the daily without much criticism.

The common belief tends to be that the woman wearing the hijab has no choice in the matter. In some parts of the world, such as Afghanistan and Iran, women are required to cover their bodies from head to toe in the name of religion, as not doing so can lead to severe punishment. But, as Aminah asks, is it fair to generalize the concept of adorning a hijab and making it synonymous with oppression?

Many women choose to wear the hijab, and it’s their right to do so. Being asked to remove it can be seen as Islamophobic

Image credits: jsanz_photo (not the actual photo)

To wear or not wear the hijab is often a religious choice made by the woman wearing it, and the belief that Muslim women do not choose to wear the hijab is dangerous and problematic. As Hawa Fuseini states, women should not be violated or harassed for their choice that does not harm anyone.

The demand for a woman to remove her hijab perpetuates Islamophobia and disrespects the fundamental beliefs and constitutional rights of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab. These women have often been harassed, fired from jobs, denied access to public places, and otherwise discriminated against — and, like in this case, been bullied by friends.

It is not surprising that the internet decided that the OP was not in the wrong for standing down as a bridesmaid after the argument with the bride. However, there were those who left Islamophobic comments that the OP later addressed in updates to the post. All in all, we hope that the situation turns around and they can salvage their friendship and celebrate the wedding together.

Unsurprisingly, the internet very much sided with the OP, seeing nothing wrong in the way she handled the situation

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