White woman In a headscarf, would you stare?

[Tooshyshyhushhushidoi]

And conservative/ ‘modest’ clothing. Would you stare? Would you look twice?

context to follow :)

Given you just tried to wrongfoot her with your questions, your hope for her confidence sounds insincere and condescending.

No. It’s obviously being done in order to to get a reaction

I wouldn’t look or think twice. I’d wonder if you were a convert but that’s your business not mine.

Muslim males and their mothers.

im ok looking, no great beauty, im in my early 30s, started wearing the scarf part time late 20s, and I just found men that might not have noticed me before would drum up convo asking questions and then it would be like ‘sister you married?’ So when I say yes then, they’re very apologetic and walk away. Or I just head it off at the start and say I’m married and then that’s it. Might sound a bit presumptuous on my end, but it usually starts out with some sort of ‘sister where are you from?’

@XxiXx , what make you think the OP isnt owning this decision! .
People convert to various religions all of the time through their own free will .

*makes

And those from travelling communities had white skin and wore head scarves. I remember seeing this regularly until 00s. They probably still dress like this in some areas.

@Coolhwip I definitely didn't try to wrong foot the op. The questions were really basic questions. I agree with the OP, she doesn't owe me an explanation just to satisfy my curiosity. So, over and out now.

I had to take a work call, it delayed my context. But I was curious to see people’s reaction without context

I once had a very embarrassing instant in a lift. I had gone back to my home town and there was a white woman in a hijab with a baby. She caught me outright staring at her and looked incredibly uncomfortable just as a lift doors open and she hurried off. To my shame I didn't say anything but the actual reason I was down was her was because I had baby sat her when she was a child but I couldn't for the life of me remember her name and so I was trying to remember it. I'm sure she thought I was being horribly judgmental. I did meet her mama couple of years later and explain it to her so hopefully she passed the message on.

No because one side of my family is Persian - and Persians can look ‘white’ (not unusual to see blue eyes or red/fair hair).

However - their attitude is more ‘why would you when you aren’t obliged to do so (aunt had a Big Fight with a snotty nosed morals police a while back - and things have got really desperate for women and girls there now)’. Grandma (was very religious) but never wore it in non Muslim countries as she said that the point was to not stand out.

MashaAllah @Tooshyshyhushhushidoi that's fantastic that you're taking that step. I'm a fellow white hijabi and while it can be hard at times, Alhamdulillah it's been so worthwhile for me and my deen.

It can feel quite daunting when people stare. But some people stare at all kinds of things, and I'd rather be stared at for doing what feels right for me than do something that isn't being true to myself just to fit in.

If you want to chat, feel free to PM me on here. I'll make dua for your efforts to be full of baraka for you.

One of my friends is white and wears a headscarf.

I know she's Muslim because she mentions things in passing that show she's following the religion. Why she's Muslim - I have no idea. I've never asked, as it's none of my business.

I think if you know someone who looks a certain way, you don't bat an eyelid at someone else looking that way, too, because it's part of your normal.

It goes for everything, really. I wouldn't expect someone to do a double-take at someone with ginger hair in Scotland, but I would in China.

It's not a comment on you; it's a comment on what is more common where you are.

People should be less obvious, though!

Yes I’d probably look twice and I am a white woman in a headscarf. I think for me it’s more ooh another revert. I am regularly gawped at by non Muslims and Muslims, my husband notices it too, it can be a bit intimidating and first but you’ll soon learn not to give a shit.

It's not a comment on you; it's a comment on what is more common where you are.

This is really well put.

So weird. Lots of Muslim women who aren't converts are white or have fair skin and could look white. Wouldn't even look unusual.

I live in a fairly Muslim area (I'm white). I noticed the first few times I saw a white woman in a headscarf and was curious, then learned that there are Albanian etc Muslims as well as converted Muslims. I didn't stare then, and 20+ years later don't even notice it.

You might be receiving curiosity, or some hostility, or have an element of self-consciousness.

it makes my husband hate how i dress, he can feel people’s eyes on us and he would prefer me take it off. I’m such a shy person though, I find it so off putting. He’d fall through the floor if I wore the face covering

I’ve only taken a double look once and that’s because it was a girl I grew up with that had started wearing a hijab in her mid-20s. She was raised Christian and had had a beautiful Anglican wedding so it did surprise me. Other than that, no, I wouldn’t think twice. You don’t have to be a certain skin colour to be muslim

Don't tell me guys are asking if you're married with your husband stood right there!

How do you know they’re not Muslim?

No, lol, no one was that bold. It’s when I was alone or with a friend, normally when I was alone

Good point. You could have met my (Muslim) mother in law.

I'm a white woman who wears a hijab, I reverted to Islam a few years before I met my husband who is Muslim, I started wearing my headscarf and an abaya a few years before meeting my husband too at the time of becoming Muslim.
At the time before I got married I lived in an area where their wasn't Muslims, just a few on occasion so yes when I started wearing it at first I felt really uncomfortable, had people staring and laughing at me even especially as I was wearing abaya too and making comments behind me in shops etc, it made me uncomfortable and upset and first but I didn't let it stop me and I eventually got used to it and stopped caring what other people thought.
When I got married I moved to Birmingham to live with my husband so obviously a bit different as their is so many women who wear headscarfs here and who cover so people don't stare or notice me here, alot of people can't even guess I'm white or a reverted Muslim now. Now when I go back to the place I used to live before I was married, there is a lot more women walking around in headscarfs now so it's not really shocking for them anymore so they don't tend to stare at much.

I understand myself as I've been their 10 years ago when I started wearing it, you do feel uncomfortable at first and feel as if everyone is staring and looking at you ( I'm not going to lie some people do stare and make comments) but you will eventually get over that feeling and stop caring if people are staring or not anyway.

For the most part they are people dressed in a very unislamic way, some have been drinking, and tattoos, and I’m not sure why Muslims would shake their heads.

but I guess some of the non aggressive looks could’ve been from Muslims not ready to take the plunge clothing wise