“The Proudest Blue. The Story of Hijab and Family”
by Ibtihaj Muhammad. Illustrated by Hatem Aly.
Little, Brown and Company, New York, 2019, 32 pages, K-3.
Scarves were commonly worn in the United States during the 1950s. My own mother wore a scarf whenever the weather was cold. This was considered very normal.
In Catholic churches, Our Blessed Mother is always depicted in pictures with a veil. As a matter of fact, for centuries in the early church, both men and women wore head coverings. In recent decades the use of scarves has declined.
However, in Islamic society, women still commonly wear head scarves. Known in Islamic society as the hijab, this head covering is frequently worn by Muslim girls after they reach puberty. It is ironic that the hijab has created so much controversy in western countries when many American women formerly used scarves frequently.
Some westerners view the hijab as a symbol of female oppression. A very different point of view exists in Islamic countries. In these countries, the hijab is seen as a symbol of beauty and strength. Ibtihaj Muhammad writes about the meaning of the hijab and the occasional racist responses made against it in the book, “The Proudest Blue. The Story of the Hijab and Family.”
Two sisters, Asiyah and Faizah, are getting ready for school. Today is an important moment for their family because Asiyah will be wearing the hijab for the first time. Asiyah and her mother decide on a rich blue scarf for the young girl. Proudly, the mother arranges the hijab on her daughter’s head. Faizah can’t believe how beautiful the hijab is and thinks her sister is a princess. The blue color reminds both girls of the beauty of the sky. Their mother tells them that the hijab depicts strength.
When the children near school, some of the students accept Asiyah wearing a hijab. Some children make mean comments about the hijab calling it a rag or a tablecloth. Faizah is deeply hurt by these comments. When she enters her classroom, Faizah draws a lovely picture of two girls having a tea party wearing their hijabs. But other hateful comments are made about Asiyah’s hijab. In spite of this, Asiyah believes the deep blue color of her hijab gives her strength. As the girls tell their mother about the comments Asiyah received that day, she has some important advice for the girls. What is it?
What does the mother tell the girls? Why do they learn that the hijab is a symbol of feminine beauty? Why do some children make such mean-spirited comments about Asiyah’s hijab? How do the girls rise above these verbal attacks? To find out the answers to these and other questions, go to the library and check out this beautifully drawn picture book, “The Proudest Blue. The Story of Hijab and Family” by Ibthihaj Muhammad.
This book was chosen by the Nebraska Library Association as a Golden Sower Nominee for 2021. The Golden Sower Award is given to the book voted most popular by the school children of Nebraska at the end of the year. The author’s two sisters are the main characters in this book. Most of the experiences described in the story actually happened to Muhammad as she was growing up in the United States.
At a time when there is much religious and societal unrest in the United States, this book could prove to be a tonic for some of these negative attitudes. Head scarves did not cause controversy in the 1940-50 period in the United States. There is no reason the hijab should be any different.
