The eldest, Muzna, first wore it when she was eight, inspired by a cousin. She would then wear it depending on the company around her – until, she says, she realised she couldn’t “please everyone”.
The youngest, Sarah, reached for it at the “lowest point” in her life when her dream of becoming a surgeon was dashed by low exam scores. “It started with things like praying on time,” she says. “The hijab came later and it came naturally.”
Born to two doctors, the sisters grew up in India’s coastal metropolis, Mumbai. Their mother still doesn’t cover her head. But when they do, they say, people assume it’s out of compulsion.
The question – whether Muslim girls have the right to wear the hijab to class – is now in court. The row has sparked violence, divided campuses and stopped a number of Muslim girls in Karnataka from attending classes.
The BBC spoke to Muslim women across India who say they feel angry about the “intrusive nature” of the debate.
“We are constantly reminded that to be accepted, we must give up our religion,” said one woman from Delhi. What is drowned out by the public outcry, they say, is the intensely personal nature of their choice.
Those who choose to wear the hijab say it is not solely a religious decision, but one born out of reflection. And those who choose not to wear it say their hair is not a barometer for their faith.
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