SISTERS IN BLACK
Hesti Rika Pratiwi, CNNIndonesia.com

“You look more beautiful with your niqab on, Sister,” cheered a niqabi to her fellow niqabi who then replied with a smile. Though her lips were concealed, the gleam in her eyes told me so.

Women wearing niqabs began to occupy public spaces in Indonesia lately. Humans have unlimited sets of desires, constantly yearning to break through the boundaries. In many cases, simply covering one’s head with hijab is no longer enough. For some Muslim women, the peak of devotion is to wear niqab.

Sixteen years have passed since the Bali Bombing in Legian, Bali, on October 12th, 2002. As soon as the perpetrators were arrested, not only did the media expose their profiles, but also their wives who were all women in niqabs. This caused the use of niqabs to evolve into a touchy subject in Indonesia. Women in niqabs became a stereotype of radicals who are willing to commit acts of terrorism in the name of religion.

Nonetheless, many stories lie within this spiritual journey. In Indonesia, one’s choice to wear a niqab may be restrained by family and friends. Some might even suggest them as women who are doomed to be domesticated throughout their whole lives. This certainly does not apply to all women in niqabs.

To only wear black and forsake all worldly pleasure are things one might not be able to reach alone. This spiritual journey demands support; it is impossible for one to go through alone. This urged niqab-wearing-women to form an ukhuwah or sisterhood among them. Many reflected on how they’ve lost countless friends along the way, but not a few mentioned that they’ve also gained new friends.

Although often judged as a carrier of foreign influence, these niqabis are persistent in changing the negative way society thinks of them. Now Muslim women believe that wearing niqab is not only an action to follow the rasul’s sunnah, but also a way to keep themselves off any kinds of slander and unwanted attention from men.