Is Hijab a fashion statement? A study of Malaysian Muslim women

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to analyze the motivation behind the hijab behavior in a multicultural environment of Malaysia; it is a religious obligation or fashion behavior. In an analytic thinking of motivation in influencing women in wearing a hijab, learning from the social environment on religious obligation and fashion in hijab has been discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative analysis has been conducted for 100 hijab-wearing female students in the University of Malaya.

Findings

The findings were tabulated and the outcomes proved that most of the women took the hijab as a religious obligation instead of fashion motivation. Muslim women are still taking on the religious obligation in styling up the hijab. Modification in the hijab can be accepted in Malaysia, but the substantial design to wear the hijab is an obligation.

Originality/value

This study exclusively discusses the hijab as fashion and religious obligation within the context of Malaysia.

Citation

Grine, F. and Saeed, M. (2017), "Is Hijab a fashion statement? A study of Malaysian Muslim women", Journal of Islamic Marketing, Vol. 8 No. 3, pp. 430-443. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-04-2015-0029