Apple introduces Hijabi Emoji proposed by Saudi Girl

Saudi Arabia’s 16 year old girl Rayouf Al-Humedhi is listed in ’30 Most influencial Teens’ listed in 2017.

She proposed Apple’s new emoji with a headscarf. The emoji attracted a lot of Arab and international attention because it represents an Islamic symbol — the hijab (head cover).

Why a Hijab Emoji?

Roughly 550 million Muslim women on this earth pride themselves on wearing the hijab. With this enormous number of people, not a single space on the keyboard is reserved for them.

Hijab in Arabic translates to “partition” or “barrier.” The hijab symbolizes modesty, privacy and religious identity. Excluding family members, the hijab is worn in the presence of men. Women all across the globe choose to wear the headscarf because of its evident indication of their faith and identity. However, the hijab stretches much further than a piece of cloth on your head. It also influences the way you talk, the way you act and ultimately, your lifestyle. To say it’s an integral aspect of women’s lives is an understatement.

We need the hijab emoji for Muslim countries. This includes Indonesia, the fourth most populous country in the world, where the Muslim population is 202 million. And in Egypt, the 15th most populous country in the world, the percentage of women wearing headscarves is 90%.