Model and actress Mahenur Haider recently made headlines after she candidly shared her experiences with traditional Islamic attire during an appearance on Ahmad Ali Butt‘s podcast. Her comments about her decision to stop wearing the burqa have sparked both support and criticism from social media users.
In the revealing podcast, she discussed her journey with the abaya, a garment she first adopted while in ninth grade. She explained that her initial decision to wear the abaya was met with skepticism from her father, who accused her of duplicity. My father didn’t understand why I was wearing it. He told me to first bring a change from within before covering up, Mahenur Haider recalled. This comment puzzled her as a teenager, but she now appreciates the deeper message her father was trying to convey.
View this post on Instagram
Mahenur Haider also touched on the broader family context regarding traditional veiling. All my family members pray, but veiling has never been a practice at our home, she noted. Her mother particularly influenced her decision by expressing that Mahenur Haider did not blend with the family’s usual appearance when she wore the burqa.
The situation escalated when her peers also began to mock her choice, leading her to eventually abandon wearing the burqa. My friends made fun of me, and my mother said I didn’t look like part of the family. It was too much pressure, she said. Since then, Mahenur Haider has chosen not to wear the veil, including the dupatta, especially in professional settings like the podcast interview.
The response on social media to Mahenur Haider’s personal choices has been mixed, with some criticizing her for not adhering to traditional norms, while others commend her for following her path in balancing personal beliefs and professional demands in showbiz.
Mahenur Haider’s revelations provide insight into the personal dilemmas faced by public figures regarding cultural and religious practices, and her story has ignited discussions about personal freedom and societal expectations in modern society.
