Iranian Activist Sentenced to 178 Lashes and Prison for Not Wearing Hijab

In February 2025, Iranian activist, Hamideh Zarei, was arrested and her sentence has now been issued: 178 lashes and 18 months in prison.

Her punishment stems from Iran’s mandatory hijab law, which was implemented in 1979 under the order of Ayatollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This law requires all girls in Iran to wear the hijab starting at the age of nine.

The justification for this mandate is often linked to the Quran, specifically Surah 24:31, which states:

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not to reveal their adornments except what normally appears. Let them draw their veils over their chests, and not reveal their hidden adornments except to their husbands, their fathers, their fathers-in-law, their sons, their stepsons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons or sisters’ sons, their fellow women, those bondwomen in their possession, male attendants with no desire, or children who are still unaware of women’s nakedness. Let them not stomp their feet, drawing attention to their hidden adornments. Turn to Allah in repentance all together, O believers, so that you may be successful.”

The irony is striking—while women in Iran and other parts of the world are fighting against the compulsory hijab, February 1st marked World Hijab Day, a celebration advocating for the headscarf.

Speaking of February, let’s not forget another incident that took place in this month. In February 2007, Zilla Huma Usman, Pakistan’s Minister for Social Welfare, was shot and killed because she did not cover her head. Her murderer, Mohammad Sarwar, showed no remorse, stating, “I just obeyed Allah’s commandment.” He even declared that if released, he would kill others who did not follow what he deemed the “right path.”

Despite the widespread narrative that hijab is a choice, the reality tells a different story. My question to Muslims is this: are those who enforce the hijab in strict accordance with the Quran and Hadith correct, or are those who identify as Muslims yet choose not to wear it in the right?

Image: @centerforhumanrights