Some ulama (clerics) have begun preaching against riya (showing off). They argue that the obsession with the "beautiful white hijab" is a form of modern syirik (idolatry), where the aesthetic pleasure of the garment overrides the spiritual intention.
This creates a pious consumerism paradox. Women are told to be zuhud (ascetic) but are simultaneously sold Rp 500,000 ($32) pashmina whites that must be dry-cleaned. The cantik (beautiful) standard is exclusionary. If you cannot afford the expensive, wrinkle-free jersey fabric or the whitening toothpaste for the perfect smile underneath, you are deemed less "pious" in the digital gaze. jilbab putih cantik mesum3gp work
The word cantik (beautiful) is the most dangerous part of the phrase. For decades, the purpose of the jilbab was to conceal beauty ( aurat ). Yet, the "jilbab putih cantik" phenomenon has inverted this. Some ulama (clerics) have begun preaching against riya
: In Indonesia, the jilbab has become a symbol of religious identity for many Muslim women. Wearing a jilbab is a way to express one's faith and adherence to Islamic teachings. Women are told to be zuhud (ascetic) but
For decades, the hijab was a political liability. Under Suharto’s repressive regime (1966–1998), wearing the jilbab was effectively banned in public schools and government offices. It was seen as a symbol of radical Islam and political dissent, reserved for conservative santri (religious students) or those defying the state’s secular-nationalist ideology. To wear it was to risk being labeled ekstrim kanan (far-right) or, worse, anti-Pancasila (the state ideology).
