Often, when we see a woman wearing a hijab, we assume it’s a result of family or religious pressure. However, for many Muslim women, wearing the niqba is a personal choice made out of faith and conviction. This was also true for Khatija, daughter of music maestro AR Rahman. AR Rahman has now broken his silence on her decision, and his supportive words have gone viral.
AR Rahman spoke openly on daughter Khatija Rahman’s choice to wear Niqba
In 2019, AR Rahman faced a wave of criticism after his daughter, Khatija, appeared wearing a niqab while delivering a speech at the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. Many people quickly assumed that Rahman had forced his daughter to cover herself, accusing him of imposing conservative values on her. However, the reality was far from what was being said.
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In a calm and dignified way, AR Rahman responded to the rumours by posting a family photo on social media. In the picture, Khatija was seen wearing a niqab, while his wife Sairaa and other daughter Raheema were dressed without any veil. He captioned the photo with the hashtag #FreedomToChoose, making it clear that in his family, women are free to dress how they want. This simple post beautifully conveyed that wearing a hijab was Khatija’s personal choice, not something imposed upon her.
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Recently, in a conversation with journalist Nayandeep Rakshit, AR Rahman spoke openly about the criticism he had faced. He explained that living a public life naturally invites opinions from others.
“The choice of living a public life is intentional; from a rich man to God himself, everyone gets reviewed.”
However, he stressed the importance of staying humble and non-toxic, even towards those who criticise.
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“As long as we stay together and we are not conceited and we are not toxic to even the people saying stuff.”
Finally addressing his daughter he said,
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“My daughter has her own fan following, and the problem is that I am not even qualified to fight with her.”
He concluded by saying,
“She will send me two-page emails that are very articulately written, and you just sit there and admire it. I think there should be a book named My Letters to Dad.”
Through his calm words and actions, AR Rahman reminded everyone that personal freedom and respect are core values that he and his family abide by.
Back in 2019, Khatija Rahman defended her father against the Niqba controversy
Back in 2019, after a wave of criticism targeted AR Rahman over his daughter’s choice of wearing a niqab at a public event, Khatija Rahman herself stepped forward to set the record straight. She addressed the assumptions being made and firmly defended her father.
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“The recent conversation of myself on stage with my dad has been doing the rounds, although I didn’t expect such an overwhelming response. However, there were certain comments which said that this attire is being forced by my dad and that he has double standards.”
In a public statement, Khatija made it clear that the attire she chose to wear had nothing to do with any pressure from her parents.
Khatija explained that wearing the veil was entirely her personal choice, made with complete acceptance and pride. She mentioned that while she didn’t expect such a strong reaction to her appearance, some comments wrongly accused her father of forcing conservative values onto her.
“I would like to say that the attire I wear or the choices I make in my life do not have anything to do with my parents. The veil has been my personal choice with complete acceptance and honour.”
In her words, her decisions about her life and attire were hers alone, and her parents had always respected her freedom.
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About Khatija Rahman
Khatija Rahman is the eldest daughter of music maestro AR Rahman. Seeing her in niqba one may assume she is conservative and perhaps prefer to live a life without any work, however, seldom anyone know that she herself is a singer and has lent her voice to several songs.
Over the years, Khatija has contributed to various film songs, including “Rock A Bye Baby” from Mimi (2021), “Kaayam” from Iravin Nizhal (2022), and “Chinnanjiru (Marumurai)” from Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023) among others.
Beyond her musical endeavors, Khatija is an advocate for personal choice and modesty. She has been vocal about her decision to wear the niqab, emphasizing that it is a personal choice that she feel proud of.
What are your thoughts on the words of AR Rahman regarding his daughter’s choice to wear niqba? Do share your thoughts via the comments below.
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