Hajara: Brain Box under the Veil
By Abdullahi Yusuf.
Stunning Academic Performance in Medicine, ABU Overall Best Graduating MBBS Student, Valedictorian of the MBBS Class and an Epitome of exceptional abilities.
She recently ascended the podium at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria’s prestigious 43rd Convocation graduation ceremony. Her performance left the audience in awe and disbelief, and when she descended from the dais, the Ivory Tower rose in unionism to salute a brain box under the veil, Hajara Muhammad Hassan Tom. She carted home 13 distinguished awards of excellence in Medicine and Surgery.
Beyond the impressive list of awards she received, Dr. Hajara Tom’s success carries profound significance for the Muslim community, particularly in a society that wrongly perceives Muslims as dullards, views the adornment of the hijab as a symbol of bondage, and a society where cultural and religious expectations can sometimes impose limits on a woman’s aspirations and achievements. She is a beacon for young, veiling Muslims aspiring to break barriers and achieve greatness in their pursuit of academic excellence.
At the convocation ceremony, she was honoured with an array of awards, affirming her status as an extraordinary, brilliant student in medicine and surgery. Her laurels included: the Nigerian Medical Association’s (NMA) Kaduna State Prize, the Vice-Chancellor’s Prize, and the Nigeria Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) Prize, all of which recognized her as the overall Best Graduating MBBS Student in her set-classs 2020.
Dr. Hajara, also received the Dean’s Annual Prizes for the Faculty of Clinical Sciences and the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, underscoring her as the top student in these critical areas of medical education. Additionally, she was recognized as the overall Best Student in several specialized fields, including Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Community Medicine, Hematology, Anatomy, and Pharmacology. In addition, she was named the Overall Best Female in Pharmacology and the Overall Best Student in Surgery and Anatomy, Class Valedictorian of the MBBS Class of 2020, and the Brain Box Award from Ahmadu Bello University Medical Students Association (ABUMSA) 2017.
Her academic performance has proven that excellence and faith complement each other in a harmonious and impactful way. She is a good example to counter the ignoramus’s discriminatory attitudes towards Muslim females in Hijab. Her journey is a powerful reminder that greatness is within reach for those who dare to dream and strive for their goals, regardless of the obstacles. It highlights the extraordinary brain Allah endowed her with and is a testament to her remarkable academic achievements and readiness to make significant contributions to the healthcare sector in Nigeria
Doctor Hajara Muhammad Hassan Tom’s journey is more than a personal triumph; it is a beacon of hope and an inspiration for countless others in a field, where only a few of the Nigerian population can be admitted. Her performance will undoubtedly encourage future generations of female Muslim students in all fields to pursue their dreams and break new ground in their chosen fields.
Her academic odyssey serves as a powerful counter-narrative. She demonstrates that faith and professional excellence can coexist and that Muslim women can excel in challenging fields while remaining true to their values and identity.
Soon, PEACE Magazine, an independent Islamic news magazine, will roll out red carpets at an event in Abuja, Nigeria, to celebrate her and others. This is to acknowledge their broader impact on the Muslim community and beyond.
O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Qur’an 33:59
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