Corporal Iqra Shahzadi, who created history by becoming the first hijab-wearing British soldier last year, said despite achieving her dream of becoming a soldier, she still had to face hurdles.
“I had to educate people. To the naked eye, this may just be a cloth. It may not mean anything. But to me, it doesn’t just cover my hair. It tells me that I am a Muslim,” she said.
“And just because I wear a hijab doesn’t mean I’m not competent,” she added.
Shahzadi works at Firmley Park and has always aspired to join the Army, despite not seeing any hijab-clad Muslim women represented.
The NHS Trust, which runs Frimley Park, said it was a “special honor” to have her among their colleagues.
Shazadi’s journey to become a soldier was not an easy one. Coming from a conservative family, she needed to make her parents understand how she could maintain her religious values while serving as a soldier.
When she told her parents about her aspiration to join the Army, Shahzadi said, “They thought it was just a phase, and I’ll get over it.”
The 28-year-old told Eastern Eye, “My father is very conservative, extremely strict. My mom is the same, but she’s more understanding. If I sit her down and explain everything to her, she’ll understand.”
“During this whole process, the one person who was my backbone was my sister. She was my rock to get to where I wanted to be,” she said.
The Firmley Park NHS Trust said, “We are proud of both our diverse workforce and our partnership with military medical staff from joint hospital group South East.”
