Popular blogger Aruzhan Abilova has joined the wave of Kazakh influencers and artists who have decided to stop wearing the hijab. She posted photos without the headscarf and said the decision was not easy. Kursiv LifeStyle reports on how society is reacting... as reported by infohub.kz.
The blogger shared an emotional confession on social media, featuring photos of her new look. She honestly said she had been struggling with these thoughts for a whole year.
"As you can see, I no longer wear the headscarf. I've been battling these thoughts for the past year and ultimately lost the fight. I don't want to make excuses. We are all sinful people who make mistakes. I believe Allah will give me another chance to cover myself again," Abilova shared.
She also thanked her followers for their support and admitted that the decision was difficult for her.
Kazakhstanis have been actively discussing the girl's move. Some followers supported Abilova, complimenting her that the secular style suits her and makes her look younger. Others expressed regret, calling the decision disappointing, while some users in the comments again recalled Dinara Satzhan's controversial words that the wave of mass wearing and removing of headscarves among influencers looks suspicious.
"Dinara Satzhan is right here, as she said, about 30-40 bloggers and so-called stars started undressing! They made a toy out of religion. The girl is very beautiful, apparently, the funding ended, like those bloggers."
"May Allah forgive me for these thoughts. But you, it turns out, look young without the headscarf."
"You are beautiful under any circumstances," users write.
However, Abilova herself does not link her decision to fashion or social trends. Her posts suggest it is the result of personal and prolonged internal struggle.
It is worth noting that two months earlier, actress Zhanel Makazhan also returned to a secular look. She not only took off the headscarf but also confirmed her divorce from actor Abai Asylkhan. This was her second marriage.
The actress admitted that she only now fully understood the Kazakh proverb "Do not blindly rely on your husband." Alongside changes in her personal life, Makazhan stopped wearing the headscarf. This sparked a strong reaction on social media. Some criticize the image change, while others actively support her decision to move forward and return to her career.
"Beautiful," "She shouldn't have gotten married at all; in this couple, it seemed to me that Zhanel was giving more," "Where is Abai Asylkhan? They divorced. He disappeared from the feed along with the headscarf," users write.
The actions of Abilova and Makazhan continue a trend among influencers and artists that Kursiv LifeStyle previously covered in detail. Since the beginning of the year, bloggers Sajol and Moldir Zhienbayeva, former Ayumi soloist Asel Zhamakayeva, and others have changed their image. At that time, rumors circulated that bloggers were forced to cover up by payments from an unknown religious sponsor.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that a wave of discontent erupted on Threads after a story about a resident of Karaganda who was denied a job at a dental clinic because of her hijab. Kazakhs in the comments harshly condemned the clinic's actions and accused its management of discrimination.