It was a deceptively simple question, the kind that lands on the right person at the right time, inspiring them to create a product that can improve the lives of those who need it most.
During the last year of Najma Omar’s doctoral program in occupational therapy at the University of Minnesota, a professor asked students to think about tools that hadn’t yet been invented to help people — but should exist.
It prompted Najma, a 28-year-old Minneapolis woman, to start thinking about her own family. Among the 10 children, three are autistic, each with somewhat different communications styles and support needs.
In particular, she thought about her younger sister Nasteho, 17, the only girl among the three.
She knew that Nasteho struggled with finding a hijab that could assist with her noise sensitivity without adding a lot of weight or increasing pressure around her ears, which headphones or earmuffs did.
“[The professor’s prompt] wasn’t an assignment, but it was more so a question that she asked that drew me,” Najma said. “I thought, ‘Why can’t we [have] something a lot less pressurized and a lot more fitting to her needs?’”
Over the next two years, Najma and a small team, supported by her husband Ibrahim Barqadle and twin sister, Nafis, created the SereniHijab. “Sereni” comes from the word “serenity.”
The hijab is set to launch in early May across the social media platforms of “Submerge in Sensory” — a mental health initiative of Najma’s and Nafis’ that offers a suite of services such as occupational and speech therapy. At launch, customers will be able to place orders online. Najma says the team is also working towards having SereniHijab stocked in Minnesota retail stores later on.
The SereniHijab has two main components that alleviate discomfort for people with sensory sensitivity: It is made of lightweight fabric, and padding inserted into the hijab covers the ears just enough that loud sounds aren’t as overwhelming. Nasteho was the first to test one.
The fabric blend, 30% jersey and 70% spandex, is similar to what Nasteho has preferred in other hijabs. Spandex makes it easy to maintain. “That blend is super stretchy and breathable, and it’s something that I’ve noticed with my little sister, how she loves that type of fabric and would always choose that one over her other hijab fabrics,” Najma said.
Being among the older children in the family, she and her twin, Nafis, who is now a nurse, were key sources of support to their siblings growing up. The needs of her autistic siblings inspired Najma to pursue occupational therapy. Creating the SereniHijab was just the next step. Nasteho was the main reason Najma started working on the idea.
“Her autism is not profound but [she] has a lot of social difficulty, behaviors, sensitivity to hearing and progressive sensitivities, and touch. She’s very particular in what she wants and what makes her feel comfortable,” Najma said.
Khadra Ahmed is a speech therapist who works with patients up to age 21. Nearly all of Khadra’s patients experience sensory sensitivities. Khadra says that when she came across Najma’s announcement of the SereniHijab on social media, she thought of how beneficial it could be for the kinds of patients she sees in her work.
“I always have to think about the whole person,” Khadra said. “If you’re not able to be regulated and able to process some of those sensory experiences that may be hard for you already, it’s really hard to do some of that communication integration that we’re working on in speech therapy.”
The type of product Najma has created can help speech or other types of therapies, Khadra said.
The proof for Najma came when, after Nasteho let her know that previous designs weren’t a good fit, she asked to keep one.
“I was like, ‘Oh yes you can keep it of course! You can take it,’” Najma said.
The next step was understanding how to fit different head sizes and shapes, and hair volumes to create a few universal fits.
The first drop of the SereniHijab will have 100 pieces, including 50 pull-on hijabs and 50 headcap and scarf sets. After that, the Sereni team will offer pre-order availability. The SereniHijab as of now is offered in brown and black.
For Najma, the SereniHijab isn’t just a business. It’s a mission.
“Islam teaches ease, compassion, accommodation and meeting people where they are at. Designing a hijab that considers sensory needs is an extension of that. It’s honoring faith while also honoring someone’s sensory needs and neurology,” she said. “It’s making sure that all women like my sister don’t have to choose between their comfort and then their identity.”
