Meet Ibtihaj, the first ‘hijab-clad American’ to compete in Olympics

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February 3, 2016

Before even scoring a point, Ibtihaj Muhammad will make history this summer in Rio de Janeiro by being the first U.S. athlete to compete at the Olympics in a hijab, the headscarf worn by Muslim women.

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Muhammad, an African American women’s saber fencer, first made history several years ago when she became the first Muslim woman to compete for the U.S. in fencing. Now that she has qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Muhammad is making history once more.

“I want to compete in the Olympics for the United States to prove that nothing should hinder anyone from reaching their goals — not race, religion or gender,” Muhammad says in her USA Fencing bio. “I want to set an example that anything is possible with perseverance.”

The 30-year-old fencer has been on fire this season, earning bronze medals at two of the three world cups held so far. After earning bronze at the Athens world cup on Saturday, Muhammad mathematically secured her spot on the 2016 Olympic team.

She is now second in USA Fencing’s national team point standings, behind two-time Olympic champion Mariel Zagunis. Zagunis and Muhammad will remain first and second through April 11, when the points standings conclude and the entire 2016 U.S. Olympic Fencing Team is named. Zagunis and Muhammad will compete in both the individual and team event, along with one other U.S. women’s saber fencer, and a replacement athlete for the team event only.

In addition to Muhammad’s bronzes from the 2015-16 season, she claimed the silver medal at a world cup stop in 2013, and has seven team world cup medals. Muhammad has also been part of the U.S. teams that have medaled at the past five world championships, including winning gold in 2014.

Muhammad attempted to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, but that dream was thwarted when she tore a ligament in her hand months before the Games.

The New Jersey native began fencing at age 13 when her mother saw the high school fencing team practicing and noticed the athletes were fully-covered, a necessity in Muhammad’s religion.

It wasn’t until her career at Duke University that Muhammad began to fully commit to the sport.

“After I graduated from college, I saw there was a lack of minorities in the sport,” said Muhammad. “I recognized that I had a skill set, so I started to pursue fencing full time. I felt that it was something the squad needed. There were barriers that needed to be broken in women’s saber.”

In 2014, Muhammad founded Louella, an online women’s clothing company dedicated to creating “affordable, modest, fashion forward clothing.” 

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satya vishwasi
 - 
Thursday, 4 Feb 2016

totally misunderstood concept of HIJAB , AND PURDAH, A mere headscarf cannot fulfil the condition of hijab and purdah. its simply a mockery of hijab wearing tight clothes and then a headscarf on head.

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News Network
December 16,2025

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Melkar (Bantwal): The 9th Annual Day celebration of SMR Public School, titled “EXCELLENTIA”, was held on December 15 with great enthusiasm and dignity, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey towards academic excellence and holistic development.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. U. T. Iftikar Ali. The chief guests were Dr. Akhtar Hussain, Mr. P. Moosabba Beary, Mr. Zakaria Jokattre, and Dr. T. M. Abdul Rahuf—whose inspiring addresses motivated the students and appreciated the school’s contributions to education.

Mr. Abdul Nasir, Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar, Mr. Razak Golthamajal, Mr. Sali Koya, Mr. Arshad Hussain, Mr. Ismail Balanoor, Mr. Feroz Bawa, Mr. Sahul Hameed, Mr. Abubakkar, Mr. Hameed K. Mani, Mr. Abdul Majeed (Principal, Melkar Women’s College), and Mr. Abdul Lathief (Former Principal, Melkar Women’s College) were the guests of honour.

The Annual Report was presented by the Headmistress, Ms. Fathimathul Zaheera, highlighting the school’s achievements and progress during the academic year. The Presidential Address was delivered by the Chairman of SMR Public School, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasised the vital role of education in shaping students’ futures and stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and consistent effort in achieving 100 per cent academic results.

Secretary of SMR Public School, Mr. Rifath Ahmed, and PTA President, Mr. Sandeep Kumar, were also present on the occasion.

The Annual Day celebration showcased the collective efforts of students and teachers and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to quality education and all-round development. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, parents, and well-wishers for their support. The 9th Annual Day—EXCELLENTIA—was a memorable and successful event, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present. 

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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