A woman in Britain who has become the first judge in the western world to wear a hijab hopes to be an inspiration to young Muslims. Raffia Arshad, 40, who grew up in Yorkshire, north England, has wanted to work in law since she was 11. Ms Arshad, a barrister, was last week appointed a deputy district judge on the Midlands circuit. She said her promotion was great news for diversity in the world’s most respected legal system.

It’s important for all women, not just Muslim women, but it is particularly important for Muslim women Ms Arshad said the judicial office was looking to promote diversity, but when they appointed her they did not know that she wore the hijab.

Ms Arshad, a mother of three, has been practicing private law dealing with children, forced marriage, female genital mutilation and other cases involving Islamic law for the past 17 years. She was the first in her family to go to university and has also written a leading text on Islamic family law.

Source: The National