Muslim teen left in tears after being disqualified for wearing a hijab

A Muslim teenager was reportedly left in tears after being disqualified from a high school volleyball game for wearing a hijab, according to the Independent.

Fourteen-year-old Najah Aqeel was banned from competing with her peers by a referee, who cited a break in "uniform rules".

The referee told Najah, a student at Valor College Prep in Nashville, that she was unable to participate as her headscarf went against the National Federation of State High School Associations rules.

The College’s athletic director said per the Independent that the referee informed the student that she would have to request permission to compete from the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association.

This is the inspiring moment a female soccer player's opponents huddled around her so that she could redo her hijab:

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According to the rules, "hair devices made of soft material and no more than three inches wide may be worn in the hair or on the head”.

However, it is believed that Najah had not been prevented from competing while wearing her hijab in previous matches.

In an interview with HuffPost, Najah said she started to cry "out of anger" when she was disqualified.

“I was crying, not because I was hurt. I was crying because I was angry. I just thought it was unfair,” she said. Aliya, Najah’s mother, referred to it “an injustice”.

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“It was because of her religion,” she said. “It was because of her hijab”.

Ultimately, they were only able to get permission for the teenager to play 30 minutes after the game had ended.

Valor College has also expressed disappointment with the decision, writing in a statement:

"We are shocked, outraged, and disappointed that this happened; this student and her family should never have had to face this situation.

"We stand with and support every member of our community to visually express their religious freedom as it is a protection and right guaranteed under the first amendment of the Constitution."

Najah and her school plan to petition against the rules and urge the NFHS and the TSSAA to look into it.

“We want the rule changes. We want the rule thrown out,” Aliya said. “That’s our biggest mission as a family and as a team. So no other girl, not just Muslims, but no other religious groups have to go through what we go through.”