For two years, Ms. Begum attended the school without complaint, wearing the shalwar kameez, but in September 2002, Ms. Begum, accompanied by her brother and another young male, went to the school and asked that she be allowed to wear the long coat-like garment known as the jilbāb.
Begum, with her brother, issued a claim for judicial review of the school's decision not to allow her to wear the jilbab at school.