Hijab makes me feel like me

Hijab is not a piece of cloth on your head

by Asma Bint Shameem

Hijab is not a piece of cloth on your head. It’s a way of life.

Just because some of the sisters have their head covered, they think that the
requirement of Hijaab is fulfilled. They don’t realize that wearing a Hijaab
requires much more than just covering your head.

Actually, if you think about it, Hijaab is the way you talk…..the way you
walk….the very way you carry yourself. In fact, Hijaab is an attitude in itself. Its a
whole way of life.
Allaah says:
“And say to the believing women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private
parts, and not to display their beauty (zeenah) except what is apparent of it, and to
extend their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms (jaybs), and not to
display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s
fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’
sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule
(slaves), or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small
children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent, and not to strike their
feet (on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments. And
turn in repentance to Allah together, O you believers, in order that you are
successful.” (Surat-un-Nur: 31).

Here are some of the more common issues in light of this verse about the Hijaab.

Well, my head is covered. What more do you want?

If you look carefully at the ayah, it clearly states that the head covers (khumur)
should be drawn over the neck slits (juyoob). Khumur is the plural of the Arabic
word “khimar” which means a headcover. Juyoob is the plural of the Arabic word
“jaiyb”, which refers to the neck slit (of the dress).
Yet, some sisters just cover their head with something, and think they are
fulfilling the rights of Hijaab, although part of their hair or body is showing, or
their whole neck and chest area are exposed. Actually, that was the way of the
women of Jahilliyah.
Al-Qurtubi said: “Women in those days used to cover their heads with the khimar,
throwing its ends upon their backs. This left the neck and the upper part of the
chest bare, along with the ears. Then Allah commanded them to cover those parts
with the khimar.”
So secure the scarf well around your face, covering your neck/chest area, and keep
those half sleeves and capri pants for your Mahrams
Sorry.…tight jeans and short shirt just don’t cut it

You can’t wear tight jeans and a short shirt with a piece of cloth on your head and
think this is Hijaab. Nor can you wear anything else that is tight, describing the
shape of the body in any way, even if it is long. The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi
wa Sallam) said:

“In later (generations) of my ummah there will be women who will be dressed but
naked. On top of their heads (what looks) like camel humps. They will not enter
into paradise or (even) get a smell of it.” (Muslim)

If it is see-through, its NOT Hijaab

You CANNOT use chiffon or other see through material to cover your hair and
body. Everything should be covered and the color of the skin underneath should
not be visible.
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) once received a thick garment as a
gift. He gave it to Osamah b. Zayd, who in turn gave it to his wife. When asked by
the Prophet why he did not wear it, Osamah indicated that he gave it to his wife.
The Prophet then said to Osamah “ask her to use a “gholalah” under it (the
garment) for I fear that it (the garment) may describe the size of her bones.”
(Ahmad, Abi-Dawood)

(The word gholalah in Arabic means a thick fabric worn under the dress to
prevent it from describing the shape of the body).

The Hijaab shouldn’t attract attention

The dress should not be such that it attracts men’s attention to the woman’s
beauty. Allaah clearly states “not to display their beauty (zeenah).” Yet, Subhaan
Allaah, some Hijaabi sisters are dressed in such a way that they attract more
attention to themselves than they would if they didn’t wear Hijaab!! How could
such zeenah be concealed if the dress is designed in a way that it attracts men’s
eyes to the woman? It beats the purpose of Hijaab.
Allaah tells us:
“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of
ignorance…” [al-Ahzaab:32]

What about make-up and perfume???

Wearing make up is also part of the zeenah that Allaah orders us NOT to display.
So if your head and body are appropriately covered yet you are wearing bright red
lipstick or dark eyeliner such that people confuse between you and a raccoon….uh
sorry, that’s not Hijaab. And keep those nice fragrances for the home, between
you and your husband. That’s part of Hijaab too, even if you are going to the
Masjid. The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:

“Any woman who puts on perfume and passes by people so that they can smell
her fragrance, is an adulteress.” (al-Nasaa’i, Tirmidhi: hasan by Albaani)

Tinkling Jewelry and Jingling bracelets

‘Loud’ and tinkling anything, be it jewelry, bracelets, clip-clopping shoes, little

bells on clothes, you name it, if it jingles or makes noise, it is against the
principles of Hijaab, because it attracts attention to the one wearing it. That is
what is meant when Allaah orders us in the above verse…“not to strike their feet
(on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments.”

No laughing, joking, or hanging out with non-Mahrams

Some sisters assume that since they are properly covered, its okay for them to sit
around and talk, laugh, joke, etc. with the men, but that’s not right, even if he is
‘the Shaikh’.
Allaah says:”. . . then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease
should be moved with desire, but speak in an honorable manner.” [al-Ahzaab:32]

So talk to them when there is a specific need, and in a manner that is not
necessarily rude, yet it is polite but firm.

Staring at the brothers or ‘checking them out’ is NOT Hijaab

Allaah orders us to “lower your gaze” in the above verse. Why? Because a single
‘look’ can say more than a thousand words. So, even if you are properly covered,
keep those eyes down, conduct yourself with ‘Hayaa’, and avoid ‘fitnah’.

‘Chatting’ on the internet/phone is not part of Hijaab, either

There is no such thing as “we’re just friends”. Talking to non-Mahrams is wrong

even if it is through the internet or telephone. There are too many stories of illegal
relationships, fornications, broken homes, extra-marital affairs and runaway brides
to even mention. That is why in Islam anything that leads to haraam is also
haraam. Allaah says:

“Do not (even) come close to fornication, for it is an indecency, and its way is
evil.” (Surah Israa:32)

Be careful, even in the way you walk

Remember, you are not a runway model displaying the latest fashion. Walk with
modesty and hayaa and you will be respected. The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi
wa Sallam) said:

“There are two types of the people of Hell that I have not seen yet….women who
are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait…..” (Muslim).

Don’t shake hands with non-Mahrams. Its part of Hijaab

It is not permissible to shake hands with a non-Mahram, because the Prophet (Sal
Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:

“For one of you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle is better for him
than to touch a woman who is not permissible for him.” (at-Tabaraani saheeh by
al-Albaani).
And no, it is not rude to refuse to shake hands with non-Muslims. Simply politely
explain that its part of your religion and they are very understanding.

Stay away from the men’s areas

I see many sisters entering the Masjid from the men’s entrance, or standing idle in
the hallways or where there is a chance of unnecessary mixing with the brothers.
What for?
Don’t we have a separate entrance for ourselves? Why do you think Allaah
ordained the Hijaab in the first place? To avoid fitnah, by reducing temptation and
separating the genders.
“The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said to the women on his way out
of the mosque when he saw men and women mixing together on their way home:
‘Give way (i.e., walk to the sides) as it is not appropriate for you to walk in the
middle the road.’ Thereafter, women would walk so close to the wall that their
dresses would get caught on it.” (Abu Dawood)

Hijaab is also to conceal your sister

Although some sisters wear the Hijaab themselves, they forget that they cannot
talk about another sister and her beauty in front of their own husbands, brothers,
etc. Remember, part of your Hijaab is to cover your sisters ‘awrah’ as well.
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:
“No woman should mix with a woman and describe her to her husband so that it is
as if he can see her.” (Muslim)

May Allah guide us and bless us with the TRUE understanding of His Deen.
Ameen.

I am of South Asian decent; I came to Canada at the age of seven. Before coming
to Canada, though I may have been young I was still able to understand and feel
the intense struggle of women in a country that didn't allow women to flourish to
their full potential. I understood that my move to Canada would be towards
freedom and independence. I took my freedom very seriously. I made sure I did
what boys did in school. I fought with my family to have equal freedom and rights
as the male counterparts in my family. I won some battles, but lost a lot too. I was
sheltered, and made to believe that there was some things men could do that a
woman just couldn't. I tried to defy that with every fibre of my being. Because I
believed women could do everything and it was men who were limited.

As I became a teenager, I struggled with trying to fit in, because though I was a
little feminist at heart, I was still a girl. I had the desire to be pretty, a desire to be
liked for my looks. I tried very hard for many years, but I always wondered why
girls had to wear less clothing to be attractive while men looked their finest in a
three piece suit.

My journey as a feminist eventually took me to explore my faith. Negative media

helped me look for answers for the Muslim woman dilemma. Was a simple piece
of cloth a symbol of oppression? I found that women were mistreated all over the
world, scarf or no scarf. I did a lot of research and found that the veil in Islam was
encouraged to elevate women to a symbol of respect. I was fascinated by that,
because I found as a teen, self-respect was something a lot of girls struggled with.
Being raised around a lot of boys and having mostly male friends I recognized
that I didn't want to be objectified as sexual object.

So at 16, I began my journey to covering my body. I was afraid of what people

would think. But I realized, the world would judged me no matter what I did, so I
better do what I feel is right. And I felt very strongly about what I believed in. I
believed, a man should respect me for my mind. I believed that inner beauty
should be showcased because outer beauty would fade.

Contrary to what most people think, I had to fight my family to wear hijab. They
were completely against it. I still get asked if I really need to wear it. Do I waver
and question my commitment sometimes? Yes I do. Just as a person who may
question their commitment to their marriage. You can call it long-term buyer's
remorse -- just kidding. But seriously sometimes it's hard, but majority of the time
I am extremely comfortable with my decision to wear the hijab.

My feminism still remains while I wear the hijab, because for me it was the
greatest symbol of choice. The expression "she wears the pants in the house," was
changed by my husband to, "She wears the hijab in the house." In our home hijab
is a symbol of power and respect. My 16-year-old feminist self would be proud of
me for sticking to my guns. She would be proud for never giving in to peer
pressure, media pressure, and social pressure. My body is my own; I can do to it
whatever I please.

To get a better understanding of hijab, I leave you with the words of Naomi Wolf,
a feminist;

As I sat down and attempted to write this several times, I realized how personal
my hijab (headscarf) story actually is because no amount of words can truly do the
experience justice. That being said, I’m just going to dive right in.

I�m first-generation American, a young Muslim woman born into an Indian

family. Indians don�t think I am Indian enough, Americans don�t think I
am American enough, and Muslims don�t think I am Muslim enough. Any
first-generation born knows the struggle of clashing cultures. Keeping up with
different languages, foods, holidays, values and expectations can be exhausting.

The hijab is the covering Muslim women are required to wear after reaching
puberty. I only started wearing it the day before freshman orientation for college. I
come from a pretty religious family and I suppose I was "religious" in the sense
that I prayed, basically going through the motions. Other than that, I was (or
wanted to be) a regular American high school girl.

When people ask me why I made the decision, I still struggle to find an answer
because I don't know exactly why I decided at that particular time myself. It was
something I knew I wanted to do since I was young, but kept pushing it off saying
maybe after high school, after college, after getting married, after I�m old
and showing my hair didn�t matter anymore. I was just terrified of how
people would treat me.

A question a good friend asked me a few nights before I started college hit home
for me, though. �What if you never even get to that point in your life?�
she inquired. I sat quiet on the phone, surprised and overwhelmed by her question,
letting it sink in. It was this thought of mortality that pushed me to wake up the
next morning, put a scarf on my head in the heat of the summer, and walk out my
door.

The minute I put it on, I knew more than just a religious transformation had
begun. I still struggle with how differently people perceive me. Why were people
staring at me instead of the girl with the pink hair and tattoos on every inch of her
body? Why was she considered liberated, and I was considered oppressed? I was
still the same person under the scarf and it’s insane how much physical
appearance changes a person’s view, whether that person be a stranger or a friend.
Even people within my own religion treated me different. Some “non-hijabis”
started being censored because the “religious hijabi” girl was around while some
“hijabis” put me under a microscope like a specimen to be scrutinized.

People fail to realize that being from a certain religion or culture doesn't mean you
don't have the same temptations, desires and feelings. There was anger, frustration
and sadness, but there was also confidence, liberation and peace. I discovered who
I wanted be and how I wanted people to see me. The hijab itself doesn't make me
religious or make me do certain things while preventing me from others. To me,
it’s a reminder to be a good person and it gives me confidence as a young
Muslim-American woman.So, I’ll leave you with some not-so-secret secrets. Yes,
I do have hair under this thing and it’s brown. No, I don’t wear it in the shower. I
can take it off at home. When it’s hot, I do get hot underneath and while I love
wearing it, there are those times I just want to do my hair nicely and let everyone
see.
xperiences: I have observed the security team checking my bag twice for me just
wearing the hijaab, but I have always observed patience with them thinking one
day they will realize and will treat me normally. If compared before and after
Hijaab, I have seen flirty men don’t stare at me anymore, many changed their
perspective. I have noticed respect in many stares and everyone demands respect.

Today I want to share my first experience wearing a hijab. I can’t be serious

all the time, sometimes it’s nice to share experiences as well. So, I will be
talking about how I started wearing a scarf as well as a few things I learnt
reflecting back on the experience.

The first time I put a scarf on my head was probably when I was about twelve
years old. It was a time I was still doing 'fine girl no pimples'. I was growing up
and I thought that I was the best thing that happened since slice bread and butter.
During that time, I was very stubborn but I guess it was a normal phase
adolescents pass through.*Do note that I am not stubborn now but I am very
strong willed .*

I remember my mum back then started to link my bad behavior with the fact that I
didn’t cover my hair. She would say ‘you are acting like this because you think
you are fine eh? Why won’t you be stubborn when you don’t cover your hair?’
Then, slowly my dad started to talk about wearing a scarf too. I, on the other hand
was unbothered by what they said. I kept telling myself that nobody could force
me to do what I did not want. I would only put on a scarf whenever I decided I
wanted to do so!

One random weekend my parents went out and they returned with hijabs and
scarfs. I was shocked, but I shoved it aside, and thought that they were merely
stepping up their threats. Slowly but surely, the weekend passed and it was time to
return to school. My dad walked up to me and said contact17 take this scarf.
Usually, I would argue but the look on his face said it all.
The matter had been decided and I would wear the scarf.

I remember thinking that day- what would people say? How will people react? I
look so ugly in this thing. No one will like me. People will talk about me. People
will laugh at me, but reverse was the case. I received support from many people
and a few not so good remarks from others but that is expected.

On my second day wearing a scarf, I MADE the decision to keep the scarf on and
I ask Allah to make it keep me on that. Amin.

I am not going to lie; the first two weeks were the hardest, not because of
people, but because of me. I had to fight battles within me. I had to fight ugly
whispers (waswas) from shaytan. I had to get used to seeing myself in a scarf and
having positive thoughts about myself. I had to realize that the scarf does not
change much about me and that I was still beautiful inside out.
It took about a month before I finally fell in love my scarf. It has become a huge
part of me ever since and I could not be more proud.

Wearing a scarf made me realize that sometimes, changing old habits can be
difficult but a lot of it has to do with ones’ self. One’s own thoughts and
mindset. I am not denying that society makes it difficult to make changes, but
sometimes we just need to be confident and brave enough to take those
steps. After all, Allah said in the Qur’an that whoever gives up something for
his sake, he would compensate him with something better.

Why does it matter what people say?

People will talk regardless of what a person does! I was neither created to serve
nor please people. I was created only to serve and please the one who created
me.The one who sustains me, because on that day when the earth has been
crushed and mountains have become like a mirage, nothing will save me except
his mercy.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship
Me (Alone)”[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56].

It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“No one’s deeds will ever admit him to Paradise.”
They said, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “No, not even me,
unless Allah showers me with His Mercy. So try to be near to perfection. And
no one should wish for death; he is either doing good so he will do more of that,
or he is doing wrong so he may repent.” [al-Bukhari, Muslim]

I really want to emphasize on the beautiful advice bolded. Nobody is perfect. We

can only try. The more efforts we put in, the better we become. When we make
mistakes, we should acknowledge and repent. We remain sinners at the end of
the day, but the best of the sinners are those who repent.

Hijab has always been part and parcel of me, an accessory, an accent to an outfit.
Before I knew it, it became my passion. I became obsessed with HIJAB. The
meaning behind it and more so, the empowerment it held.HIJAB has saved my
life in every aspect. It’s changed my character, my personality, my behavior, my
thoughts essentially my being. It has encouraged me to become the best possible
human and muslimah I have the potential of becoming. Alhamdulillah.

My name is Ayisha Tiyumba Mahama. I come from a Muslim family where Hijab
is not very stressed upon. Growing up, I always got my hair braided with
extensions or mesh as we call it. I only had to cover my hair when I went to
“Makaranta” during the weekends. Up until I got to University, I was never really
surrounded by young ladies who always had a hijab on because at home, all my
sisters don’t until they get married. I was baffled so I began to make enquiries
about the Hijab, not from the people I saw wearing it, but from the net because, I
didn’t want to be judged as being ignorant of my religion. People had a lot to say
about the Hijab; some opinions were Islamophobic, some were from ladies who
had decided to take off the Hijab and others were actually inspiring as they spoke
about the essence of the Hijab.
Generally, the information I had wasn’t very satisfactory to me but, in retrospect,
I’m glad I found it all there since it gave me the power to make a discerning
choice. By then, I was still indulging my hair in very nice hairdos and feeling little
guilt about showing it off. However, I decided to follow some Hijabis on
Instagram just to see how stylish and versatile the hijab could be. I was okay with
wearing a Hijab for Friday prayers but to do so on a daily basis seemed very
difficult.
My turning point was months later, a Saturday on campus. A Muslim brother(May
Allah forgive his sins and grant him Jannah) passed away after a football match.
The news spread like wild fire. I was with some hijabi friends of mine when it
reached us. It got me thinking about how it could have been me and all (how
cheesy is that? ). There and then, I grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting off
my almost-a-month-old braids off. My friends came to help and commended my
decision. Of course they had a good laugh first.
It has been a year since I became a Hijabi. The experience so far has been
invaluable. I’m especially happy I no longer have to tell people I’m Muslim
because I literally represent Islam. My family and friends recognize my efforts
and have been very supportive. I still have clothes which are not so modest and
I’m trying to flush them out. There are days I am nostalgic about my hair days,
but Alhamdullilah for how far I have come – may Allah make it easy for Us.
I wear the Hijab everyday not because someone forced me to do it, but because I
chose to and also because I want the world to witness that a woman can be all
Muslim and all successful as well, Insha Allah. Its not easy, but I’ve been able to
get here and so can you.
tidak ada yang tahu kapan kita akan dijemput. tidak ada yang tahu kapan Allah
menegur kita. Sebagai seorang muslimah, tentunya kita diwajibkan untuk
menggunakan hijab. Hijab bukanlah sebuah paksaan. Tetapi hijab adalah simbol
seorang muslimah. Pengalaman ini adalah pertama kalinya saya menggunakan
hijab. Sejujurnya, saya memang seorang muslimah. Ketika sekolah dasar hingga
SMA kelas 1, saya belum berhijab. Orang tua saya juga tidak memaksa saya.
Tetapi entah mengapa hati saya terbuka untuk pasti menggunakan hijab ketika
saya duduk dikelas 2 SMA. Perasaan saya ketika menggunakan hijab pertama kali
memang belum terbiasa. Hati memang tidak dapat dibohongi. Terkadang kita
merasa iri dengan perempuan yang berpenampilan menarik. berbagai model
rambut dan pakaian yang membentuk lekuk tubuh. Ini diartikal bahwa iman kita
tidak kuat terhadap godaan di sekitar. Tidak akan ada habisnya jika mengikuti
trend di zaman globalisasi seperti ini. Maka dari itu, sebagai muslimah sejati.
Sudah sepatutnya kita meningkatkan iman kita agar tidak terjadi hal hal yang
tidak diinginkan. Terkhusus perempuan seperti saya. Perubahan berhijab membuat
saya sadar akan islam yang nyaman. Dengan berhijb, sholat saya tidak pernah
bolong dan saya selalu menyempatkan untuk membaca al-quran setiap selesai
sholat. Berbeda ketika belum berhijab, saya masih suka malas-malasan. Hijab
membuat kita menjadi semakin dekat dengan ALlah SWT. Di zaman sekarang
banyak fashion yang menonjolkan model berhijab. Hijab saya sampai saat ini
memang belum syari'i. Tapi saya tetap akan berusaha menggunakan pakaian yang
semestinya. Banyak sekali manfaat yang didapat dengan berhijab. hijab bukanlah
suatu hiasan, namun sebagai pedoman hidup. Banyak orang tidak menyadari
bahwa menggunakan hijab tidak sekedar menutup rambut. Sebenarnya jika kita
berfikir, hijab diibaratkan suatu hal yang dapat berkata, berjalan dan membawa
diri kita. Faktanya, hijab adalah sebuah pedoman hidup. Sebagai seorang remaja,
saya juga ingin terlihat menarik didepan orang banyak. Sosial media membawa
saya untuk mencari jawaban tentang dilema seorang wanita muslim agar terlihat
menarik didepan banyak orang. Jadi pada umur 15 Tahun, aku memulai hidupku
untuk menutupi semua bagian yang semestinya ditutup. Awalnya memang takut
untuk dinilai banyak orang, tetapi dunia tetap akan menilai sesuka mereka, jadi
aku memilih untuk tidak risih dengan hal tersebut. Saya merasa sangat yakin
dengan perubahan ini. Seorang lelaki akan lebih menghargai sikap kita dan
kecantikan dari dalam akan selalu menang. Menggunakan hijab membuat saya
menyadari bahwa terkadang mengubah kebiasaan lama sangatlah sulit, tetapi
semuanya tergantung diri masing-masing. Kita harus lebih percaya diri dan berani
dalam mengambil langkah. Allah berkata dalam al-quran bahwa siapapun yang
menyerah pada suatu tujuan, maka Allah akan menggantikan dengan sesuatu yang
lebih baik. Hijab telah menyelamtkan hidup ku disetiap aspek. Hijab mengubah
karakterku, kebiasaanku dan pemikiranku. Dengan hijab, saya merasa menjadi
muslimah yang ebih bertanggung jawab