Tuesday 4 May 2010

Never Take Off Your Hijab

Submitted by a sister who wishes to remain anonymous

All praise is due to Allah, we seek refuge from Allah of the evil of our actions. Whomsoever Allah misguides, no one can guide, and whomsoever Allah guides, no one can misguide.

Most sisters in Islam choose not to wear the hijab. But why? Is it because it gives you more freedom?

Before I begin, I would like to quote a hadith, a saying of our most beloved Prophet Salalahu alayhi wasalam, who only speaks the truth, and whatever he salalahu alayhi wasalam says is from Allah the Almighty. The Prophet Salalahu alayhi wasalam said: "O Asma', when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of the body except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands" This was reported by Aisha radiallahu anha.


For me personally, by the grace and mercy of Allah, taking off my hijab would be impossible. It’s not because I’m afraid of anyone, I’m not afraid of the Muslim community, not my friends, not my parents, but Allah. I’m afraid of Allah. Alhamdulillah, Allah has made me a very courageous person, if I wanted to take my hijab off I would, simple as. But I fear Allah, I fear God, that’s why I keep wearing my hijab. Do you know what is wrong with Britain today? They don’t have the great values that Islam propagates, they have crimes being committed against women every day and there is nothing that protects them.

I feel sorry for women who mock Islam and live lives in opposition to us. Look at any advertisement, is a woman used to sell the product? How old is she? What is she wearing? Where can I get that dress? More often than not, these women will be tall, slim, attractive and dress in skimpy clothing. Why do we let ourselves be manipulated like this? Whether you believe it or not, these women are being forced to sell themselves. When I’m being asked whether I feel oppressed or not, I can honestly say NO. I made this decision out of my own free will. I take control of the way other people perceive me, and the fact that I don’t give anyone anything to look at, and that I have released myself from the fashion industry and other institutions that exploit women.

My body is my own; nobody can tell me that I’m beautiful. I know that there is more to me then what they see. I am grateful that I will never have to suffer like other women who make it their aim in life to imitate women who have misinterpreted modesty; I will never have to try to gain or loose weight just to look like them. I have made choices about what my priorities are in life, and frankly, the way I dress or the way I look are not among them.

So next time you see someone in a hijab or a niqab, do not look at them sympathetically, I am not forced to wear what I wear, I am not oppressed in any way....I’ve been LIBERATED. Do these women who mock Islam think that they have been liberated? Do they think the women’s liberation move started in the 19th century? Well let me tell you something, the move did not begin by women at all, the move was a revelation that was revealed by Allah to our Prophet Muhammed (Salalahu alaihi wasalaam) in the 7th Century. The Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (Salalahu alaihi wasalam ) is what every muslim woman derives her rights and duties from.

How many times have Muslims been told by jesters what to wear? How many times have women been told to take off their hijab by a non-muslim? See this is the problem with, these people do not see that by telling someone to take something off and wear something else is a form of oppression, yet they have the courage to tell us that we are oppressed! A muslim would never tell a non-muslim what to wear, you will never see a muslim woman standing in the mall or any such places, telling non-muslim women to cover up, we do not judge them from what they are wearing, and this is Islam, this is peace. So this goes out to all my muslim sisters, be strong. Do it for our Lord, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, Allah Subhanahu Wa ta’ala. Wear your hijab proudly and don’t fear anyone. When Allah commands you to do something, it’s only for your own good. When Allah the Almighty commands the woman to wear a hijab, He wants to cover her decency. When the verse on hijab was revealed, (Quran (33:59) - "Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them...".) the women of Al-Ansar tore their sheets and curtains and started covering themselves. SubhanAllah! These are the pious women that will be the inhabitants of Jannah. They did not question the matter, they did not say ‘hold on, let me think about this’ they just did it, because they knew that Allah’s commands must be obeyed. The women on Al-Ansar knew that when Allah the Almighty commands them to do something, is it for their own benefit.

As-salaamualaikum Warahmatulahi Wabarkatuhu

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

jazakallah for this very passionate piece..