Categories
Muslim women

I don’t wear a Hijab, but my heart is clean!”

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

170720-brands-selling-hijabs-feature“All of my Ummah will be forgiven except those who sin openly…” [1]

Sinning privately is between Allah and His servant and a struggle that only He knows about and which In sha Allah He will give His servant the Tawfiq to repent for. Openly sinning with no remorse is tantamount to a public challenge to Allah and it doesn’t just remain between a servant and his Lord, but with the people too. One is to unashamedly disobey Allah and then to further justify the sin, but “Allah will not help a people until they help themselves.” [2]

Lately, I seem to have come across many sisters who give reasons for their Hijab – or lack thereof!

“I’m not ready for the Hijab yet!”
“So what if my hair is uncovered? My heart is clean!”
“Don’t tell me to wear Hijab, only Allah can judge me.”

Naturally, it led to many debates where not everyone agreed. Hence, this is merely an opinion.

At random, I started looking at other commandments of Allah. His order to fulfil the obligation of Salah comes with the condition that one has reached the age of puberty, is sane, and is a Muslim. Similarly, the donning of Hijab becomes compulsory once a woman reaches the age of puberty. But why are sisters so quick to make excuses like, “I’m not ready yet” and, “But my heart is clean,” when we don’t make the same excuses for our Zakah and fasting the month of Ramadhan?

My mind is at awe with the women around my Nabi ﷺ who dropped all they had in order to comply to another commandment of Allah with the hope of coming closer to Him. Fatimah Al-Zahrah (R), the queen of the women of Jannah, was the epitome of modesty at the time of Nabi ﷺ and continues to serve as an example until the end of time. Similarly, Umm Khallad (R) who upon hearing of the martyrdom of her beloved son on the battlefield, rushed to it whilst veiled. When asked how she managed to cover in such a state, she responded, “I have lost my son, but I have not lost my modesty.” [3]

Such women had the purest of hearts and yet they did not make the excuses we make because it is not befitting for a Muslim woman to ask for a concession in a matter that Allah and His Nabi (S) have ordained for us!

It may be true that a sister without the Hijab may have a heart purer and Taqwa stronger than that of a sister fully covered. However, when a Muslim woman CHOOSES not to wear the Hijab out of her own free-will (without a valid Shar’i reason), she becomes another fallen brick in the wall that divides us as an Ummah because she has chosen to hide her identity. Those who wear the Hijab (despite their struggles) are then labelled fanatics and extremists because another side has presented a “liberal” image which shows the world that it clearly isn’t mandatory to wear the Hijab and it can’t really be part of the faith! And so in this manner, she makes it harder for her “Hijabi” sister to practice her faith.

Those who refuse the Hijab claiming only Allah can judge them, remember that indeed Allah WILL judge them. Let’s help one another to become stronger in our faith and show the world that we are proud of our identity. May Allah help each of us in our struggles and only He knows what they are.

Do you agree? Disagree? All comments welcome, but please be courteous.plain-chiffon-hijab-plain-chiffon-charcoal-hijab-1_large

[1] Bukhari and Muslim
[2] Surah Ra’ad (13:11)
[3] Abu Dawud

Zainab Bint Husain (Allah protect her)

10 Muharram 1440

Categories
Muslim women

Unveiling the reality

Umm Abdullah writes her own personal experience of life with the Niqab.

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In the Name of Allah the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

‘Ban the Burqa!’ was the latest one. I would have used the powerful verb ‘hurled’ as per usual, except this time it was more of a forced, cringe-worthy, schoolboy ‘tryin to impress me mates’ type. Abuse, nonetheless.

As a British ‘Niqabi’ (as I am sometimes labelled in the long list of politically correct labels and titles) I should be quite used to these types of remarks, no? Unfortuntely not. It still winds me up, still frustrates me and yes, quite frankly, it still upsets me six years on. Despite all this, one thing that the abuse has paved way for is the love for my Niqab and with each hurl it has burned bigger and brighter.

I started wearing my Niqab at the age of 18; an age I truly believe is an age for either make or break. Usually, at this point in life it is decided whether we’re turning left, right or going straight ahead at the crossroads. I was a typical teenager who loved (and still does!) clothes, make up and dressing up so it was only natural for me to be a little apprehensive towards the idea of completely veiling myself. Although I had been wearing the Hijab from a very young age and the Abaya more recently, I simply was not feeling the idea of the Niqab. I was extremely image conscious. I was paranoid. I was embarrassed.

Weeks turned into months wherein I did research upon research through classical texts, poring over books to unveil the history behind the Niqab. At the start, I was quite simply looking for a loophole to sooth my mind’s voice, to stroke my more ‘holy’ side into a lullaby; a lullaby of lies sung in the loudest voice drowning out the other voice that was telling me the Niqab was Wajib (Islamic obligation). However, over time I came to realise myself, slowly but surely, that I was fooling nobody but myself. Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks over their bodies’ (33:59). Similarly, this was echoed in authentic Prophetic narrations, when the verse ‘they should draw their veils over their necks and bosoms…’ was revealed, the ladies cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces’ (Bukhari, 1:4:148). That was the first step for me – understanding and whole-heartedly accepting that the veil is mandatory on all Muslim, mature women in order to protect themselves. There were no loopholes. Allah’s order is Allah’s order and for me there was no running away from it.

I firmly disagree with the notion of it being a black cloth used to cover the face, however, that WAS my perception pre-niqab days. And that’s the thing with perception – it can deceive. You may be wise and knowledgeable (not that I was or am in any way!) but even then can be overtaken by the sweet lies of perception. On the topic of perception, some people perceive women in a Niqab as being oppressed and socially controlled and to be honest, this view cannot completely be diminished as there are some for whom this is the case. But it would be outrageously ignorant to believe that this is the case for all. Out of the 354 women who were fined for wearing the Niqab in France, not one said she was forced to. Now, we don’t have any sort of data like that to compare with in Britain but what we do have is a free society. Every woman has the liberty and choice to make her own decisions. And if it’s anything to go by, the women who appeared on the Channel 4 Niqab debate all said it was their own choice to wear the Niqab. And saying that, I know I would have hit the roof before I let anyone force me!

Similarly, there’s the conception of Niqabi women being uneducated and basically at the back of the queue with a colander when God was dishing out the brains. Being a qualified teacher myself and having friends and family who wear the Niqab with professions varying from cancer research doctor to speech therapist to pharmacists, I beg to differ. And quite rightly so, I’d say! I mean, come on, don’t start on me with that one.

Some people believe wearing the Niqab is a litmus test for piety. As much as I disagree with that, I won’t hesitate to say that the Niqab can be a sign of piety if it is fully recognised as a lifestyle rather than just a face covering. I recently read an article wherein the writer wrote about how the most rudest Muslim woman she had met wore the Niqab. That is a real shame and without trying to condone her rudeness, I’d just like to put across that women in Niqab are not angels.That’s right, we are humans and sometimes, just like with everyone else, our behaviour and temperament can let us down. And just for the record, the most beautiful woman in terms of character and personality that I am blessed to know is one who wears the Niqab.

Alhamdu Lillah, I am now in my sixth year of wearing the Niqab and I have to say it has been an exhilarating journey. It has been a LOT more than a black cloth. In fact, I quite loathe calling it a ‘black cloth’. I feel it deserves a lot more respect and love than that. It is my Niqab, my protection, my motivation, my love. From the day I started wearing it, I immediately felt a heavier sense of responsibility upon my own actions. My Niqab stopped me from acting in certain ways and prompted me to act in certain other ways. I began to notice small changes in my behaviour and I was liking that.

Although it has been six years, I believe I have a long way to go. I started off as an ‘amateur’ and I am nowhere near ‘professional’ yet.  I still have days where I slack and I still groan and moan when it gets beautifully hot outside (try having an ice cream with a Niqab on!). Saying that, I have mastered the art of eating and drinking with my Niqab on and keeping it crumb-free! On a serious note, in my opinion the Niqab is more of a lifestyle than a piece of Islamic clothing and nobody can take that away from me.

Umm Abdullah
1st Dhul Hijjah 1435
Allah grant the Muslim women Hayaa (modesty) and Iffah (purity) and Ismah (protection), Ameen Ya Rabb.