Why do I wear Hijab, while u don't?

[Final_Say]

salamz all

 

An insightful and personal account of why a Western teenage girl would reject the 'wonders' of fashion, and want to cover herself in the hijab (veil).

 

 

 

I probably do not fit into the preconceived notion of a “rebelâ€. I have no visible tattoos and minimal piercing. I do not possess a leather jacket. In fact, when most people look at me, their first thought usually is something along the lines of “oppressed femaleâ€. The brave individuals who have mustered the courage to ask me about the way I dress usually have questions like: “Do your parents make you wear that?†or “Don’t you find that really unfair?â€

 

A while back, a couple of girls in Montreal were kicked out of school for dressing like I do. It seems strange that a little piece of cloth would make for such a controversy. Perhaps the fear is that I am harboring an Uzi machine gun underneath it! Of course, the issue at hand is more than a mere piece of cloth. I am a Muslim woman who, like millions of other Muslim women across the globe, chooses to wear a hijab. And the concept of the hijab, contrary to popular opinion, is actually one of the most fundamental aspects of female empowerment. When I cover myself, I make it virtually impossible for people to judge me according to the way I look. I cannot be categorized because of my attractiveness or lack thereof. Compare this to life in today’s society: We are constantly sizing one another up on the basis of our clothing, jewelry, hair and makeup. What kind of depth can there be in a world like this?

 

Yes, I have a body, a physical manifestation upon this Earth. But it is the vessel of an intelligent mind and a strong spirit. It is not for the beholder to leer at or to use in advertisements to sell everything from beer to cars. Because of the superficiality of the world in which we live, external appearances are so stressed that the value of the individual counts for almost nothing. It is a myth that women in today’s society are liberated. What kind of freedom can there be when a woman cannot walk down the street without every aspect of her physical self being “checked out� When I wear the hijab I feel safe from all of this. I can rest assured that no one is looking at me and making assumptions about my character from the length of my skirt. There is a barrier between me and those who would exploit me.

 

 

 

I am first and foremost a human being, one of the saddest truths of our time is the question of the beauty myth and female self-image. Reading popular teenage magazines, you can instantly find out what kind of body image is “in†or “out†. And if you have the “wrong†body type, well, then, you’re just going to change it, aren’t you? After all, there is no way you can be overweight and still be beautiful. Look at any advertisement. Is a woman being used to sell the product? How old is she? How attractive is she? What is she wearing? More often than not, that woman will be no older than her early 20s, taller, slimmer, and more attractive than average, and dressed in skimpy clothing. Why do we allow ourselves to be manipulated like this? Whether the 90s woman wishes to believe it or not, she is being forced into a mould. She is being coerced into selling herself, into compromising herself. This is why we have 13-year-old girls sticking their fingers down their throats to vomit and overweight adolescents hanging themselves.

 

When people ask me if I feel oppressed, I can honestly say no. I made this decision of my own free will. I like the fact that I am taking control of the way other people perceive me. I enjoy the fact that I don’t give anyone anything to look at and that I have released myself from the bondage of the swinging pendulum of the fashion industry and other institutions that exploit females. My body is my own business. Nobody can tell me how I should look or whether or not I am beautiful. I know that there is more to me than that. I am also able to say no comfortably when people ask me if I feel as if my sexuality is being repressed. I have taken control of my sexuality. I am thankful I will never have to suffer the fate of trying to lose / gain weight or trying to find the exact lipstick shade that will go with my skin color. I have made choices about what my priorities are and these are not among them.

 

So next time you see me, don’t look at me sympathetically. I am not under duress or a male-worshiping female captive from those barbarous Arab deserts. I’ve been liberated! .......

 

 

whats the funniest thing that someone asked you about covering up....

 

for those who do not...... what is stoping you

 

if ur a guy......what do u think of hijab

salamz

[lol]

Mizz: Dat is exactly how I feel now that I have started wearing the Hijab " Liberated ".

[Final_Say]

lol. hibo,

bless u little soul;

 

and ppl don't get it twisted, it does not mean we don't care about how look, we just look after our self in private.

 

salamz

[lol]

Mizz: Wearing the Hijab doesn't stop me from mixing and matching sis... I do wear all kinds of colors and take care of my look...but still.. now ppl don't judge me because of the way I look, rather they seem to see me beyong my physical appearance and I like it...

[Final_Say]

you no its really funny, but when people think of jihabs (not in the sense we know it, but the little head scraf, they thinks its all drak and black, all they have to do is watch TV (hajj) or arbic tv if you have and you see pretty and design islamic wear.

 

somalis are the funniest ppl on earth, i know some sisters that wear a scraf when they have bad hair day :mad: or when its raining~!!

 

and the ones who wear it because people expect them to wear it (family) :confused: at least do it because allah told u to do (instead of doing it to shut hooyo up)

 

 

its nice to do something out of ur own free will.

 

hibo next time a i see a pretty look somalian sis wid bright coloured scraf i'll just assume it's u, lol

 

mind u lahore is bit far

salamz

[lol]

Mizz: I am not in Lahore anymore, I forgot to change it. I am in Abu Dhabi now. I was loosing wat I knew and gaining nothing...so I asked why stay and waste time?

 

My mom wanted me to wear Hijab for the last 8 years. I never did put it on... when she screamed to shut her up I used to wear a bandana. But Alxamdulilaah, I came around on my own... I guess u can say Allah hadaani. Subxanallah just one day out of the blue I woke up, went to the bathroom did my Ghusul and wudu... started praying and then I told my mom.. lets go we r going shopping and don't ask me questions. She came with me, and I bought skirts, long sleeved shirts, scarfs.

 

My mom just stood there stunt. Wondering wat in the world came over me... and I just smiled back and told her.. " Hoyo maanta laga bilaabo am gonna be a good girl".

[Final_Say]

salam

 

aaah, dat is so (no words to describe it) alhumdilahilah; allah guides whom so ever he wishs to guide..

 

dis thread must only be for me and u, aint no one else saying anything. lol

 

come on ppl, don't be shy, we won't bite...

 

salamz

[The Resistance Movement]

I don't see the big fuss with wearing a piece of clothing to 'cover' one self up. Wearing hijab should be a choice-not an act which should be forced upon a Muslim women.

 

 

I feel happy I suppose for you- you at least did something *YOU*wanted to do out of your own free will-as you said- and choice however not many musim women who wear the hijab feel like they are wearing it because they want to e.g. Afhanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi and several 'Islamic' states.

 

its nice to do something out of ur own free will.

Depends. If for example you choice to wear hijab then ofcourse everyone will praise you for your action however that is because you fulfilled the image of what they want to see in a Muslim women. However were you NOT to wear then you get riducled and criticed because you lack, in their eyes, a piece of clothing they consider is of significant to Islam.

 

 

How does a Muslim women-from any culture/race- become less of a muslim then the one who wears the hijab.

 

Is Islam valued on a piece of material? What happend to the deen? The actual believe? If wearing hijab was of importance wouldn't it have been the first pillar or at least mentioned in the 5 pillars?

[Final_Say]

salamz:

 

if i tell u the reason behind dis cloth and its importance, will it be a wast of my time as u'll not read it and just resist, or will u read it, consider it, and see if it makes sense. if so i'll be very happy to tell u why.

 

either way peace.

 

salamz

[lol]

I don't see the big fuss with wearing a piece of clothing to 'cover' one self up. Wearing hijab should be a choice-not an act which should be forced upon a Muslim women.

 

Are you a Muslim Sister? If you are then you should read this.

 

One of the most defended actions in Islam is the head covering. Every Muslim girl, at some point in her life will have been questioned as to why a Muslim woman must cover herself and is often looked upon as being constrained in her actions.

The first point to remember is that any act done by a Muslim is done for the pleasure of Allah Almighty. If He ordains an act as permissible then it is done. If He prohibits an act then Muslims must refrain from doing it. Allah Almighty is the possessor of all knowledge and we are dependant upon Him for all matters; success, protection, comfort and of course our very existence. He is All Knowing and since He is The Creator He knows what is best for His creation and what will suit humanities needs and requirements.

 

Thus the order for women to cover is a direct commandment of Allah (swt) and cannot be denied and rejected. Women must cover because Allah Almighty has deemed it to be so. That does not mean we cannot inquire into the reasoning behind the commandment or ask for further explanations since this is what the Companions would do in the time of the Holy Prophet (saw). Once a commandment was revealed they would abide by it immediately but still often asked the Holy Prophet (saw) for extra guidance and assistance, for that strengthens the faith and heart. However we should always remember that any acts we do are for the pleasure of Almighty Allah, and reasoning and justifications are merely incidental aspects of faith, which exist so we may become stronger and more committed in our faith in Islam.

 

The order for Muslim women to cover is not an act of oppression or an attempt to shackle her with chains, but is part of a moral standard to be implemented to achieve the betterment of society. Every society has put limits on individuals regarding their attire in order to achieve a balance of rights, a balance between the rights of the individual and the rights of society in which he or she lives.

 

It is strange that people criticize Islam for putting constraints on persons regarding their clothing but no reference is made to what occurs within their own society. There are laws in most countries prohibiting lewd behavior, and if anyone was to walk naked down a street, they would be arrested for acts of public indecency. There are shops, restaurants that prohibit anyone entering there premises unless they are covered to a certain extent. The State allows organizations to implement their own dress codes and rarely do people complain that employees or even customers are being oppressed. During the summer months posters can be seen outside shop windows, restaurants stating that those wearing bikinis or swimming trucks are banned from entering. Why is this type of prohibition permitted and tolerated?

 

The reason is that every society has set a certain standard of moral behavior regarding clothing. It is not thought of as acceptable that people should have the right to strip and walk naked in front of others in public, since this is considered as offending the sensibility of most, and can also cause undue harm to the person stripping, tempting people to insult or even attack that person. That is why there are separate nudist camps so that the public and the nudists themselves can exercise their own rights, but not at the expense of each other, but privately and exclusively.

 

In essence therefore individuals in most societies have certain restrictions on them regarding their attire and Islam is no different. It too has a code of conduct and part of that conduct is to specify respectable clothing.

 

 

The only difference in Islam is that it too has a law, based on a moral code, but one that is different than the prevailing norm in one society. Just because a certain consensus has been achieved regarding clothing in one society can in no way justify that such a consensus precludes anything else as being permissible.

 

Islam favors modesty in both men and women and considers it an essential part of society, if it is to function properly. Some form of modesty is prevalent in every society, as highlighted above, but it is the extent of modesty that is at the heart of the debate. ‘A’ for instance deems a skirt that reaches below the knee as modest attire and one that reaches above the thigh as immodest . ‘B’ on the other hand deems a skirt that reaches below the ankle as modest and anything shorter as immodest. If however ‘A’ then criticizes ‘B’ for enforcing modest clothing on women calling it subjugation, but allows its own society to put constraint on women’s attire.

 

Is Islam valued on a piece of material? What happend to the deen? The actual believe? If wearing hijab was of importance wouldn't it have been the first pillar or at least mentioned in the 5 pillars?

Resistance, my assumption of u is dat u don't know much about Islam and how things are prioritized. Just think alittle bit about what you wrote here....

 

Let me enlighten u abit about Islam:

 

In Islam there are chapters, and these chapters have nothing to do with each other. Each chapter has its own Hasanaat(good deeds) and if u do a certain chapter and skip another one... Allah will give ur hasanaat for doing that chapter and your dambi for not doing the other one.

 

Now Prayer, Fasting, Zakat, Haj ( am not gonna mention the 1st pillar which is Shahada coz without it u r not a Muslim), are the first chapters. How can u connect with Allah if u r not praying? How can u give back to the society if u are not fasting? How can u show your gratitude to Allah for all his blessings if u r not giving Zakat or Alms? and lastly Wat more do you want than a second chance to correct all the mistakes you did by performing Haj?

 

Sista, for you to me distinguished from the Non-believers a Muslim woman covers her body from head to toe with the exceptions of her hands and face...although covering them is a Sunnah..

 

If u need proof here it is:

 

The first of these requirements details the parts of the body which must be covered, and the main verse that contains the injunctions of clothing for women are in

 

“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what ( must) ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty save to their husbands, or their fathers or husbands fathers, or their sons or their husbands sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sisters sons’ or their women, or the slaves whom their right hand posses, or male servant free of physical desire, or small children who have no sense of sex……â€

 

 

If for example you choice to wear hijab then ofcourse everyone will praise you for your action however that is because you fulfilled the image of what they want to see in a Muslim women. However were you NOT to wear then you get riducled and criticed because you lack, in their eyes, a piece of clothing they consider is of significant to Islam.

Its like this, Suppose your friend and you have started university together, your friend graduated while you dropped out.... People are gonna praise her for getting her degree and criticize you for dropping out....

 

So your value degraded because of a piece of paper

 

Anyways that is the best I could do to show you the right path.. if u r still not convinced am not sure I can do any more.. but if u need to be enlighten.. i will try my best.

[The Resistance Movement]

mizz_S.lander

 

 

will it be a wast of my time as u'll not read it and just resist, or will u read it, consider it, and see if it makes sense. if so i'll be very happy to tell u why.

I'm not those kind of people. I read and replayed to your post because it was interesting and important and not for the reasons you stated.

 

 

Hibo

 

I sense for your respond that you know what you are talking about and thanks for sharing the information.

 

I'm not an expert on Islam and certainly don’t intend to fake to know it but I’m a liberal and if one sister doesn’t feel that she wants to wear the hijab-regardless whether it say’s- (I read the evidence you have given)- the opportunity to refuse should be given since after all it is her right and her choice.

 

How many 'requirements’ of the Quran have the Muslims ignored since the revelation of the Quran in order to benefit the individual or society’s comfort?

 

What I am trying to say in short is that choices and rights of individuals in today’s society are more significant than the revelation of the Quran. Nobody keeps to the ‘requirements’ because of globalization and the continuous development of people’s minds, beliefs, morals and choices changing.

[lol]

Originally posted by The Resistance Movement:

Hibo

 

I sense for your respond that you know what you are talking about and thanks for sharing the information.

 

I'm not an expert on Islam and certainly don’t intend to fake to know it but I’m a liberal and if one sister doesn’t feel that she wants to wear the hijab-regardless whether it say’s- (I read the evidence you have given)- the opportunity to refuse should be given since after all it is her right and her choice.

 

How many

'requirements’

of the Quran have the Muslims ignored since the revelation of the Quran in order to benefit the individual or society’s comfort?

 

What I am trying to say in short is that choices and rights of individuals in today’s society are more significant than the revelation of the Quran. Nobody keeps to the

‘requirements’

because of globalization and the continuous development of people’s minds, beliefs, morals and choices changing.

The dress of Hijab is as important in Islam as prayers, yet so many Muslims don't pray. That doesn't mean they are not Muslims. We are Muslims and we are not allowed to judge or convict someone to Heaven or Hell based on how dat person is behaving. Allah is tha Hakim (The Judge) and its His call whether you are going to Hell or Heaven.

 

Of course u have the choice to wear what u so desire but U have to understand that the Muslim community will judge u (humansdraw conclusions of the person's character based on their appearances)....and hence the hostility.

 

My sister doesn't wear the Hijab sis, nor did I till this yr...so by all means take your time...and when Allah wills u will be shone the light. But I do understand, society doesn't let u be that way. Its just their way of trying to safe you from wat they believe to be the path to hell.

 

Ya Rabi Ahdinaa wa Ahdi kulul Muslimiin..

[Final_Say]

Originally posted by The Resistance Movement:

 

I'm not those kind of people. I read and replayed to your post because it was interesting and important and not for the reasons you stated.

 

salam sis:

don't take it the wrong way, but i have noticed on SOL that some people don't like been told things, i have been told by people that they have not "bothered to read my reply". people always also ask wat madahab, what scholar, etc. dats da only reason i asked.

 

anyway here’s my answer since u are genuinely interested;

 

first of all you should not worry about people judging u, whether it be family, friends or society. people are not born wearing a hijjab, most girls cover up when the decided for them self. so i don't judge people; i'm sorry if u misunderstood my post, i wz merely discussing reasons that sisters don't cover, it played a part in why i never use to cover. i did't want to because i did't wanna feeling i wz doing it for mum, or the ladies dat gossip about me on road, etc, also coz i wz doing things that muslim people should not do, so in a sense i though i wz protecting the hijjab by not associating my self with islam.

 

in terms of why is it important; u should not weigh its importance on what people say and do, view it as a command from allah, one that is agreed upon by all sectors of islam, deviant or not

 

there are many people who disobey allah and do not follow his commands, but those should not be ur role models, ur role models should be those who follows allah commands and obey him to the best of their ability.

 

also if a little cloth brings you closer to allah and increases ur changes for going to heaven , then why not (it does not cramp ur style too much)

 

wearing the hijjab prevents you from doing so much dat u would normally do, for example u would feel silly to go raving and den put on ur scarf the next day, or to work down road holding hands wid a man, or hugging ur male friends, smoking, etc because now ur representing islam, u have identified ur self to the people as a muslim and would not do anything to trash that image.

 

this is why i would say to any sister be sure u wanna cover up because it is not just a cloth, it changes ur life style, ur hobbies (ur not gone go and play foot ball wid da boys wid ur hijjab), it will change ur friends and the company u keep (it took me a year to get rid of all my male friends and raving buddies)

 

lastly but not least there is a saying that the big road takes u to the small road, you can apply to both sides of the argument, wearing the hijaab is a significant step towards allah, not wearing it is a significant step away from allah; one disobedient action leads to another, while one obedience leads to another.

 

i hope it helps; as hibo said take ur time, go at ur own pace.

 

 

i'm sorry if i offended u earlier.

 

may allah guide u and bless u

 

salamz

[Final_Say]

Originally posted by The Resistance Movement:

 

I'm not those kind of people. I read and replayed to your post because it was interesting and important and not for the reasons you stated.

 

salam sis:

don't take it the wrong way, but i have noticed on SOL that some people don't like been told things, i have been told by people that they have not "bothered to read my reply". people always also ask wat madahab, what scholar, etc. dats da only reason i asked.

 

anyway here’s my answer since u are genuinely interested;

 

first of all you should not worry about people judging u, whether it be family, friends or society. people are not born wearing a hijjab, most girls cover up when the decided for them self. so i don't judge people; i'm sorry if u misunderstood my post, i wz merely discussing reasons that sisters don't cover, it played a part in why i never use to cover. i did't want to because i did't wanna feeling i wz doing it for mum, or the ladies dat gossip about me on road, etc, also coz i wz doing things that muslim people should not do, so in a sense i though i wz protecting the hijjab by not associating my self with islam.

 

in terms of why is it important; u should not weigh its importance on what people say and do, view it as a command from allah, one that is agreed upon by all sectors of islam, deviant or not

 

there are many people who disobey allah and do not follow his commands, but those should not be ur role models, ur role models should be those who follows allah commands and obey him to the best of their ability.

 

also if a little cloth brings you closer to allah and increases ur changes for going to heaven , then why not (it does not cramp ur style too much)

 

wearing the hijjab prevents you from doing so much dat u would normally do, for example u would feel silly to go raving and den put on ur scarf the next day, or to work down road holding hands wid a man, or hugging ur male friends, smoking, etc because now ur representing islam, u have identified ur self to the people as a muslim and would not do anything to trash that image.

 

this is why i would say to any sister be sure u wanna cover up because it is not just a cloth, it changes ur life style, ur hobbies (ur not gone go and play foot ball wid da boys wid ur hijjab), it will change ur friends and the company u keep (it took me a year to get rid of all my male friends and raving buddies)

 

lastly but not least there is a saying that the big road takes u to the small road, you can apply to both sides of the argument, wearing the hijaab is a significant step towards allah, not wearing it is a significant step away from allah; one disobedient action leads to another, while one obedience leads to another.

 

i hope it helps; as hibo said take ur time, go at ur own pace.

 

 

i'm sorry if i offended u earlier.

 

may allah guide u and bless u

 

salamz

[Saalixa]

Hibo walaal Congrads!

Ilaahay hakuu macaneeyo. May allah make it a wonderful experience Ameen.

Walaal i was actually oppisite to you. I had the hijaab on since grade 3 and onwards. My mother never forced me to wear it although in primary i would have the urge to have mini skirt and tops that were part of the uniform, then have my hair dangling by my side or at the back tied in a bun.

But then in high school it was not so hard because i went to an islamic school and everyone looked alike. Today i'am so greatful for it because it is part of my identity not just as a muslim but as an individual. We all grow up, but some people subhanallah grow up the wrong way and take the wrong direction and do not have the light, the hadayaah. It is sad and a dead end,,,so may alaah show us his light. Ameen.

 

Lander sis, so you think parents should not force their girls to wear the scarf? but i think they should atleast imply and confirm it with them at an early stage don't you agree? that this is how it should be from now on without forcing them or anything and making them understand properly. When they mostley do is at ages 14 to 16 which is too late. The girls have grown up and had no past experience with the scarf and it is hard for them to adjsut to it at those ages. I started early and it was hard for me to remove it because i never perceived life any other way. It was just always a picture of me and my little cute hijaab. Cannot picture myself any other way.