To Please Allah Not The Husband!

The cultural background I come from, when a married woman starts to wear a headscarf people presume that the husband must have enforced her. Not necessarily, in fact Husband Malik ‘encouraged’ me. He thinks it suits me; I am not sure if he means it or it’s his way of motivation. However he did say, whenever you start wearing a headscarf, do it the prescribed way, not because;
“I didn’t shampoo my hair today.”
“ It’s a wedding I am obliged to take it off!”

The general perception is that Muslim men suppress their women & hijab is a sign of a woman’s submission to the men. I think since I started practicing Islam, unexplainably it has boosted my confident.

Islam forbids Camel Hump Hijab. http://islamicposters.co.uk/

Hijab is not all about covering hair neither it is limited to women. External hijab is to dress appropriately; not that the head is covered but clothing is fitted.

cover your satar. http://islamicposters.co.uk/

Men wearing pants showing what is to be covered & cover what is advised to be shown.
Inner hijab is of ones actions, etiquettes, speech & even the thoughts.

Muslim men cover their body as much as their women. Actually they give their women more than they keep for themselves; an extra piece of cloth to cover their head & bosom. While wearing the Muslim outfit ‘thobe’ which most Arab men wear, some men do cover their head; still women’s piece is bigger.

Whereas ‘the others’ in the name of liberation exploit women; how many times have we seen men wearing shorts or shirts buttoned down to formal gatherings? Yet they don’t object women wearing skirts or shirts with low necklines to work or parties. Where is the gender equality they are always talking about?

In the Qur’an in 30^th verse of Surah An-Noor Allah has spoken to men; lower your gaze, guard your modesty & reminded them that He is aware of what they do. Later in the 31^st verse women have been addressed. Now that’s what I call gender equality!

Indeed women have been asked not to display their beauty & ornaments; but what is so suppressing? I can only see positivity; we have been bestowed with beauty & men are assigned as our maintainers.

Certainly we all have witnessed men ogling respectfully dressed women, even hijab clad women checking out men, perhaps that’s the reason why people often say, ‘virtue is in ones eyes’. If we pay attention al-Hakim (All Wise) has mentioned about the gaze & adornment simultaneously. It is our responsibility to help our brothers & sisters in Islam to follow the commandments of Allah. No matter how hard men try to lower their gaze if women go about all dressed up or in immodest attire Shaytan will keep on nudging, ‘just one glance’, ‘looking at her will not bring anyone any harm’ & vice versa.

How Hijab Changed Me?

• It reminds me to control my behavior & thoughts & strive be a better Muslimah.
• It has given me an identity of an observant Muslim. “I am a practicing Muslimah & I don’t shake hands with men.”
• I feel men respect me more.

Why Do I Wear A Khimar?
Khimar: (noun) a head covering or veil worn by Muslim women, typically covering the head, neck & shoulders.

• It’s a religious obligation.
• I want to please the Almighty.
• It’s part of being a Muslim.
• An act of obedience to Allah.
• My beauty is for my husband!

Worldly Matters

• When in a hurry undone hair remains nicely hidden under the scarf.
• No worries about blending the makeup on neck. (Not that I wear that much makeup!)
• Bad haircut, not a tragedy anymore.

Scientific Reasons

• The head-covering ensures hygiene & cleanliness; many professionals e.g. health care providers, restaurant workers & servers etc. wear it.
• Spending time in hot weather without enough protection can damage the brain.
• Helps keep warm in winter; since 40-60% of body heat is lost through the head.

There is a reason behind every command of Allah; however if one is wearing ‘seasonal’ headscarf or as a fashion etc. instead of religious obligation, she might not get any reward in the hereafter.
Allah knows best!

Verses from the Qur’an that prove Believers Women are to observe hijab.

• Surah An-Noor verse 30 & 31; lower your gaze & guard your modesty.
• Surah-Ahzab verse 53; we have to follow the example of The Mothers of the Believers.
• Surah-Ahzab verse 59: Believing Women may be distinguished.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

• “Modesty is a branch of faith.” (Sahih Bukhaari)
• “There are two categories among the inhabitants of Hell whom I have not encountered. The first are people who carry whips like the tails of cows and beat the people with them. The second are women, clothed yet naked, drawn to licentiousness and enticing others to it, their heads like the swaying humps of camels. They will neither enter Paradise nor even smell its fragrance, though its fragrance can be found to a great distance.” (Sahih Muslim)