Part I

In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

I advise myself first before I advise others.

There has been a trend in wearing the hijab that is in line with present day fashion. That in itself is an issue. Hijab stands for everything against what present day fashion stands for, and the mere fact we as sisters are falling into this trap must be addressed. I know it is not easy to hear this and swallow that we may be in error. I am sure most start with good intentions when taking on the very important decision to show your faith outwardly. It is not easy to constantly be identified by a faith that has been vilified over the years, especially since the “War on Terror” began. But that does not allow us to open the doors on our own interpretation  of hijab to fit into our own whims and desires.

Let’s switch roles. If you were to see a nun with her veil, walking in a skin tight body hugging body-con type dress, albeit long sleeved and long length, wouldn’t that just look, wrong? One may even mistake it as those sultry type Halloween costumes. It would look utterly ridiculous. But that is exactly what we are doing today. Exactly this. A scarf loosely over our heads cosplaying as hair, curves galore as you sultrily gaze into the lens. Mouth slightly open, lips plumped and colored. A “whole snack”, reads one comment. That’ll show them that hijabi’s can look good too, you think to yourself. Every notification and every view reassures that very thought. What have we done?

I leave this short post with a story of our Mother Ayesha radiAllahu anha: 1

حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ أُسَامَةَ ، قَالَ : أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ كُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ بَيْتِي الَّذِي دُفِنَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، وَأَبِي فَأَضَعُ ثَوْبِي ، وَأَقُولُ إِنَّمَا هُوَ زَوْجِي وَأَبِي ، فَلَمَّا دُفِنَ عُمَرُ مَعَهُمْ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا دَخَلْتُهُ إِلاَّ وَأَنَا مَشْدُودَةٌ عَلَيَّ ثِيَابِي ، حَيَاءً مِنْ عُمَرَ.

Aisha ra said: Whenever I entered the house in which Prophet (Peace be upon him) and my father (i.e. Abu Bakr ra) are buried, I used to take off my sheet (from head) thinking that it’s only my father and husband (whom I am visiting), however By Allah! When Umar (ra) got buried with them, I never went inside without being fully covered, this is because of being ashamed of Umar (ra) [Musnad Ahmed bin Hanbal, Volume No. 6, Page No. 202, Hadith # 25701]

I will continue to discuss this issue further InshAllah. Anything wrong is from myself, and anything correct is from Allah subhana wa ta’ala.

1. Retrieved from http://www.systemoflife.com/the-hadith-of-aisha-doing-hayaa-from-the-grave-of-umar/

Comments, suggestions, questions? Let me know below.