Tips on Wearing Hijab

It can be tricky, especially if you are just trying out the piece of attire for the very first time. Here is an interesting way to wear your headscarf - it is simple and stylish:

For more tips and tricks and a bigger picture of the one above, click here!

Blue – The Colour of Fomality and Serenity

Blue is a popular colour in the office. It is formal and professional yet is simple and easy on the eye – without any fancy adornments. Blue attire is a popular colour as it implies seriousness without being overbearing or overly-intimidating as black.

Whether it is a pant-suit (with a long jacket) or a dark blue abaya, blue brings the aura of strict focus on work in the corporate environment. Whether you are amongst colleagues, networking with clients or participating in presentations, the colour will never fail you.

In fact, blue is such an easy colour to wear at work, it would be highly unlikely for you to feel embarrassed if someone else is wearing a similarly designed outfit or hijab as you.

Blue also denotes serenity. You may be hanging out with your friends after work of enjoying a lazy date with your spouse. Blue communicates to your company that you are feeling relaxed and at peace at their presence. Blue has a distant effect on problems and worries and has the power to unclutter your mind.

Blue also represents the bright blue sky on a happy day and the vastness of oceans and seas. Appreciating the colour blue reminds us of the natural gifts that Allah designed specially for us – through His emaculate beauty and adornment.

Blue is an essential colour around the house to declutter the mind and unwind. Blue curtains, blue paintings, blue bedspreads all create the illusion of space and distance.

With peace and serenity in mind therefore, spending time in prayer is also useful when gelled with the colour blue. It is easy on the eye and can relieve you from your physical pains and aches through deep concentration on things that matter most.

You Look Phat!

That could be misinterpreted in more ten ways, especially if the person saying it to you did not write it out on a piece of paper and hold it over her head. And even worse, it would bring on more than ten mood swings within seconds!

It's not phat to be fat. Magazines grace stalls by your walk way; advertisements skinny dip on your tv set; bill boards spin heads while you drive. It's not phat to be fat. Skinny is the deal. Skinny is beautiful. Thin is neat. Thin is in. It's not phat to be fat.

That's what aesthetics shout out today. Dieting, looking good in clothes, a body without lumps, bumps, backs and fronts, are what beauty manufacturers are screaming out to women nowadays. They have capitalised on that fear of being a little overweight. One too many curves will cause a whirlwind of headaches. It's not phat to be fat.

How do these beauty gurus empower women who feel depressed, upset and even a little sad about the little bulge called a belly; the extra kilo called age; and that extra skin called skin?

They empower us with diet pills, diet shakes, tummy trims and other fancy frills. In the plight to be skinny, many of us, once in a while, fall prey to the jingle of tablets and to the fizz of a flab burner shake.

It happens, but it should not. If you listen a little closer to the jingle and the fizz, you would learn that there are stories behind the tablet and the drink. Some are not very nice and some are quite dangerous.

Know that these diet supplements are not all approved by your health ministry or authority. Know that these diet supplements could contain far more medication than approved supplements (such as multivitamins) to speed up favourable results. Know that these diet supplements hack away at your insides, they erode your body to allow you to slim down to the figure of a 1. Know that these diet supplements may affect your liver due to their high content of chemicals, and your liver may not be able to process them. Know that these diet supplements can act as a silent time-bomb in your body, waiting to explode when time is most unlikely. Know that these diet supplements can cause cancer.

We are born into this world that is laced with beauty. A new mother embraces the beauty of her child. When friends and family come a-calling, their comments let the word slip and slide.

But as the baby grows up, the word is used less and less... and is more callously defined by the people around her.

It's not phat to be fat. Teenagers fall prey to anorexia and bulimia around the world. There is so pressure to be thin and to stay thin. There are too many "friends" keeping a close eye on how they look in their skinny clothes.

But wanting to be thin is one thing, wanting to be healthy is another.

It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and it is generally accepted that obesity represents an unhealthy lifestyle. But it is untrue that skinniness should be associated with good health. A woman who is slightly overweight but is a happy and confident person is healthier than a woman who is severely underweight and feels compelled to keep up with the trends.

If you feel that you are overweight (which most of us do) and feel like shedding a few pounds, whatever you do, stay away from diet pills. They are harmful and harm is unlawful in Islam. Instead, respect your body and take care of it the healthy way.

Exercise, exercise, exercise - a good workout gets your body working and burns off calories effectively. You do need to exercise, not only to lose weight to be build up stamina, ward off illnesses and to essentially live longer.

Also, observe a good diet. Steam food rather than fry; grill your meals rather than buy. Take control over what you eat.

Keep your fridge stocked with fresh vegetables that you can chop up as a salad and plenty of fresh fruits when you need to snack. Eat a balanced diet with a colourful array of protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals. Eat well during breakfast to ward of hunger pangs that lead to bingeing. Have a light early dinner and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Your body deserves this. You deserve it.

You will feel better, lighter and more energetic.

So, it is not phat to be fat - but it is not wise to be unhealthy and fall prey to vulture advertising that so-called beauty gurus impose on the insecurities of women.

And as for skinny clothes - :) - alhamdulillah, Islam provides for this too - wear Hijab, love Hijab and live Hijab - be the confident, healthy and happy Muslimah, Allah intended you to be. You will look phat!

Who do you respect?

There are many interpretations of a woman wearing Hijab and plenty of misconceptions.

One important representation of a Hijabi woman is the fact that she wishes to be respected. Respect in today's world has very much to do with seniority and / or hierarchy. We tend to find that we need to respect people who are smarter than us, those who are older, more qualified or have more experience. We feel we need to respect men and women who demonstrate leadership skills, those who are higher-paid, those who have been around alot longer. They all command respect.

But why? Is it because we feel inferior to them - that they are better than us in certain skills, more knowledgeable than us in certain fields, drive a bigger car, live in a nicer duplex? Maybe they do reserve your respect. Maybe...

However, how do they command your respect - is it through haughtiness, dictatorship, arrogance, snootiness, the bling-bling of their sportscar's headlights as they wave goodbye to you while you are waiting in line for a bus?

It is easy to fall into the trap of respecting and looking up to someone because he or she is smarter, richer, more experienced, better looking or more qualified than we are. Having said that, of course, some of these smarter, richer, more experience, better looking, more qualified do deserve our respect - because there is another way of gaining respect from another person.

It is through modesty. A sincere conversation, being an active listener. Genuinely caring about another person. Displaying humility that any haughtiness of just by being smarter or richer than the next person does not affect you - rather it has an adverse effect on you - that you truly believe you would be the same person without all those qualities. You feel thankful and grateful for what you have and who you have become.

The same goes for a woman in hijab. Not only is her dress a representation of modesty. She values herself for the person she is without imposing herself on others. Muslims respect Sisters who respect themselves by adhering to the guideline of hijab.

Ten Things I Love About You (part 2)

(6) I am proud of who I am
Now, I am proud of who I am. I have eliminated worries about my weight, my height, my waist line. My brain has emptied out all these useless insecurities and filled itself up with ambitions that have brought my career to sky-rocket, my children to excel in school and my marriage to flourish. My parents are always proud of my achievements. I am able to lend a helping ear to those in need and hand-hold through to comfort without worrying about myself all the time.

I continue to strive and to learn and to harbour as much knowledge as possible with every passing moment as my nose will never be caught between leaves of cosmetic magazines sending signals to my brain that those glamorous pictures of beautifully computerized women are true to life.

My esteem is rock-steady because I know how to water it and fertilise it and reach for the light, the sun – rather than grovel in the soils of self-pity in search of worldly happiness that is as shallow as its glossy roots.

(7) I gel with the weather
I am always cool and comfortable with you around. You are loose around my body and do not stick to me on a hot blazing day. You give me air to breathe and when I am on the move, I glide easily as I do not worry about what I look like from behind or from the side – in fact I have nothing to hide, because I am all hidden.

If I feel cold, I slip an extra piece of clothing on – something just as non-revealing and it keeps me warm throughout the different seasons in the year.

(8) You have given me a sense of belonging
I do not wonder around aimlessly hoping for things to get better and worry why I do not fit in. This is because you have given me a sense of belonging that I belong to the believers of God. That by committing myself to you, I have made a commitment to the Muslim Ummah and insha’Allah will always be part of the Muslim community.

I have no qualms about not joining in on the latest hip parties or glamorous societies. I have you and you have linked me to true believers and advocates of Islam.

(9) I have become a better person
Now that I have you, I actively find ways to become a better person. It only fits the purpose as when you are around I feel the inner me must find ways to improve itself to suit the outer me. If I want to demonstrate the beauty of Islam, I have to do it from within as well as from the way I look from the outside.

I pray more diligently and smile a lot more. I provide for charity with whatever I do not need. I love my family more and pay attention to my friends. I shop wisely, and drive with greater care. I take time to laugh and I take time to cry. I appreciate everything that happens to me and it makes me a better person. I take my time to learn from my mistakes and never to repeat them again because I appreciate my every milestone I make in becoming a better Muslim.

(10) I feel closer to Allah with you around
And because of all of this, I feel so much closer to Allah. I am a more conscientious Muslim and I live from day to day in remembrance of the Lord. I do not worry about the shallow matters of dunya and concern myself with things that can make my life in the akhirah the most rewarding experience.

Thank you Hijab,
I hope you realize how much you mean to me!

Ten Things I Love About You (part 1)

Dear Hijab,

I am writing this letter to tell you how much you mean to me. Though there are so many reasons why I cherish you and appreciate every moment of the day with you, I thought I would list the top 10 reasons why I love you this much!

(1) You keep me protected
I feel safe all the time with you are around. I attract much less negative attention from those men at the stalls, men at the construction site, men across the road, in their cars, in the office and at the mall. In fact, they do not bother to look even twice because they know I do not bother about them. I do not care for their attention, their cat-calls or free drinks. They know that I can take care of myself and do not require their attention to feel appreciated. In fact, I can buy my own drinks, and I proudly do so while they do not look on.

(2) You are kind on my wallet
Because of you, I do not feel compelled to run out and buy that latest top or newest edition of designer lip stick. I am not obsessed how my hair looks or falls or sways with the wind so I don’t visit the hair saloon religiously nor do dish out bundles of notes to buy their expensive hair sprays / conditioners / shampoos / hair dye. I don’t need to plague my weekends with shopping sprees to make sure I look like the next top model or rising TV personality.

I am all kept and proper and I buy only what I need when I need. I am not a display ornament that has to be beautified by those products that brandish endless shelves at the beauty sections of shopping malls or are obscenely displayed in beauty magazines.

I can save money for more important things because of you. Like alms for the poor and my pilgrimage to the holy land. I have stashed money away for me to pursue my PHD and take care of my parents when they are older. In fact, my children’s accounts are thriving thanks to you – insha’Allah they will be given the best education possible.

(3) I have learned to love myself for who I am
Now that you are here, I look in the mirror before going out and I see someone without make up and without a strand of hair dangling for attention. I see myself as me, the way God made me. I do not have to look like anyone else or pretend to be someone else. I learned to be myself and appreciate all the natural beauty I have been honoured with, by the grace of God. I am perfectly imperfect and I love myself for looking like this.

I love my eyes and I love my smile – I love my skin, though none of them are perfect. I love them because they are invaluable presents for God and I appreciate them for all their imperfections.

(4) I know people who truly love me for who I am
I need not be obsessed with how others see me. Should they not like what they see, then it is obviously a certain shallowness speaking to them as I am much more than just “a look”. People who appreciate me love me for who I am and what I can do to make the world a better place.

There are those who think that I am not up to their standard to befriend because I don’t wear the latest skirts and my earrings are covered by my scarf. Or maybe it is because chocolaty strawberry is the latest blusher and my cheeks are as naturally rosy as ever.

But I do not mind them. In fact, because of you, they do not fit into my standards when they do not understand my opinions on 101 contemporary issues that surround us today. People who appreciate me for that are my true friends and friends that will last a lifetime.

(5) My husband, he always feels like so good about himself
It’s funny how girlie magazines are always ranting about how to sooth that male ego to keep your man happy, yet when you are with me they think that I’m succumbing to my husband’s dictatorship to the depths of a bottomless pit.

They do not understand that the reason you are with me is because I truly succumb to God and not my spouse. Yet, magically, by this submission, my husband and his ego are always a-smiles! He always feels secure when I am out and about because he does not feel threatened of any unwanted attention. He is assured that I am safely guarded from the public eye curbing the dangers that may befall the vulnerability of any woman on the street.

And when I am at home, with him, unveiled, that really massages his ego. He knows that he is the only man who is allowed to see me with make-up on, pretty jewellery and a short denim skirt. He really feels like a chump because of you.

Bringing Out the Inner You

It is not always easy to be a good Muslim. It sounds easy in principle – anything you do for the sake of Allah, which is good and pure in intention awards you merits. However, practicing what is preached is not always easy. We live in a world full of temptations that tingle our nafs in many ways more than one, and easily distracts us from the core reason of our existence – to praise and worship Allah.

Yet there are moments in the waking day when we know we are aware our good deeds and try our best to live up to the expectations of our Lord.

Grooming the inner Muslimah is always harder than the outer Muslimah. The Hijab can always easily be worn according to Islamic principles but that inner Muslimah sometimes feels left out of the hip and happening circle where women dress to kill and to please. Taming the inner Muslimah shrew is not always be easy.

Then there are the accompanying issues – while dressing up like a Muslimah may not be a problem, the heart is always vulnerable to evil slurs and innuendoes.

There have been many times where I hear comments of Muslimah X, who wears the Hijab, but has a bad habit of back-biting. Muslimah Y, who always covers, is a serial dater and has quite an obsession with the opposite gender. Muslimah Z, who dresses modestly, committed embezzlement during the closing of her company’s accounts.

These uncharacteristic personas contradict violently with the image of a Muslimah. It is not only a short fall of a Muslimah to act in the manners above but it is detriment to Islam when she dresses the right way but acts the totally opposite.

Keeping Up Appearances

Remember, we become advocates of Islam when we don the Hijab – we are known as the Muslim woman whether a daughter, wife, mother, in-law, colleague, neighbour or student.

When this happens, realize that you are representing Islam on the outside through your Islamic dress and whatever you do from the inside will reflect upon Islam. Though negative behaviour is never related with Islam, the religion walks a fine line between truth and misinterpretation. A little stumble by a Muslim towards un-Islamic behaviour causes the whole religion to be construed. Do not allow your actions lead to Islam taking the defense stand in a court case.

Guard your modesty, says the Qur’an, and it does not only refer to covering your physical beauty –
it also refers to purifying your heart.

Always engage in good deeds as they will actively eradicate bad deeds. The more pro-active we are in representing Islam in its true light, the closer to Allah will be and the brighter will His guidance shine.

Keep good company, as friends or also known as our sahabah play an important role in our lives. True Muslim friends help us maintain our modesty and amplify good Islamic behaviour at all times
and encourage us to become better people.

Learn from the Prophet’s sahabah, his first company of followers. Many of them were women – his wives, relatives, children and other Muslimahs of his time. Read up their histories and learn how they practiced Islam. Inspire yourself to live like them and feel honoured to be part of the ummah.

Never lose faith in Allah – always keep your relationship with him sturdy. Build up on Islamic knowledge and your ibadah (worship). Take time away from the world, be it only an hour a day and ponder upon the blessings He has bestowed upon you. Truly believe that He has chosen you as a follower - because He has - and that is the greatest gift anyone could have.

So the next time you don the Hijab, look into the mirror and ask yourself, really ask your Inner self, what you are going to do today to bring out Islam through to the Outer you.