Hijab always in focus -

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty sheds light on an important question here.

It is not unusual to have bouts of uncertainty concerning Hijab once in a while. Is it really ordained? Why women? Why only women?

It can be confusing with the surrounding controvery. Hijab always being in focus, always talked about, always scrutnised.

Sometimes everything gleams at us so clearly and we fully understand and accept Hijab as our own.

Luckily for us, there are plenty of Hijab resources on IOL. This can be your starting page.

Happy learning!

High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth! Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." (Ta-Ha: 114)

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.

Sharing the Responsibilities of Hijab

Men and women complement each other. We are both halves of a whole – says the Qur’an, as it has described spouses to be garments for each other. What do garments do? They protect us from unwanted attention, protect us from the weather, disguise our imperfections and beautify us.

What more the garment known as Hijab? Hijab is an obligatory fulfillment ordained by Allah Ta’ala upon women. Muslim women are required to don the headscarf and wear loose, non-transparent and long clothes when in the presence of non-mahram (marriageable) men. Men too have the same obligation to dress the same – save for the head cover.

However, the Hijab, always a media hype, seems to be the most controversial piece of clothing for the practicing Muslim woman. When asked why the head-covering is required, Muslims always answer: a woman is not allowed to display her beauty in front of men who are not related to her.
Yes, this is true by all means, but sometimes, interpretation to this sentence brings yet another wave of misconceptions where women have to be covered and have to be protected and somehow or another women are the oppressed gender in Islam. What is more? Men in Islam force this dress-code upon women. As mentioned, these are misconceptions, and misconceptions easily brought about by a simple truthful sentence.

So as Muslims, let us think: let us turn it around and see how it sounds. If a woman is not allowed to display her beauty, how does this affect the man?

The next time someone asks you about the Hijab, whether you are a Muslim man or woman, tell them: a man is not allowed to look at a woman’s beauty if she is not his wife nor is not related to her.

This sentence tells us the same thing that woman are to be covered and have the utmost right to be protected from the ogling of the opposite gender, yet, men are the second half of the whole, and they are the ones who must guard their modesty and steer clear away from any form of proximity.
This elevates the true Islamic status of a woman by women are not meant to be seen as sex objects, but are to be recognized as women of substance. When a man marries a woman, he does only vow his loyalty and dedication towards a woman of piety, he is also allowed to enjoy her beauty as she is allowed to unveil in front of him.

The Qur’an requires believing men and women to lower their gazes and guard their chastity when dealing with the opposite gender. It further requires women to drape their hair veil over their chests – this sentence just exemplifies how attractive women are to the opposite gender that Allah prompts us with a friendly reminder that women are to concentrate on improving their inner beauty rather than their physical attributes.

The Hijab therefore requires men to be equally responsible to guard the Hijab of women through advising their wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, and other relatives the importance keeping the veil and at the same time, the practicing Muslim man guards his own Hijab in more ways than one.

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.