I was a playboy model, a playboy bunny, and winner of FHM Malaysia’s most wanted woman 2013…

But I left all my glitz and glamour modeling life for my hijab. Because through my hijab, I found that I am more than just my body, my vital stats, or sexy poses in the magazines…

But most importantly, I found peace and Islam.

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Coming from the country side in Australia, I was never exposed to Islam. I knew nothing about it. I thought of it as an oppressive religion, whenever I heard about it. It wasn’t until I went to Malaysia, that God guided me in ways I never expected, Subhan’Allah.

I learned that Muslim women also have rights, which were legally given even before the West did. Meeting impressive women like Sisters in Islam and Marina Mahathir, also inspired me to divulge into Islam more. I found that I could have a career and be a Muslim. However, it wasn’t until a year later, I reverted, Alhamdulillah.

Islam is a beautiful way of life to praise and worship Allah as One God every single day. While it is not easy to explain to friends and family, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I did a lot of research and interviewed many Muslim and even non-Muslim women on why women choose to cover up. I also learned a lot from my Imam and his wife, who taught me it is for women to be recognized more for their intelligence, not be as exposed, to this sometimes, overly sexual world and to keep your beauty for your husband.

I’ve met many wonderful, intelligent women who chose to wear Hijab, which is her right. Dressing more modestly came naturally after reverting. I hope to one day wear Hijab every single day, In’sha’Allah. God truly is the Turner of Hearts – I never in my wildest dreams thought I would become a Muslim, yet, He opened my heart and has blessed me in more ways than I could ever imagine or repay Him for.

That’s why I know Allah is Love and Mercy, and I want to worship Him better every day for as long as He gives me life. My favorite quote is ‘فَاصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا’ – ‘So endure patiently, with a beautiful patience.’

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Last year, World Hijab Day was a sociology class project for me. It opened my eyes to many things. For instance, the first time I ever wore Hijab, I was *spit* on by an Amish woman in my southern small town. This reaction shocked me, and also made me realize how bad the stereotypical label weighed on my Muslim friends’ shoulders.

No one should have to experience this type of hatred, especially in a normal wall-mart everyday setting. When the woman spit on me, I just brushed it off. The symbol I was wearing, my hijab, reminded me to be kind, “I’m sorry you felt the need to do that, I hope you have a blessed day ma’am” I smiled, and walked away not offended. Rather empowered because her facial expression changed. I know that day, at that time, someone’s stereotypical view was changed.  It was through my act of kindness and her rudeness, that did it.

I was raised in a very loving amazing Christian family, but I was always taught to pray to God. God alone. Therefore, I can’t really say I was raised like the ‘normal’ Christians. I never prayed to Jesus as a child, nor worshiped him. Yes, I loved Jesus. But not the way I had loved God. And as a Christian that was very confusing to me throughout my entire life. And this is how I found my religion, this is how I found Hijab, and this is how I found my “Freedom.”

Freedom, through a project, that opened my eyes to the empty answers I had been seeking.  I’ve never felt like I had belonged, I never had the same morals as my friends. I even believed differently than my religious friends. I didn’t even fit in there. And when I learned about Hijab, and learned about what the real Islam was about, I began to feel like I belonged, this was right.

I felt joy, I felt happiness and I felt confidence. I later on began to feel like Islam was the path for me. I later made the choice to convert. But like I mentioned before, the area I live in, has made this extremely difficult for me. I can’t have a normal day in Hijab. There is no normal day without the gawking stares of others. I’m constantly watched and viewed by curious eyes, I am analyzed and judged. A walking pulpit, a walking label. And this weighs heavy on anyone’s shoulders.

I admire the beautiful women who are strong enough to wear Hijab daily, to change a stereotypical label, to show and prove the true colors of Islam. That is beautiful, and I support world hijab for this very reason alone. To admire and respect the strong women who do this. And to bring awareness, for freedom of choice! There are so many reasons to do world hijab day. Whether it be to support women’s rights, whether it be to experience the feeling, or for religious views. There are so many reasons to support world hijab day.  I wouldn’t even know where to start mentioning them.

But as for me, I wear Hijab occasionally. Nonetheless, the urge to wear it daily is overtaking me. It’s a burning desire, a passion, a need.

Supporting our Religious choice to freely wear Hijab, supporting the fact that it is our choice as women to do so if we please. Supporting the women who want to make this choice!

Join me on World Hijab Day Feb 1st, Support Hijab!

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The decision to wear the hijab came at a very young age for me. I had always admired the way my mother and her friends looked while donning the beautiful fabric. I had grown up in a Muslim family, but my situation was far from traditional. At the time of my decision, my father (also a Muslim) was serving in the U.S Military. He was stationed at an Air Force base in Germany. This meant that my family lived on the base, and that my siblings and I attended school there as well. On the morning of my first day of fifth grade, I decided that I was not going to school without the hijab on. My parents were extremely supportive, but asked me if I was one hundred percent sure that I could handle the responsibility that came with wearing it. My voice never wavered as I responded “yes, inshallah.”

The first day of school was one of the hardest days of my entire life. I endured constant ridicule from my classmates and became the target of every person’s taunting. When I arrived home, I went straight to my room and asked Allah to give me the strength and faith that I needed. Weeks turned to months, and soon enough I was addressed as “Nadia” and not “the bald girl,” or the one that looked funny. I carried that same strength with me, as I entered into my Middle and High School years. At that age, the taunting became intensely worse, and the insults stung because of the word “terrorist” becoming so popular among my peers.

Living on a Military air base made the ridicule so much worse, because now I was suddenly the one who was responsible for the deaths of everyone’s friends and family serving in Afghanistan. The bus rides home were hard, because I was stuck in a metal container with some of the worst people in the entire school until I arrived home. Throughout this whole experience, I never once thought about removing the hijab. I knew the only way to change these people’s opinion of me, was to show them nothing but extreme kindness, and to answer any questions they had about the religion with patience and knowledge. I joined in on as many activities in the community as I could, and talked to anyone who would let me. It was a very slow process, but I noticed that some of my classmates who had previously taunted me, now greeted me in the mornings.

The biggest turning point was when a girl who had been the center of most of the hate towards me, approached me and apologized for judging me before getting to know me. From then on, life at school definitely became much easier now that others understood where it was that I was coming from. High School graduation was a year ago, and I proudly walked across that stage in Germany with my hijab on, and my head held high. It was an extremely long journey for peace and tolerance, but I know that I’ve made a positive impact on that community. Since then, I’ve endured harsh discrimination when trying to find a job, or simply when walking through a grocery store, but it doesn’t change the way that I feel about my religion. I am now entering my Sophomore year of College, and still wearing the hijab on my head. There are definitely days when people yell “terrorist” or some other expletive at me, but those many years of intolerance have prepared me for anything that may come my way. I am so thankful for Allah’s guidance that has always had a presence in my life. Alhamdoliallah for the ability of harsh words to become motivators for strength and wanting to make a change.

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Despite these huge errors I know his addiction is a trial from Allah and therefore I’ve tried to love him anyway. This means I have refrained from wearing proper Islamic clothing to have the possibility to have a relationship with him. But time went by, and his addiction got worse. He is acting like a child, acts innapropriate in front of his children and is a burden to his parents because they worry sick for him. I tried to make it work even though he has done me wrong so many times, all my life until my birthday this Spring. He came home drunk and during our brief discussion he said  that if I cover myself I am not his daughter anymore and he would throw me out of the house.

I’ve told my mother several times that this Ramadan I want to start wearing the hijab, In sha Allah, but she begs me to delay until I move away from home. She is practicing as well, but really fears the reaction my father  towards her and my 3 other siblings. When we discuss hijab she always replies “we have had this discussion a hundred times before, please understand”. My mother loves me unconditionally, so every time I have to give in and say I will wait with the hijab so she can relax. I truly hate to see her worried, it kills me. But every single time my mother is relieved, my soul is in pain. Because I feel like I truly need to use this opportunity, start wearing the hijab this ramadan. I can not explain it in any other way than that my soul longs for it, needs it, craves it. I can’t go a minute without a guilty conscience, and I feel sick internally. I know everything happens for a reason, but I really struggle to understand what Allah wants me to do in this painful situation. How can I wear the hijab this Ramadan without causing my father to make it a living hell for my family?

Like mom said: I will leave in sha Allah, but they have to stay and face my father. I am torn what should I do?” This was the story I posted briefly a month ago on World Hijab Day facebook fan page, and so I thought I wanted to update you about the situation. I finally decided to tell my dad about my decision, and he reacted just like I feared he would. He said I’m no longer his daughter and he wanted both me and my mother out of the house.

Apart from that I have had everybody else’s support so far. And after Allah my mother is my greatest source of strength and support. Though I have a lot of family who have promised to help me out. I pray to All-Mighty that he rewards them all for their support and efforts, especially my mother. And of course I pray to Allah that he rewards every single one of you who has made dua (prayer)  for me as well.  Anyway! I am now officially a hijabi and the battle is on. JazakAllah Khair for everything!

-Anonymous

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In ninth grade me and this girl I knew were very good friends. Then I went to Pakistan for a few months and when I came back things had changed and we slowly drifted apart. One day I saw her in the bathroom at school and as I was washing my hands I thought “what if I talk to her, what if I say hello how have u been? I really miss her.” I let the opportunity slip out of my hands as she left the washroom and thought “ok next time I see her I’ll talk to her for sure!” That night my dad turned the news on as he did every night after dinner but what I heard was heart breaking. My friend had been hit by a bus after school while she was walking home and she was no longer with us. I went to my room, cried my eyes out and prayed for her soul. It was that night that I decided that I would never put anything off till the next day again. I always wanted to wear the hijab but I’d always say “tomorrow.” It took this tragedy to make me realize that tomorrow is not guaranteed. So the next morning I watched a tutorial on YouTube, put my hijab on, and went to school with my head held high. I will never forget my friend for she taught me this valuable lesson.
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ‎
“Surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return”.

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I loved wearing the hijab!! I am still wearing it today, I feel so liberated and I feel so womanly and I feel like nothing of an object to society. As you could assume I am not of Muslim faith, as I’m of Wiccan faith but that does not stop me from wearing the hijab. I feel like as women we have no need to show our entire beauty to the world, and by wearing the hijab I feel that my beauty is covered and those who get to see all of my beauty are even more special to me!

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When I first wore hijab few years back, I still remember how I felt very calm, safe, and almost cried looking myself in the mirror. I thought of how I never appreciated this beauty and modesty Allah has given to every woman for them to take care by obeying Allah’s order. Now, hijab is my best attire and I beg  my sisters out there, let us wear it correctly and meet the conditions of proper hijab described in Surah (Chapter) An Nur (Quran 24:31). Let us please Allah by obeying Him rather than pleasing the people with this non-eternal beauty. Surely, Allah alone gives success in this world and Hereafter. And only Allah knows best.

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 Just want to share how the hijab taught me the true commitment for Islam. Back then, I took an entrance exam for a college I was really interested in. Alhamdulillah, I passed the exam. It is a well known school for nursing which I decided to get as my course. So the next step is the interview. During those times, wearing hijab was a taboo for them since it is a catholic school, not to mention its name. Again, Alhamdulillah, I passed the interview. They said they will admit me but with one condition, I am not allowed to wear hijab. I immediately asked them why, and they gave me lots of reason- this and that. And it’s just out of the blue. Being raised by an Islamic family, even if it’s my dream to study in this well known institution, I let it go. I’ve decided to go back to my hometown, enrolled in the only one university we have. It may be small and not that famous compared to my dream school, but then we have the freedom to practice our own religion. No ifs and buts, no worries, merely freedom and respect toward each other. Alhamdulillah, I’ve finished my bachelor of science in nursing here, and now I’m a registered nurse working here in Saudi Arabia. Hijab became a tool for me to stand firm for my religion, even if it means giving up some of my dreams. You must stand for what you believe is right, and that is to follow the teachings of Islam, my beloved Muslimahs (Muslim women).

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I am a single mom of four lovely children ranging from 3 to 19 years old and currently working full-time as a Curriculum Specialist with an international publishing firm. I was previously teaching English and Culture to foreign students in a language centre and now I conduct training for teachers in the region.

I wear the hijab not because my late husband told me to or because it was a fashion trend. To me, it was something I did to bring myself closer to the Creator and to make others appreciate who I am and see beyond the physical beauty.

Putting on the hijab is never a hindrance to my work because above all, people trust that I am driven and efficient. In fact, some non-Muslims find it attractive and are fascinated by the hijab I am wearing and how I have always looked professional. I do not have to show more of my skin to grab the attention of others. In fact, the less I show, the more respect I get. I have been wearing the hijab for more than 2 decades now and it was a meaningful decision that I have never regretted.

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