For so many Muslim women, the hijab is more than just a piece of cloth—it’s a deeply personal, multifaceted decision tied to identity, faith, and empowerment. My hijab story is marked by discovery, struggle, and conviction. Today, I want to share my journey with you in hopes that it inspires reflection, resilience, and perhaps even connection.

How It All Began
I first put on the hijab at 13 years old. Nobody in my family wore it at the time, making me the first to take the leap. My best friend had just returned from Umrah, deeply moved by the experience, and had started wearing the hijab herself. Watching her make this commitment sparked something within me.

For me, the hijab made sense. I didn’t like drawing the attention of men and felt that wearing it would make my life easier. It gave me a sense of comfort and control over how I presented myself to the world. Still, being the first in my family to wear it wasn’t always easy. Questions and awkward stares acted like small roadblocks, but they didn’t shake the deeper meaning the hijab gave me.

The Crisis
Like many journeys, though, mine wasn’t without challenges.

Growing up Muslim while facing Islamophobia exposed me to subtle and overt forms of exclusion, judgment, and fear. Over time, the weight of these encounters began to build, eventually leading me to question how I wanted to be seen in the world—how I could be seen and understood. At one point, I felt compelled to take off my hijab.

For four long months, I walked away from something that had been such a vital part of my identity. I longed for relief, for a sense of anonymity, but instead, I felt like I had lost myself. When I looked in the mirror, I didn’t recognize the person staring back. Something fundamental was missing. I didn’t realize until then just how much the hijab was intertwined with my self-perception and gratitude toward my faith.

How It Ended
Healing my discomfort with my identity wasn’t an overnight process—it required patience, reflection, and a lot of faith. But as I started addressing my anxieties and reconciling my relationship with the world around me, the hijab became a natural next step. This time, it felt entirely mine.

When I donned it again, I did so with stronger conviction. It was no longer about what anyone else thought—it was my choice, reinforced by a love and gratitude for my Creator. Now, the hijab feels empowering. It’s not just something I wear; it’s an extension of my faith and an expression of my love for Allah.

My Advice
To anyone considering wearing the hijab, whether you’re young or older, here’s what I’d like to share:

• • Wear it for the right reason. The hijab isn’t just about covering your head; it’s an act of devotion. Wear it to please Allah, not for societal expectations.
  • Focus on the spiritual beauty. Rather than thinking of the hijab as a restriction, see it as an opportunity to strengthen your bond with your Creator.
  • Make it your decision. The hijab is a personal choice—one that should feel empowering, not forced. Take your time to introspect and decide what feels right for you.

For me, the hijab is a reflection of my deep gratitude and love toward Allah. It helps me walk through the world in alignment with my values of modesty, faith, and authenticity.
Final Thoughts

The hijab symbolizes so much more than an outward expression of modesty. It’s a profound reminder of who I am, where I’ve been, and the principles guiding my life. Every person’s hijab story is unique, and our collective experience strengthens the beautiful tapestry of our Muslim community.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Asma is a leadership expert and renowned professional coach, who integrates Islamic spirituality and strategic coaching to empower leaders in personal and professional growth.

The post Embracing Identity: The Story of My Hijab appeared first on World Hijab Day.

“Strength and growth only come from continuous effort and struggle” said famous self-help author, Napoleon Hill.

Growing up as a Pakistani-American Muslim, seeing women relatives wearing hijab, I vividly remember knowing I would do the same. However, in the eighth grade, I began questioning my decision. I wondered if I wanted to be any more different than I had already seemed. As a brown girl with an unusual name who didn’t eat bacon like everyone else, people already knew I practiced a specific faith.

I reluctantly started wearing a headscarf without being cognizant of its significance. After a lot of research on the primary objective of the Islamic concept of “hijab” (covering), I felt as if I had ascertained its essence. The concept of “hijab” is prevalent amongst both Muslim men and women to maintain their modesty. Islam enjoins men to lower their gaze and for women to wear the hijab. It is a sign of chastity and meant to safeguard us as much as possible. It visually marks us as Muslim women, so that we may be openly recognized as such, thus, we stand out.

As a young woman, I refuse to be judged by my physical attributes and beauty. A person’s worth and intellectual ability should not be judged by society’s beauty standards. Instead, a person’s worth should be measured by their mindset and actions. I have come to learn over time that my hijab serves as a source of protection, rather than becoming a barrier in my day-to-day activities.

My research confirmed this was the right path for me. I began to want to wear the headscarf because it was part of my identity as a Muslim woman and distinguished me from others. Therefore, as I started ninth grade, I wore the hijab over my head confidently, ready to start this new chapter in my life. Not only did I never feel judged by anyone, I felt more empowered.

While I proudly wear the hijab today, I am glad I had those earlier doubts, which I was successfully able to overcome. That uncertainty gave me the opportunity to find the true essence of the hijab. The day I began having full faith in my decision was a turning point in my life. This phase in my life taught me that having faith in myself will always be enough for me to stay motivated and accomplish anything I set my sights on. While I was determined to wear the hijab, I simply needed the reassurance to remind myself that I am doing this for myself, and not for the approval of others, including my own family members.

The hijab will continue to define me, my character, and my values. I will always continue to grow with it. My faith puts great emphasis on seeking education and serving humanity. I strive to pursue those goals diligently, with the objective that one day I can serve humanity to the best of my knowledge and abilities.

Now, every time I put it on and step out, I feel protected and safe. It strengthens my faith and connects me firmly to its roots and values. I am confident in and proud of the identity I have made for myself and I embrace being different. I am proud to be a Pakistani-American Muslim woman.

About the Author:

Tooba Malik is currently a senior in high school in the USA. She is looking forward to attending college next fall. She enjoys community service and sharing her experiences as a young adult. She loves traveling, baking/cooking, and visiting new trails near her.

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Even though Muslim women wear the hijab and abaya to cover themselves religiously, they are adaptable to various fashion styles. Women of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds are adopting these styles worldwide.

Muslim women can wear any outfit uniquely as long as they remain modest in their style and outfits. Today, we will look at seven modest ways of wearing hijab this winter with jackets. The styles are suitable for casual and formal events and look good on women of all ages:

An ideal puffy jacket is a must-have for countries where winters can be bitterly cold and long. The perfect warmth and comfort it provides can help you get through cold weather.

In winter, oversized puffy jackets provide the best coverage along with hijab since they keep the body warm and cover it perfectly. Furthermore, it maintains modesty while looking utterly stylish.

Adding a puffy jacket to a basic outfit is easy. You can wear one with a long turtleneck and jeans on a windy day or with a t-shirt, pants or leggings during milder climates. Winter is the perfect time of year for this outfit, which you can wear to work, school and other events.  

Furthermore, you can complete the look with accessories like a side bag, white shoes or sunglasses.

Currently, everyone is obsessed with teddy coats. There may be no better alternative to teddy coats in terms of keeping you warm and looking stylish. There has been a trend of celebrities and influencers wearing them over the past couple of seasons. You cannot miss out on these cute, warm and fluffy coats.

A teddy coat is typically worn on top of dresses or shirts in oversized, baggy sizes, which is also an ideal solution for hijabis. White and brown teddy coats complement the jeans and t-shirt ensemble. As a central clothing item, teddy coats do the job and you will not need to put on any additional accessories.

The skirt represents modest fashion at its best. A floor-length, flowy, full-coverage garment that remains fashionable regardless of its length. The versatility of skirts makes them one of the most popular clothing items among hijab-wearing women worldwide.

Straight skirts are generally recommended for everyday wear, while flowy skirts are appropriate for prom and parties. Whether you wear it buttoned in or not, you can dress it up or down as you please. The trench coat and leather jacket are ideal choices with skirts.

One of the most popular items in a person’s wardrobe is a zipper jacket, which either men or women can wear. The oversized zipper jacket will never go out of fashion when paired with leggings or jeans.

Combining a zipper jacket with jeans and a turban hijab, it is perfect for any casual occasion such as a casual day at school, work or dinner with friends.

Remember to underestimate the power of simple clothing to create a signature look. To complete the look, wear your favorite sneakers or vans with a cute hijab. You could also wear this to the gym.

On a cold day, there’s nothing better than a long coat. You will never be able to find a more versatile clothing item than this one. There are various ways to wear a long coat, from long and short dresses to skirt outfits to straight palazzo pants.

No matter what day it is, whether it is a lazy one, a hectic one or a formal party day, a long coat will keep you warm and stylish. You can wear check pants in winter, a plain white shirt and a long black coat and a loose black hijab to conquer any long work day, school day or winter break.

You can rely on the denim jacket for every winter outfit and accessory needed. denim jackets are the most versatile, long-lasting and popular ones you could own. The dress can be matched with any number of outfits, whether a dress, a T-shirt and jeans or even a pajama set.

Denim jackets pair well with jeans, leggings, and casual T-shirts for school days. Wear your denim jacket to work with a pair of striped pants and a tank top you like and a shoulder strap or in any other style you choose.

There is no need to worry about any winter needs if you have a denim Jacket in your closet. In combination with your favorite hijab style, you will look modest and stylish as you wear it.

Recent years have seen a rise in street style fashion. The popularity of tracksuits, sweatpants, hoodies, striped jeans and hooded sweatshirts has increased over the past few years.

Whether going to the gym or school, you can throw on your favorite sneakers or vans with them. A headscarf is worn underneath the hood by hijabis to cover their hair completely, giving them the same cool look as others, or perhaps even more fantastic.

About the Author:

Dur-e-Sabih provides ghostwriting and copywriting services. Her educational background in  Accountancy helps her in tackling topics ranging from career and business productivity to web development, finance, and digital marketing.
https://muslimandquran.com/

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When we think of hijab, it is often referred to as a noun – the physical piece of cloth that Muslim women wear to cover their hair with. Although this is a perfectly okay interpretation of hijab, it doesn’t just stop there. Hijab is also a verb; the act of hijab, which is the act of modesty. Just as we perform salah, or fasting, we can observe hijab as an action. If we understand this, we can also understand that this modest behaviour in all that we do, doesn’t just apply to Muslim women, but also to Muslim men.

Depending on where you are in the world, different words can be used to describe this piece of cloth. For example, in parts of the Asian subcontinent, it is referred to as a chadar, a large cloth that is draped over the head, shoulders and upper parts of the body, with the same purpose in mind – to cover.

In simple terms, to observe hijab means being modest in our thoughts and behaviour, modest in what we consume with our eyes and ears, and of course, modest in the way we dress from head to toe, which goes beyond just covering our hair.

Hijab is for him too. In the Quran in surah 24: 30, Allah (swt) commands, “O’ Prophet! Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is All-Aware of what they do.”

Just as Muslim women should conduct themselves in a modest way, so should Muslim men. How could the Muslim men in your life observe hijab daily?

In conclusion, really stop and make that conscious effortand decision to fight negative influences and temptations. As Muslims, we observe hijab for the sake of Allah and tosecure our place in Jannah. Yes, it can be hard to say, “No” to some of these worldly things, but that’s our test. And by staying strong in our intentions, إنشالله we can makea genuine effort in how we, both women and men, practice true hijab.

About the Author

Samina H-Bakhsh is a UK based teacher with over 18 years’ of experience, including having taught in the UAE and Brunei. An avid reader and writer, Samina is set to release her hijab-themed children’s picture book in early 2022. Her creativity also includes recently becoming a Guinness World Record henna artist, based on speed and is currently in the process of setting up henna workshops. Connect with Samina on Instagram @thehennateacher.

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Like many, I always waited for an “aha” moment before wearing the scarf. Until I realized that the moment I had been waiting for was simply the realization that I didn’t need one. So, despite living in a small Kentucky town and being the only Muslim in my school at the time, I began wearing the hijab on a seemingly random day at the start of 10th grade. Although it led me to stand out among those in my area, I got used to it, and that experience shaped me into the unapologetic person I am today. Alhamdulillah.

Today, my life looks quite different. It’s no secret that I love modest fashion and wearing the scarf is a large part of that. However, I want to stress that above everything, our priority is to wear the hijab because it is an obligation from Allah. Politics, fashion, etc.—all these matters have trends, yet if you prioritize wearing the hijab for the sake of Allah and use that as your reason to wear it with confidence, then when these trends change, they won’t cause your feelings toward your hijab to change along with them. Wear your hijab for the sake of God alone and it will act as your shield and be a blessing for you.

So to those who may feel isolated in their hijab journey as I once did—I get it and you are not alone. And regardless of what is trendy, what others may say to you, or how isolated you may feel, remember that with every hateful comment you can reaffirm your intention and get rewarded for that in shaa’ Allah and NO ONE can take that away from you.

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Indire Muja is the police officer who was fired from her job at the Kosovo Police because of her hijab. She is a woman who, for five years straight, never gave up fighting for her rights.

After she filed a suit twice seeking for justice by respecting and implementing the laws of Kosovo Police, the Basic Court of Prishtina finally took the well-deserved decision in favour of Indira.

Thus, the Court obliges the Kosovo Police to take the steps below:

︎ To bring back Indira at the workplace or a similar one with all the rights and obligations according to her last work contract.

︎To compensate her all her wages from the moment her contract was cancelled (2015) until the date when she returns to work.

This ruling with a very clear, concise, and detailed explanation will be an invaluable precedent for the treatment of similar cases which deal with the freedom of people working in public institutions to practice religion.

So, should the wearing of hijab be restricted according to directives or regulations?

The Court said: NO

Indira’s unconquerable effort for justice will be the source of motivation for all the girls and women who do not stop seeking their rights, in this way, challenging discriminatory practices in their family, society, or even their own country.

Congratulations to us all!

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My decision as a Muslim to fulfill my obligation towards God was longstanding. I cannot even name it a decision, rather, a long wait for the moment I would complete my obligation properly. However, it was my inner self that was waiting for the final moment to fulfill itself, since God is not in need of our actions, we are the ones who need the mercy and forgiveness of our Lord.

It was a time when I had 3 weeks before the birth of my first child. I was getting my maternity leave from the job that I loved very much and I did not know how my new journey was going to go. But, I did not want in any way not to have my hijab when the time for birth would come. Since as good as a process it was, unexpected things could happen, too. I did not want to come out in front of God without my hijab since God does not burden anyone with more than one can bear, and I was not prepared to give any excuse why I did not cover.

After giving birth to my first child, during a time when I needed the help of many of my closest family members, physically and spiritually, they decided to walk away from me because of my choice to wear the hijab. I never gave up because of my reliance on Allah, which would always open the doors of goodness for me.

I returned at work wearing my hijab, in a place highly frequented by people, some of them highly prejudicial towards me. I decided to break that prejudice with my work and dedication, my closeness towards patients, my pieces of advice and kindness towards them. Only this way I broke those engraved opinions of the people that a hijabi woman cannot be successful, that she must stay only inside her house, that she has no right to serve others with her knowledge and work, etc.

We should not see hijab as a barrier for our work and activities, because hijab is a part of our soul. We should not have preconceived ideas for our hijab, thinking that it might cause problems in our lives. We should be a good example in our society giving our contribution with love, motivation, and determination through the good things God gave us.
Therefore, when I am asked how I, as a hijabi, get by in a society like ours, I answer that knowledge breaks ignorance, and that our work, contribution, love and commitment for our country break those barriers built between us.

I advice all hijab wearing women to never give up on their goals, to never conform to the life they are served by the society, to never blame their hijab and see it as a reason for their failures, but to try hard continuously towards the path of knowledge and commitment, and the most important of all, to never stop their prayers towards the One who promised us “Call upon Me, I will answer you.”

Today, I work for “Bora Pharmacy” (located in Kosovo) as an Accountable Pharmacist with amazing people who respect and appraise me highly, not because of the way I look, but because of who I am. I continue volunteering in the group “Familja dhe Shendeti” on Facebook together with hundreds of physicians and professionals from different fields of medicine, which deals with everything that has to do with health and family.

As a wife and a mother of two children, plus two others waiting to be born, I try to find a balance between my family, professional, and humanitarian life.

God gave us 24 hours a day, and we are the ones who have the choice to fill those hours, minutes, and seconds of our life properly or not!

May God make us useful! Ameen!

By Laureta Berisha Kosumi

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I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.” Whenever I’m asked to share my hijab story, like the diehard Jane Austen fan I am, her beautifully written passage comes to mind.  Because I know that feeling of discovering that your heart belongs to someone or something else, and try as you might, you cannot recall when it began or what it was like before.

I only have a blurry recollection of the whirling thoughts and warring emotions I felt before making the decision to wear hijab 12 years ago: wonder, doubt, conviction, confusion, hope, insecurity.  My life before hijab has taken on that hazy, dreamlike quality, where you try to remember details about what it was like but can only come up with a handful of fleeting memories. However, I do remember vividly how I felt after.

Pure joy. Glorious light. Like the triumph of winning a thousand races. Like coming up for air after being underwater for so, so long. Like the proverbial shackles of the material world falling off and the massive barrier that was my stress, doubt, and worry evaporating into thin air.  With that first step outside wearing hijab, all at once, I felt free and simultaneously bound closer to Allah in that single moment than I’d felt my entire life.

Alhamdulillah, my journey has been a blessed one and my hijab story has only gotten sweeter with time. I’ve met some of the strongest and most inspiring women along the way, I’ve traveled the world and experienced incredible moments in my hijab, and I’ve achieved so many of my goals, including my lifelong dream of becoming a children’s/YA author.

They say to write what you know. So I’ve written what’s closest to my heart.  My new book, “Hijab is Fab!” is a love letter to hijab for modern times, written from the heart for young women everywhere.  And I’m just getting started!

By Rania Emara

About Author 

Rania Emara is an author of children’s and YA fiction who delights in writing books that help young people discover and celebrate the vibrant culture, traditions, and folklore native to the Middle East, South Asia, and the greater Islamic world.  Her publications include Kareem and the Legendary Musaharaty, Hijab is Fab, The Mighty Head of Moustafa, and she is currently working on her first YA novel. You can connect with her on Instagram. 

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The hardest part about wearing a hijab, for me, is knowing that if I take it off, almost everyone would applaud me for being strong and courageous. No one would see that my willpower and pride had been broken. People would clap when I would actually need them to mourn with me and realize that the causes of that happening need to be eradicated.

I wear this scarf because when I was a child I was socialized to be embarrassed, even ashamed, of my religion and my culture. I was told that to be a Muslim was to be a terrorist and that to be outwardly Muslim was to endorse violence and oppression. I was told that I had more in common with the violent men on tv than with the other children in my second grade class. I understood that I would be unwelcome as long as I wore symbols of my heritage and chose to, in however modern a way, embrace my ancestors. I was told that to manifest my faith in this way, to dress like my mother as many young girls want to do, was to spit in the faces of “real Americans.” The day I walk out of my house without this scarf would not be a day to be celebrated. It would be the day that I decide that to be proud of myself is too much of a liability and that shame of my faith, my family and my heritage are easier to swallow than the dirty stares, abuse, misunderstanding and sense of alienation from those around me who do not and will not care enough about me or women who look like me to help alleviate it.

I wear this scarf because I could not see beauty in myself for 19 out of my 20 years of life. I idealized the white skin and colored eyes of my peers. I think I probably still do. I thought I looked like less of a child than my friends in old photographs- believing that my tan skin and dark eyes meant I looked less cute, less innocent, less lovable. It was made evident early on that women are valued almost solely based on their appearance in many societies— and unfortunately my merchandise was cheap. I devalued myself because I looked different. Other Muslims, Arabs or people of color only corroborated this price scale with their colonized beauty ideals— celebrating the beauty of their colonizers as opposed to their own features. Fighting this internalized self-hate took too much time and only recently have I come to appreciate the way I look. I safeguard this precious self-love, 19 years in the making, by rejecting any notion that my being can be reduced to what anyone, orientalist or not, perverted or not, racist or not, can see on the street. The day I leave my house without a scarf is the day my conviction that I am more than my appearance is finally crushed under the almost overwhelming desire to be appreciated and deemed worthy by this superficial society. It would not be a day to be celebrated– it would be a day to question when or why our obsession with appearances overtook our individual cultivated and nuanced moralities.

On this World Hijab Day, I wanted to make it clear, for my own situation, that if a day comes that I decide to take off my hijab, it will not be a day when I am “freed”- it will be a day I will have exhaustedly stopped fighting for my rights, my personal morals, and my individual convictions. I won’t have decided to take it off. Rather, I will have been deprived of my ability to keep it on.

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Today, I am simply here to share with you my personal experience in hope that you may find some meaning and sense of inspiration in what I have to say. As I sat down and attempted to write this several times, I realized how personal my Hijab story actually is because no amount of words can truly do the experience justice. That being said, I’m just going to dive right in.

Raised in a Muslim family, I was brought up with the basic, fundamental principles and values that Islam infuses. I was taught to pray, to fast, to be kind-hearted, generous and to share the Deen of Allah graciously with those around me. As a Muslim growing up amongst Muslims, Islam was my second nature. It was when I entered University that I realized I never really understood what Hijab meant. I often thought that it was just a Muslim woman’s obligation to Allah (SWT), not understanding the true concept of it. I soon came to realize the Hijab was the perfect outlet for women to seek liberation, respect and ultimate freedom from sexual harassment and the likes.

However, like many people, there was a point in my life where I was at an all time low. My Imaan (faith) was unstable. It was at this time in my life, I contemplated on removing my Hijab. I had sometimes felt that wearing Hijab did not allow me to reach my true potential. The harder I tried to fit in, the more frustrated I became. I often felt that I couldn’t participate in certain activities with my Hijab and so this feeling had taken me down a road that I never want to travel on again.

My first and last attempt to remove my Hijab was at an audition for a beauty pageant competition at my University. I decided that this was my first step to becoming an international model so I decided to give it a go. I did audition with my Hijab and was chosen to be among the competing 14 girls. As the competition progressed, my conscience got to me, some of my Muslim friends stopped talking to me and often times, I found myself wearing my Hijab for some of the events and not wearing it for others. This made me feel like the biggest hypocrite in the world. I felt as though I was cheating myself out of who I really was and what I stood for. There were even some Muslim sisters who had spread spiteful rumours about me and shared pictures of me without my Hijab from one of the pageant’s photo shoots. With all of these thoughts racing through my mind, day in and day out, finally I said to myself, “Naballah, look at the big picture!” Now, when I say big picture, I don’t mean next week, or in a few months or even 20 years down the road. I mean the Akhira – the Hereafter. I asked myself a very straightforward question. Who am I trying to please? These strangers who I know not or Allah? I finally convinced myself that it was time for me to take this step closer to Allah, as difficult as it may have seemed at the time. Eventually I withdrew from the competition.

It was at that point that I decided it was time to put some more thought into this whole ‘Hijab’ issue.  And I did. I contemplated the thought of the Hijab, and what it really means to be a Hijabi woman. It was at that very moment that I said, “Allah, I will put this Hijab back on because I believe in my heart that You have asked me to do so. Please guide me and give me the strength to do this.” Now, I can honesty tell you that I have never felt more free or more at peace with myself and the world around me. In all fairness I will be honest and tell you that it wasn’t an easy thing to do when I removed my Hijab. Quite frankly, it was probably the most difficult challenge I’ve had to face in my life. Isn’t it ironic how that works? The things that will benefit us most and that make the most sense are often those we fail to realize or have difficulty accepting. To me, the Hijab not only represents an obligation, modesty, purity, righteousness and protection, but truly is the ultimate state of respect and liberation. Alhamdullilah, I am free! For me, that episode was a defining moment in my life. I believe that Allah (SWT) guides whom He pleases and I was tearfully happy that He had guided me back on the straight path of life, and I’m never going to be lost again.

Looking back on the pageant, I realized it’s really just a way of exploiting women. Giving them false confidence based on “bearing-it-all”. I often ask myself why do these women need to strip down into a bra and underwear (sometimes totally naked with hands hiding parts) to prove their worth? Now that I look back at who I was then, it makes me grateful to Allah (SWT) to see how far He has brought me. For a time, I was confused and somewhat lost, as are many young women – trying desperately to fit in to a society that dictates that beauty is naked, emaciated women on billboards selling perfume and underwear. I recently read that some of those models and actors that I once adored practically have to kill themselves to look the way they do. From face-lifts to lipo-suction. Some even go as far as having their ribs removed so they can have tiny waists! It finally dawned on me that the images being flashed in front of me 24 hours a day could not possibly be true representations women’s liberation. I was convinced that there had to be a simpler answer somewhere.

When I look around today I see so many Muslim women excelling in diverse spheres of life- it would be silly and ignorant to think that you can’t reach your full potential as a Hijabi woman. To my sisters who aspire to or have recently started wearing Hijab and are facing any of the issues that I did, my advice is make Dua (prayer) to Allah (SWT) and seek knowledge to keep reminding yourself that Hijab is your protection and beauty and you ARE just as beautiful if not more with it on. There is nothing sweeter and more fulfilling in this world than Islam and Hijab. It is an honor for me to be a symbol of my religion with my appearance, and of course with my actions. I know it is the best for me to be modest in the way that Allah SWT wants me to be. I encourage any girl who is considering wearing Hijab to READ about it first.  Read the actual verses in Qur’an and their Tafseer and talk to sheikhs or people who are knowledgeable in Islam. And if you wear it, wear it to make Allah please with you, not for anyone or anything else. I know that I am not a perfect Muslim, but I am striving to be a better one, and I hope that I will be one of the good examples of Muslim women. I will not lie and say that wearing Hijab is easy and that Shaytan has never played around with my head. People fail to realize that being from a certain religion or culture doesn’t mean you don’t have the same temptations, desires and feelings. There was anger, frustration and sadness, but in the end there was also confidence, liberation and peace. I discovered who I wanted be and how I wanted people to see me. The Hijab itself doesn’t make me religious or make me do certain things while preventing me from others. To me, it’s a reminder to be a good person and it gives me confidence as a young Muslim woman. I realized that Hijab made me focus on my inner self more. Some people think that veiled women are oppressed, but I feel more empowered than ever, even though I did struggle to come to terms with it at first. It is not easy to wear Hijab, especially in a society that constantly keeps telling us to dress in as little as possible. Trust me; there is nothing the Dunya (world) can give you that Islam can’t. I’ve been there, so take my word! I’ll leave you with some not-so-secret secrets. Yes, I do have hair under this ‘thing’ and it’s black and no, I don’t wear it in the shower, but I can take it off at home. My advice is to keep in contact with sisters or family members who are willing to encourage you and InshaAllah (God willing),  it will get easier for you every day.

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