The world treats you the way you allow it to

By Mona Um Ibrahim (California, USA)

Do you know why hijab is beautiful? Because it projects the beauty of your good character. We are covering up one kind of beauty in order to highlight another, more important higher form of beauty. But how can you wear hijab when everyone around you does not? It’s all about your perspective. What I do is say to myself- someone might see my hijab and be inspired. Just like one time I saw this woman with a long white hijab and it felt like I was looking at an angel. I had a moment of inexplicable peace inside me, longing to be beautiful like her.

So when I leave my house I ignore the ‘fear’ and I project ‘inspiration’ instead. Because if you feel strange, people will look at you strangely. If you feel like a terrorist, people will think of you like one. When you feel scared, you will start looking around for people who are looking at you. When you do that, people will automatically start eyeing you awkwardly because YOU are looking at them! What you feel is what others will choose to feel. It’s up to you. If you see the beauty in yourself, the beauty of faith, that’s what others will see.

Women who have worn hijab have talked about the advantages of wearing hijab. Some of the reasons you might understand, others you might not relate to or feel comfortable with. That’s because those reasons are from someone’s personal experience – a human. But what are the reasons mentioned in the Qur’an? Why does Allah ask believing women to wear hijab? Those are important to understand.

There are 2 simple reasons in Surat Al Ahzab 33:59.

1. “An ya’rafna – to be known” The hijab identifies you as a Muslim. The benefit of this is that when people see you wearing hijab and going about your life – this normalizes Islam to people. It’s not this strange religion with strange people. This woman is at the supermarket, at the park, at the post office, at the library, at the school – this is a normal person.

2. “fala yu’thayna – to not be annoyed, molested” The hijab is a neon sign for others to treat you with respect. You are obviously not ‘girlfriend’ or ‘prostitute’ material. The hijab attracts people who admire you for your strength and high morals. And detracts people with low morals and criminals.

See Also

The Fight for Religious Freedom in Detention

{ يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ قُل لأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَآءِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلاَبِيبِهِنَّ ذٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن
يُعْرَفْنَ فَلاَ يُؤْذَيْنَ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً }

‘O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.’

So ladies, don’t wait to be ‘ready’- you will never be 100% ready, none of us are! Don’t worry about being an ambassador of Islam – you will never be 100% best da’eeya(female religious preacher), none of us are even close. Because that doesn’t matter. We don’t have to be the most knowledgeable or the most religious. We just have to take the first step, and Allah will take care of the rest. Let your true beauty shine.