It’s a great thing, to surround ourselves with people who can help us “carry the weight.”  This guest submission from our sister Sarah D. illustrates just that.

A few mornings ago, I was in a rush to get to school. I was running late and my ride was waiting outside for me. I grabbed my back pack and my gym bag and ran out the door.

Right before gym class started, I was changing in the locker rooms when I noticed I had forgotten to put a shirt in my gym bag while I was rushing. One of my close friends (who is not Muslim) was also in my class so I asked her if she had a shirt I could borrow.

She handed me a white long sleeved shirt which I thanked her for, and then tried it on.  The shirt, however, was somewhat tight and short and I wondered how I would be able to go out like that.

While I was pondering what to do, my friend commented, “Sarah, that shirt is not covering you in terms of what is religiously asked. I don’t want you disobeying your religion.”

I was amazed at how quickly my friend recognized the shirt was not covering me in terms of what is properly required in Islam.  I had known that she understood the terms of hijab, but I did not think  she would immediately recognize the shirt was not covering me properly.

What happened next amazed me:  She went into the changing room and took off her own long, baggy shirt and handed it to me to wear over the shirt I was wearing, so I would be covered.

Because she gave me her own shirt, she had to wear a thin T-shirt with her coat over it. I told her that she would catch a cold, and that I would inform the teacher about the situation, but she refused to take the shirt back and said she would be fine.

I was overjoyed that one of my non-Muslim friends could be so considerate and understanding that I immediately hugged her and thanked her for her kindness.

Alhamdullilah for a friend like her!

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Sarah D. has been wearing hijab for the last several years of her life. As a teenage girl in an American highschool, she has never regretted wearing it (alhamdullilah), and realizes all the blessing that come with wearing hijab. This story is all about a friend who cared.