Hey There, Hijabi
One day, I was going home from my school, sitting in my car, dreaming, sleep deprived, and thinking about working on my dissertation when something suddenly hijacked my thoughts. It was the reflection of a girl in the window – a hijabi girl.
I kept looking at my reflection in the window, my headscarf, my outer garment and my makeup-less face, and I thought of why I did all that… Why was I covered up like this?
When you wear the hijab for years (and all praise is due to Allah), it becomes your second nature. But that particular day, when I saw my reflection, my heart questioned my intent and so I had to answer it.
I told myself that it is “Tawheed” – the belief that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah subhanahu wa ta’alaa, reiterating what Nouhad said. And then I told myself that ‘hijab is the flag of Islam.’ And then I told myself that this is Islam, and as a Muslim, it is obligatory upon me to dress modestly… “Lower your gaze and guard your Modestly,” is what popped up in my head. [24:31]
Hijab is not just the name of the cotton scarf on my head in summers, or the woolen one in winters – but hijab is the also the name of an aspect concerning my eyes, my ears, my tongue, my soul and my intention.
If I am wearing hijab externally and not practicing it internally, my hijab is just a useless “formality” on my head. Just like a useless piece of cloth on my head, that holds no significance. If I am a hijabi and I flirt with random guys online or in public; or if I dance in mixed gatherings or weddings; or if I show my skin when I wear a desi (saris with really short blouses exposing the waist) or pardesi (three-quarter pants, or skirts that show the bare legs), if I wear dresses or clothes that are sometimes too tight or translucent; and if I shake hands with non-mahram guys, etc. – then I cannot be classified as a true hijabi. My hijab is not yet complete.
Hijab has no shortcut. It is straightforward. Ali radiya Allahu anhu said that “The pious is not the one who has pious company, but the one who is pious when alone.”
Thus, only Allah subhanahu wa ta’alaa knows of what we do when we are alone; hijab is worn for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta’alaa, and that is the bottom line of hijab. It is not a culture, not a tradition, not a mum\dad\grandparent said “wear hijab” and so I’m wearing it. Hijab is for Allah subhanahu wa ta’alaa alone.
So next time when your heart asks you, why you are wearing “it,” tell your heart that because you are a Muslim, you have submitted your will to Allah subhanahu wa ta’alaa, and subsequently, His Will takes precedence over yours. If He says “Obey,” you obey; if He says “Pay Heed,” you pay heed; and if He says “Preserve your modesty,” you preserve your modesty.
Thus, there is this gravity in hijab: the command of the Sovereign is obeyed through Tawheed, Tazkiyah (purification) and that level of Iman – and when you accept that primary stage, you follow with the secondary one – you wear that “piece of cloth” on your head.
The next time my own heart asks me, “Why hijab Maryam?” – I’ll say, simply and confidently: “There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah subhanahu wa ta’alaa, the Lord of the Universe, Who calls me and I obey – Labbyk Allahuma Labbyk.”
This was awesome mashAllah!
Some types of worship, somtimes, become ‘second nature’ to us, and reminders such as this allow us to remember why we do the things we do!
JazakiAllahu Khairan<3
Loved this, mashaAllah <3
Masha’Allah beautiful post Momo! <3
assalamuaylykum manshallah my sister in islam u are definitly right may allah protect u and save u from evil thoughts the words u say is soo true manshallah jazakallukair
Jazakallah, sister. May Allah ta'ala bless you and everyone reading this.
MashaAllah great post.
alhamdulillah!!
this article is really well written and inspiring-i d start wearing a hijab if i were a girl after reading this-LOL-!
good job!plz also post something for males!
mashallah…..its fantastic 1…….jazakallah khair
thank you :) simply beautiful! jazaka Allah khair :)
A very needed reminder, mashaAllah. Jazaki Allahu khairan, Maryam.
We should all help each other to encourage those who are still struggling with their hijab identity, because I know I still was even in high school. Although I wore the hijab, I did it mainly for my parents and so when I was at school, my behavior did not match my attire. Only until later did I realize how much the hijab protected me, and if I had someone to give me this reminder, I think I probably would have known earlier. Allahu a'alam. Whatever the case, we should try to educate our young sisters and help them discover their role in Islam. And that in everything we do, we should try to purify our intentions and intend only for the sake of pleasing Allah.
Assalaamu Alaikum sister.
Today a lot of kids in my class decided to bombard me with questions about my hijab.lol.
Iv never had a problem explaining before, but this time, I felt like while I was explaining it to them, I was trying to explain it to myself as well. This made me feel awful and was a serious wake up call.
JazakAllahu kheiran.
Also, while I was reading and checking off things to remember, I crossed “Why hijab Maryam?” and I became more alert.
SubhanAllah, my name is Maryam too, making the question feel so much more personal (even though I know Maryam is a very common name amongst Muslim females haha).
walykum asalaam wr wb, dear sis :)
jazakAllah for your kind comments Fatuma <3
i pray that allah subhanahu wa ta'all gives you all good both in this world and the Hereafter ameen.
much love
maryam
waiyyaki Nouhad <3
jazakAllah dear sis,
much love,
maryam
jazakAllah Umm Layth for ur kind comment <3
much love, maryam
jazakAllah dear Dano.
im glad u liked it jigger <3
much love,
momo
waiyyaki :) Argentyne
jazakAllah for your kind comments
i pray that allah subhanahu wa ta'all gives you all good both in this world and the Hereafter ameen.
much love
maryam
JazakAllah Cosmic Cook :)
JazakAllah Zain. lol
thanks for the killer comment lalay.
inshaAllah will write something neutral next time..
if u want lalay u can keep a beard , the 'Sunnah Style' hehe
jazakAllah for your kind comments Sarwat Jahan <3
i pray that allah subhanahu wa ta'all gives you all good both in this world and the Hereafter ameen.
much love
maryam
jazakAllah for your kind comments Khadija <3
i pray that allah subhanahu wa ta'all gives you all good both in this world and the Hereafter ameen.
much love
maryam
jazakAllah for your kind comments Umm Salma <3
i pray that allah subhanahu wa ta'all gives you all good both in this world and the Hereafter ameen.
I love the way you said that we have to discover our role in Islam- subhanaAllah so true. We should direct our intentions to please Him inshaAllah.
much love
maryam
walykum asalaam wr wb dear sis :)
jazakAllah for your kind comments Maryam jan <3
lol, so cute hehe
mashaAllah, yes indeed, i always go through this exact feeling, when i explain something to my little brother, or anyone else for that matter, its like a reflection, its a wake up call-just like you said sis :)
i pray that allah subhanahu wa ta'all gives you all good both in this world and the Hereafter ameen.
much love
maryam
p.s i love my name 'Maryam' and i really try to live upto it inshaAllah <3
Assalam-o-Alaikum sister..
The most difficult aspect is to answer our ownselves…..we may be able to covince other people when they ask us about our hijaab but to feel the true satisfaction of hijaab lies in understanding it deeply withe the help of Qu'an and sunnah……only we know what wrong deeds we have commited in private and in public that's why ,,,,,,,i this post means a lot to me…it's something which has happened with me tooo.
May Allah S.W.T. reward you in multiples and forgive all your sins..AMEEN
looking forward to another post..InshAllah
MashaAllah – always the best answer :)
OMG hugs Nikhat <3
jazzakAllah for your killer comment. subhanAllah
i love you fesabeelilah :)
you know what. sins bring us closer to Allah subhnahu wa ta'ala sometimes. He doesnt want us to elevate ourselves to the status of angels, we are human beings and we sin on regular basis, but what should really be kept in mind, is the fact that His Mercy extends His wrath, and that He will forgive us if we ask for forgiveness sincerely <3
i love Islam. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala doesnt look at our faces, our fam, our colour, our past, He looks at our intentions, our deeds, our good actions-public or private. it doesnt matter how you start, what matters is how you end. SubhanAllah. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala knows best :)
i pray that you get a house near Him in jannah ameen.<3
jazakAllah once again and a big hug.
love maryam
ur sis in Islam :)
Assalam o Alikum!
Loved this article….Great Job sis Maryam, Masha'Allah!!
Keep it up dear :)
know what, when I read first few lines on FB, a thought jus sparked – Maryam?
started reading, light gone..continued now!
Such questions always pop up into our minds, thing is to tackle them positively, the way you did Masha'Allah! It provides a two-way benefit, being contended on your actions and satisfied that Intention is purely to please Allah subhaanau Ta'laah :)
Otherwise Shaytaan is always there to push us away..
Again Good Job..May Allah subhaanahu Ta'laah reward you loads..Aameen!!
JazaKiAllhu khair…i have never met you in my life but your words have penetrated in my heart I needed them a lot today…
By the way i line in central India and I am a hijaabi also……….
waiyyaki dear sis <3
so good to hear that! Then we are neighbours becasue i live in Pakistan :)
keep in touch.
Also if you want, you can add me on facebook :)
Fatooommm!! it was Mash'Allah a very amazing article. Infact, it is beyond the scope of mere adjectives, i have recently planned to become a full time hijabi which includes even so called special occassions like weddings and all.
And wallahil Azeem, your article inspired me the best way possible because i remember when i decided to go complete hijabi, i had such questions about what my family will think of me because i have been such a sinner in my past. JazakAllah khair for sharing it.
walykum assalaam wa rahmatullah dear sis :)
jazakAllah huge <3
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala give you all good both in this world and the Hereafter ameen <3
much love
Maryam
jazakallah huge dear sister, it means alot to me :)
you know its never easy if you are a niqabi, a hijabi etc, but once you realize that you do it for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala than that feeling motivates and drives you and makes you realize that there is a world beyond this dunya, a real world.
I pray that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala gives you all good both in this world and the Hereafter ameen.
If you need anything, we are always here, we are each others mirrors and inshaAllah we will not let each other go astray.
much love
maryam <3