Beauty Pageants and Islam in America

Beauty Pageants and Islam in America

By: Islamic Insights

Muslim Americans have contributed immensely to the United States as doctors, teachers, lawyers, pharmacists, authors, scholars, public servants, and writers. Add to that ever growing list: beauty queens. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about the media's Cinderella story of Miss Michigan Rima Fakih, who is believed to be the first Muslim and Arab-American winner of the Miss USA pageant.

In the age of sensational media reporting coupled with a community severely conflicted with an ever more liberal identity, two sides are emerging in this lamentable prose presented by the media. There are two types of Muslims in the world according to the dichotomy. On one hand we have the supposedly educated Muslims, who are carrying the banner of a more inclusive and welcoming Islam, and on the other, there are the backward conservatives. You know, those same people who still believe in the Hijab and praying five times a day. Last time I checked, these were the basic tenets of Islam, and there is no such thing as "conservative" or "liberal" Muslims. These terms are thrown around by pseudo-intellectuals in who attempt to justify their deviation from Islamic teachings. We must have missed the memo that declared enjoining the good and forbidding the evil made someone a "backward conservative" who refused to assimilate into American society.

The problem is not necessarily Miss USA 2010. It's very easy to disparage her for taking part in superficialities such as beauty pageants and acting in a manner that eliminates any self-respect and dignity. However, the impetus should be on us to remind our own community that beauty pageants are not an acceptable outlet for any woman to take part in. Islam condemns such objectification of women and demands its followers show respect for women on the merit of their intelligence and manners. Instead, many are exhibiting a sense of pride in the fact that "one of our own" won a contest based on how a group of middle aged men scored her evening gown and her performance on a stage. Why isn't anyone sounding the alarm at the perverted sense of morality we have coming and the direction our community is going? Where are those voices of Islam to speak out?

For a very long time, many of us in the West have been complacent and have turned a blind eye to such issues. The concept of Amr Bil Maroof and Nahi Anil Munkar (enjoining the good and forbidding the evil) has become political, and many religious leaders and people of conscience seem unwilling to speak up, further allowing the community to digress towards evident moral decay, as has been the case for a number of years. Our community has become notorious for young Muslims attending events such as prom amongst other culturally accepted functions which are Islamically prohibited. Concepts such as gender mixing and its limitation are foreign, and those who attempt to adopt the Islamic perspective on the subject are condemned and labeled as extremists. Our own Islamic centers unfortunately have also fallen prey to this liberalism and have become a breeding ground for inter-gender mixing among the youth. The fact of the matter is, Shia youth today are dating, getting in relationships, and engaging in unmentionably abhorrent behavior. In such a situation, it's a surprise it took this long to produce a beauty pageant contestant. The community has been in decline for a very long time, and it's come down to apathy.

Once the shock wears off and the possibility that a self described Muslim would abandon all moral and religious constraints to prance around on national television in the most immodest clothing possible is allowed to gel, we must address the situation in a two-fold approach. First and foremost, we must make it clear to those supporting such degradation of women that they are on the side of injustice and moral decay. The second step is more vital than detracting from the support given to an increasingly warped form of Islam, and that is to ensure this does not occur again. To what extent are we willing to go to protect our young girls from taking on pageant queens as role models? Is our divided community able to educate its youth (both male and female) about embracing the grandeur of Islam's most graceful female role model – Lady Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon her)?

If the past is an indication of our future, we may not go very far. Nonetheless, the Prophet, His Holy Household, and respectable companions (peace be upon them all) have taught us that adhering to true Islam is the key to attaining salvation in this world and the hereafter. Only by doing our utmost to uphold and promote the teachings of the Prophet, the Qur'an, and the Ahlul Bayt will we be serving our purpose as true servants of God and followers of Islam.

http://www.islamicinsights.com/news/community-affairs/beauty-pageants-and-islam-in-america.html

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The Hijabis We See

The Hijabis We See
By: Huda Jawad

If I had a dollar for every Hijab style I've seen, I could buy that 365,000-dollar black Abaya decorated with bespoke Crosley diamonds. It's become a constant source of amusement for me. I mean, how many different color pins can a person wear at once until it starts blinding people? The purpose of Hijab, which is summarized best as the concealment of beauty and the beauty of concealment, seems to be growing more and ambiguous these days. During any given day, we are likely to see a plethora of some odd fashion blends being passed off as Hijab:

The 15-Layer Hijab: Toucan Sam called, he wants his colors back. Here's a question: how many differently-colored Hijab pieces can you wear under your shawl? Five? Ten? Fifteen? I've never been able to appreciate this style that cannot go away quickly enough. If you have the Hijab on, and assuming it matches your clothes, why the need for all the colored under-pieces?

Makeup-Gone-Seriously-Wrong Hijab: What did your first grade art teacher say about those Crayola Crayons? Exactly. Unless you're auditioning to play the clown in Stephen King's It or to become Heath Ledger's successor, you don't really need to paint your face so much before stepping out of the house. The rulings on makeup by various scholars have been selectively read, and as a result, we have so many people suffering from OMS: Obsessive Makeup Syndrome.

Emo Hijab: Remember, you're trying to stand out, but you don't care about how you look. This calls for wearing your older brother's Ohio State hoodie, along with plaid pajama pants. The look also requires jet black nail polish and a black Hijab that will coincidentally match the rest of the look. You simply use this style of clothing to speak out against that terrible middle class suburban life you have to live.

Pirate Hijab: Paging Captain Hook and Captain Morgan: some Hijabi sister stole your pirate bandanna. Again, I fail to see the logical functionality of tying something on top of your scarf that looks like it's from Pirates of the Caribbean. Do however let us know where Treasure Island is located.

Aviator Hijab: I must've missed the memo for this fashion. In order to effectively dress like an aviator, you will need hugely over-sized pink aviator sunglasses. Next step is placing your pants inside black boots that are at least six inches above your knees. Lastly, go to the nearest Salvation Army outlet and purchase a brown leather jacket from the World War II era.

Safety Hazard Hijab: Hijab was sent as a protection for females. Except these days, some variations of the Hijab can be classified as potentially quite dangerous to public health. An excessive amount of sharp and shiny pins can easily do an innocent passerby in. Also, wearing overly-glittery headscarves can severely blind fellow drivers on the road, so please be considerate of others and limit yourself to public transport.

Keffiyah Hijab: You aren't Palestinian; however, you religiously wear the Keffiyah along with some skinny jeans and a hot pink shirt. No one said the Keffiyah was limited to one nationality, but why butcher something so symbolic? Adding insult to injury, you own a few pink Keffiyahs to match your fluorescent pink wardrobe.

MTV Hijab: Last and maybe least (Islamic, that is) is the MTV Hijab. This one honestly makes me nauseous. This look is made by wearing strapless tank tops with a white undershirt in order to make it more "Islamic". It also involves wearing a form-fitting dress from Forever 21, again with a white undershirt, skinny jeans, and, don't forget: a Hijab. This category is the most liberal, and fashionable, so basically whatever washed-out celebrities are wearing, you can wear too! Just wear an undershirt or jacket over the clothing.


EDITOR'S NOTE: No Hijabis were hurt during the writing of this article.

http://www.islamicinsights.com/features/fashion/the-hijabis-we-see.html

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Banning The Niqab

Banning The Niqab
By: Zara Syed

The assault on the Islamic modest dress has had a long and painful history. In 1981, Tunisia, a Muslim country, banned the Hijab in some places. This was followed by Turkey, another Muslim country, which banned it from public schools and universities in 1997. In 2004, France followed Turkey's footsteps under the guise of banning "all religious symbols" in public places of education. Soon thereafter, France decided to ban the face veil too, as no religion should "dominate" the public sphere, even though less than one percent of the female Muslim population of France observed the Niqab. The Canadian city of Quebec quickly followed lead by banning it too. A few weeks ago, the Spanish city of Barcelona banned the Niqab in public buildings, while the word is that Belgium and Norway are currently in the process of taking similar action.

As though things weren't bad enough, in October 2009, Muhammad Tantawi, the Grand Mufti of Al-Azhar University, the center of religious learning in the Sunni world, insisted upon a female student to remove her Niqab while touring a school, declaring that it is not a religious but cultural symbol, and called for it to be banned in schools and universities. Among others who rushed to take advantage of this outrageous statement was Italy's Equal Opportunities Minster Mara Carfanga, who declared the same month that "A law is being studied that would ban the use of the Burqa and Niqab, which are not religious symbols." A few weeks ago, an Australian member of parliament called for banning the Niqab after a man used it to disguise himself during the burglary of a convenience store, while another politician called for its ban because it is "oppressive" towards women and "strips them of their rights", not to mention the fact that it's "un-Australian".

The Burqa is an outer garment which covers a woman from head to toe, including the face. The Niqab refers to the piece of clothing used to cover the face. Statistics show that the Burqa and Niqab are observed by a minority of Muslim women in the West, while the majority of practicing Muslim women observe the Hijab, which conceals the hair (and ideally should be accompanied with loose dressing to conceal the shape of the body), though the face is left uncovered.

For almost three decades now, we've seen and heard a plethora of bizarre justifications from both Muslim and non-Muslim authorities for banning Muslim women from their right to dress with the Hijab and Niqab, ranging from it being a hindrance to education, restriction on women's rights, a grave threat to society, to "destabilizing" national culture and causing identification difficulties. Everyone seems to be an expert on the topic, of course. Everyone, that is, except for Muslim women!

It's Not Religion, It's Culture

Let us clarify the most important issue at hand: dressing modestly (including the headscarf), concealing one's beauty,  and observing a strict code of conduct both socially and physically around unrelated members of the opposite gender as much as possible is the Islamic definition of Hijab. It is a form of protection, which is mandatory upon both men (excluding the headscarf) and women in Islam. As the Niqab falls under the concept of Hijab, it too is indeed a part of the Islamic faith.

Indeed, many Muslim scholars are of the opinion that covering the face is recommended for Muslim women, if not required. For example, the late Ayatollah Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoei ruled that based on obligatory precaution, it is prohibited for a man to look at the face or hands of an unrelated woman. (Ayatollah Khoei, Islamic Laws, ruling 2442) Similarly among contemporary jurists, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Sistani states that if a woman is afraid that uncovering her face will cause her to commit a prohibited act, attract lustful and forbidden glances from men, or will lead to general immorality, it is obligatory upon her to cover her face as well. (Ayatollah Sistani, A Code of Practice for Muslims in the West, ruling 449)

Therefore, those Muslim women who observe the Niqab do so because either they feel it is obligatory upon them, or they believe it is not obligatory upon them but they wish to exercise precaution and feel more comfortable covering their faces in public rather than exposing them. It may be true that some Niqabis may have adopted this practice through their culture, but it is indeed a religious practice. Governments in the West (and elsewhere) have a constitutional obligation to respect the religious beliefs and practices of their people, not trample upon them based on unfounded declarations by servile Muftis who receive their paychecks from the political establishments in the Middle East.

You Need to Be Identified

All that is required for one to withdraw large amounts of money from the bank is an ATM card and a four-digit PIN. Last time we checked, nobody needed to see our faces. And if that is the case, all those other women who plaster two inches of makeup on their faces should be asked to remove it for identification purposes too. We understand the importance of identification in airports, government buildings, when sitting exams, etc., and a Muslim woman is happy to show her face if she is taken to a private area, and preferably dealt with by another woman. Legislating it is simply overkill.

It's a Security Risk

For the first time in Australian history, a man commits a crime while wearing a Niqab, so naturally, it should be banned from the country. If the government wants to be this ridiculous, we may as well ban Spiderman costumes, wigs, fake beards, large tinted sunglasses, women's stockings, big hats, and face paint, as these are all items which have been used by criminals to conceal themselves from identification. If anyone's ever bothered to measure a Niqab, most of them are a little bigger than the average handkerchief, just enough material to cover most of the face. When an experienced Australian criminal lawyer was asked about his opinion regarding the Niqab and Burqa being a "danger" to security, he said, "That is absolute rubbish; it is no danger at all." Does anyone seriously think women are going to glue weapons of mass destruction to their faces under a tiny bit of cloth?

You Are Deprived of Your Freedom to Express Yourself!

If we accept those citizens who purposely dress up to resemble the opposite gender, tattoo their entire faces, have dozens of piercings, dye their hair fluoro pink and blue, and those who strut practically nude down the street, then why is it that a woman is being banned from freely expressing herself by way of veiling and saying, "Everything about me BESIDES my beauty should be important to society"? Unfortunately, politicians and race-panderers in the West sometimes get so caught up in forcing upon us the freedom to express ourselves, they overlook the fact that we deserve the right not only to express ourselves but also to decide how we express ourselves.

It's Intimidating
If we started making decisions based on the irrationality of people and what they find intimidating, we would have to do justice to every citizen by banning every single thing, dress, or type of person that scares us. Will we also ban Jewish people with skull caps, Sikhs with turbans, and Catholic nuns? What about women who go bald, emos, hippies, punks, homeless or shaggy looking people? Given the rise of obesity in the West, can we also ban people who are grossly overweight?

We realize that women wearing the Niqab are indeed dressed differently to everyone else, but we need to learn to respect each other for who we are, rather than what it is that we wear. Furthermore, these women should be respected for building up the courage and preserving themselves so carefully in today's day and era, despite the majority of women willingly and gladly succumbing to the way they are exploited by society.

The Niqab Strips Women of their Rights!

When it comes to clothing, women's constitutional rights do not only extend as far as the right to nearly strip in public and forfeit most forms of clothed protection, but also the right to complete covering in public and the right to demand clothed protection! Whoever thinks that forcing a dedicated Muslim woman to bare what she doesn't believe is for the world to see will give her more rights is so oblivious to the contradiction that it requires no further elaboration. Furthermore, if we care so much for Niqabis and wish to "liberate" them by banning the Niqab, how exactly does a bill currently tabled in Quebec to disallow government services to those women who observed the Niqab in public help increase their rights?

We're Banning All Religious Symbols, Not Just the Niqab

If anyone can explain to us how a cross pendant on a Christian's neck can in any way be equated to a woman who observes a level of protection so great that she even covers her face, we are all ears. Surely no human rights are violated if a person was asked to remove an item of religious jewelery, but to restrict the way a person can dress, especially when it is a woman demanding protection in a society and culture where exploitation of the female gender is the norm? This is not about eliminating religious symbolism in public; this seems to be more about eliminating a group of Muslim women from society all together.

It's Against National Culture

Apparently a piece of clothing has the ability to deteriorate national culture, but it's part of our national cultures to go against our written and explicit constitutions, bills of rights, and numerous international treaties which explicitly outline the freedom of religious practice?

In conclusion, it has been a long and tiresome battle between politicians and governments of both Muslim and non-Muslim countries who want to ban the Islamic modest dress for a list of nonsensical reasons and Muslim women who just want to be able to freely exercise their Divine obligation and the right to protect their beauty. So, will banning the Niqab force dedicated and faithful Muslim women to come into public without their faces being covered? On the contrary, if these women are stripped of their right which they so strongly believe in, they are simply going to stop leaving the protection of their homes all together. Perhaps the most potent factor for the success of such bans in the 21st century is the downfall of the international Islamic community, which has failed miserably to stand united on the platform of a Muslim woman's right to observe the Hijab and Niqab and reject exploitation.

By banning the Niqab, Eastern and Western politicians will be forcing these women inside their houses, thus depriving them of their right to be recognized as intelligent and liberated human beings, and as informed and empowered citizens who challenge the status quo of female exploitation. But for patriarchal dictators in the Middle East as well as misogynistic Western politicians who are swept into office by media conglomerates that have reduced women to nothing more than inarticulate sex symbols, perhaps nothing could be more relieving.

http://www.islamicinsights.com/news/international-news/banning-the-niqab.html

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Debasing the Hijab

Debasing the Hijab

By : Huda Jawad

The effect and prominence of advertisements today have driven society from a functioning level of critical thinking into a group of consumers with practically no objectivity, bought easily into the notions of propaganda-laced media. A simple television advertisement can cause a person to feel utterly paranoid and self-conscious about their appearance, forcing them to spend ridiculous amounts on products that promise beauty and hence happiness. This effect is not only restricted to beauty and clothing products, but rather seeps through all that consumers hold in high regard. The phenomenon has subsequently led to the commercialization of religious holidays (with Christmas today being reduced to a mere title with little meaning), and in recent years has also established influence in the Muslim world, geared particularly towards females who wear the Hijab.

Amongst the numerous reasons as to why Muslim women choose to wear it, the Hijab is a symbolic representation of their rejection of being slaves to the world of fashion. Yet today, dozens if not hundreds of Hijab fashion websites touting the latest Hijab trends, fashion shops made solely for Hijabi females and general immodest clothing considered suitable for Muslim women have all attempted to slowly transform the Hijab into a fashion symbol of sorts. The concept of modesty in Islam is well and truly being confused with the common-day image of the Hijab. It seems to be forgotten that it was through Islam's high regard for modesty that the Hijab returned power to women following centuries of injustice and inequity, by allowing the character of a female to dictate her status, success and progress rather than her physical appearance.

In an increasingly materialistic society that functions only through individuals spending beyond their capacities, the inadequacies of the old system rejected by Islam and its oppressive status quo is being projected on Muslim women through the notion of "fashion Hijab" and the-hip-young-Muslimah-who-purchases-only-designer-wear. Where exactly does this contradiction manifest itself? It requires us to realize that in a society where females are directly and indirectly taught to limit their intellectual and social input, the concepts of Hijab and modesty are huge roadblocks. Consider that the only form of media which young females are overwhelmingly represented in is magazines, in which approximately 70 per cent of the editorial content focus on beauty and fashion while roughly 12 per cent cover topics such as school or careers.

Unfortunately, many modern Muslim women have – consciously or not – fallen short of the high rank God has afforded to them by forsaking His decree and instead chasing after the latest fashion trends. There is a large and growing market for Western-inspired clothing with immodest fabrics, colors and cuts being passed off as "Hijab fashion" today. While there are those who like to romanticize and claim that at last the Hijab is becoming hip, what we are actually witnessing instead is the deliberate watering down of God's directive on the Hijab. For when we make attempts to fuse modesty with fashion shows and name brands, we effectively remove its significance and allow it to become open to rapidly deteriorating interpretation. This is not to suggest Muslim women should dress in an unpolished and undignified manner as a means of obtaining self-ascribed asceticism. However, the purpose of Hijab is certainly defeated if it becomes primarily centered on the value of the clothing worn.

While promoting a very superficial understanding of the Islamic dress code, the recent upsurge in stores, high fashion designers and brands marketing flashy Hijab styles is continuously attracting and luring many young Muslim women today. There are countless Facebook websites with thousands of Muslim women supporting stores that are destroying the very essence of the Hijab. Eager to show the world how young Muslim women in the West are redefining the Hijab, media outlets endlessly highlight the arrival of the "high fashion Hijab" trend. More disturbing than this is the pride that Hijab-clad women are taking in these brands, which are fundamentally destroying their identity through debasing and devaluing the modest dress code. It serves a great purpose to remind ourselves that the Hijab is not simply a stylish accessory, but a way of life and character. It is for women not to be judged by their clothing size, brand of clothing, cosmetics or material possessions, but rather by spiritual submission and achievements.

from: http://www.islamicinsights.com/features/fashion/debasing-the-hijab.html

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Hijab is ordained of Alloh to be a strong fortress, guarding the honor, glory, and dignity of women.

Hijab is ordained of Alloh to be a strong fortress, guarding the honor, glory, and dignity of women.

Al-Muslimah Sister ...!

Alloh says:

"O Prophet, say to your wives, daughters and wives of the believers:" Let them extend their scarf around your body. That is so they are easier to be recognized, therefore they are not disturbed, and God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful "(Surah al-Ahzab: 59).

Ibn Abbas said: "Alloh ordered the wives of the believers, when out of the house for an errand, let them cover her face with her scarf over her head."

Alloh commanded the wives of the believers to do the things mentioned above, so that they are known as closed-neat, clean, and holy. Thus she will not bother people in the evil.

Let thine heart: who is more often teased and bullied boy on the street? certainly those who like to primp style ignorance.

Notice the word of Alloh below:

"And the women who had stopped (from menstruation and contains) that do not want to marry again, none of them took off their clothes without sin (intended) to show jewelry. And being polite is better for them. And Alloh is Hearing, Knowing. (Surah An Nur: 60).

Alloh tells us that berjilbabnya old woman who does not want to marry again and did not show the jewelry more mainstream, although allowed for them to open the face and hands with the requirement to be polite (Islamic).

Quran has instructed Muslim women to wear headscarves (hijab) and forbid primp style of ignorance (tabarruj).

Al-Muslimah Sister!

Listen to your mom said, Ummul Mu'minin when asked the Prophet:

"What should be done by the end of the women they dress? The Prophet said: Let it down one inch (the ankle) Ummul Mu'minin said: "if so be exposed soles of our feet, O Prophet of Alloh" The Prophet said: "sent down a cubit and do not be exceeded" (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).

Subhanallah! Ummahatul Mu'minin requested that extended his clothes, was the women that we have gone a lot of shortening (raise to a knee and some even on it) and they do not care.

"The prophet and our holy book banning naked, nakedness does not close, then check with the hadiths and verses of the Quran"

The hijab is a means to close the agency, and as characteristic of a set of social rules relating to the situation of women in Islamic law, Alloh has ordained to be a strong fortress, guarding the honor, glory, and dignity of women. Clothes that keep people from slander, and within the scope of strictly as a means for women to form a generation of Muslims, the future of knitting, which in turn contributed to the struggle of Islam and fortified on earth.

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Why Some Muslim Sisters Don't Wear Hijab ?

Why Some Muslim Sisters Don't Wear Hijab ?
 
QUESTION :

Why some muslim sisters don't wear hijab even if they know its an obligation? And what is more important for those muslims sisters who don't wear hijab?
Pleasing Allah or what others would think about them if they will wear hijab?

ANSWERS  1:

Salam Alaikum

I know some muslims who live in no muslims countries find it so hard to do all the obligations of islam and some of them are finding their new muslim life a but hard but let me remind you about our prophet muhammed

 "sala Allah alih wa salam"

peace be upon him do you know the history of our prophet? Do you know how much he suffer to bring us this deen? Do you know that when he began the dawa he was alone with some few people? Do you know that when he went to a palce taif what happen to him? The chiefs of ta’if were a conceited and arrogant crew, and they did not want even to listen to Muhammad. They greeted him with mockery and ridicule and set upon him the idlers and the louts of the city. They pelted him and zayd with clods and rocks. wounded and covered with blood, Muhammad staggered out of Ta’if. Once he was outside the city walls, he almost collapsed but a certain gardener took him into his hut, dressed his wound.

Oh dear muslim brothers and sisters if you know all the sacrifices and the suffering of our prophet you will understand what is happening you now is nothing comparing with what happen to our prophet peace be upon him.

He started his dawa and calling for islam with few people and now its one billion and half billion of muslims around the world just knowing this thing will make any muslim smiling and feeling proud and feeling strong and let me teell you this thing you are not alone and if now you are just few muslims where you live be sure soon you will be a lot muslims because the future is for the religion of god the islam.

Salam Alikum
Your brother in Islam
--------------------------------

ANSWERS  2:

Salam Alaikum

You know whatis all a that? All what they are saying? They are just excuses and satan "chitan" is making them believing in that and giving them some of the smarter answers and excuses because satan never come to you and say oh don't obey your god because he know you will not listen to him but he will always give you a smart answers and excuses and he try so hard to confuse you so about hijab he will say to you : look to those women who wear hijab and they do all bad things you dont want to be like them this hypocrisy and you dont want to be hypocrite like them and if you will be not so convinced about this excuse be sure he will give you more and more excuses and its just the ones with strong faith who can fight these false excuses

I will tell you what I think About that:

I will say it again they are just excuses and even if you are honest and very good person and good muslim you will be punish for no wearing hijab it has nothing to do with being honest or hypocrite because its a must and its obligation and most of muslims women who dont wear hijab they dont do it because they do it because they care so much about what others think about their look and this is hypocrisy because if you say that you believe in Allah and you really want to please Allah and to go to janah "paradise" and you will do all the must and obilgations of Allah but in same time you refuse some of the obligations that Allah order you to do it and hijab is one of the most important one one so how you want to be a good muslim and want to please Allah but you dont want to do his obligations.

I will give you a simple example its like 2 people who work in same company one of those worker do his job and do what the company ask him to do but sometimes he dosent come early or he do do some others things but he still do all his job well and the other one dont do his job well but he say i am better than the other worker because i love the companyand and at least i am honest and i say that i didnt do my job well so even he is honest but the job still not done so its not the honsty that will change his mistakes so how you can say that you are a good worker and in same time you dont do what you should do to deserve your place in this company.

So its a bit same you can't say oh at least i am not hypocrite and i am honest and i love Allah
if you love Allah you should do what Allah ask you its so simple if we love somone we do what please him and we do what he asked us and here we are not talking about a simple person we are talking about the creators of those persons so i think we should think and do all we can to please Allah and not listen to satan and not trying to find excuses for our mistakes because a mistake is a mistake

And we have to be very careful with that because if we say :
 Oh I dont need to wear hijab i am a good muslim i love Allah then you say oh i dont need to do my prayers i am a good muslim and i love Allah then i dont have to do ramadan i am a good muslim and i love Allah then and then do you understand now why its very dangrouse to try everytime to find excuse when we dont do something that we should do and espcially when its about religion obligations.

Salam Alaikum
Your brother in Islam
(from : muxlim.com)

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How I Was Guided To My Hijab and Islam!

How I Was Guided To My Hijab and Islam!

Dear Sisters,

Today I feel so proud to know how many of my sisters are wearing hijab with pride. I know how it feels sometimes when you feel like its a burden but really its not, its the shaytaan who just doesn't want us to wear it because he doesn't want us to get near the paradise or to get more towards our religion. I am going to be 16 years old and I now realize how much significance Islam is in my life.

I, like other people was 'gumrah' from Islam. When i came to 10th grade, I had a bad group of friends. Since I live in the USA, I didn't have much muslim friends and the ones I had were not in the right path. They wore tight cloths like me and had the same reasons for not wearing the hijab. I was too shy to cover myself. Now I realize how foolish I was when I thought of it that way.

I am going to tell my story to let people realize that what the youth today are doing is wrong. Parents today should understand that they need to control their children.

My path from right to wrong changed when i turned 15. I hanged around with people that I shouldn't have even looked at. I started out by chatting with guys and it turned out that I had no problem talking to them on the phone. Soon it all became a pattern, an everyday thing.I started to go against Islam and even stopped talking to my parents.I was so into it that I couldn't even do anything else and I didn't find anything wrong with it. Then my parents found out soon. It couldn't be a secret for long and they abandoned me from my friends and school and they told me to start wearing hijab in school but i was too shy and I just couldn't do it, so they accepted to put me in homeschooling. I felt sooo secured after I started wearing my Hijab it just felt like I was born to wear it and that was the day when I thanked Allah that he gave me such a family that cared so much about me to stop me from my 'gunnahs'. Now I feel like I made the biggest mistake in my life and how i didn't realize it at that time but I am happy that Allah Subhanatalla has guided me to the right path. I want people to know from my experience how hard it is to go through all this so they shouldn't even be friends with people that they think will not help them with Islam. I love my religion and love to learn new things about it. All I have to say is may Allah (SWT) guide all of us and may he be pleased with us.

AMEEN.  

http://sisters.islamway.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=338

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My Hijab Story

My Hijab Story

So I’ve been tagged by the fellow blogger of  "The Arabian Panther" to do the Hijab story post since I read hers. This originally was a video tag on youtube, and because I’m not a youtuber who makes videos, I’ll be doing just the same by answering the following questions and I tag every Hijabi sister who’s reading this as well.

So let’s share our story with the Hijab , inspire and be inspired ! It’ll be fun ! :D

1. How old were you when you started wearing the hijab?
I was 13 years old.

2. What or who influenced you to become a hijabi?
What really motivated me to wear the Hijab was the month of Ramadan, since I’ve been in a stage of which I was obligated to fast, I couldn’t walk outside in such a spiritual atmosphere and my hair is all flying with the wind, and I knew that the Hijab was also an obligation, it just didn’t feel right and that something was missing, it didn’t fit in my brain to obey one obligation and leave the other, although I was discourged by my family, especially my father, saying that I was still too young , but I wasn’t too young to fast wasn’t I ? I just never been too sure about something, and till now, (more than 5 years Alhamdulillah) wearing the Hijab was the most firm decision I ever made.

3. How has hijab changed your life?
When I wore the Hijab, I feel that I was given a certain kind of respect when it comes to men, it was very nice not being hassled by guys. It just made them make a second thought before coming to talk to me.
It also allowed me to know my self-worth, and that if I impress anyone, it wouldn’t be because of my nice haircut, or if I remind them of a certain celebrity! But how I act and how well I did in something.

4. What does hijab mean to you?
It means more than a peice of cloth as many people mistake it for, Hijab has been like an alarm to remind me of who I am, I’m a muslim, and I must live like one.

5. How do you deal with the rude comments/stares you get due to being a hijabi?
I don’t think I’ve ever got any of that Alhamdulillah, but if I do…I will laugh my stomach out of the ridiculousness.

6. What is your favorite thing about wearing the hijab?
I’m nowhere near perfect but Hijab puts me in a constant work of bettering myself, inside and out and that’s the beauty of it .

7. What is your hijab must have tool?
Scarf, pins and a long skirt

8. What advice could you give a newbie hijabi?
Well I would say this advice to any Hijabi wether she’s new or not, and to myself as well…because it always works not to forget about the inner modesty, and the more that part gets well taken care of, the more our Hijab shows up right, the outer Hijab completes the inner Hijab and vice versa.

9. What is one hijab trend you never understood?
Tights with really baggy headscarfs ?!

10. What do you think about the Hijabi community on YouTube?
Hmm I don’t really know, but I came across some really cool Hijabi sisters who are keeping it right Mash’Allah.

11. What question do you get asked due to wearing the hijab?
Did your father/mother force you to it ?


I don’t feel those questions were quite enough to really describe what it’s like being a Hijabi especially if you’re wearing it for the right reasons, but it was fun sharing a little bit of my experience with the Hijab. Of course there always have been ups and downs with that, and sometimes I don’t feel quite pleased with my Hijab, but I’m trying to go on in levels till I reach that point…May Allah keeps us protected by his guidance. Ameen.

http://dummyescape.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-hijab-story.html

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Why do I wear my hijab in school?

Why do I wear my hijab in school?
By : Attia Zaidi
Why I wear hijab (to school, to work, to wherever)

I have been answering this question for the past 14 years. I decided to put on hijab as a permanent part of my attire when I was 14 years old and in grade 9. At the time it didn't do wonders for my self-esteem, but over time is has given me a better understanding of myself. I chose to wear hijab for a number of reasons and my understanding of who I was and who I was trying to be became a public process since the hijab is apparent to everyone.

High school is generally a time when students are searching for themselves. Amidst all the messages they receive through the media, their parents, their friends, they are looking for their niche and trying on different roles to find one that best suits who they are. I was no different. My hijab was more of a self-assertion that I wanted to follow my religion more closely. I was Muslim, because my family was, but a lot of it was lip service and I had a problem with saying I was a follower if I didn't follow. I decided to be more vigilant with my religion and eventually Islam become forefront in the way I identified myself. This one decision shaded over all my major decisions that were to come.

The hijab was major turning point in my life in so many ways. Most importantly, it helped me understand who I was. With the dawning of hijab, however, I became a visible Muslim. I, was then, forced to be more vigilant about my actions because I didn't want other people to judge my religion in a negative light. In university I did abundant research on the different reasons why women wear hijab. I looked into the historical significance, the religious obligations and the controversy around it. I was (and am) a believer in the women's liberation (as vague as that term is) and firmly believed my hijab helped me gain my freedom. I wrote numerous articles and gave talks on how the hijab protects me from being a slave to the fashion industry; how it gives me the freedom to be myself without having to be judged by how I look; how it is nothing new but prevalent in all past religious societies, and the list goes one. I did this time and time again. Then I grew up.

After September 11th, I became very self-conscious about my hijab. I felt like I was being clumped together with all the other Muslims in the world and wasn't been given a fair shot at having my own unique personality. I felt I was being stereotyped, discriminated against, judged and given worse-off treatment simply due to my head.

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My Hijab is for Me and for God

My Hijab is for Me and for God

1. WHAT IS JIHAD? UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS DOES ISLAM SANCTION THE USE OF VIOLENCE? WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SUICIDE BOMBERS WHO INVOKE ISLAM TO JUSTIFY THEIR ACTIONS?

I must admit that there are times before getting on an international flight to Washington Dulles Airport that I've been gripped by fear of the possibility that my flight could be hijacked by terrorists. I doubt I'm the only person who's experienced that kind of paralyzing fear when flying – especially post 9/11. However, the scenario in my mind often progresses a little further as I begin to imagine what my conversation with a Muslim who's hijacked my plane would sound like.

I've had my share of heated debates with Muslims who espouse extremist views in various parts of the Muslim world ( Jordan, Pakistan , India, Uganda , etc.) and am all too familiar with the reasoning they use to justify indiscriminate violence or terrorism against innocent Americans or Israelis.

"As long as they fight our people in Iraq , Somalia and Palestine , they should know that we will continue to fight them to the end," one Ugandan imam told my husband and me after we spoke at a local religious institution on behalf of the US Embassy in Kampala.

His words, which still reverberate in my mind like the ricochet of deadly gunfire, sound too similar to the words of Mohammad Siddique Khan, the leader of the 7/7 suicide bombers, who actually made good on his words recorded on an obscure videotape in Pakistan: "Until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture of my people we will not stop this fight. We are at war and I am a soldier. Now you too will taste the reality of this situation."

Although none of the "extremists" I've met would have ever acted upon their sentiments, the views they express seem to be the first step that could lead one to eventually justify and act upon violence. Their intense anger and sense of loss at the hands of the "West" completely distorts their logic. They are convinced that the US is on a crusade to destroy Islam and cite as proof the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and now, Somalia; the Muslims imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay; and the US 's unconditional support of Israel. They equate revenge with justice. Similar to right-wing bloggers in America, they view the world in terms of "us" and "them," failing to see beneath the superficialities of nationality, race or religion. Their words sound far too similar to Khan's – that as long as American troops are killing Muslim civilians, then American civilians are fair game.

Most of these Muslims with whom I've spoken never reference jihad or any other Islamic legal basis to justify their views. In fact, when confronted with the Islamic references, such as Prophet Muhammad's commandment to never kill innocent men, women or children, they falter and miserably fail to demonstrate how their position is in anyway Islamic.

When the U.S. Department of State sent me on an outreach tour to speak to Muslim youth in Uganda about my experience living as an American Muslim, nothing could have prepared me for the intense confrontation our panel would face with students at Makerere University after our talks. After the three of us (an African American imam, my husband and me) gave our brief speeches, the head of the East African Student Union got up and shouted at us, accused us of infiltrating the Muslim student body with "American propaganda" and suggested that we should be ashamed of ourselves.

For the next hour after the session officially and mercifully ended, my husband and I each confronted the young students who viewed us as "agents of American propaganda," including the East African Student Union president who shouted at us previously. Within a few minutes, we were each surrounded by a crowd of ten or so young, male college students, as we debated passionately Islam's position on terrorism, whether or not Bin Laden is a terrorist and a host of similar issues. It was one of the most intense debates I have ever had in my life. A deep sense of agony pierced my soul as I realized how misinformed and disconnected these young, naïve Muslim men had become from their own Islamic tradition. I was determined to change their perspective, not for my sake, but for the sake of reviving what I believe is the true spirit of Islam.

By the end of that constructive hour, the young college students all conceded that Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) to whom all Muslims look to as a role model, never resorted to terrorism under any circumstances. They also acknowledged that the Prophet's own example towards his enemies was one of mercy and forgiveness. For 13 years, he and his Muslim followers were ruthlessly tortured, harassed and some killed in Mecca . A three-year boycott against the Muslims kept them shunned from the rest of society. Any Meccans who traded, intermarried or interacted with them were prosecuted.

Nevertheless, ten years later, when the Prophet conquered Mecca with an army of more than 10,000, not a single drop of blood was shed. In fact, the Prophet dismissed the army general of his division for saying, "Today is the day of slaughter ( malhama in Arabic)." The Prophet reprimanded him and said, "Nay, today is the day of Mercy (marhama)." He granted amnesty to all Meccans who took refuge in the Kaba, the house of Quraysh's leader Abu Sufyan, or in their own homes.

The Prophet addressed the Meccans had who had sought refuge in the Ka'ba: "Verily I say as my brother Joseph said: ' This day there shall be no upbraiding of you nor reproach. May God forgive you. He is the most merciful of all" (Quran, 12:92). [1]

As the conversation progressed, I felt something profound taking place within some of these young men. They realized for the first time that denouncing and countering terrorism does not mean they are departing from their faith or people. As we quoted one Islamic reference after another, they recognized – somewhere in their consciousness – that our position was authentically grounded within Islamic textual sources. And as they began to admit that the Islamic injunctions of justice, mercy, and kindness are unconditional, they literally seemed to experience a sense of relief and liberation from the exclusivist and vengeful ideology that had held them hostage.

If, God forbid, my plane was ever hijacked by a so-called Muslim, would I ever be able to convince him or her out of it? Would I even have the opportunity to prove to him how misled and sinful his actions would be? I don't know, but the thought crosses my mind during those rare moments when I am suddenly gripped by an irrational (or maybe not so irrational) fear that my plane could be hijacked. Nevertheless, I think that kind of conversation would make a great script for a film one day. Of course, with the condition that the Muslim passenger who plays my part ultimately succeeds.

2. HOW DOES ISLAM DEFINE APOSTASY? IS IT PERMISSIBLE FOR A MUSLIM TO CONVERT TO ANOTHER FAITH? HOW CAN LAWS AGAINST APOSTASY AND BLASPHEMY BE RECONCILED WITH THE KORANIC INJUNCTION OF "NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION"?

Apostasy is not my area of expertise, so I leave it to the religious authorities on this blog to respond to this question. Nevertheless, as I've understood it from religious scholars, the Islamic ruling on punishing apostates historically related only to those apostates who were guilty of treason against the Muslim state.

3. WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN ISLAM? HOW DOES ISLAM'S VIEW OF MALE-FEMALE EQUALITY DIFFER FROM THE WESTERN VIEW?

The greatest issue I have when people often discuss the topic of 'women's rights in Islam' is that they rarely resort to Islam's primary sources of law to assess Islam's treatment of women. Rather, they reference the oppressive practices of one group or another – the Taliban in Afghanistan, Saudi authorities that ban women from driving, Bedouin tribes that commit honor killings – and use such aberrations to judge Islam's treatment of women. If we are going to be objective, then it is only fair to judge Islam by its own sources, which are the Quran and the Prophetic Tradition (the sunna), primarily.

If we look at these two primary sources of Islam, we find a worldview that establishes equality between men, women, and all human beings for that matter. God says in the Quran, verse 49, 13: "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is the most God-conscious of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)."

This verse establishes that all human beings are considered equal in the eyes of God. You are not judged by the conditions in which you are born, such as gender, wealth, race or any other superficial, external characteristic which has nothing to do with your own merit as a human being. Rather, God says that the only thing that can make one person better than another is his/her level of God-conscious. The beautiful thing about that is that no one can judge another person's God-consciousness. This is private, something that can never be measured by another human being. Therefore, according to the Quranic paradigm of human equality, it is impossible for anyone to claim superiority over anyone else.

Furthermore, the Prophet (pbuh) who is considered a role model for all Muslims, said, "All people are equal like the teeth of a comb. There is no merit of an Arab over a non-Arab or a white over a black person or of a male over a female. Only God-conscious people merit a preference with God." The Islamic paradigm establishes an even playing ground between all human beings; everyone has the potential to be the best of humanity, regardless of one's gender, race, religion, economic status, educational level, etc.

Second, the gender paradigm of Islam is best encapsulated by verse 9:71 in the Quran, in which God describes the relationship between men and women in a society as that of " awliyaa" of one another, which can be loosely translated as "partners" or "guardians." God says in this verse, "The Believers, men and women, are partners (awliyaa) one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey God and His Messenger. God will pour His mercy over them, for He is Exalted in power, Wise."

The word "awliyaa" denotes far more than just a partnership. A "wali" (singular of awliyaa) is someone you can trust with the most valuable of your possessions. It is someone whom you would trust to act on your behalf during your absence. You would trust this person's judgment and competence. The word ' wali' denotes a very high level of trust between you and that person. The fact that God uses this term, "awliya," to describe the nature of men and women's relationship in a society is very noteworthy, because it demonstrates that women, just like men, are to be trusted in their competence, judgment and ability to guide human beings and to help keep society in check. As this verse demonstrates, men have no level of moral authority over women. Women, just like men, have an obligation to keep their male counterparts in check and to remind them of God whenever they go astray. In this verse, God makes it clear that both genders hold this responsibility.

Islamic law provides women with a plethora of rights, from the right to financial autonomy (the right to make and keep her own earnings, own property, barter, trade, sell, obtain or grant loans, etc); the right to be maintained financially in a marriage (according to Islamic law, the man has the responsibility to provide for the needs of the family; if the woman chooses to work, she is not obliged to spend a single penny for the maintenance of the household; if she does, it is considered charity); the right to inherit; the right to seek an education; the right to consent to her marriage (no marriage is valid without a woman's consent in Islamic law); the right to a dowry or marital gift (this belongs to the woman alone, not to her parents or husband); the right to participate in the political affairs of her country; the right to vote; etc. While Muslim women owned property, inherited property and established endowments as far back as the 7 th century and throughout Islamic history, let's not forget that in our own country, the United States of America, it was not until 1839 that the first state, Mississippi, granted women the right to hold property in their own name, but only with their husband's permission.

Despite all of this, the greatest beef some feminist critics have with Islam is the hijab – the mandatory covering of a woman's hair and body. Although religious scholars ascertain that this is a fard or religious obligation, it is ultimately each woman's prerogative to decide whether or not she will cover her hair. No one – not a father, husband, or bother – can ever force a woman to cover against her will, or that in fact violates the Quranic spirit of "let there be no compulsion in religion."

I have personally decided to wear the hijab and I relish in the freedom the hijab gives me, the freedom from having my body exposed as a sex object or from being judged on a scale of 1-10 by strange men who have no right to know what my body or hair look like. For Muslim women, the hijab is a form of modesty, security and protection, shifting the focus of attention from a woman's physical attraction, or lack thereof, to the personality that lies beneath. By forcing people to look beyond her physical realm, a woman is valued for her intellect, personality and merit.

More importantly, however, is that I wear my hijab for God. My belief in God and my ultimate accountability before God is the driving force of my behavior in life. My desire to be with God in the hereafter motivates me to make certain sacrifices even if they might make me unpopular or elicit ridicule by others. Even if others perceive me as a victim of patriarchy or as oppressed or uneducated due to my hijab, I recognize that my happiness, success and destiny in this life and the next are in the hands of God alone, not anyone else's.

By Hadia Mubarak 
(http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/hadia_mubarak/2007/07/women_are_more_than_just_mens.html )

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Should children wear the hijab?

Should children wear the hijab?

Eryn has decided to wear the hijab.

She’s at a lovely precocious stage of mimicry where she will throw diapers into the dustbin and wave ‘bye-bye’ to my makeup as she flushes it down the toilet. She cleans the floors and the windows with the kitchen towel. She brushes her hair with her toothbrush, puts her shoes on backwards, knows how to access YouTube and dusts her grandfather’s foot powder on everyone’s feet.

When I grab my shawl and prepare for one of the daily prayers, she crawls to the prayer area and starts moving her hands to her ears in takbir. She’ll then cup her hands in front of her face in supplication and place her forehead to the ground in prostration. When I’ve finished praying, she’ll sway from side to side as I chant Arabic recitations. Then she’ll “ask” for her hijab.

In one of her many sensory discovery boxes, I have scarves of different colours and textures — so I’ll let her pick one out. Once I’ve wrapped it around her head, she’ll look appreciatively at herself in the mirror, kiss her reflection and promptly take it off.

The first time she did this, I beamed and praised her. The second time was just as cute as the first. I really didn’t think anything of it, except that her cherubic cheeks looked so darn cute poking out from the scarf’s cowl. The third time we were praying with the Hubby, and before the prayer began he handed the scarf to her and said, “Here sweetie, put on your hijab.”

I stopped cold and about a hundred red flags went up in my mind.

We try to be responsible parents. We limit chocolate and television. We’ve incorporated Montessori teachings into her daily schedule.  We expose her to books, global cultures and she’s taking instruction in three languages. And we’ve had the hijab discussion.

The hijab discussion essentially amounted to the both of us agreeing that one day, if she wants to wear the hijab we won’t prevent her from doing so. But that it will not be an issue that is forced upon her. Eryn wearing hijab is something between herself and God — once she’s old enough to understand the meaning and intent behind it. Now, I completely recognize that because I wear hijab, I could very well influence not only her decision, but the timing of it.

Babies in hijab are really, really cute.  It’s probably safe to say that every parent has dressed their baby in some kind of cultural costume, Star Wars-inspired t-shirt, footballer onesie, band paraphernalia, formal attire or at the very least given the baby a shampoo mowhawk, just to squeal in delight at the amazing cuteness. It’s the same for hijab. For a baby, hijab is just dress-up. It’s a colourful and textured scarf.

But for women, hijab is more than just play. It’s intended to be a symbol of the faith, an additional step in modest dressing, and for many, a required act of worship. It’s supposed to be a personal choice that helps regulate interaction between unfamiliar men and women. It’s to act as a barrier between the Self and sexuality so men and women can interact with each other without attraction getting in the way. Hijab is a way of dressing as much as it is a symbol of Islam and a system of social mannerisms.

In practice, hijab is all of these things, but it also is forced upon women and used to repress and control their sexuality. It sets up a hetero-normative expectation of how men and women should act with each other. In some cases, women are erroneously taught to wear the hijab because uncovered, their bodies attract unwanted attention and men are incapable of controlling themselves. Many believe that hijab is a Divine commandment that protects women’s sexuality and maintains the chastity of men.

For many, hijab is obligatory on every Muslim woman, and the definition of “woman” tends to be when a girl begins menstruating. It’s reasoned that because every religious duty (such as prayer and fasting) is incumbent upon a child once they reach puberty, girls must therefore also wear the hijab. Unfortunately, it’s also reasoned that when a girl approaches puberty, boys may find her attractive as her body blossoms. 

So, it’s just better for everyone involved if she covers up.

In fact, it’s argued that in order for a girl to “be comfortable with hijab” by the time she reaches puberty, it’s even better if parents encourage her to start covering earlier. That way it won’t be much of a transition when her entire world is rocked by the torrential hormonal changes, the potentially publicly embarrassing physical changes, the indignity of having her father pick up maxi-pads on his way home from work, the absolutely frightening shock of finding blood on underwear — because she’s already been taught to view herself as a sexual being at the age of eight.

There’s a difference between discussing menstruation with your children as a natural, normal and celebrated bodily function, and discussing it as a marker for sexual preparedness.

I don’t like seeing the hijab on little girls — and when I say little girls, I mean at least from the ages of five to 12. Because hijab is such a “grown-up” decision, I can’t help but feel that there are ulterior motives.

When they’re exploring their Muslim identity, mimicking an older sibling, or joining mom at the mosque like “a big girl,” it can be endearig. These are also reasons as to why Muslim parents may put hijab on their young girls. But I’ve seen a lot of young girls wearing the hijab because it’s expected of them, a parent has forced the matter at home, or it’s an expectation upheld by school systems.

Sometimes it’s used as an identifier celebrating Muslim cultural identity. Once when volunteering at a fun fair with the March of Dimes, I saw several young girls in hijab. When I asked one of the parent volunteers why her daughter wore hijab, she told me it was because she wanted to remind her daughter’s teachers that she was not allowed to eat the pork hot dogs. But more often than not, when the hijab is put on young girls, it socializes them into accepting a standard of controlled sexuality.

Recently Baher Ibrahim wrote an opinion piece for the Guardian on the rise of little girls wearing the hijab in Egypt:
Many defenders of the hijab point to the influence of “decadent western culture”, endlessly criticising how western TV sexualises and objectifies women, though they fail to understand that they are doing they exact same thing to little girls when they constantly promote the hijab. If it is so important to cover up, there must be something worth covering up and hiding from men. Inevitably, little girls are taught to view themselves as sexual objects that must be covered up from an early age – and it is this culture permeating the minds of our younger generations.

Much to my horror and confusion, when I got my period at the age of 11 my mother proudly announced to my father that I was now a woman. I had no breasts, no hips, no sexual experiences, no concept of how sex really works, no notion of the complexities of romantic relationships, and no desire to be a woman. You can bet that it’s completely confusing to tell an 8-year-old that she has to cover her body because men will find her sexually attractive.  What does that information do to her sense of self if she wakes up to see herself as a standard of sexuality? That the duty to maintain the chastity of men relies solely on the body of a prepubescent girl?

There’s nothing wrong in helping instill values of modesty in our children, but this can be done without relying on arguments which objectify women. Personally, I think offering young girls the option of wearing skinny jeans, cropped shirts and high heels to be just as outrageous as forcing them into hijab.  I don’t buy into the argument that hijab is a bulwark for sexuality — for a woman or a child. Men will still find women attractive, even if they’re wearing a burqa.  And boys will still snap bras in the playground, even if the girls are wearing hijab.

When the Hubby told Eryn to put on her hijab I reacted because it was an external voice commanding her to do what ultimately must be her choice.  I know he was simply encouraging her, just like we encourage her to throw out her diapers or clean the floor when we see her performing these tasks (not so much the flushing of the makeup though).  He also asked her to put on the hijab because he was inviting her to the prayer — a time when all women traditionally are required to cover their heads. I also know that because I wear the hijab, I have already influenced her — and I sometimes worry that this influence will make her want to wear hijab before she is truly ready.

I find myself in a difficult position. On the one hand, I am an empowered woman who wears the hijab as a symbol of faith and as an identifier that I belong to the religion of Islam. Personally, I believe that you can be modest and practice the method of hijab without actually wearing one. So I will not be telling my baby that she has to wear hijab because she is a woman and a sexual being. That her breasts and hair are in need of covering to be equal with the boys in her class and the men on the street. On the other hand, I’m not sure what I’ll do if she wants to wear hijab at the age of 8 because she wants to be “grown up” like me.

 Or because she’s proud of her Muslim cultural heritage.

I want her to choose hijab for herself if and when she is ready.  When she is old enough to understand the value of our religious culture and appreciate all of the varied reasons to wear the hijab.  But I also want to protect her from spurious viewpoints that may make her feel less than equal to anyone, and of course, from any negative viewpoints of the hijab.  Forget about what the neighbours will think if she’s running around town with a Dora-inspired hijab.  I don’t want her to ever feel ‘othered’ or attacked because of a cloth symbol.

I want to be a parent who encourages her explorations into identity, not make her acutely aware of her gender. I want to encourage her in all things positive — whether it’s playing dress-up, competing in physical challenges, visiting other houses of worship, or proudly announcing to the world who she is.

No matter what, she’ll still be my little baby.

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I want to wear Hijab!

I want to wear Hijab!!!?  (Yahoo Answer Document)

Question :

Salam, i converted to islam one year ago alhamduillah. However i have tried to take islam slowly by slowly i have stoped everything haram i was doing before the only thing i havent done is put on the hijab. My husband says it is still early, and he doesnt want it to cause a problem with my family, as they will reject me and it will be hard for them..

Also i work in a company where the money is haram and i need to know if i wear hijab in there will it be ok or not....will it make muslims look bad if i am working in an office where it is illegal what they are doing? Please help, as i really want to wear hijab now inshAllah..
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Answers :

1.
It takes a lot of strength to take such a step. If you think you are ready then do it. You might try to tell your family beforehand so that you don't shock them maybe. It doesn't matter if your work is halal or not to be able to obey Allah in a different aspect. It's like if you don't pray it doesn't mean you can't fast.
However I do recommend that you look for another job if you can.
Wearing the hijab will make you proud, it means that you are a strong woman who has principles and faith and doesn't care what everybody else thinks. It's something people would respect you for, even if they don't show it, they know that if it had been them they wouldn't dare stand out like you did.
You have a strong personality, and a strong heart. And I am proud to be your sister.
May Allah help you, guide you, and bless you.
Salam
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2.
Am not going to congratulate you of your decision but am going to congratulate all muslims for you wearing hijab , and this part Allah have choose to us as a females , he is our creator and he knows what is the best for us , and by the way hijab was not only when our prophet Mohammad came peace and blessings be upon him him, but all the previous nations there women were wearing the hijab too. for example you can see christians when they imagine and draw lady Mariam(Marry) peace be upon her they represent her wearing the hijab .

And God (Allah) Subhanahu wa taala created decency with us since the moment we have born but alot of people decided to waste it and forgot about , and this is considered a part of faith and this particularly is what satan ( ibless) is working on to keep the people away from GOD by making them lose their decency and there is a prove for this happened before the humanity started , as you know our father Adama and our mother hawwa ( Eve ) Allah created them up there at heaven and when he warned them not to eat from the tree , they did bkz satan was there whispering to them to do it , and he swore to them by GOD that he is telling them the truth that if they will eat from that tree they will live for ever without death or they will be like angels , so Adam believed him bkz he thought no one would swore by Allah and lies , and satan was telling them this for one reason bkz once they did that.. there clothes were taken off of them , and they immedielty start running both of them trying to cover themselves by the leaves of heaven although there was no one with them they were alone and they knew each other bodys but bkz of the decency that Allah have created with them , wich is also have been created with us , and satan issue was to make them have no decency once they eat from the tree , this lesson Allah have described to us in the Quran so that we follow the truth and orders of Allah sobhanaho wa taala , and not to be following what satan wants bkz yes we cant see him but he and his companions do ,and they are still working on this issue to make us have no decency , only those who wants Allah satisfaction will make plans of satan down ,,,, and to learn from our father Adam and his wife , so when you were hijab be sure that you are not going to wear it for you or your hosband or the people , you are going to wear it for Allah sobhanaho wa taala , and you can imagine how much he is going to rewards you , and you can tell your hosband that by the satisfaction of Allah both of you are going to gain happiness ..

And about the part of your company if you are sure that its illegal then you should start depending on Allah by leaving it , and you might find it difficult but Allah is the EVER PROVIDING
( ALRAZZAQ) ..  thr ever providing is one of its hosna names , and no one can provides you with any thing in your life except him , and in my openion and from my deep faith if you did leave this job for him , wait and see what what he is going to give you in its place ,, something better . and our prophet Mohammad says .. (( any one who will leave something for Allah (for Allahs satisfaction ) then Allah will give him or her something better instead of what he left )) and in the Quran you can find alot of stories represinting this issue one of them is the story of prophet Yosif (Joseph)peace be upon him
when he didnt agree to go in adultery with the woman that called him too , and she ordered him if he didnt do what she wants (adultery) then she will put him in jail , and he choosed to be a prisiner rather than to be in an illegal relation with this women betraying her hosband and most importantly betraying Allah , by doing what its forbidden , so he entered the prison and Allah rewarded him later for this act that he took him out of prison and not this only , he became the ( ALAZIZ) and this means ministir , bkz he became the minstir of finance of egypt doing what ever he wants and the whole land was under his supervision .. so go on and makes us proud of you ,,and the most importantly prophet Mohammad is going to be proud of you and in the matter of fact Allah is going to be satisfied on you , sobhanaho wa taala , ... best wishes ..

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