By Aysha Umer | Contribution to Saudi Life

1. Are you an "Occasional Hijabi"?

2. Are you a "Half Hijabi"?

• Do you sometimes cover only your head and then wear tight jeans or perhaps any other tight outfit? (Seriously, there are many people who do that, and it is such an insult for the hijabis!)
• Do you cover your head but leave a part of it open either from the back or the front, so that you may look prettier?
• Do you cover your complete body but are the 'abayas' you wear are so attractive and colourful that they draw attention and probably need another abaya over them to cover their adornment?

What is the actual intention behind this? What else can it be other than to attract guys? Do you dress up the same way when you know that there will be no guys around you?

 By the way, for those who don’t know, Hijab is to be maintained infront of non-mahrams (most males) and Alhamdulillah, we can dress up and beautify ourselves infront of our mahrams (our father, brothers, father's brothers, mother's brothers, grandfathers, sons, father-in-law, brother's sons, sister's sons, sons-in-law and young boys who haven't attained puberty) and in the gatherings of women.

Ponder over this hadeeth:

The prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

"In later (generations) of my ummah there will be women who will be dressed but naked. On top of their heads (what looks) like camel humps. They will not enter into paradise or (even) get a smell of it." (Muslim)

My dear Sister’s in Islam, have you ever thought about the purpose of the Hijab?

Why do we wear Hijab?

OR IS THERE SOMETHING MORE TO IT?

Do you feel oppressed wearing it? Be frank to yourself.

Let’s see what our Lord has to say about it.

The reason why Hijabis prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzaab:

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Al-Qur’an 33:59]

The Qur’an says that Hijab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested.

Now let’s analyze: Why do Muslims wear Hijab?

1. Because it is an order from Allah. Simple, Allah ordered us and we do it. Islam is to submit to Allah's orders, to win His pleasure, to to do what He wants, and refrain from what He dislikes. He created us and everything around us, and He created us to worship Him alone. That’s the reason we exist right now and we have to return to Him, to account for every moment of our lives. Allah says: “And I have created Jinn and men only to worship me”. (51:56)

2.  We are precious. A father's advice to a daughter: "Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell. Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock... You've got to work hard to get to them." He looked at me with serious eyes. "Your body is sacred. You're far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too."

3.  It's our right. When a woman is covered, men cannot judge her by her appearance but are forced to evaluate her by her personality, character, and morals. Hijab is a responsibility plus a right given to us by our Creator, Who knows us best. It's a benefit to us, so why not wear it? Why should we display our beauty to anybody and everybody? Is that all what being female is about? Are our bodies that cheap? Why do we wish to make mindless objects of ourselves? Why wouldn't harrasment increase, if we are providing the material for it? Think about it!

This is ME reminding myself first and then my dear sisters-in-Islam JUST IN CASE YOU FORGOT! :-)