NIQAB BAN IN SRI LANKA - FROM ONE NIQABI TO ANOTHER

To my dear Niqabi sisters in Sri Lanka, I know you're hurting. I know that complying to the law of the country right now is something you will do but I know that despite you accepting it, you feel hurt, betrayed and burdened for what some terrorists out there did. You're paying the price for something that has nothing to do with you or your Niqab. 

I know that it's also easy for people to say 'Oh for God's sake, it's just a piece of cloth. Stop whining. People have died and you can't even sacrifice your veil!' To those who think that way, we are sacrificing it for the security of the country but don't you think for a moment that it's an easy choice on us. The thought of stepping out of the house without the Niqab will feel as though we've been stripped of something we hold extremely dear to our hearts. But then again, you can never understand and I don't expect you to. This is a pain that only another Niqabi can relate to.

To my dear strong Niqabi sisters, I want you to not lose hope at this point. Please recall the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah. The terms of the Treaty were totally not in the favour of Muslims but yet, Prophet Muhammad signed it. This made the Sahabah so worried so much so that Umar ral asked, "Are we not right and our enemy wrong?" The Prophet answered, "Yes." Umar asked, "Why do we then disgrace our religion?"

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "I am the Messenger of Allah and I will never disobey Him and He is my support." 

It was this Treaty of Hudaibiyyah that Allah calls the 'Manifest victory' in the Quran. It seemed as though it was unfair on the Muslims and Islam but through this, Allah set the course for the ultimate victory.

So my Niqabi sisters, be honoured that Allah chose you to bring about a great good. I know right now it's very hard but hold on to patience and know that Allah's help is very near. Huge hugs to all you awesome Sri Lankan Niqabis. I'm so incredibly proud of you and I pray that Allah gives you immense strength and patience at this time. Chin up girls and lots of love!

ON PATIENCE, ACCEPTANCE AND TRUST - LEARNING TO SEE ALLAH'S PLAN

Sometimes, you literally feel as though you've been cut open and exposed, still raw with the trauma you've been through and thinking back on it feels like prodding on an unhealed wound. It hurts to the limit of it being almost unbearable and it's natural to want to cut out on any recollections of that hardship. 

Some people would say that it's a closed chapter and you should never allow yourself to think back on it but personally I feel that you should look back once in a while and allow yourself to explore that wound again just so that you rebuild hope in your heart that if Allah got you through that, then He most certainly can get you through any difficulty you're tackling right now as well.

Yes, you went through some of the hardest times but never forget that there was a reason as to why you had to go through it. There are lessons in that. Because of that difficulty, your life may have taken a new path, or you may have learned to love yourself, or you may have started to rely more on Allah. We never know the reason for it but I want you to remember that no matter how hard your difficulty is, Allah decreed it upon you for a reason. And even if your mind cannot comprehend what that may be, teach yourself to see Allah's plan even in the raw and bleeding flesh of your wounds. It would hurt - no doubt - but if you accept it with patience, Allah will heal that wound and erase it in a way you could never even recognize that it existed. Such is the power of Allah. Trust Him with your whole heart and with your entire being. Trust Him and allow Him to heal those wounds for you.

THE TESTS ALLAH PUTS US THROUGH AND HIS HELP SHINING THROUGH

When you're going through a test in life, it feels unbearable. Like you're breaking inside out. Like you can't breath. Like you've hit rock bottom. Like you can't take it anymore. The pain is intense and no words can express the helplessness you feel at that time.

But no matter how hard you think your test is and no matter how much you feel like you can't take it anymore, know that you have the capacity to get through it. Otherwise, you wouldn't be put in that situation in the first place. It feels paradoxical actually but the fact is that this isn't something I'm making up. This isn't even something someone just told me. This isn't those random life reflections you see on the internet. This is a life lesson from the One Who created life itself. And although this may feel hard to digest particularly when you feel at your breaking point, know that you will only be tested and burdened to your capacity.

This is Allah's promise and of all the words and promises people ever make - even all the combined promises of the most truthful people to walk on the earth - this wouldn't equal to even an atom when compared to the truthfulness and promise of my Lord.

"Allah does not charge a soul except [according to] what He has given it. Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease." (Quran 65:7)

HOW CAN I NOT TRUST IN YOU, ALLAH?

When I was in the darkness of the womb, You protected and delivered me.

When I was a helpless infant, you helped me grow.
When I found myself entangled in difficulties, You brought me out of it.
When everyone turned away, You listened to me.
When everything failed me, You uplifted me.
When everyone slept by the night, You watched over me.
When I cried, You consoled me.
When I smiled, You gave me more.
When I fell, You lifted me up.
When I was sick and tired, You cured and made me strong
When lost my way, You brought me back.
When I wept by the night, You were right by me.
When I screamed in agony, You mended me.
When my heart was broken, You healed me.
When no one understood me, You understood.
When I was hungry, You fed me.
When I felt hopeless, You gave me hope.
When I felt worthless, You made me feel special.
When I turned way, You still showed mercy on me.

When You gave me this and more, how my Lord, can I ever, ever falter in trusting You? 

"And upon Allah let those who trust place their trust in" 💕

NO MATTER HOW TOUGHT IT IS, HOLD ON TO SABR

Patience will wreck you, break you, kill you from the inside. It will hurt so much that you feel suffocated, drowning in despair, gasping for hope. You will feel like problems are crashing over you like incessant waves and you can't find your way in the darkness. But with your heart in such a state of unrest, turmoil and turbulence, you silence it with hope and patience, knowing that Allah is watching every hurt that aches your heart, every worry that weighs on your mind and every difficulty you are tackling. And so, even though your eyes are stinging with tears, you hold it back with a smile on your face, knowing that just as the night ends and the morning begins and just how Allah brings the dead out of the living, Allah can bring you out of your problems.

So know that for holding onto patience in the toughest of times and hoping for better things even when things look its darkest, Allah is preparing something spectacular for you. Something you truly deserve for your patience, trust and hope in Allah. And when He grants that ease to you, you will realize that all those tears and pleas of your heart in Sujood were not ignored by Allah. He heard you and He always hears you. He only put you through that hardship to test your patience and when you do hold on to patience, then be prepared to be blown away by what Allah has in store for the patient ones. And know that after patience, beautiful things await 🌹💖 #Sabr#HoldOntoSabr #goodthingsarecoming

DIARY OF A NIQABI: FIRST DAY AT COLLEGE

So, I enrolled into a course and as anyone else, I was pretty nervous about my first day at College. And for Niqabis especially, the nervous-o-meter must be really, really high because somewhere in the corner of our mind, we're already bracing ourselves to having to explain our Niqab.
 

The first day is always the hardest. My sister and I (Alhamdulillah I had someone with me for morale support :)) walked into the class and two students were already seated. I smiled at them which they probably wouldn't have noticed with the Niqab and they smiled at me. I took my place right behind them and those two girls turned behind and they were like 'So, this is your first class?' And we got into a conversation and immediately I felt at ease.

Alhamdulillah, there was another Niqabi and a few other Hijabis in the class as well so I settled in pretty well. The lecturer walked in then and he noticed two new students. So he asked me for my name which I said. I thought I was pretty loud but he asked me to repeat again. I did and he said 'I hope I don't mind having to repeat yourself' (because he couldn't hear me with the Niqab) and I said 'It's ok, I'm used to it'. And he smiled.
 

It's true. The girl at the front desk told she couldn't understand me properly as well and honestly, the fault is all mine. I am a very fast talker so I guess with the Niqab, it does make it hard for some people. So Niqabis, take note. Make sure to speak slowly and very clearly :)

And then the lecturer went on with the lesson and somewhere in between, he asked me why I wear the Niqab. He pointed to a girl who wore the Abaya and another Hijabi and he was like, they are dressed differently so why do you cover your face? At this point, I'll be frank, I was having a thousand things running in my mind. I mean, I've been writing about the Niqab for years now and everything just came rushing into my head but I thinking, 'Ok take it calm'. I probably overreacted a bit lol. But I told him quiet simply 'It's just a matter of choice'. And he nodded 'Yes of course'. 
 

This lecturer, I understood, was just genuinely curious and when we do get the chance to tell anyone why we wear the Niqab, then make sure you tell them simply. Of course, there's no need to launch into big talks - just one sentence would do :) 

On the second day, I had to pray at class or I would have to miss my Zhuhr salah. So in the short break between two lessons, I ran up to another lecturer (a woman this time) and asked if I could use the back of the class to pray. She was like 'Yes of course. Can you pray there? Do you want another class?' 
 

I prayed at the back of the class and just after I was done the other students were like 'Sorry, did we disturb you?' I told them they didn't and I took my seat. The girl at the front turned behind and she asked 'So you guys pray five times a day, right?' And I told her yes and that I needed to pray now or by the time the lesson ended, the time for that particular prayer would have ended too. She seemed really interested in it.
 

SubhanAllah, I love it when people are so nice and non-judgemental about Muslims and Niqabis in particular. These kind of people, they really make the world a better place to live in. I know I probably sound outrageously cheesy but it's really nice :)
 

We were then having this group activity thingy and one of the girls asked me why I wore the Niqab and if my parents asked me to. The other girls were looking at me for an answer and I told 'No. They didn't ask me to but my mother and older sisters were already wearing the Niqab and I felt I wanted to do as well'. I also told them that I went to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage and that's when I really decided and this girl nodded and she was like 'Ah yeah. Makka, right?'
 

The truth is, most non Muslims don't understand why Muslim women wear the Hijab or Niqab and most of them are honestly curious to know why we do it. They may not have had to chance to ask anyone else and when they do ask you, make sure you talk to them nicely and tell them. If we don't, or if we behave even slightly hostile, they wouldn't even want to talk. And if we don't tell them, what choice would they have other than to believe that the media is true and that Islam is really oppressive towards women?

The point I'm trying to get at is that we tend to think that non-Muslims are very hostile to the Niqab but the reality is that not all of them are like that. In fact, majority of the people I've come across and very understanding and friendly and treat Niqabis just as they treat anyone else. And that feels really good. 

It has only been my second day at college but already, I feel so at ease. The students and lecturers, even the front desk and everyone else were so friendly, understanding and just wonderful people. Alhamdulillah.

Since it's just the early days now, I might have some interesting college experiences to share in the future, In sha Allah. And if I do, I'll be sure to share it here.

So any other Hijabis/Niqabis - do you have your own experiences to share?

 

 

STRUGGLING WITH PROBLEMS? LEAVE IT TO ALLAH

Sometimes, nothing in the world seems bigger than our problems and it seems as though it can really never be fixed. Ever thought this way? I'd be lying if I say I didn't. These thoughts however come when we forget that Allah is above all our problems. To Him belongs the east and the west, the heavens and the earth and what's even beyond that. So for Him to bring us out of any problem... it's beyond easy for Him.

Think about it. Look around you. Look at yourself. Look at the person sitting next to you in the bus. Look at your teacher. Look at your Mum. Your sister. Your friend. The trees. The mountains. The bee. The tiny ant. The sand. The ocean. The sky. The leaf that just fell to the ground. Look at the world around you. And open your eyes.

 

Who created the air around you and allowed yourself to take in some 8 liters of air every minute? Who is allowing your heart to pump some 90 mls of blood out of the heart in every single heartbeat? Who is allowing some 200 muscles to function just when walking? Who is giving your brain the ability to interpret every image you see in just 13 miliseconds? Who is behind the 20 million billion bits of information that move around your brain every second? Who created enough DNA in each person that can stretch from the sun to Pluto and back — 17 times? And that's just in our body.

Look beyond that.

Who is allowing the earth to rotate at an unimaginable speed of 460 meters per second? Who brings about the birth of four babies in just one second? Who created 50,000,000,000 galaxies in our universe? Who created 20 million tons of gold in the ocean? 

 

Still doubt the power of Allah? If He can do all these and much more, if He can manage everything in my body and in your's, then really, do you think your problem is too big for Allah to handle?

 

Know who Allah is. Know His power and ability. So when you ask Duaa from Allah the next time, don't allow any doubt to creep in. Know the power of the One you are asking from. And if you've asked Him and your Duaa hasn't been granted, understand that if the Controller of the heavens and earth knows it's best for that Duaa to be answered in a different way, then trust that as well. After all, what more security do we need after knowing that our matters are in total control with Allah. He has our whole life planned out. 

"To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills (and plans)." Quran 42:49

اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْن، ٍ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لا إِلَهََ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ.

 ‘O Allah, it is Your mercy that I hope for, so do not leave me in charge of my affairs even for a blink of an eye and rectify for me all of my affairs. None has the right to be worshipped except You.’
 

"NO WAY WILL I MARRY A NIQABI!"

Niqabis live a life of pressure, let me tell you that, particularly if you happen to live in a non-Muslim country. On one side, you've got people calling you a 'Terrorist! Take Cover!" and the classic "Go back to your own country" (Well thank you, I'm already in my own country). And on the other side it's the pressure from the family "Oh come on, you're too young to wear the Niqab. Enjoy your life more" and of course, the pressure of the world in general... 

 

Niqabis - relatable much?

So anyway, I'm going a bit personal today. And I'll get right into it. Why is it so difficult for a Niqabi to be married? Or I had better rephrase it- Why do Muslim men not want to marry Niqabis? 

I've had the answer to this question in the most bizzare ways. Let me highlight it here.

It's taboo

Actually, a matchmaker told this to my mother. And my mother was just lost for words. I mean, back in the day when the Sahaba women covered their faces, would anyone have told it straight at their faces that it's taboo? Seriously, when did obeying Allah and doing something for Him become taboo? 

It's too extreme

 

So yes, in today's world where the more skin you show, the more free you are, I guess they've got a point in saying Niqabis are extreme. I mean, look at it this way: They choose to be extremely modest so yeah, if you don't want to marry a Niqabi, then it's a valid point you've given. Too extreme indeed.

She's disgusting when she eats out

This again is what a matchmaker told my mother. So apparently, this particular groom was utterly disgusted with the phenomenon of a Niqabi lifting her Niqab to eat her food at the restaurant. Say we Niqabis actually eat disgusting, then how would you know your future wife is going to be a decent eater. I mean, not all people eat decently, right? So what's the big deal? 

 

And umm, since when did our eating become you problem?

She won't talk to guests when they come over after marriage

So apparently, this is how they think we Niqabis are going to react when guests come over

 

... When in fact, we're going to be pretty much like this

 

I mean seriously, do you think that just by wearing the Niqab, we transform into cold-blooded human being that can't tolerate to stay with others? Like, seriously? 

 

So the matchmakers have now started telling my mother that she should ask my sister to remove her Niqab if she has to get married. SubhanAllah, see what the Muslim Ummah is coming to! Of course, it was a flat no because even if it means not getting married, why should we compromise on our values of wearing the Niqab just because someone else doesn't like it? 

 

But you know what- this is a test. Niqabis in my country especially have a real hard time getting married because most men nowadays apparently don't like their wives being covered. Less Hijab she has, the greater her chances of marriage are.

 

But Allah is the one who has already chosen who is to get married to whom. And because we are wearing the Niqab in obedience to Allah, do you think Allah is just going to abandon you like that? He will test you and see if you will take off the Niqab (which unfortunately I've seen many Niqabis do) and if you persist in doing what you are doing, then In sha Allah, when the time is right, Allah will give the best partner. Don't despair dear Niqabis :)

And as a final note, here goes:

 

THE JOURNEY OF A YOUNG NIQAABI

 

GUEST POST

 



 

'Sinners judge sinners for sinning differently'  - a phrase that I'm sure almost all of us have seen before.

 

Well if you don't know what it means, I'd love to enlighten you.

 

You see, it's the twenty first century and almost everyone can't help but judge the next person; we look at everyone's clothes, their social standing, their relationship status, who they associate themselves with, the acts they do in public and sometimes even try and pry into what they do in private. We judge people for the sins they might have committed and we love to share our newfound information with others, yet if someone were to share our sins with people, we might never feel like leaving our homes.

 

When people suddenly take a step in deen, we classify them as acting 'too holy'  or being a 'show off' yet if we take a step in deen, we might want to tell it to the world or keep it to ourselves. But buttercup, the thing is people's sins and people's good deeds are between them and Allah and our sins and our good deeds are between us and Allah.

 

Let me tell you about my journey and allow you to understand my rant above.

 

Well you see, growing up, my mum wouldn't ever allow me to wear sleeveless clothing or even knee high shorts. I never wore a dress without a leggings or pants underneath and if we were to go out at night I wasn't allowed to leave without a scarf.

 

I always thought it was embarrassing because other people my age or even few years older would wear mini skirts and have their hair loose all night. They were allowed to wear anything anytime. When we attended family occasions I felt odd, all my cousins would be in revealing clothes and I knew they also spoke about what I was wearing. From the age of 10 my mum would try and get me into a scarf as much as possible, and every time I got the opportunity I'd rip it off so fast. When we went on vacation or even to the pool, unlike everyone my age, I wore  'appropriate' clothing and I started to hate it even more and more.

 

Months before my 13th birthday, my family was fortunate enough to be able to go for umrah. During the journey I was only allowed to wear a jilbab out of the hotel. My mum made sure I didn't show a strand of hair.

 

Eventually when I reached the age of puberty, it was a year later than most of the girls in my class, my mum declared it that I can't leave the house without hijab, so I swindled my way about and would roll up my long sleeved clothing and let a little hair show. I would try and get a skinnier jeans or a shorter t-shirt. This went on for what seemed like horrible and long time.

 

In the beginning of 2016, my mum took me shopping to buy new clothes and swim wear for the vacation were going to take. And so I bought clothes, I bought really loose pants, long shirts, loose long sleeve tops and less skinnier jeans. The Friday before we left for our vacation, my mum pulled out a huge packet of black scarfs and told me to take some new ones. While picking the scarfs I came across a niqaab that my mum wore while we went for umrah. Messing around I tried it on and even laughed at how it looked on me. During that vacation, I wore figure fitting swimwear everyday to the beach and I wore tights a few times.

 

It was two weeks after I returned from the vacation, a Monday night, I entered the shower to take a ghusal and while in the shower I thought back to the day I tried on the niqaab.

And during my moment in the shower I remembered something that I learnt from an extra islamiaat class that my mum and I attended. Our teacher spoke about how when Allah chooses to guide somebody, that person should grip onto that thought of increasing their imaan so quickly that it won't even have a chance to move away.

 

So in that shower I gripped onto mine and decided that no matter what. I was going to go into niqaab.

 

When I came out of the bathroom I performed my maghrab salaah and proceeded to message the only niqaabi friend I had at that moment and told her the great news. I don't even think she knows how much our whatsapp conversation helped me with my journey into niqaab.

 

That night I randomly mentioned it to my mum and to the rest of my family. I don't think they were totally ready to hear what I had to say but I didn't let anything bad enter my ears.

 

And so the next morning February 2nd 2016 I started my journey of niqaab.

 

When people seen me at the initial stages they would say ''I wouldn't fully commit to it if I were you. Just try it out for a week or two. You are only 15 years old after all.'' I would just smile and nod at them but deep down in my heart I was saying to myself ''no matter what anybody tells me, I'm not wearing my niqaab for a week or two, I'm going to wear niqaab my whole life''.

 

And so I did it. Almost 11 months down the line and الحمد لله I have never had the thought of ever leaving my journey of niqaab.

 

When people bring up the question "Why did you go into niqaab?" I feel as though I can not really give them the answer they want to hear. But the real reason I went into niqaab is only because my Allah is the most majestic. If it were not for Allah the most high, I certainly  would have never been in niqaab.

 

I feel so safe and so modest with my niqaab on. Yes, I still have weak points of my imaan. And yes, I think my journey of niqaab has strengthened some parts of my imaan. But now when I now see someone with proper hijab, niqaab or even the burqa, I admire them for the strength they have, and when I see people who have not yet reached the level where others have, I admire them for still making an effort,.I am not the one to judge anyone. We all have our own struggles and our struggles do not need to be spoken about in a gossip column or anywhere else for that matter.

We should all just thank Allah for what he has given us and continue making dua for ourselves and one another.

 

And well here I am. I young niqaabi who is still in school, and has not let the media, family, friends, community and the world have a bad influence my decision of niqaab.

 

Also I am grateful to my wonderful mum for keeping up with such a difficult child like me and making sure that I went into hijaab. And I'm extremely grateful to Allah for everything including my wonderful mum.

 

- Zainab from South Africa

 

 

If you would like to share your Hijab or Niqab stories or experiences, send us an email on niqablovers@gmail.com and share your story to inspire Muslimahs all over!

 

* Click here to read other inspirations stories from other sisters, just like you: Guest Posts

 

"I'M GOING TO HAVE 50 BROTHERS IN JANNAH!"

The other day, my sisters are I (4 in total Alhamdulillah) were talking about how awesome it would be to have a brother. People actually call us a 'ladies hostel' because that's how many ladies we have at home lol so we were moaning about not having a brother. And then my sister was like, "I'm going to have 50 brothers in Jannah!" :)

And you know what? It's true. This Dunya, we don't get everything we want here and life isn't perfect. But, so what? If we live by the Quran and Sunnah, in obedience to Allah, then we can have everything we want in Jannah, In sha Allah, where the blessings are such that no eye has ever seen or no mind has ever perceived.

So it's ok if you didn't get that dress you couldn't afford- you can have something far more amazing in Jannah. It's alright if your skin isn't that perfect here- it'll be flawless in Jannah. It's ok if your life is not perfect here- it'll be complete in Jannah. And it's ok if I don't have a brother here. I can have not 50 but even 500 if I want in Jannah (probably too much to handle I guess?)

Oh and by the way, I recently created an Instagram account. I was playing around with my sisters' accounts and finally decided that I was going to have one of the own so here I am. Please give me a follow. My username is niqabi_nuances. Link here: www.instagram.com/niqabi_nuances

TALK TO ALLAH. BREAK FREE

 

Let me tell you of someone who is better than your best friend

Those moment when we feel depressed, often for reasons we can't properly explain even, we yearn to talk to someone about how we feel. In those times we feel so low that we desperately want to talk to anyone, anyone who will listen, we forget that we have someone with us all the time, the All Hearing, the One who hears us all the time.

We pour our hearts out to people who hardly pay any attention to us, or even if they do, they will never understand us completely. They may judge us, consider us to be stupid even, but yet, in our desperation to just talk, we are willing to speak our thoughts out to people, forgetting that there is someone out there who understands you so totally because He is the One who created you.

We have a deep secret in our hearts that we don't want to tell anyone but to just get it out of our chest, we confide in people who will sometimes even betray our secrets, forgetting that there is someone out there with whom your secrets are totally safe.

We seek ways out of our problems that we are willing to ask help from people, forgetting that the one who put us in that situation is the only One who can get us out of it. Forgetting that the entire heavens and the earth function by His will and for Him to bring us out of our problem, all it takes is a simple word - "Be" and it is.

We get depressed because we have no sister, no mother, no friend, no family with whom we can talk to freely about - our fears, our wishes, our thoughts, even the most random ones... But you know what? Even if you forget it, there is always someone out there who is watching out for you. The only One who takes care of you and looks after you, even while you are asleep. Your Lord, the Most Compassionate, the most Understanding.

Pour your heart out to Him. Tell Him your secrets. Tell Him what your afraid of. Tell Him about what you want. Tell Him anything and everything. Because He just as we love to be heard, He loves to listen to us. He is the best friend you can ever have. The One who totally understands. The One who knows you inside out. The One who looks after you in those times when you don't look after your own self. Your Lord, the Most Gentle, the Most Kind. The One who is so, so close to you. The One who hears every ache in your heart. Every unsaid feeling. Everything.

 

So what's there to hide from Him? Feel free to talk to Him. And when you do so, feel yourself tearing free of the shackles of this world, your soul rejoicing in confiding with Allah - the One who created you.

 

Allah hears. Allah knows. Allah understands.

"And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein"

Quran 50:16