INSPIRATION FROM THE QURAN

I read this post online, and it really goes on to say how beautiful the Quran is. It's a complete guide... a way of life! Subhanallah!

The Qur'an adjusted your voice by saying: “and lower your voice”. It controlled the pace that you walk in by saying “And be moderate in your walking”. It managed what you look at by saying “And strain not your eyes”. It controlled your hearing by saying “and spy not”. The Qur'an controlled your diet by saying “eat and drink but waste not by extravagance”. Such a book can easily manage your whole life and make you the happiest person on Earth. Give it a chance and you will see!  
 -Shaikh Assim Alhakeem

WE WERE INTERVIEWED!

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu!

We were interviewed by a lovely sister on this blog http://www.ssisters.com. By the way, do check out their website. It's really all about sisters!

So here's the interview:

WHAT PROMPTED THE START OF NIQAB LOVERS BLOG, TWITTER PAGE AND ETC?

The reason I joined Twitter and the reason I’m on Twitter now are totally different. I started off just out of curiosity and it was a personal account. The start of the Niqab Lovers Twitter page was abrupt- that’s the word for it. It all started off after I heard a great lecture by an Aaalim about the Niqab, it’s importance and particularly about the Niqab ban in France and how much the sisters there have to endure. Well, after I heard that lecture, I tweeted something about why people can’t deal with modesty and how they can’t force a woman to remove something she wants to wear. It was through that tweet that I met a sister from a different country and we had a long conversation about the Niqab. Through that, I got to know two other sisters and we all spoke about how we can try and raise awareness about the Niqab and how a woman ought to have the freedom of modesty. Initially, we thought of a Facebook page, but we started a Twitter account. It all happened in less than a few days I suppose, and that’s how we started on Twitter, Alhamdulillah!
As for the Niqab Lovers blog, that wasn’t our initial idea too. A Muslimah sent us a direct message through our Twitter page saying that she’d started a blog and if we have anything to say about the Niqab, to email her and she’ll put it up on her blog. Of course we agreed, but then suddenly, it hit me… Why shouldn’t we start a blog too? We just had so much to talk about the Niqab and the 140 characters on Twitter honestly isn’t enough to express our love for it. Well, the blog was faster than our Niqab Lovers Twitter page- it was all created and set up in a matter of a few hours!

SINCE YOU GUYS PROMOTE THE NIQAB, YOU CERTAINLY WEAR THE NIQAB, SO CAN YOU TELL US WHAT LED YOU TO WEARING THE NIQAB? 

To be frank, nothing lead me to wear the Niqab. For me, it was something natural- something I just felt I had to wear. My mother and sisters were already wearing the Niqab before I started, and from the time I’ve known, I’ve loved the Niqab. I’d spend a whole lot of time in front of the mirror trying out my Mother’s Niqab, and when I finally decided on wearing it, I asked my parents, and they agreed. It was just as simple as that! From that day on, I’ve never looked back. The Niqab has really become part of who I am now, Alhamdulillah!

IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO WEAR THE NIQAB BUT ARE CONSTANTLY TOLD IT'S NOT COMPULSORY OR NECESSARY. CAN YOU SHED A LIGHT INTO THAT SENSITIVE TOPIC?

There is a difference in opinion as to whether the Niqab is compulsory or not, but no Scholar in Islam would ever tell you that the Niqab isn’t something Islamic. Rather, even those who say the Niqab may not be compulsory agree that wearing it is much better. Plus, it’s a Sunnah, and the reward for it is great, Subhanallah! Prophet Muhammad Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam has stated that "He who clings to my Sunnah when my Ummah is corrupt, will receive the Reward of a hundred Martyrs.” (Mishkat).
Ponder over that Hadith for a moment… Wouldn’t you want that reward?
Also sisters remember this. When the Quranic verse about the Hijaab was revealed, the Sahaba women covered their faces immediately. They wasted no time in doing so, and what does this show us? It shows us that they understood the verse to mean covering the face, and while we contemplate for years on whether the Niqab is obligatory or not, the women at the time of Prophet Muhammad Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam wasted absolutely no time in following the Commands of Allah, Subhanallah!
The best example for us, Muslim women, lies in the Ummahatul Mu’mineen and if they covered their faces, what stops us from doing so too? What makes those times any different from now?
The Quranic verses about the Hijaab are clear. Read it, ponder over it and follow what’s prescribed in it:
“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; That they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what is apparent of it and that they should draw their veils over their bosoms.” (Surah Noor 24:31)

"O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (“Jalabib”) veils all over their bodies. That is most convenient that they should be known (as such) and not molested: and Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.” (Surah Al-Ahzab: 59)

If you want to read more about why the Niqab is important in Islam, you can read about it here:
Niqab is necessary in Islam
Is wearing the Niqab obligatory?

The bottom line is, if you want more rewards, if you want to follow a Sunnah, if you want to emulate the Ummahatul Mu’mineen and if you want to attain more closeness to Allah, wear the Niqab.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE OF NIQAB AND HIJAB?

I have probably not done enough, but with Allah’s Help, I’m trying my best. Talking about the proper Hijaab and Niqab with sisters is a touchy subject and honestly, it’s pretty tough to explain to them how we ought to be following it as it should be followed. But hopefully, through our Twitter page and our blog, we can reach out to more people In Sha Allah.
The moment we know the importance of something in Islam, it becomes our responsibility to practice and preach it to others too, so if our posts about the Hijaab and Niqab has managed to bring about a change in at least one Muslimah, our efforts are definitely not wasted, Alhamdulillah!

WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES?

Well, I’ve been called a Ninja plenty of times, but most the time, people just don’t look at my Niqab as though it’s bad thing, which is really good Alhamdulillah! Thankfully, the country I live in have a fair number of Niqaabis so seeing a woman covering her face isn’t something unusual.
I don’t know if I can call this a personal experience because this happened to my sister some time back. However I was there when the incident took place so I can relate to it. When checking our ID cards, a security officer (a non-Muslim) placed his hand over the place where my sister’s photo was printed while checking the details, so that was definitely a lovely experience. To know that there are people out there who respect our Niqaab… It’s really something great!

DOES THE NIQAB AFFECT ACADEMICS OR PROFESSIONAL LIVES? HOW WOULD YOU ADVICE YOUNG ADULTS/TEENAGERS THAT WEAR THE NIQAB TO SCHOOLS AND OFFICES? 

Although a lot of people say this, I don’t think it’s fair to say that the Niqab affects the academic or professional lives of people. I think what really happens is when the academic of professional loves affects the wearing of Niqab. I know it might seem harsh to some of you, but this is where the real test it. If you’re finding it hard to cope with your academic/professional lives, it’s your decision to make. Whether you’re going to sacrifice the Niqab for anything or whether you’ll sacrifice anything for the Niqab. Allah has revealed in the Quran:
“And we have not created man and Jinn expect that they worship Me”. (Al Quran 51: 56)
Worshiping and adhering to the Commands of Allah is our foremost priority. Everything else is secondary.
For all those young Muslimahs who wear the Niqab to schools or offices, remember that so long as you strive to please Allah, Allah will protect you. Don’t you ever worry about what people will say or think about your Niqab. Remember that all that counts at the end of the day is whether or not you have pleased Allah.

AND FOR SISTERS THAT REALLY WANT TO DON THE NIQAB/HIJAB BUT DON'T HAVE TE SUPPORT FROM THEIR FAMILIES. WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE THEM TO DO AND WHAT STEPS WOULD YOU GIVE THEM TO FOLLOW WEARING THE NIQAB WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS?

Firstly, make plenty of Du’aa to Allah. Du’aa can change anything and if you ask Allah to help you in doing something good, there’s no way He’ll let you down. It might take some persuading and it’ll definitely take time for your family to agree, but be patient and ask Allah. He is the only One who can change people and He’s the only One who can helps us when we really need help.
Secondly, let your actions speak. If your family doesn’t agree your wearing the Niqab, let them understand how much you want to do it, and through your actions, show them how much the Niqab means to you.
I know it’s tough to advice sisters who really want to wear the Niqab, and I know that it’s easy for me to simply say ‘Go ahead’. The only advice I can give is that you show your family proof that the Niqab is important in Islam, speak to them about how much you want to wear it and how much it means to you and of course, make lot and lots of Du’aa. And let me assure you, sisters, if you really want to wear the Niqab, no matter how tough it might seem, Allah WILL help you! All it takes is a little patience.

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF WEARING THE NIQAB?
There are so many pros of wearing the Niqab. I don’t know if I can list everything!
For one, the moment you wear the Niqab, it really fills you up with peace, security and tranquility. Trust me when I say that no piece of cloth can ever make you feel more liberated than the Niqab. I really find it appalling that so many people assume that the Niqab oppresses, when in fact wearing it gives you such a sense of freedom and security. Subhanallah!
A lot of people find it tough to lower their gaze, but with the Niqab it’s easy really, Alhamdulillah! Looking at non-mahrams from underneath my Niqab would be so hypocritical, and MashaAllah with Allah’s continuous Help, lowering the gaze is much easier now.
If you want to strengthen your relationship with Allah, the Niqab really helps. Trust me on that too. The reason for this is that you know deep inside of you that you’re wearing it for no one- only for Allah. You’re acknowledging the fact that you’re a slave of Allah- not of people or of fashion statement or trends. You’re letting the world know that your Niqab is something between you and Allah.
Cons of wearing the Niqab… Well I guess there’s only one- it’s tough to eat an ice cream under the Niqab! It gets all sticky and messy!

DO YOU HAVE ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS THAT YOU WANT OUR READERS TO KNOW ABOUT?

Sadly, no. Whenever I’m free, I post on the blog and although I thought of starting a Facebook page some time back, I’m afraid I don’t have the time for it now. Hopefully, Allah opens us some other way through which I can give more Dawah. The Twitter page and blog is all for now. And Alhamdulillah for that!

PARTING WORDS

It’s not all worth pleasing people at the cost of displeasing Allah. I know that the moment we grasp the reality of this fact, our Imaan will naturally be strengthened. This, first of all, is a reminder to me more than to anyone else. If you do something for the sake of Allah alone, give something for the sake of Allah alone and stay away from something for the sake of Allah alone, that’s when we will see real contentment, real peace and real satisfaction. When we do something displeasing to Allah, the guilt will keep biting at us, and we can never find peace in doing something Allah has not permitted for us. Once again, this is a reminder to myself firstly, because we need to be reminded often and we need to keep our Imaan in constant check. Each time we are tempted to sin, may Allah help us to remember this:
“The life of this world is only a (passing) enjoyment, and surely the Hereafter is the abode to settle” (Al Quran 40:39)
We make mistakes, we learn, but we don’t change. If we really want to bring about a change in us, we have to change what is in ourselves. May Allah help us all!

Here's the link to the interview: http://www.ssisters.com/2013/05/18/interview-with-niqablovers/

A MUSLIMAH'S JOURNEY TO ISLAM- INTERVIEW

Bismillahi Rahman Ar-Raheem!

Alhamdulillah, we got the opportunity of interviewing another Muslimah- a revert to Islam who has beautifully explained her journey to Islam. Wallaahi, all the interviews we've done so far have really taught us a lot! From the honour of being a Muslim woman and the importance of our modesty, Imaan and taqwa to the difficulties reverts to Islam has to face and the value of our struggles for the Sake of Allah.... Subhanallah, it has all been exceptionally inspirational!

So, here's another lovely interview for all of you! I should have put it up on the blog at least a week ago, but anyway, here it is. Before we start on the interview, please check out the blog of the Muslimah we interviewed: Grace Through Tawbah. As interesting as this interview was, so is her blog. Do check it out, In Sha Allah.

To the interview now:

TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO ISLAM

Grace Through Tawbah: Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem

My journey to Islam was quite unexpected. I grew up in a devout Evangelical Protestant home, and at the age of 12 I had a bit of a faith crisis, started asking all the big questions "why am I here?" "how do I know my parents' religion is the right one?" "what are the chances that I happened to be born into one of the families on earth that was right?" etc. After reading a Christian doctor's explanation of how we know the Bible is reliable and preserved and the word of God, I settled back into my family's version of Christianity, and really fell in love with it. During my teenage years, I spent my summers teaching kids about the Christian gospel I loved so much, sometimes at my local church where we lived in the U.S., a couple summers back in French Canada where I grew up, and one trip to Kenya where I fell in love with the hot culture. Since childhood, my parents had read me stories about great missionaries of the past, and it was my dream to be a Christian missionary in a similar culture, whether Africa, the Middle East, India, South America anywhere, living in the culture I loved and sharing the gospel I loved. (Did I just use the word "love" five times??)

I've always been obsessed with studying languages, and one day an elder in our church gave me a beautiful green velvet-covered Qur'an with tiny gold plaques on the front, as a souvenir from a business trip to Saudi Arabia. I opened it, all excited, and found that the words inside, although it was the most beautiful script I'd ever seen, were unreadable. So I had to learn it. I went online and looked up resources to learn Arabic, and began studying via websites where I met dozens of Arab Muslims. Our conversations inevitably turned to theology, and while I didn't learn much Arabic, I was determined to convince them that Christianity was the truth and the only way to heaven and God. That was in late 2009.

As we spoke, they began questioning things in ways I'd never thought of before, or questioning things that I'd always wondered about myself, but buried deep down because I was happy in my faith and certain it was right, so I didn't want to worry about the questions. Questions about the Trinity vs tawheed, questions about the preservation of the Bible, questions about forgiveness through blood vs through repentance, questions about original sin and total depravity. By the time September of 2010 rolled around, I had gone from die-hard Christian to almost certain that Christianity was wrong, and though I still wasn't completely convinced of Islam, and still had many questions about it, I was amazed enough by its beauty to give it a try. And being an impulsive, head-strong, naive 18 year old, "giving it a try" meant finding a husband and running away to the Middle East, so that I could be fully immersed in Islam, and study it from the inside out. So I did, and two and a half years later, I've had every question answered and more, and remain very enthusiastic about studying both religions and learning to explain the differences between the two, and the shortcomings of my old faith.

YOU'VE REVERTED TO ISLAM FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW. WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHANGE YOU SEE IN YOURSELF?

Grace Through Tawbah: I'd like to say it's some virtue like humility or haya or something, but that's a work in progress. I think the biggest change has been opening my mind, learning that no matter how right one way seems to me, I've been wrong before - very wrong - and I need to remember that, when I disagree with others. Whether it's being open-minded and willing to go wherever the evidence leads in a matter of fiqh/madh'habs/jurisprudence, e.g. whether niqab is compulsory, or music is forbidden etc., or whether it's learning not to generalize and lump people together when sitting down with someone of a completely different religion, and learning to respect them and get to know their beliefs, and distinctions in schools of thought, so I can deal with them in the best way, I'd like to think I've come a long ways since my days as a die-hard Calvinist. Just like we don't appreciate non-Muslims lumping us together with Sufis and Shiites and Ahmadiyyas etc., and find it a breath of fresh air to sit down with someone who understands and respects those differences, and can address us intelligently, I'm learning to take the time to get to know those distinctions in other religions, and above all, get to know the people behind them, and love and respect them, regardless of their beliefs, so that we can engage each other in dialogue effectively.

YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT YOUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE NIQAB STARTED EVEN BEFORE YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT ISLAM. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT?

Grace Through Tawbah: Sure! I wasn't aware there even was a religion called "Islam" until probably middle school/high school when I had to write a paper on it. When 9/11 happened, we still hadn't moved to the U.S. and it really wasn't a big deal in our community - I didn't know who the alleged perpetrators were, or anything about their supposed ideology. But the veil was something I was aware of from a very young age. Whether it was the women in our Bible story books and Jesus movie that wore them, or the harems of gorgeous Arabian women covering all but one eye in Aladdin-type story books, I thought it was absolutely beautiful. When I was very little - maybe 5 or 6 - I used to take my towel after bath-time, or a scarf, and try different niqab and khimar styles in the mirror, and I always dreamed of playing Mary in the church Christmas pageant, because she got to wear a long khimar-like veil.

For some reason - fitrah I guess :) - I was entranced by its elegance and femininity, and when I began learning about Islam, and realized that this beautiful tradition was still practiced, I got this wild idea that maybe I could actually wear it someday, though it would look pretty weird on a Christian :) About halfway through this period of learning, while I was slowly drifting away from Christianity, I read an article on a Muslim website about why hijab with niqab is preferable to hijab without, and I decided that if I ever converted, I would wear the niqab. And sure enough, three months after I decided to try Islam, I moved to Egypt, and the very next day, before going out to enroll in Arabic classes, I told my fiance's cousin's wife, who I was staying with, also a niqabi, that I wanted to wear niqab/abaya. She dressed me up and I haven't wanted to go back since :)

WHAT WAS THE FIRST VERSE FROM THE QUR'AN THAT YOU READ AND HOW DID IT AFFECT YOU?

Grace Through Tawbah: The first verses, believe it or not, were also the first verses that God revealed to Muhammad, in surah al 'alaq, (96), "Recite in the name of your Lord who created, created man from a clinging substance, recite, and your Lord is the most Generous, Who taught by the pen, taught man that which he knew not." I was reading it for the paper I mentioned earlier, that I wrote in my first year of high school, explaining why the Christian God and Allah are different

At the time, I was completely close-minded, knew nothing about Islam, and simply quoted what other Christians had to say about it (e.g. that it was a pagan moon-god religion), and I firmly believed the Qur'an was from the devil. So even though I noticed a strange rhythm about it, I chalked that up to its satanic origin, and read as little as possible for the paper, focusing on verses like "...most of [the writers of the Bible] follow naught but conjecture.  Surely conjecture will not avail aught against the Truth." (10:36) and "...the Christians say: [Jesus] is the son of Allah.  These are the words of their mouths.  They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before.  Allah’s curse be upon them!  How they are turned away!”" (9:30) I was quoting them simply to get my point across, and never stopped to think about their claims.

When I later was re-introduced to Islam by the Muslims I'd met, and began studying Islam more seriously, I focused more on the logical aspects of doctrine and the verses that spoke to them, as well as asking about verses that Christians claimed were contradictory or fallacious (like the Qur'an supposedly claiming the Trinity is God, Jesus, and Mary, or the "verse of the sword" that people claim means Muslims are called to kill all unbelievers, etc.), rather than reading the Qur'an as a whole. So I really didn't know it very well until I started taking Arabic and tajweed classes in Egypt, and was able to read it in Arabic for myself. At which point I realized it had to be divine, there's no way it could come from an illiterate man. I've since taken the opportunity to read it from cover to cover, and Nouman Ali Khan's tafseer lectures have also been invaluable in helping me make sense of the chaotic translations, and the brilliance of the book (yes, that's the name of one of his lectures, check it out!)

HOW WAS THE REACTION OF YOUR FAMILY WHEN YOU ANNOUNCED YOU ANNOUNCED YOUR CONVERSION?

Grace Through Tawbah: I never told them about my study of Islam leading up to my conversion, because my parents would never have allowed me to speak with Muslims - or any strangers - online. Which is good parenting, but being a headstrong teenager, I went ahead anyways, since hey, I was going to convert them all, right? :) I asked my parents from time to time about things that didn't make sense - original sin, the Trinity, etc. - but when I pressed the issue, they would just get annoyed, thinking I was trying to debate for the sake of debate, and didn't really doubt the doctrines. So when I got to the point of leaving Christianity and deciding to give Islam a try, they had no idea, and I had no idea how to break it to them, because I knew it would turn our family upside-down, to say nothing of my grandparents and aunts and uncles (one side missionaries, Bible school directors, church elders and such, the other side Bible-belt, southern Baptist, KJV-only kind of people). So I kept quiet.

But, having finished high school, the huge pressure to go to Bible school, and the huge pressure of leading a double life (Christian at home and church, Muslim at work and school), made me decide to do something drastic, and just leave it all, find a husband abroad among the Muslims I'd met online, and move to his country and get married (again, crazy teenage reasoning). Right up until the flight, I was still lying awake at night, trying to figure out how on earth to break it to them that I was Muslim, let alone engaged and moving to another country, and in the end, they found out about my planned move via Facebook before I could tell them.

So the reaction was more damage control, trying to convince me I'd be sold into slavery or murdered if I went through with it, and when they realized in the following week that I wasn't just moving, but I'd converted, it was also somewhat more damage control, trying to convince me to stay and talk with church leaders about my doubts. I went ahead and moved anyways, and after a week or so, spoke to them with my fiance about our marriage. They said they'd suspected it by then, and ended up coming to Egypt with my father's two brothers for the wedding party a month or so later. We ended up cancelling it and evacuating them because of the Revolution, but the initial reaction that first week,of complete devastation and heartbreak and ruined lives, while it was horrible at first, eventually subsided and we're slowly re-learning to live together with our different faiths and practices.

TO ANY NON-MUSLIMS READING THIS, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM ABOUT ISLAM?

Grace Through Tawbah: I'd tell them something along the lines of the cliche expression "you're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts". Whether or not you're "in the market" for a religion, I encourage you to learn about the belief systems out there, if for no other reason than to relate better to those who hold them, and have a better foundation for explaining to them - and yourself - why you believe what you believe. And have a little intellectual honesty. Don't write off valid questions or apparent inconsistencies within your own belief system - attack them head-on, and don't evaluate other belief systems based on what you hear from those who hate it, or from the media, or from any other negatively biased source. Go to the religion's texts themselves, and those who are qualified to answer questions you may have about those texts. And read the texts in context - you can come up with the most absurd and horrific teachings when you pull bits of phrases out of their literary and historical contexts.

Islam teaches there is One God, and we are created to worship Him, and that God showed us the importance and means of doing this through various prophets, from Abraham, to Moses, to David, to Jesus, and finally Muhammad, to whom was given a divine Book, whose beauty far surpasses anything written by man, let alone an illiterate one. This Book chronicles the successes and failures of those who went before, explains the gravity of worshiping or failing to worship our Creator using heaven and hell as frames of reference, tangible, physical outcomes of our actions that allude to the all-consuming importance of God, and all is preserved in a literary form which protects it from future corruption. Because every single aspect of life is addressed, there are no questions about what God wants from us, and every single moment is turned into an opportunity to worship Him. Study it. You will find it sensible, appealing to the most natural logic and reason, a religion which stands for justice for the oppressed, liberation for the enslaved, and peace for mankind.

ANY TIPS TO COPE WITH JEERS AND TAUNTS NIQABIS AND HIJABIS HAVE TO FACE, ESPECIALLY IN MUSLIM MINORITY COUNTRIES?

Grace Through Tawbah: Well, above all, remember that you may be the only Muslim that the aggressor ever speaks to, so be prepared to explain not only your veil, but your very religion, to anyone who asks, whether they are trying to insult you, or honestly curious. Read about the character of our Prophet, salAllahu 'alayhi wa salam, especially a book like "Enjoy Your Life" by Sheikh Muhammad Al-'Arifi, to learn from our Prophet's example of the most excellent way to deal with people, including those who mock and insult us.

And when it happens, put those principles into practice. Stand up for yourself, yes, but in a respectful, honorable way, and use the opportunity to spread the message of Islam through your actions, and if possible, your words. From the moment I stepped off the plane moving back to the U.S., I've had dozens of strangers make comments, yell insults, offer words of encouragement, or address questions about the veil and Islam to me (I've compiled a few here), and good or bad, I try not to let them leave with the same view of Islam and Muslim women that they held before our encounter. And if you don't feel up to the task of facing harsh words alone, make sure you bring someone with you when you go out (especially a good idea with the surge in anti-Muslim violence recently). 

WHY DO YOU THINK MUSLIMS WOMEN NOWADAYS HAVE A HARD TIME EMBRACING THAT THE HIJAB/NIQAB IS OBLIGATORY IN ISLAM AND HOW DO YOU THINK MUSLIMS CAN REMEDY THAT?

Grace Through Tawbah: I think it's because we've developed a wrong mindset about Islam. It's so easy to look at Islam as a long list of arbitrary rules that limit our freedom of expression, and ask why would God really care what I wear? When we think about Islam this way, we're going to find every way we can to explain away the "rules", or ignore them completely, because our priorities are wrong. Our only purpose on this earth is to worship our Creator. That's it. Period. And every one of those "rules" are incredibly wise guidelines that will not only make us happier, more peaceful, more successful individuals, but allow us to turn every action and moment into worship.

And as soon as we approach Islam with this mindset, and make worship our only purpose and goal in life, get rid of all our other whims and desires, like being fashionable/pretty/attractive/sexy/etc., we'll find it easier to embrace what's evident in the Qur'an and sunnah. And the hijab is evident. Without going into whether the face veil is mustahabb worship (highly recommended) or fard worship (required), the Qur'an clearly mandates the jilbab (Qur'an 33:59) to cover the whole body loosely, and the khimar (Qur'an 24:31) to cover the chest. God didn't leave any doubt that our entire bodies are to be covered, and in loose garments that hide our form.

And in an era where women's bodies are objectified by society at large, their sexuality exploited to unprecedented degrees, their beauty held to increasingly unrealistic standards, and their value reduced to how successfully their appearance meets those standards, nothing makes more sense than to liberate oneself from it completely, by taking our bodies out of the picture entirely, and forcing the focus onto the truly important aspects of a woman, that make her valuable, and make her human - her intellect and character. You only need to look at the billion-dollar pornography, plastic surgery, makeup, fashion, diet, and advertising industries to see how great a problem this is. To say nothing of the very practical reasons for wearing it, two of which are given in the Qur'an, namely identity and protection - the clear identification of the woman as an honorable and respectable woman, and a Muslim one, and the protection of her sexuality by removing it from the public eye.

TELL US YOUR FAVOURITE QUR'AN VERSE- THE ONE THAT INSPIRES YOU THE MOST

Grace Through Tawbah: I honestly don't have one, or even a favourite passage. I've never had one jump out at me when I'm reading, that sticks with me more than any other. I know it's a cliche answer, but every single verse is loaded with wisdom, and beauty, and meaning, and application for daily life, and to wrench it out of its context, or favor it over any other seems like an exercise in futility. Boring answer, I know :)

A WORD OF ADVICE FOR ALL MUSLIMS IN GENERAL?

Grace Through Tawbah: You're blessed. You're blessed with truth, and you're blessed with the knowledge of why you're here, the very purpose of your existence. Don't waste it. Regardless of your situation here in this life, you hold the keys to success in the afterlife. Don't waste them. You've been given the opportunity to live the most wonderful, beautiful, coherent, comprehensive lifestyle known to mankind. Don't waste it. Make every moment count for eternity. Worship the One who created you.

*          *          *

Inspirational, wasn't it? Jazakallah khair for all your answers sister! May Allah bless you and reward you with the Jannah and fill your life with peace and happiness. Do make Du'aa for her. We're sure that you would have learnt many beneficial things from this, so the least we can do to thank her is make Du'aa for her :)

If you have missed our other interviews, you can check it out here: 

A Lovely Interview With A Lovely Muslimah

The Life Of A Revert- An Eye Opening Interview

Note: If any other Muslim bloggers (sisters only) want to be interviewed, please contact us through niqablovers@gmail.com

THE LIFE OF A REVERT- AN EYE OPENING INTERVIEW

Alhamdulillah, I got another opportunity to interview a Muslimah and to say I learnt a lot from it is really an understatement! The interview was wonderfully insightful and it really gave me a much better understanding of the life of reverts to Islam and of polygamous marriages. 

Please do read this interview right up to the end, because trust me, it'll really enlighten you on so many things! While your at it, do give a follow to her lovely blog. You can check it out here: http://leavesofknowledge.blogspot.com/

HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU ACCEPTED ISLAM?
Journey to Jannah: I was 19.  I became Muslim four months out of high school.

TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU FOUND ISLAM
Journey to Jannah: As a child I was abused by the men in my mother's life, emotionally neglected by my mother, and bullied all throughout school.  I became an Atheist at 7 years old (before that having gone to Sunday School from 1-6 years old when we lived in Maine).  I thought that God was punishing me for some reason or that God just didn't like me and only put me on earth to be a slave for any man who happened to get into a relationship with me.  I ended up becoming suicidal and depressed from 13-18 years old.  I even tried running away twice as a child-once at 14 and once at 18 years old.  I had briefly learned about Islam in sixth grade during our medieval unit in Social Studies when we learned about the five major religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism).  I was 14 when the attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon occurred and that was my second experience with hearing about Islam though of course I didn't know anything about Islam having never seen or met any before in my life.  Like any other American citizen I believed what the media said about Islam-Muslims were terrorists who would kill you if you didn't submit to their religion and will.  I'll be honest and say the bombing of the Twin Towers and Pentagon didn't faze me or affect me at all.  I came home from school and watched a bit of it on the news-I remember it being on like every channel as I had been in Math class during the time of the Twin Towers being hit and our teachers hadn't let us watch the news or explain what was going on.  I found out later that one of the planes had actually flown over OH (the state I live in) before turning to go to some destination and again that didn't faze me.  Well at eighteen I was in a Yahoo chat room (back when Yahoo still had a section on their website for actual chat rooms) and met this 19 year old guy named Imran.   He was from Pakistan and a Muslim.  He began teaching me about Islam and even a bit about his home life and culture as he wanted to marry me but I wasn't ready for marriage at 18 and my mother wouldn't have been pleased that I had married a foreigner so I told him no and we remained friends until I got married and he informed that we would no longer be able to be friends under Islam.  It hurt me having to delete all my male friends (I had some friends in Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco, one in Turkey, one in GA, one in Nevada).  The ones in Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco and Turkey were all Muslims but it was Imran who began teaching me of Islam and I pray Allah (SWT) gives him lots of ajal for that.  Imran wanted me to become Muslim so I did for him because it made him happy.  But I didn't believe in the message of Islam or of Muhammad (SAW) or Allah (SWT).  Later I found out from Ahmed (one of two Ahmeds in Egypt) that I had never been Muslim since I didn't believe in Allah (SWT) or Muhammad (SAW).  I became Christian September 2005 though I didn't accept Christ until June 2006.  At first I was happy being Christian and tried to pray every day.  I actually cried because I felt that finally I had found a religion for me.  But after a while I began to feel that God wasn't listening to me at all and I got a free Bible from some Mormon website.  Now I had already ready the Bible (Genesis, Revelation, some of Exodus) as a child as I had a children's Bible growing up and my mother's old bible.  I didn't understand how Jesus (alayhi salaam) could be God, the son of God, and the Holy Spirit but whenever I asked questions I was pretty much brushed off.  I also went to church for the summer at 15 (at the order of my mother) and didn't enjoy it aside from learning how to make a lizard key chain.  Well I read the ten commandments and for some reason kept reading the first commandment over and over again so it clicked in me somewhere that I was doing something wrong by worshiping Jesus (alayhi salaam) but I wasn't sure what I was doing wrong.  I ended up leaving Christianity because I felt like God wasn't listening to me and began to doubt that faith.  Then I became Agnostic in September 2006 and began looking at other religions.  I originally looked at Hinduism and Sikhism.  I found out from my research that to be a Hindu one must be born into the religion and Sikhism didn't make any sense to me due to the whole belief of reincarnation of the soul until it obtains 100% goodness.  I wasn't even looking at Islam as a religion.  But I slowly began researching it.  I ordered a free Qur'an and some Islamic books and looked at them in my room.  I had been looking up information also at school about Islam when I was supposed to be writing news articles and doing research as my last class was Freelance Journalism which was basically writing the school newspaper.  Then for some reason I became Muslim.  I believe it was Allah (SWT) who led me to Islam and that if it hadn't been for my abuse and bullying as a child I would never have become Muslim.

MOST REVERTS FACE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR FAMILIES ABOUT THEIR FAITH. HOW TOUGH WAS IT FOR YOU?
Journey to Jannah: Being Muslim in a family that hates Islam is very tough.  I still face issues to this day six years later with being the only Muslim in my family.  I knew when I became Muslim that I would have to wear hijab. However I had no access to Muslims, mosques, halal food markets, halal food, or clothing stores.  I had found a clothing store online that sold hijabs and other Muslim clothing but since I had quit my job at 18 years old I didn't have the money to buy anything and had quit receiving allowance at 10 years old. So when I prayed I would throw on my jacket and a hat which I would stuff my hair under and pray.  Now I have no sense of direction whatsoever so I had no clue which way was east (in fact I have to depend on my husband to tell me which way to pray if we are outside).  I had to hide my new religion from my mother and step father.  I had also hidden when I was Christian as well as my family isn't religious and my step father doesn't believe in religion at all.  I had a book called Islam in Focus.  It described different prayers (the funeral prayer and how it differed if it was a child under puberty, a rain prayer, a drought prayer, the eid prayer, a ton of others I don't remember, and of course how to pray.  It also had information on fasting and some other topics).  Well Islam in Focus author didn't exactly explain that Sunnah was optional.  It just had 2 Fard and 2 Sunnah for Fajr; 4 Sunnah, 4 Fard, 2 Sunnah for Dhur; 4 Sunnah, 4 Fard for Asr; 3 Sunnah, 3 Fard for Maghreb; and 4 Sunnah, 4 Fard for Isha.  So I totaled everything up and prayed like this: 4 Fajr, 10 Dhur, 8 Asr, 6 Maghreb, and 8 Isha.  At first I tried to look at the DVD "Pray As You Have Seen Me Pray" and that was difficult trying to pray and look at the DVD to make sure I was doing it correctly.  I also used Islam in Focus for learning how to do Wudu so I would take the book into the bathroom, lay it on the sink and try to do Wudu while looking at the book for instructions and making sure the book didn't get wet.  If mom or my step father came into my room I'd rip off my hat and stop praying as I knew I'd be in trouble.  Then I would go back to praying but since I had lost track of my prayers I did it all over again from the beginning.  So I was often well past one prayer time and into another prayer time by the time I finished the previous prayer.  If we were outside eating at a restaurant when I got home I immediately prayed whatever prayers I had missed due to being outside and then pray whatever prayer it was time for.  Because praying while watching a DVD was hard I quit that and instead tried praying with Islam in Focus in my hands!  I did my best to pray in Arabic which took me forever as I was trying my best to sound it out so that also was part of the reason my prayers were so long and took me well past their allotted time.  Sometimes I prayed in English but it didn't make much of a difference. I had become Muslim during Ramadan.  I knew only that Ramadan consisted of no food and drink during daylight so I tried to fast.  That wasn't easy as I would get sick and feel like I wanted to throw up.  I ended up often giving up due to being so sick that I ended up drinking soda in mid-day to keep from being sick until dinner.  After I got married it was only the last few days of Ramadan so it was easier for me to fast for some reason.  But even today I still get sick during the first two weeks of Ramadan and I get sick when I don't eat so fasting is very hard for me.  I don't think having to fast during Ramadan is something I will ever get used to doing.  Since my husband and I are forcibly separated due to Saudi laws it is hard with me being with my family.  I face issues for wearing hijab, having to wear pants and long sleeve shirts outside in the spring and summer months, not being allowed to eat pork so they have to make different food for me on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, my husband and his family being bashed by my family.  It isn't easy at all.  They still don't know I'm not allowed to not celebrate any of these old holidays with them even though for my family it is one of the few times we see each other. 

HOW DID YOU COPE WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU HAD AFTER ACCEPTING ISLAM? 
Journey to Jannah: Well it's hard.  I get very defensive and upset when my family bashes my husband's family.  I confess I love my in-laws more than my own parents.   My brother mocks me when I pray if I am at my mother's.  When I was studying at The Ohio State University Newark, OH branch I would often cut the rest of Geography 120 during the summer quarter to pray.  That was hard finding a quiet place to pray.  Often I'd pray on the grass or in the Warner Center up on the second floor.  After History 151 spring quarter I would go do Wudu except I hate people staring at me so I would stop wudu if someone came into the bathroom and then continue doing wudu (there is a very small Muslim student population at my old school so no room to pray and nothing set up for Wudu). I would sometimes throw my abaya on as I wanted to get used to walking around in it.  Of course with a backpack on my shoulders my abaya would come up a bit above my ankles which freaked me out as I was worried I was doing something wrong.  I continued wearing sweat shirts and pants so I was often hot under my abaya but I reminded myself that it's better than burning in Hell forever.  If my step dad came to pick me up from school (I don't drive) I'd have to take off my hijab or else my step father wouldn't let me in his truck.  So I'd have my hijab off for like an hour or two waiting for someone to get me from school.  I'd also skip Art EDU in summer quarter to pray Asr prayer.  I figured that prayer was more important than some stupid classes.  I tried to arrange my class schedule so I could have time to pray but it's not easy with how prayer times change every few minutes every day.  So to summarize I guess I just try not to get upset about the problems I face but it isn't easy.  I often take my anger and frustration out on my husband but he's understanding and just tells me not to listen to them because they just want me to become non-Muslim again and go to Hell. 

WHAT'S THE GREATEST CHANGE YOU SEE IN YOURSELF AFTER YOU ACCEPTED ISLAM? 
Journey to Jannah: I feel more at peace and no longer depressed or suicidal since becoming Muslim. 

ANY PARTICULAR HADITH OR QURANIC VERSE THAT REALLY INSPIRES YOU IN ANY SITUATION?
Journey to Jannah: Well I really enjoy listening to Sura Maryam and Sura Yusuf.  As for Hadith I don't really have a favorite.  I don't really have a favorite Qur'an verse either.  

BEING A REVERT, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE "FREEDOM OF WOMEN"?
Journey to Jannah: Well I think "freedom of women" is the ability to be taken seriously for your mind and not your looks.  Let's face it: women are always at competition with each other.  I think the majority of women dress bad to upset other women.  And men don't seem to care about women's mind and just about certain assets.  I think a lot of women don't realize they are being objectified and they have been brainwashed to think this is real 'freedom' so they call Muslim women and girls oppressed.  I think it's hypocrisy to say Muslim women and girls are oppressed but Nuns who wear their clothing are serving God.  Women are worth more than certain assets and I think that partly feminism is what distorted that viewpoint and true assets of women. 

A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE WEST BELIEVE THAT WOMEN IN ISLAM ARE OPPRESSED. DIDN'T THAT BOTHER YOU WHEN YOU WERE THINKING OF REVERTING TO ISLAM? 
Journey to Jannah: I think it is hypocrisy how women who dress in niqab or hijab are 'oppressed' but Nuns are 'serving God'.  Same with if a Muslim has a beard he's a 'terrorist' but a Jew who has a beard is 'religious'.  Pure ignorance on the part of the people.  No that didn't bother me when I was thinking of becoming Muslim. Saving my soul was more important at the the time than going to Hell forever.  It does bother me though to this day.  I get stared at for wearing my hijab in public.  Even have been forced to take it off twice (read my Discrimination post).  I ask those who think all women are brainwashed into becoming Muslims-Have you even met a Muslim woman and talked to her about why she became Muslim?  Or do you choose instead to not use your brains and believe what the media tells you?  Let me say this to all who are out there: Yes there are some Muslim women who are forced to become Muslim.  But if you become Muslim for your spouse than you are not a real Muslim.  You have to believe in your heart and soul in Allah (SWT) as the only God and Muhammad (SAW) as the last and final messenger of Allah (SWT).  Take the time to get know a Muslim woman and not believe what the media-who has their own agenda against Islam-says about Islam.  The only way to know a people is to get to know those people for yourself and you can only do that by going out and meeting them and talking to them.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO COPE WITH HATE TOWARDS ISLAM- AND TO THE WOMEN OF ISLAM AND THEIR HIJAB AND NIQAB IN PARTICULAR?
Journey to Jannah: I think that Muslims need to remember we will be the blessed ones on the Day of Judgment (depending on your deeds Insha Allah) and that this life is a hell for the believers and paradise for the non-believers (non-Muslims).  If we react with anger and violence towards a bunch of ignorant fools who slander Allah (SWT) or Prophet Muhammad (SAW) then we are only proving what the vast masses believe-that we are a religion of violence and I'm sorry if any Muslims get upset with me at this.  Martin Luther King Jr. made his followers put up peaceful protests when they were being hosed down and being sicked upon by dogs during the fight of the Civil Rights in America during the 60s.  When our beloved Prophet (SAW) and his early Ummah was being kicked out of their homes and killed for refusing to go back to the pagan Arabs way of life they resisted peacefully and fled to Madina and Abyssinia.  He did not strike back violently against the people who cursed him and called him a hypocrite and threw garbage at him.  As for the hatred towards women and their hijab and niqab-Sisters remember that our mothers (RA) were the best of women.  Mariam (RA) was the best woman of her period and Allah (SWT) chose her to bear Prophet Isa (alayhi salaam).  As Muslim women and Muslim girls we should strive to follow the example of our mothers (RA), just as the men and boys need to follow the example of the Prophet (SAW) and the Sahaba (RA).  Sisters remember that hijab is an obligation upon you when you reach puberty and that we are told throughout the Qur'an by Allah (SWT) to follow the Apostle.  Following the Apostle means following the Sahih Hadeeth.  It irks me to no end knowing that there are Muslims who say "oh we don't need to follow the Sunnah" or "oh we don't need to wear hijab" or "oh we need to 'reform' Islam" astaghirfullah!  Islam does not NEED to be reinforced. But the Ummah could sure do with being retaught the teachings of our religion in my opinion.  We need to go back to the Qur'an and Sunnah and use those as our guide to teach the future Ummah and once again  (In sha Allah) rise up to be like we used to be for 700 years before our fall.  Sisters remember that you are the blessed ones Insha Allah on the Day of Judgment.  We are queens and princesses and it doesn't matter what people say about us.  Hold your heads up high, make sure your children are raised properly to be good little Ummah, and keep them from the haraam and bad influences of the world.  Give them an education so they can help shape our future.

IF YOU COULD GIVE ONE VERSE OF THE QURAN TO A NON-MUSLIM, WHICH QURANIC VERSE DO YOU THINK WOULD REALLY LEAVE AN IMPACT ON THEM?
Journey to Jannah: [14.23] And those who believe and do good are made to enter gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them by their Lord's permission; their greeting therein is, peace.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, EVEN MUSLIMS, ARE AGAINST THE VERY IDEA OF A POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGE. TELL US YOUR VIEWS IN THIS MATTER? 
Journey to Jannah: I am sorry but this is one thing that really gets to me.  As an American Muslim woman who is one of three wives it annoys me that I as a Muslim woman and a revert can accept polygamy but born Muslim women have issues with it and threaten to divorce their husbands.  Polygamy is legal in Islam.  You CANNOT make something haraam that Allah (SWT) has allowed.  You just can't!  That is why we are mortals and Allah is Allah (SWT).  Allah (SWT) knows what is best for us.  As one of three wives yes there is jealousy between the three of us-women are naturally jealous.  But we accept polygamy as being a right of our husband and know better than to make something haraam that is halal.  Are there 'men' out there who use polygamy for free sex and not for the lawful reasons allowed? Yes but if your husband is a good man who fears Allah (SWT) and can take care of more than one woman then don't be a baby and forbid him from doing so. Let me tell you sisters something.  My husband had a wife before me.  I knew nothing of polygamy being a new Muslim other than that the FLDS practices it.  I didn't even think to research polygamy before becoming Muslim.  Yes I was jealous and it took me 10 months to get used to being another wife because I was thinking with my American upbringing that polygamy is 'disgusting' and 'bad' astaghirfullah!  I did a lot of thinking of the state of the world and finally saw the wisdom of why Allah (SWT) allowed it and never banned it.  I went into this marriage without any second thoughts or hesitation knowing I would be my husband's second wife.  *They later divorced but that's beside the point*.  My husband and I used to watch Al Jazeera during the Saudi/Yemeni war.  It broke my heart to see all the poor Yemeni women and children crowded into tents and dying from malnutrition.  I told my husband he should go to Yemen and marry a poor Yemeni woman to save her from a life of hardship.  Did it bother me that Allah (SWT) allowed polygamy for men?  Yes it did.  So much that I wrote a letter to my husband and  a diary entry.  I cried as I wrote the letter to him.  But I realized I had no right to forbid what Allah (SWT) has allowed.  I then put the diary and letter that was in the diary on the TV and slept on the couch.  My husband woke up the next morning, read the letter and diary entry and woke me up.  He said that he hated seeing me sad and if I didn't want him to marry he wouldn't do so because he would never do anything to hurt me.  I suffer from Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder.  I wanted my husband to be able to have children (we have been TTC #1 for our entire marriage) and I knew that one of the reasons a man can marry again is if his wife is barren and can't give him babies.  I loved my husband so much that I told him to marry another woman.  He likes that about me.  He says I have a big heart and am a compassionate soul and person.  I cannot believe how hard it was to find a woman who would agree to be in a polygamous marriage.   It took us a few months for my husband to find my husband's third wife (he and his first wife divorced last year).  I tried to be nice to my husband's first wife-even making my husband buy her a present from me (that later went to my husband's fourth wife) and bought my husband's third wife a present (it's a gold necklace with a blue gem on it with matching earrings).  My husband's third wife and I get along swimmingly as we have some things in common.  After some issues both of us (myself and my husband's third wife) made him look for another wife (he would never have done so without our permission) and again began a long journey of finding a woman who accept polygamy.  But Alhamdullilah Allah (SWT) brought my husband and his fourth wife together.  Now it is the four of us, (husband, me, his third wife and fourth wife).  I love my sister-wives very much and would do anything for them.  Now would my husband get married again?  No because I know I could not take it if he married another person.  Do I resent my sister-wives? No.  I ask those women who refuse to let their husband get married again.  If you were in a country where your government was oppressive, you had no education because in your culture or country women didn't 'need' an education because they were seen as nothing but breeding stock, would you not want to become the wife of a man who could take care of you or would you rather suffer on the streets and be forced to prostitute yourself in order to survive?  If polygamy was good enough for the Prophets (alayhi salaam) why is not good for the Ummah today?  What makes those times and these times any different?  Polygamy does not become 'invalid' because we (or most of us) are in the 21st century.  We are not better than Allah (SWT).  We are not better than the Prophets (alayhi salaam).  Polygamy can work and does work if all involved are in it together.  It isn’t a death sentence sisters if your husband chooses to get another wife.   Would you rather him go out and commit az-zina and bring home diseases to the marriage bed?  At the same time Muslim brothers polygamy is not an excuse to screw everything that moves!  You are just giving into your urges and in my opinion suck as Muslim men if you don't do polygamy for the right reasons.  Remember that the Prophet (SAW) was married to Lady Khadijah (RA) for all those years and then only after her death did he take all his other wives.  Today and in the past there were and are women who are suffering in the world due to being unable to find a husband who will marry them.  These poor women are often disabled, widowed, divorced, barren and tossed out onto the streets.  These poor women are forced to become wards of the state or prostitute themselves to survive or watch their children slowly die of hunger.  One reason a man can get another wife is to help the widows and orphans whose husbands/fathers are killed in war.  Sisters would you not want the same thing for other women that you yourselves want?  Brothers how would you feel if it was your mother or your grandmother or your sister or your aunt who was cast into the world because no decent Muslim man would marry her?  And your poor sister or mother or grandmother or aunt has to prostitute herself to survive and feed herself.  This brings me to another point.  I am so sick of hearing about so called cultures that see divorced and widowed women as 'lepers' and refuse to marry them-preferring teenage virgins!  Lady Khadijah (RA) was a WIDOW and the Prophet's (SAW) senior!  Many of the Prophet's (SAW) wives (RA) were widows and divorcees!  I think only Lady Aisha (RA) was the only virgin the prophet (SAW) married.  Brothers if you marry a teenager that doesn't mean she'll magically pop out babies.  It doesn't mean she'll be a good wife or a good mother.  At the same time brothers if you practice polygamy please don't treat the wives you already have like crap because they are having trouble conceiving or are barren.  That's just hurting the wives you already have.  Remember that the punishment for not treating your wives fairly on the day of judgment is that you will approach Allah (SWT) with half your body paralyzed!  *Rant over*

ANY SPECIAL MESSAGE YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELL MUSLIMS IN GENERAL?
Journey to Jannah: I fully believe part of the reason we have lost Al Andalus and Palestine is because we listened to the non-Muslims who told us we were weak and fell into doing bad things. I fully believe it is our own fault and it continues to be our fault because instead of uniting under one banner like we did in the days of our glory we have scattered into tons of different stupid sects and continue to fight with ourselves like little children. As Muslims we need to be an example to the rest of our Ummah and to the world. We will never get Al Andalus back or Palestine if we continue to be divided into separate nations and sects. Remember that Sura 6 Verse 159 says to not make yourselves into sects like the Christians and the Jews. Yet we choose to ignore this verse and instead are divided. What purpose does that serve except to divide the Ummah and make us vulnerable to attack. There were no sects until after the time of the Prophet (SAW's) death. What does that say to our children and the future Ummah if we are too busy killing each other to help our suffering brothers and sisters?  As Muslims we need to be an example to our children and the world.  We must come together again under one banner, under the Qur'an and Sunnah and no longer be divided by nation or sect.  I fully believe we would better off if we succeed at overthrowing these monarchies and dictators and elect a new caliphate.  Make the entire Muslim world one country without borders where Muslims can travel without visas or passports.  Only when we are once again united will we stand a chance at getting Al Andalus and Palestine back!  Ummah, sisters and brothers, please remember that if we behave like animals when something doesn't go our way we are driving people from embracing Islam instead of bringing people to Islam (In sha Allah).  Use the Qur'an and Sunnah as your teachers and the Prophet (SAW) and Sahaba as your guide to show the world we are not an evil religion and not people to be feared.  I ask that every Muslim think about why are we so attracted to this world instead of striving towards the hereafter and why we choose to follow our own desires and become about 'me me me' instead of helping our brethren who are dying every day in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, etc.  Remember that our children will look to us for guidance and follow our example.  Do we really want our children to grow up in an Ummah where each Muslim only cares about their selves and doesn't care about the plight of the Ummah?  If we do not change ourselves today then how can we expect our children to change the Ummah and how can be a bunch of cowards and refuse to go to the aid of our people who desperately need our help but can't get it because we're more afraid of America, Israel and their allies instead of Allah (SWT)?  Sometimes I think that it would have been better to live in the time when the Muslims ruled half the world and there were no poor people than to live today because I'm sometimes ashamed to be Muslim and ashamed of the Ummah for being so concerned about this world instead of our dying brothers and sisters who cry for help and who seem to care only about this world instead of fearing Allah (SWT) and striving towards Jannah. 

HAS ANYONE BEEN INSPIRED BY THE CHANGE IN YOU AFTER ACCEPTING ISLAM?
Journey to Jannah: No sadly. I think most people think I'm an extremist because I believe it is fard to wear the niqab and do my best to follow the Sahih Hadeeth as well as the Qur'an.

WHAT DO YOU REALLY WISH AND PRAY FOR?
Journey to Jannah: I wish for the Ummah to get their act together and unite into one country again, one great empire and help take back Palestine and Al Andalus.  I wish and pray that Palestine becomes free from Zionists/American control and that the Ummah can come together and bring about great changes for the world.  I wish and pray for a second great Islamic Golden Age when there are no poor people anywhere and everyone flocks to Al Andalus for knowledge.  But sadly I will never be around to see that.  I wish I could build a time machine so I could go back and walk those streets of our kingdom Granada and walk the roads of our great empire when Muslims were smart and cared about others and feared Allah (SWT). 

ANY SPECIAL DU'AA YOU WOULD REQUEST THE READERS TO MAKE FOR YOU?
Journey to Jannah: Not for me.  I do wish the Ummah would pray for Palestine, for Syria and the rest of our Arab brothers and sisters who are in civil wars to topple their corrupt non-Islamic governments.  I wish for the Ummah to think about what I said in this interview and imagine themselves going through the situations our brethren are going through.  I wish for the Ummah to pray for great leaders to rise up and there be another great Ummah, another great Islamic Empire that is another shining light on the world.  For if we fail to unite then we will be destroyed and our teachings forgotten.   I do not want the Ummah to be destroyed or Islam to be snuffed out from the world.  

*          *          *

I did ask if Journey to Jannah wanted the reader to make any Du'aa for her, but she wanted nothing for her- only for the Ummah. Subhanallah! But anyway, do remember her in your Du'aas. She really has put in a lot of effort into answering the questions, and she did it super fast too, MashaAllah! I'm sure all of you would have learnt a lot from the interview, so please make Du'aa for her and her family. May Allah bless her with the best in this world and in the Aakhira too, In sha Allah!

Jazakallah khair for the interview sis! Thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed every single bit of it! May Allah reward you for it!

Note: If any other Muslim bloggers (sisters only) want to be interviewed, please contact us through niqablovers@gmail.com

HIJAB ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

I was browsing through Facebook and I just saw this story. I really had to share it:

A non Muslim woman once barged into a lecture. She was very angry and she was yelling out aloud. She started pointing at the Muslim women, and exclaimed, "Why are they covered?!" 

The speaker said to her, "Well, I see you're covered too. You're wearing clothes and yet you were born naked. Why?"
The women replied after hesitating for a few moments: "Modesty!"

The Shaykh smiled and pointed at her saying 'modesty' and then pointing towards the Muslim women 'more modesty!' 

Kamal El Mekki takes it further but recommends you not to try this for obvious reasons (seriously, don't try it!)
If the argument is that if you're covered, then you are oppressed, and the more uncovered (naked) you are then the more liberated you are. Therefore essentially you could tell a woman: 'Well, I see you're not liberated fully, why don't you liberate yourself some more then?

Transcribed by Fi Allah's Shade from Kamal El Mekki lecture

ADVICE FOR SISTERS WHO ARE THINKING OF WEARING THE NIQAB

MashaAllah, there are so many sisters out there who genuinely love to wear the Niqab but are afraid of wearing it for fear of what people might say. To these sisters, here are a few words of advice:

If you have made the intention of wearing the Niqab, Allah will help you- despite your family's or societies disapproval. What is our purpose in life? To worship none but Allah and this also means to be obedient first and foremost to Allah. The moment you start considering the Niqab, ask yourself just one question: Who should I please- Allah or people?
Once you make that decision, you can follow whether you ought to wear the Niqab or not.
I know sisters, saying it is easy enough. But you know what? Allah can make the difficult easy and the easy difficult. Everything is in His Hands and so long as we place our trust in Him, He and He alone will suffice for us. 

“And whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty) and He will provide him from sources he never could imagine” [Sura At-Talaaq 65:2-3]

My dear sisters, isn't this guarantee from Allah good enough for us? It's true, we might have to face some difficulties, but those will only be tests of Imaan, Taqwa and patience. 
Those sisters whose family are not supportive of their wearing the Niqab, I can only give you consolation from this beautiful Hadith:

Prophet Muhammad sallahau alaihi wasallam said "Whoever sought the pleasure of Allah though it was displeasing to the people then Allah becomes pleased with him, and will make the people please with him, and whoever sought the pleasure of the people though it was displeasing to Allah then Allah becomes displeased with him and will make the people displeased with him" (Ibn Hibban/ Tirmidhi)

This is another great guarantee for us- your family might not accept your Niqab, but if you do it for earning only the pleasure of Allah, even if it costs you your family's displeasure, remember that Allah will make those who were displeased with you, pleased with you, In Sha Allah. Believe in that, accept it and rely on that.

The Hadith mentioned above is a real proof to an incident. A sister I know of really wanted to wear the Niqab but her Mother wouldn't permit her to do so. But MashaAllah, this sister's courage and determination to wear the Niqab was so strong that despite her mother's disapproval, she wore it. Of course, at first her mother scolded her and she had to go through some problems, but do you know what- when Allah wants to help someone, no one and nothing can stop Him. If we are determined on pleasing Allah, He will suffice for us and like that Quranic verse above mentions, "He will make a way for him to get out of every difficulty". So this mother who hated the Niqab, started to admire it after some time, the same women who disapproved of her daughter's Niqab approved of it and in time, her mother became a Niqabi too. Subhanallah!

This story, I'm sure, would be a great source of inspiration for those sisters who are facing difficulties from their families who disapprove of the Niqab. Like I said at the beginning of this post- weigh your options- Please Allah or please people? Through your wearing the Niqab, who knows, you might even inspire your family members who are reluctant of it to wear it someday too, In Sha Allah. And if they do so, you'll be rewarded for it too!

Remember sisters, on the Day of Judgment, it's only you that is going to matter. All the opinion of those around you matter only here- but in the Aakhira we'll come to realize that nothing but Allah's opinion matters. If we realize this fact in this Dunya itself, we can, In Sha Allah, live the live of a true Muslim and a true Mu'min. 

Take the decision that matters. Take the decision that will help you in the Aakhira. Take the decision that will bring for you the Pleasure of Allah. 

A SHORT AND BEAUTIFUL EXPLANATION OF SURAH FATIHAH

I just read a very beautiful Hadith Qudsi today. Thought of sharing it with all of you:

Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu anhu reported: I heard Rasoolullahi sallalahu alaihi wasallam narrating a Hadith Qudsi in which Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'aala has said, "I have divided Surah Fatihah into two halves between Me and My slave, and my slave will receive what he asks. So, when His slave says Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen (Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe), Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says "My slave has praised Me!". 

And when His slave says Arrahmanirraheem (The Compassionate, the Merciful), Allah Subhanahu  Wa Ta'ala says "My slave has extolled Me!" 

And when His slave says Maliki Yaumiddeen (Master of the Day of Judgement), Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says "My slave has glorified Me! (or) entrusted Me!" 

And when His slave says Iyyaka Na'budu was iyyaka nasta'een (You alone do we worship and You alone do we seek for help), Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says "This is between Me and My slave, so whatever he asks, it will be granted. 

And when His slave says Ihdinas Siratal mustaqeem siraatal ladhina an'amta 'alaihim ghairil maghdhubi 'alaihim wa laddaallin (Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favours and not of those who have incurred Your wrath and nor of those who have gone astray), Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says, "This (part of the Surah is exclusively) for My slave and my slave shall receive whatever he has asked for.

[Source: Sahih Muslim]

Do share this lovely Hadith with others too. If they read it and benefit from it, you might be a reason for their showing more Khushoo and devotion in Salah. Let's try our best and remember this when we offer our Salah.