HER JOURNEY TO HIJAB
Whiles the chat get interesting, Samira chips in the issue of hijab.
“Zulpha dear, about your sudden switch from hijab to turban, and leaving if baby hair out whiles tiring, I am not happy about it as your friend. I have decided to discuss with you so we find common grounds on it and also see what can be done about it.
“Hajia Samira one! zulpha teased. I cover up now, even in the house , I dress like this and my parents are ok with it. Sweet hubby to be is also ok with it, but my Mallama won’t let me rest”.
Oh it’s not like that, you see growing up, hijab, I mean full hijab has been a very key part of my life I have come to love and appreciate, and I would love you feel what I feel towards it as well. My mum put hijab on my head as early as age 2. At age 5 she will pin my hijab below my chin and tell me to roll it over my head. I never stepped out of the house without hijab. Even when I went to senior high school, my uniform felt like an undergarment. Above my knee. sleeveless, and no veil over my neck and head. I tried to get used to it with time but I eventually had to put a hijab coat on it and a small veil for it was not easy doing away with a habit cultivated for years. Actually it started with just the headscarf and it was just fun. My headmistress and I fortunately or unfortunately crossroads at a traffic junction that connected the streets from our homes. She is so strict that, she doesn’t even want to see the uniform with a multi colored cardigan not to mention a ‘hijab’.
Me jumping into a gutter at the sight of her car was the new spice of my school day stories. I then added the coat as a form of disguise, but that was when I was announced at PTA, “the parent of that girl at that junction should warn her daughter to desist from adding things to the uniform”. The excuse was that, the uniform does not match with these scarfs. My mum amidst the audience knew right away this message was for her daughter. (Smiles)
We never had it rough with hijab, the journey has been smooth and the only trying times were the funny moments of colour combinations, and how to switch the designs of our daily of hijab. Our believe in the hijab has never been shaken nor does it look like that in the near future.
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A man follows the religion of his religion; so each one should consider whom he makes his friend” (Abu Dawud)
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(Sakina Enters)
..... girls girls girls, I am so sorry for coming late, you know “supper was late”, the trio joined in....... (smiles😊)
“That is why I love you girls”, she continued as she makes herself comfortable in her seat, “you girls understand me better, so what’s trending?”
We were waiting for you, Zulpha said, it was Samira saying something about hijab.
Mmmm hijab, I hope you girls are not putting me into hell fire before judgement day, “the trio laughed”.
I usually do not like talking about these issues because I do not have the right to either speak good of it or speak bad about it. My parents after reverting to Islam are still trying to catch up with things and for us who auto-revert because they had are more lacking than them. I am still finding my basics about what to believe. What to do and how to do it and many other things. But meeting you girls have been so beneficial for me, I might have never told you but you girls are one of the reasons why I am strong in what I do, you understand my mistakes, help me correct them and teach me new things everyday, my journey in Islam couldn’t have been any perfect and I want to thank you today.
For someone who have spent more than 18years of my life without hijab, these are trying times. From what I read in suratul al-Noor 24:6 and Suratul al-Ahzaab 33:59 I am fully convinced the hijab protects and uplift us more than oppress us like I used to think, I love it when I dress in the hijab now, I feel a sense of belonging and a feeling of confidence, more to it that I cannot mention. I am blessed to belong here and I hope from here going I will strive to do better with my hijab, one step at a time until I observe the full and correct hijab. Continue to be good to me sweethearts, I pray ALLAH bless you with good and God-fearing husbands. (Smiles)
Enough of the emotional drama, cam on say yaay!
We the “don’t judge me Mallam” also have a story to tell, in fact ours is the most exciting, we are the ones who switch from turban to toe level hijab in Ramadan and back to wig on eid day, we believe Allah looks at our hearts and not what we wear, we believe in covering but not loose covering, something to swing the the shape out and a little turban wrap on the head, we do not see it necessary to cover our neck when our breasts are not showing. Do you know that the turban is more expensive than some overall hijabs?
Yes we spend a lot to cover up, but our google sheikhs will not let us have peace. They say we are wrapping and not covering, we should not wear tight jeans, we should not do turban , but a hijab that lowers to our Chest level, to reduce our make-ups and so many do’s and don’ts. But like I said before ALLAH looks at the heart and not how we.......
Samira interrupted Without letting her complete her phrase. Girl, you do not have to call people judges because they tell you to do or not do something. Sometimes it is in our own good interest that we look at suggestions given to us with an open eye, do some research on it if required and proceed to make the best choices for ourselves. Indeed Allah does not look at our looking but our hearts, but remember it is this same ALLAH that revealed an aayat to tell us about our dressing. We can find excuses to make us feel good sometimes, but truth is that, what is right is right, and what is wrong is wrong, we feel the difference and we know the difference that is why there is a day of accounts to our creator. The longer abode is the hereafter so why sacrifice the long comfort for a short seemingly unnoticeable moment.
Zulfa with a lower tone came in, ‘mallama nie! is true ooo, but I will change in shaa Allah’, that is what you say always, said Samira. But you see how some of these guys go about their advices is not the best. they come in the form of an attack on you. Trying to condem you to doom and straight to the bottom of hell. That is what causes the irritation in us and we feel like , if I have to change because you say so, then I am not changing, zulfa lamented.
My dear, leave their habit and mannerism, pick up the truth and go to a good place with it. Do you know this good place I am talking about? Asked Samira. Mecca answered Sakina , Ayi Madina, Zulfa being sarcastic.
Your heart, your heart is this good place that will nurture this truth into something beautiful that others will learn from you without your notice and Allah will bless you without your knowledge and good things will happen to you and you will feel so amazing that all you can say is Alhamdulilah. Samira preached as they laughed over Zulpha’s Sarcasm.
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Writers note:
Live as a traveler
We are all on a journey, as we read, this moment is part of the journey, I might be closer to my destination than you are and vice verse, Amazingly we all do not know. With this journey comes several others and one of it is the journey of the hijab, any Muslim lady you see is on this journey, some are beginning , some in the middle and others at the later. The best you can do for any sister you meet is encourage them no matter the stage of the hijab they have reached. Criticizing and calling them names will only worsen the case.
May we all find the best way to enlightenment.
Aaamin
Your sister
Nuhu Alimatu Sadia
ummi.ug@gmail.com
Ummuabuuha.blogspot.com
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