The struggles I’ve had with hijab were definitely more during the first few weeks of wearing it, but now I have gotten more comfortable with it and it has become a part of me, just like my actual hair. Which is something that I feel is very important. A lot of people say that just because a female wears a hijab, burka, niqab etc. and a male has a beard or wears Islamic clothing doesn’t mean they are perfect which, can be true and God only knows who we really are and what our hearts contain. But it also applies vice versa; if a male or female doesn’t represent himself or herself as a Muslim (by their outward appearance) doesn’t mean they are sinful, horrible people. First, only Allah (swt) can judge, and second, they could be very righteous, pious people, they may just keep their relationship with God personal & don’t feel like they have to dress a certain way and that’s totally fine in my opinion. That being said, me wearing hijab means that I am ready to let go of my worldly desires as much as I can and start working towards Jannah aka (afterlife/paradise/ heaven) if we work hard in this world, we will receive the fruits of our labor abiding therein eternally, in sha Allah. Alhumdulilah after truly internalizing this idea I finally understood the purpose of life. This illusion of temporary happiness. This test. all made sense. After that little things like straightening my hair or painting my nails became of less importance, don’t get me wrong it’s fun to dress up but there were other things that needed more attention, like my character and intentions in everything I did cause I finally had a wake up call that God was watching me this whole time, I can’t hide from him and I will be held accountable for my actions. Sorry to sound so serious but it is a serious topic and we often, feel like we have time to give to charity, make hajj, make up our fasts, pray, read Quran and anything else that we push aside because were too busy chasing our worldly desires.
January 11, 2013
Struggling for the sake of Allah (swt) - Worth it! :)
The struggles I’ve had with hijab were definitely more during the first few weeks of wearing it, but now I have gotten more comfortable with it and it has become a part of me, just like my actual hair. Which is something that I feel is very important. A lot of people say that just because a female wears a hijab, burka, niqab etc. and a male has a beard or wears Islamic clothing doesn’t mean they are perfect which, can be true and God only knows who we really are and what our hearts contain. But it also applies vice versa; if a male or female doesn’t represent himself or herself as a Muslim (by their outward appearance) doesn’t mean they are sinful, horrible people. First, only Allah (swt) can judge, and second, they could be very righteous, pious people, they may just keep their relationship with God personal & don’t feel like they have to dress a certain way and that’s totally fine in my opinion. That being said, me wearing hijab means that I am ready to let go of my worldly desires as much as I can and start working towards Jannah aka (afterlife/paradise/ heaven) if we work hard in this world, we will receive the fruits of our labor abiding therein eternally, in sha Allah. Alhumdulilah after truly internalizing this idea I finally understood the purpose of life. This illusion of temporary happiness. This test. all made sense. After that little things like straightening my hair or painting my nails became of less importance, don’t get me wrong it’s fun to dress up but there were other things that needed more attention, like my character and intentions in everything I did cause I finally had a wake up call that God was watching me this whole time, I can’t hide from him and I will be held accountable for my actions. Sorry to sound so serious but it is a serious topic and we often, feel like we have time to give to charity, make hajj, make up our fasts, pray, read Quran and anything else that we push aside because were too busy chasing our worldly desires.
Ruzina's Hijab Story
As-salaamu 'alaykum everyone! Alhumdulilah I started wearing the “best decision I’ve ever made” hijab right
before I started college and Alhumdulilah I wasn’t the only one starting alone,
a few other girls in my town who have also posted on this blog, started at
around the same time. Even though I didn’t interact with them daily it was
still nice to know they were there walking around campus or just somewhere in
Tyler in their cute modest outfits representing Islam with meJ. I too always knew I
wanted to wear hijab one day and my ultimate reason was that I didn’t want to
die without having my hair covered, whether it be at that moment while I was “uncovered”
that I died or any other moment. I would feel a whole lot better facing my Lord
if I had taken the big step before it was too late.
Alhumdulilah over the last few years I’ve learned
sooo much about Islam, a religion I was just simply following the best I could
by what I knew until I moved down to Tyler, Texas from Crystal Lake, Illinois
about 3 years ago. It has been a whole process of learning, reflecting and
acting, and today Alhumdulilah my iman has increased so much, but of course I’m
still not perfect. I felt that if I believe in Islam which subhanAllah makes
more than enough sense and I’m proud to be a Muslim why not wear hijab? Why
wait until I’m married and have kids like it’s something I can only accomplish
later in life. Another reason on the very long list of why I should wear hijab
was that if little girls ages 11,12,13 and younger were wearing it, WOW good
for them, if they can wear it I can wear it too. Also I was tired of going out
wherever, whenever and having to always be conscious if anything was showing
that I didn’t want to show or if my hair was okay, eventually I just worked up
the courage and cannot thank Allah (swt) enough for helping me make this
decision. My beautiful mom, may Allah (swt) reward her for being such a great
role model, has been wearing hijab since 2001 and I have walked around with her
for years in public next to her and thankfully she has never gotten any stares
or rude comments in all her years wearing it.
Also some of my best friends wear hijab and they are always an
inspiration to me, may Allah (swt) reward them as well.
Over the last year or so I would try hijabs on and
let me tell you it gave me the best feeling ever, a feeling of security and
just pure happiness. I know every hijabi says that but honestly that’s the best
way to describe it! And you can have so much fun with it as I’m sure some of
you have already seen, its like a whole new world of fashion! But I try not to
overdue do it and I’m still figuring out exactly what kind of styles are best
for me, my closet is currently a collection of anything and everything….so yea..
it’s a work in progress!
I have worn it for about half a year now I can
honestly say it is not that hard, yea there are little things that get to me
sometimes but at the end of the day I still get to come home and take it off in
the comfort of my own home or just around girlfriends knowing that every second
I wear it I am pleasing my creator and that’s what matters the most:) If you
are thinking to wear hijab do it for you and your Lord, don’t do it for anyone
else and take your time, just as other girls have suggested, take baby steps
and when the time is right in sha Allah, Allah will give you confidence and
protection like the precious pearl you are!
Looking forward to posting more and reading
everyone else’s stories! Take care!
--Ruzina
January 3, 2013
#TheStruggleIsRealllllll
Salam and Happy New Years!
People always ask me what the biggest struggle was that I had to face when I first started wearing my hijab. Alhamdulillah I haven't faced any racial issues (yet) but I have had trouble deciding what hijab style suited my face. The way I treat my hijab is the same way I would treat my hair. If you can't leave the house with your hair looking ratchet, you shouldn't leave the house with your hijab looking ratchet! LOL JK, but really doe..
I remember pretty much crying to Sobia over Facebook and complaining to her about how I could not find a hijab style for myself. Staying up late at night watching YouTube tutorials never helped me because my hijab never turned out how it looked on the screen. Should I show my hijab cap? Should I not? Plus, I was introduced to SO many different hijab materials that I wanted to pull my hair out.
There were days where I would just sit in front of the mirror and just stare at myself. I thought that I would never find a hijab style that didn't make my face look fat, wasn't flopping everywhere and I most def would never learn how to wear it neatly. Not even going to lie, there were even some points that I thought that maybe juuuuust maybe I made the hijab decision a little too early. But I promise you that was the Shaitan talking!
Alhamdulillah after many MANY days and months of practice, I finally found for me. I wear the really thin scarves that I can wrap around easily around my head. They stay in place and are oh so comfortable.
Everyone has different struggles with their hijab and it's definitely not easy but Alhamdulillah it's worth it in the end. Remember, practice makes perfect and don't be afraid to try different styles out!
XOXO-
Ghina
Leena's Struggle with Hijab
Salam everyone! :) this week's topic is: The Struggles I've Faced and Overcome with Hijab.
So far, Ive had my good days as well as tearful, stressful ones, but I've found ways to make myself feel better, boost my self esteem, and overcome minor obstacles since I started wearing a head scarf! I'll just talk about one of my biggest struggles this time. I hope you can relate and benefit from my advice :)
What on earth do I wear to the gym? Even before I started wearing hijab, this question haunted me and made me sick to my stomach. I love to exercise! I go to a lot of group classes at the gym where I have gotten to know my teachers and the regulars. I had nightmares of myself in a cardio class with my hijab flying across the room and my long sleeves dripping a puddle of sweat on the wood floor beneath me.
I already wore yoga pants to my classes so I started by wearing long sleeves to the gym (in the 100 degree summer weather I might add.) Even without a head scarf people made comments. "Aren't you hot?" I blew it off and told them I liked to sweat. What else was I going to say? "No I'm actually quite chilly, thanks :)"???
After I felt comfortable wearing long sleeves and pants to the gym, Ramadan was around the corner and I was determined to wear hijab. I was just going to have to make it work and stop making excuses. The first time, I threw a scarf around my head, and walked inside the gym until I got to the room where the classes are held. As I was setting up my equipment I casually undraped my hijab and we began the class. I just wanted people to see it and not be shocked when I actually did start wearing it for good. I was nervous and didn't know what to do. However I would not recommend doing that! taking off your hijab in public even if you really aren't wearing it yet confuses people and they don't understand what you're doing.
Ramadan started and there was no turning back for me. Everything was going wonderful except for my struggle to find modest gym clothes. I tried wearing just an under scarf and pinning it so it covered all my hair, showing a little bit of my neck with a high cut shirt. It was so slippery that I was pulling it forward the entire class! It was beyond embarrassing! At that point I didn't even want to go back to the gym. But that made me feel fat and even more self conscious! So I spent an entire day figuring out a hijab style I could wear to work out. I finally found one that worked! I even ran laps around my house to test it out so I didn't embarrass myself again ;) This is what I do: I take a cotton hijab bonnet with the ties in the back and covers half your hair? Does anyone know what I'm talking about? If not, comment and I'll post a picture :) Then I take a cotton/viscose hijab (any other material will most likely slip) fold it in half and tie it around my hair like a bandana. I've found neutral colors suit me better and don't shock people as much. (We have to be gentle with the uncultured people who live around here hehe.) Also, I've found really cute and fashionable long sleeve workout shirts that are super thin material and made for runners. I found some at Athleta, Target and LuluLemon. They make many that zip up high enough to cover a little of your neck, so its perfect! Alhamdulillah, Allah has made hijab easy for me :)
Hope that's helped!
I also want to share an outfit of the day with you! I'm wearing lilac jeans from Ann Taylor, a chunky sweater from H&M and a bubble necklace I ordered on Ebay, my shoes are steve madden and my hijab is from Hijab House online! (my new obsession)
December 31, 2012
Uroosa's Hijab Story!
Asalaam alaikum ladies! I look forward to guest blogging for Reveiling Yourself and sharing my experiences! My name is Uroosa, and alhamdulillah I started wearing hijab a few weeks before Ramadan 2012.
Growing up, I was taught that hijab was a beautiful blessing from Allah (SWT). I knew that I wanted to wear the hijab one day- I just didn't know when that day would come. In the perfect, imaginary world in my head, I always pictured myself starting hijab once I was older and had a career and a family.
Earlier this year, I dealt with the sudden passing of my uncle, who was less of an uncle and more of a father and best friend. The cliché saying of "I may not live to see tomorrow" became an all too intense reality. New questions arose in my head. What was I waiting for? I knew I wanted to wear hijab one day, why was I delaying not only something that I wanted, but something that would please my Maker? And I had my hijabification planned for a period in my life that I wasn't guaranteed?
I had tightly wrapped up the idea of wearing hijab with tons of excuses. Like I had excuses for days! I don't know how to wrap a hijab properly. It's too hot in Texas. I'm still young. I can still be modest without covering my hair. I don't want to start wearing it, then take it off. I don't want anyone calling me a (dare I say it?) hoejabi. I can't give hijab the justice it deserves or live up to its' responsibility. I had tons. Alhamdulillah these excuses quickly dropped like it was hot, one by one.
For weeks, I wore a hijab when running errands or going to work just to get myself accustomed to it. At this point, hijab became the center of all my conversations and thoughts- God bless my friends and family who had to put up with me! One day while I was out with a friend, I realized that I didn't want to take it off. Hijab was apart of me now. My parents were pretty surprised that I left the house normal (LOL jk... I've never been normal) and returned lil miss Muhajabah. ;)
When friends and community members caught onto my conversion (lol), I faced a lot of backlash. I received tons of "You sure you're not doing it for the attention?" "Let's see how long you last, I'll give it a month." "So..are you a Ramadan hijabi?" and my personal fav "Oh wow...you were the last person I ever expected to wear a hijab." Sadly, I expected these remarks. I had always kept my Deen very personal. I didn't care to come off as "religious," all that mattered was my intimate relationship with Allah (SWT). I kept my faith so private that my friends would be surprised when I prayed or recited in front of them. This was a problem. I realized that by keeping my faith on the down low, I had been hiding the most beautiful part of my life. I made very conscious efforts to make sure I accepted each comment as motivation to express my inner faith rather than as an insult, which was quite a test of patience for a hot head like me. Hijab blessed me with the opportunity to maintain my personal relationship with God while publicly expressing my faith in a humble manner.
Alhamdulillah with the support of my friends, family, and Allah (SWT), wearing hijab has been one of the greatest decisions of my life. It has brought me indescribably closer to my Deen and continues to everyday.
Peace and blessings,
Uroosa
Growing up, I was taught that hijab was a beautiful blessing from Allah (SWT). I knew that I wanted to wear the hijab one day- I just didn't know when that day would come. In the perfect, imaginary world in my head, I always pictured myself starting hijab once I was older and had a career and a family.
Earlier this year, I dealt with the sudden passing of my uncle, who was less of an uncle and more of a father and best friend. The cliché saying of "I may not live to see tomorrow" became an all too intense reality. New questions arose in my head. What was I waiting for? I knew I wanted to wear hijab one day, why was I delaying not only something that I wanted, but something that would please my Maker? And I had my hijabification planned for a period in my life that I wasn't guaranteed?
I had tightly wrapped up the idea of wearing hijab with tons of excuses. Like I had excuses for days! I don't know how to wrap a hijab properly. It's too hot in Texas. I'm still young. I can still be modest without covering my hair. I don't want to start wearing it, then take it off. I don't want anyone calling me a (dare I say it?) hoejabi. I can't give hijab the justice it deserves or live up to its' responsibility. I had tons. Alhamdulillah these excuses quickly dropped like it was hot, one by one.
For weeks, I wore a hijab when running errands or going to work just to get myself accustomed to it. At this point, hijab became the center of all my conversations and thoughts- God bless my friends and family who had to put up with me! One day while I was out with a friend, I realized that I didn't want to take it off. Hijab was apart of me now. My parents were pretty surprised that I left the house normal (LOL jk... I've never been normal) and returned lil miss Muhajabah. ;)
When friends and community members caught onto my conversion (lol), I faced a lot of backlash. I received tons of "You sure you're not doing it for the attention?" "Let's see how long you last, I'll give it a month." "So..are you a Ramadan hijabi?" and my personal fav "Oh wow...you were the last person I ever expected to wear a hijab." Sadly, I expected these remarks. I had always kept my Deen very personal. I didn't care to come off as "religious," all that mattered was my intimate relationship with Allah (SWT). I kept my faith so private that my friends would be surprised when I prayed or recited in front of them. This was a problem. I realized that by keeping my faith on the down low, I had been hiding the most beautiful part of my life. I made very conscious efforts to make sure I accepted each comment as motivation to express my inner faith rather than as an insult, which was quite a test of patience for a hot head like me. Hijab blessed me with the opportunity to maintain my personal relationship with God while publicly expressing my faith in a humble manner.
Alhamdulillah with the support of my friends, family, and Allah (SWT), wearing hijab has been one of the greatest decisions of my life. It has brought me indescribably closer to my Deen and continues to everyday.
Peace and blessings,
Uroosa
December 26, 2012
The story of Ghina Siddiqui!
Assalamualaikum lovelies! Ghina here and so excited to share with you guys the next few weeks :) First, a little bit about me. Born in Pakistan and raised in Texas y'all! I'm a first year college student with nursing as my major. Haha I know, I know. Nursing. Ew. But turn that frown upside down, I want to work with anesthesia. InshAllah Allah will make that possible in a few years :) I'm absolutely OBSESSED with the Dallas Mavericks and anything that is studded. Purses, shoes, shirts, pants.. Anything!
Now, everyone's personal favorite - THE hijab story. I started wearing the hijab about six months ago and I know everyone tells you that the hijab is one of the best decisions that they've ever made and I'm here to tell you that YES! It is very true! My hijab is such an amazing blessing that I can't even put it into words. Before I started wearing it though, I would come up with a billion excuses as to why I didn't want to wear it. And if you know me at all, you know how much I love my hair heheheee. Lol but I went to Pakistan this past summer and everytime we would go out, my cousins would cover up. I didn't want to be awk in front of them, so I covered myself up with them. My grandparents, uncles, aunts, mom and dad would always praise me and tell me how beautiful I looked in it. But isn't that what family members are supposed to tell you? Mm, yeah I still wasn't convinced. Then on the way back home from Pakistan to America, I made a pros and con list on the plane. The biggest pro that got me was that I would make Allah proud if I wore it. Of course I still miss showing my hair and whatnot, but I would leave all of that in a heartbeat and rather please my Lord. I honestly don't know what I would describe my style as because I can go out with jeans, a cute top, a blazer, some jewelry, and a cute hijab to top it off OR I can go out with a pair of sweats, a tshirt, Nikes and a hijab to match. I'm also so very motivated to help out any sister that is struggling with the hijab :)
XOXO--
Ghina
Also guys, tune in every week because we will a have a different topic to discuss with you guys! The gorgeous Leena posts every Monday, I'll have Wednesdays and Uroosa (whom I know you guys will adore!) will have Fridays. Toodles till next time!
Now, everyone's personal favorite - THE hijab story. I started wearing the hijab about six months ago and I know everyone tells you that the hijab is one of the best decisions that they've ever made and I'm here to tell you that YES! It is very true! My hijab is such an amazing blessing that I can't even put it into words. Before I started wearing it though, I would come up with a billion excuses as to why I didn't want to wear it. And if you know me at all, you know how much I love my hair heheheee. Lol but I went to Pakistan this past summer and everytime we would go out, my cousins would cover up. I didn't want to be awk in front of them, so I covered myself up with them. My grandparents, uncles, aunts, mom and dad would always praise me and tell me how beautiful I looked in it. But isn't that what family members are supposed to tell you? Mm, yeah I still wasn't convinced. Then on the way back home from Pakistan to America, I made a pros and con list on the plane. The biggest pro that got me was that I would make Allah proud if I wore it. Of course I still miss showing my hair and whatnot, but I would leave all of that in a heartbeat and rather please my Lord. I honestly don't know what I would describe my style as because I can go out with jeans, a cute top, a blazer, some jewelry, and a cute hijab to top it off OR I can go out with a pair of sweats, a tshirt, Nikes and a hijab to match. I'm also so very motivated to help out any sister that is struggling with the hijab :)
XOXO--
Ghina
Also guys, tune in every week because we will a have a different topic to discuss with you guys! The gorgeous Leena posts every Monday, I'll have Wednesdays and Uroosa (whom I know you guys will adore!) will have Fridays. Toodles till next time!
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