“And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment…” [Surah an-Nur, 24:31]
I will not sugar coat my words. That has been done enough already. It is time that we take the words of Allah 
seriously. Why do we find it difficult to abide by the rules of Allah ? Why do we somehow choose a middle path which looks alright to us on the surface but deep down, we know that it is not “OK”?
Hijabi But Not Hijabi
The ayah mentioned in the beginning is very clear. There is absolutely no ambiguity- Cover yourselves such that you do not reveal anything. But we being the “smart” generation have changed the definition of “reveal”. Let us take a sneak peak at the various trends in the world of hijabis today and find out if we are the Hijabi Barbie :
- “We have covered ourselves!”
We find sisters, covered from head to toe, with nothing other than their face and hands visible. You may ask, “What is the problem?” The issue is that they can be referred to as being covered with clothes, but subhanAllah, the tightness of their clothes leaves nothing to the imagination! Every feature of their body is displayed ‘wrapped’ in tight clothes. And these sisters are quick to retort, “We are not revealing anything!”
The underlying problem seems to be that most of us feel that simply covering our hair with a piece of cloth is called hijaab. No, this is not true.
Take some time and look at how Allah has used words to describe the hijaab for women. He does not simply say ‘dress modestly’, but has also outlined the type of clothes we should be draped in. If you think deeply about the reason for this, you will realize that the definition of modesty varies from culture to culture.
Let us take a simple example from the Asian Sub continent to illustrate this. An Indian woman wearing a saree 1 may consider a girl in a mini skirt as immodest, while forgetting that the saree she herself has draped reveals her entire midriff, back and chest area. But that is the culture of her country and she finds nothing wrong in it! In fact, the saree is a modest dress according to her.
This is how our mind functions and Allah, al-‘Alim, knows our limitations. He has therefore used specific terms such as khimar, 2 jilbab 3 and hijaab 4 to describe the dress code for the Muslimah.
- Hijab and Haya
Another misconception that people usually have about the hijab is that it is something physical. This is not true either. Hijab is the veil that has to be drawn over our body, our behavior and our speech. If we observe the proper ‘physical’ rules of hijab, yet have no constraint on our deeds and actions, and involve in haraam activities, what purpose has the covering served?
- The Camel Hump Trend
I immediately remember my cousin when this topic is raised. She was visiting the Gulf (where this trend is quite common) and the first thing she told me was; “Now I understand what the camel hump is, which the Prophet 
referred to in his hadith.” 5
We need to ask ourselves the question that who are we trying to please, Allah or others? The humps on our head get higher, the makeup gets heavier, the perfume gets denser, the clothes get tighter, yet we claim we are in hijaab. Is our hijaab making every glance turn in our direction? Is our attire dissuading people to look at us or is it inviting them? There is no special jury verdict required for this question!
Our hijaab should automatically create a sense of haya in us. We are not an item on public display for people to look and admire. Allah has blessed us with internal and external beauty to preserve and not to be tarnished. If we are truly dressed in the sense Allah has instructed us to, both internally and externally, people will refrain from even looking at you, let alone harm you. The reasons may differ – some out of respect, some out of disinterest and some out of contempt – but at the end, the purpose is served. You remain protected like a pearl in its shell, beautiful, mesmerizing, radiant and untouched.
Allah highlights another purpose of hijaab in Surah al-Ahzaab, “you will be known”. 6 This is quite interesting. Ibn Katheer in his Tafseer says that, “……it will be known that they are free, and that they are not servants or whores.” 7
Allah has shown us the precise yet subtle manner of being the ambassador of Islam. The hijaab is our uniform, our badge of honor, our pride. We have to hold onto this badge with love, commitment and sincerity and let the world know that we are not suppressed but choose to cover ourselves modestly.
I leave you with this simple question which I need to answer as well:
“If we claim that our hijaab is modest enough and that we are covered appropriately, then why do we put on the loose jalaabeeb 8 available in the prayer rooms before we stand for Salaah? Is Allah watching us only during our Salaah? Do we forget that He continues to watch us even when we leave our homes as “Hijabi Barbies”?”
Please share your thoughts about this article in the comments section below. We would love to hear what you have to say. 🙂
- A sari, saree or shari is a South Asian female garment that consists of a drape varying from five to nine yards (4.57meters to 8.23meters) in length and two to four feet (60 cm to 1.20m) in breadth that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff ↩
- http://www.al-islam.org/hijab-muslim-womens-dress-islamic-or-cultural-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/quran-and-hijab#1-what-meaning-“khumur”-used-verse ↩
- http://www.al-islam.org/hijab-muslim-womens-dress-islamic-or-cultural-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/quran-and-hijab#what-meaning-“jalabib” ↩
- http://www.al-islam.org/hijab-muslim-womens-dress-islamic-or-cultural-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/introduction ↩
- Abu Hurairah relates that the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wasallam said, “There are two categories among the inhabitants of Hell whom I have not encountered. The first are people who carry whips like the tails of cows and beat the people with them. The second are women, clothed yet naked, drawn to licentiousness and enticing others to it, their heads like the swaying humps of camels. They will neither enter Paradise nor even smell its fragrance, though its fragrance can be found to a great distance.” (Sahih Muslim) ↩
- Surah al-Ahzab, 33: 59 ↩
- http://www.alim.org/library/quran/AlQuran-tafsir/TIK/33/59 ↩
- Plural of jilbab ↩
154 replies on “Are you a Hijabi Barbie?”
Masha’Allah! What an inspiring article… “……it will be known that they are free, and that they are not servants or whores.” 7 the part that touched me the most. May Allah SWT in His Infinite Mercy continue to guide and protect you and us all and grant us all the Knowledge and Grace to practice and teach it to others. Ameen Ya Rabbil Alameen!
Ameen! BarakAllaahu feeki sister! 🙂
Bismillaah As salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullaah!
You hit it right on the nail! Thank you so much for sharing this information with the rest of us. Some sisters will almost have a seizure if you explain to them that their clothes are too tight, see-through, or too small and not covering well. Goodness gracious! This can cause a verbal war between sisters due to them being stubborn and defensive about their dress. It’s amazing to see a sister go from covering properly to not covering at all in a heart-beat. It’s a shame it has to be discussed this way. Oh well! Jazaka Allaahu khayr! Baaraka Allaahu feekum!
assalamoalikum SISTER,
i want to ask something related to working muslimah problem. Can you please assiste??
Hijab is the veil that has to be drawn over our body, our behavior and our speech
Yes, it is! 🙂
I agree that hijab ( reference to the scarf only) has become a style statement for certain women. And a lot of the time, young Muslim girls are attracted to wearing it and feel more comfortable if they wear it looking a bit more fashionable.. So, let’s not be quick to judge..(Especially to all those commenting negative things on this post). Hijab is not just the headscarf that you wear on your head, it refers to the overall modesty. Including the character of the person, etc.. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making your hijab a bit stylish ( so long it’s within the boundaries of the Islamic law).. The headscarf is one aspect of the deen for a Muslimah, but let’s not forget the other aspects.. Like having a clean heart with no grudges, good manners and clean intentions which are often forgetten. The so-called hijabi barbie might be fashionable and is supposedly losing its this jewel’s brilliance. But Allah is the only one to judge what her level of modesty really is. I know of many Muslimah who don’t wear hijab, but have more manners and good character than some who even wear niqab.. So give us all the benefit of the doubt.. Cos maybe in Allah’s eyes the non hijab wearing girls and hijabi barbies are more beloved.
Assalamualaikum am
I not so long ago …may be 2 months ago was a so called hijabi Barbie. It didn’t start that way. When I first started wearing hijab, I did follow the rulings on hijab, my clothes were loose, I refrained from adorning my self with make up or jewellery, but as time went on, I became more and more busy with my new job and studies, I rarely had time to reflect on my self. I did the minimum to uphold my faith, ie the 5 pillars…I was still kind and generous as that’s my nature. But as I went shopping buying new clothes, I found I would just buy what was in fashion, as it looked ‘nice’ my clothes started getting tighter but the cloth on my head remained. Notice how I say cloth because I’m sure I stepped out of hijab when my clothes started revealing the shape of my body. But I didn’t give it much thought because, I was busy with the worldly matters and no one around me reminded me. As my clothes got tighter, I know that’s when my emaan got weaker, because my fear of allah swt was not always there. The fact that I would be held accountable for my actions on the day of recommence some how got pushed to the back of my mind which made it easier and care free to continue in my skinny jeans and long line shirt. My excuse was my butts covered, you can’t see my skin…I laugh at my self in shame now when I think back. And I pray to Allah swt that he does not turn his back on me again, and that I never stop calling out to him for protection from the shaytaan and becoming a slave to fashion. That I always remain a slave to our Lord, and only our Lord.
Observing the hijab does not necessarily make you a good person. But it certainly is a major act of worship. Giving to charity does not necessarily make you a good person but it is an act of worship.
Likewise, our sister informing us of the trials of modern day Hijab is an act of worship as she is informing us so that we contemplate on our actions and Inshaallah it will take us closer to allah with contemplation. I did not feel judged, as it was the truth. The hijab is our identity, it should be observed properly so that we don’t confuse the non-Muslims and our younger generation and those sisters of age who should be wearing but are not because they are yet ignorant. And ultimately we are doing the hijab for allah swt, so let’s do it the way we have been asked by our rabb
MashaAllah ,so true may Allah guide us all.
Well said! There is no problem if a girl chooses to wear her hijab in different manners. Of course not! As I commented earlier, girls love to look beautiful. The problem lies when the attempt to become beautiful enters areas which is not allowed in Islam. One such example is the camel hump hijab style. 🙂
Thank you sister/ brother, for pointing that out. Finally.
JazakAllah Khair! 🙂
Asslamalikum Dear writer,
Well this article was more about your personal experiences which I won’t support as you mentioned wearing “jilbab at prayer time” it’s definitely what u witnessed. But this is a very weak example as it does not relate with many other people. Also I think hijab is for Allah and not only to show people that “because I do hijab I am untouched and very good in character” lets come out of what society thinks about us. It’s good to hear your other points about hijab being not very tight etc jazakallah for that. But why would u call someone hijabi Barbie? Lol this doesn’t sound very respectful either. Who gave the right to you to judge those women who are doing hijab or not. Some women who wear hijab are not very good in character while some women who do not are amazing in character and also UNTOUCHED 🙂 so kindly think how ur hurting people with your such sarcastic comments and judgmental articles. Thanks!
[…] al-‘Alim, knows our limitations. He has therefore used specific terms such as khimar, 2 jilbab 3 and hijaab 4 to describe the dress code for the […]
Masha Allah,what an insight, we need to rethink actually.Jazakillah khairan
Wa iyyaki dear Sister. 🙂
Salaam sister,
I am actually a convert only as of May. I like your article but I would love to ask you something. I recently decided to cover in Niqab after a VERY brief marriage. In my heart I choose this because (not to sound conceited) I feel like that way my face looks draws me attention that is not sustainable. Firstly, I feel like I get stared at way less in my Niqab (IN PUBLIC) mind you I live in Texas. When I am at the mosque though I actually get stared at MORE. What do you think about this?
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu Dear Sister!
Alhamdulillah, that He has brought you to Islam. Sister, we will not be questioned by Allah about what others did. He will ask us what we did. We have tried our level best to act in accordance with Allah’s instructions and our reward lies with Him. If they stare at us, for whatever reason, Allahu ‘alam, it is between them and Allah. 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Maa’sha Allah, Words that required to remind us that ‘what actually hijab is?’
Thank you so much!
BarakAllaahu feeki dear sister! 🙂
But has Allah not told us that judging the worth of someone is trespassing on his territory? While I agree with your article, and wear loose things, a sister is a
Sister. We should greet her with open arms and an accepting air, even if she wears tight clothes and makeup.
Assalamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu dear Sister!
I am not judging the ‘worth’ of anyone sister. SubhanAllah, may Allah protect us from doing so. The whole point behind the article is to re-define our standard of hijaab. Of course, as sisters, we love to look beautiful! Allah has put this in us, and alhamdulillah for that. But this beauty is not for the non-mahrams. We need to protect it and keep it safe from the world, just as Allah has instructed us to do.
We do not have the right to judge anyone sister as you said. The maximum that we can do is remind. And the reminder is for me first of all, before anyone else. 🙂
Jazakallahu Khaeran jazahih, it’s been long I have actually been looking for an article of this standard concerning Hijabi. This days people cover from head to toe but their nakedness is revealed. I pray Allaah continue to shape our deeds and actions according to His commandments. Ameen. Assalam alaekum warrahmatullah wabarakatuh.
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
Ameen.
Excellent!fully agreed with you.hijab is not just a dress code but an attitude which a believing woman adopts towards a non mahram!may Allah guides us all towards the right path.ameen.
Ameen! 🙂
May Allah continue to guide all Ummah, Hijab is very important for Muslimah, but the best hijab is their attitude toward each other either Muslim or non Muslim. There are many women who wear hijab from head to toes but their heart ♥ is full of evil. My advise is that Muslimah either with perfect hijab or fashion hijab should act accordingly to Allah commandments, Love one another, Faithful, Honest, Believe in Allah Alone and never hurt anyone, because in the day of Judgment, Allah will not ask about their hijab, Allah will judge everyone according to their work, not by the hijab. (Qur’an 2:277″ Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give zakah will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
Ameen. Hijab is not a choice that we make. It is the command of Allah that women have to cover themselves in a modest manner. As for being ‘evil’ even when ‘covered’, that is something which is between Allah and the person. 🙂
السلام عليكم ورحمت الله, I agree with you 100%. We need to start reflecting and start changing ان شاء الله. جزاك الله خيرا for the article. A great read.
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu!
Wa iyyaki Sister!:)
Assalamu alaikum sister.
Jazakillahu khayran katheeran for the article.
But I am a little bit confused. Some people still refer to sisters who wear loose abayas that are neither plain nor decorated (like the silkroute abayas) with a veil covering upto their chest as not covered. And the ayah above clearly stated that.
Assalamu alaikum sister.
Jazakillahu khayran katheeran for the article.
But I am a little bit confused. Some people still refer to sisters who wear loose abayas that are neither plain nor decorated (like the silkroute abayas) with a veil covering upto their chest as not covered. And the ayah above clearly stated that once the veil is over the chest and adornments are not revealed, then the woman is covered.
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu.
Wa iyyaki. 🙂 Anything that is loose (not revealing your curves), is not very glamorous that it will get the opposite gender to look at you, and the veil covering your chest area completely is fine, in shaa Allah. We can check this for ourselves. It is not difficult at all! 🙂
asalam alaykum warhmatullahi wabarakatuh
wow, that is a beautiful article, may Allah make us steadfast in our beautiful deen. I have written an artilcle about hejab as well, I would love to share it with you. so here it is.
Hijab
Hijab is a symbol of purification of heart, mind and soul. In Islam, a woman is required to wear hijab to protect her modesty and chastity. Hijab is the covering of a Muslim woman from head to toe; the only parts that are allowed to be seen are the face and hands up to the wrist. The condition for wearing hijab is that the cloth should not be too tight, glamorous and see through. In addition, it should not be a sign of another faith, a sign of the opposite gender and should not be perfumed. When a Muslim woman walks she should not stamp her foot on the ground so that it makes a sound and she should have moral Islamic behaviour. All these conditions combined make a hijab. If any of the above is missing it is not a complete hijab.
Firstly, a Muslim woman wears hijab to be recognised as Muslim. Hijab is their identity and they express their belief through their hijab; that they are Muslim and obey Allah. On the other hand, some people with a little or no knowledge about hijab, not knowing the reasons behind wearing the hijab, think that hijab is an oppression of Muslim women because a Muslim woman cannot express her beauty, feelings and personality. Therefore, in some non-Islamic countries there has been some restrictions on hijab. From a Muslim woman’s point of view she can express her feelings and personality but her beauty is not for the world, it is for her husband. They don’t think their beauty should be shared with strangers and with people they don’t know; they feel comfortable to be covered.
Hijab has many benefits. It will protect women’s modesty. As we all know, there are many women and even young girls that have been victims of rape. By wearing hijab it reduces the chances of being raped. Moreover, the benefit of wearing hijab is that it will save a woman from peer-pressure, because they accept themselves as they are and don’t change themselves for others. As a result of that, they will have strong self-esteem. It will also save their money by not following media, fashion or style and not buying expensive make up or clothes. Wearing hijab is financially good for them. In addition to this, wearing hijab can give a peaceful life because a woman will not get unwanted attention from men which she may find uncomfortable, when a man is staring and looking at her.
Wearing hijab can also be beneficial for health as well because a Muslim women is keeping herself covered, which means her skin and hair will be protected and stay in good condition. Wearing hijab can protect women from skin diseases such as skin cancer. A Muslim woman wears hijab to obey the Lord of the universe and her creator (Allah). Therefore she wears her hijab even in summer even though hijab can be very difficult to bear in summer when the climate is hot; it is hard for a Muslim woman to keep cool.
However, some people think that times have changed and people should move on and religious scriptures are now considered as old fashioned, therefore they should not be followed exactly and should be modernised. Moreover, some people can be prejudiced, racist and discriminate against your hijab, and will judge you before they know you. They follow media and don’t know the truth, therefore they have been brain-washed. Muslims believe that Islam is a true religion sent by God (Allah) and the rules will never change until the end of time, no matter how much more advanced the world might get. They want to obey Allah, not people; therefore they give more value to Allah than people’s thoughts.
Some people also do not how to react; they are not racist or prejudiced but they find a Muslim woman very different from others and do not know how to socialise, but hijab should never stop people from interacting with a Muslim woman. It is just a piece of cloth that covers their body. What is wrong with that? Why would a piece of cloth stop people interacting with Muslim women?
In conclusion, wearing hijab has many benefits and it deserves to be worn by Muslim ladies. Sometimes it is difficult to wear, but it is worth it. A Muslim lady wears hijab, for her it is the freedom of expression and if we agree with democracy then there should not be any problem because a Muslim woman chooses to wear hijab. It is her right to follow her religion without any pressure. It is her life she can live it the way she wants, no one can force her to wear it. Her mum, dad, brother or anyone cannot tell her to wear hijab, Allah the creator of heaven and earth has commanded her to wear hijab, so then how can she oppose this?
all best, take care, FiAmmanillah
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
Jazakillah Khair Sister for sharing your article! 🙂 <3
alhamdulillah. thank you sister. a point of reflection..
Alhamdulillah!
Assalamu alaikum sister.
Jazakillahu khayran katheeran for the article. Great reflection for our Sister, Wife, Mother, Daughter to act according to Allah injunction without short-cutting. May Allah make it easy for them to abide by the rules of Allah. Amin
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
Ameen! May Allah make it easy for all of us!
Alhamdulilah Allah give us sisters and brothers to teach us about islam let Allah help us to practise islam and leave happiest life in dunya and akera,jazakellakeir
BarakAllaahu feek!
MA SHA ALLAH..GUD POST SISTER AISHAH..AN INSPIRING ONE!!!!!
BarakAllaahu feeki dear Sister.:)
Loved this article and totally on point. Alot of this comes from not really understanding and knowing who we truly are. Allah SWT has honoured us with Islam, and given us the strength to wear a hijab which is NOT an easy decision to take – especially given the current political climate. So why then is this not enough for us? Allah SWT has given us everything we need to be CONFIDENT Muslimahs – we are not designed for the dunya, rather Allah SWT has chosen us for the akhirah, so doesn’t it make sense to do what you can to follow through with what you started with wearing a hijab? Hijab is supposed to FREE us from the oppression women face in the kuffar lands. Yes, their ‘liberation’ and ’empowerment’ as they like to call it comes from people pleasing, being a certain weight, dressing a certain way etc. To me, this is NOT empowering, rather the total opposite. They are oppressed the values of society which change like the wind. One day its a size zero, the next its curvy.
They can’t even make their own minds up. The bottom line is that hijab was designed to liberate us from all of that. We are slaves of Allah, not slaves of society, and should take our confidence in knowing that Ar-Rahman chose us to be His servants. If that doesn’t give you confidence, then honestly, NOTHING will. Wearing a hijab is about pleasing Allah, so if you are wearing tight clothes, a ton of makeup and a camel hump, you got to ask yourself who are you REALLY trying to please.
Every Muslimah wants to look good – and there is no shame in that, provided its done so according to and within the confines of what Allah SWT has decreed. May Allah make it easy for us all ameen.
Beautifully said dear Sister! 🙂 May Allah make it easy for us to accept His instructions without questioning.
Alhamdulilah sister Aisha Ahmed.
it’s a good reminder indeed. We need this from time to time in order to keep us firm in our belief.
But I get worried anytime I see sisters in this same hijaab with uncultured attitudes. I feel ashamed whenever they misbehave in public, giving rise to a general insult on sisters who also dress like that.
We should be constantly reminded on the need to be of good morals. Physical hijaab without the unseen hijaab is nothing to write home about.
Now we even have sisters using it indiscriminately…. May Allah ease our affairs!
Ameen! Yes, as I tried to highlight in my article, hijab is not only about a piece of cloth on our head. It is about applying the right etiquettes, manners and akhlaq to all aspects of our lives. And this understanding truly emerges only when we absorb the right meaning of hijab. 🙂
Assalamaualaikum sis.
Indeed a very good reminder about the real hijab. Its a beautiful irony that we wear hijab to remain unnoticed and unknown and yet we wear it to be known and identified, as who we are, a Muslimah
If this hijab is followed in letter and spirit, we can look forward to a much better society.
Apart from haya which is ofcourse the prime motive for donning hijab, it cuts through other ostentatious aspects of life, like showing off the material goods that has inevitable transformed us all and especially women into commodities with the branded tag.
Lets say cheers to our long black dress. A must for every Muslimah.
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
Jazakillah Khair dear sister for your thoughtful words! May Allah make it easy for us if we are struggling to ‘adorn’ this instruction of Allah and reward us multiple times over for it! 🙂
Aselamalykum sisters
This very important topic JZK for pointing out the real issues.
You’re correct ; if we can’t pray with the cloth we have on when we came in from outside, we are not covered. simple is that.
May Allah increase our iman. Ameen
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
Jazakillah Khair! 🙂
masha allah sister…. it was such a good article… i feel proud of how i wear my hijab…. alhamdulillah… and may allah guide us and all other muslim girls into observing proper hijab….
Ameen! 🙂
The truth and only the truth! May Allah swt give us enought Faith and strenght to dress exactly as He wishes. There are some among us who are so much afraid of what people say or do, may our Provider help us overcome that ameen. I think that HIJAB, true HIJAB comes when faith comes. Allahou aalam. barakaLahou fiyk to the beloved sister who wrote this article.
Ameen! BarakAllaahu feeki dear Sister!
Dear Ayesha, you have beautifully made a very important point. This hijabi barbie culture is a result of deep down insecurities in women where men want to see women a certain way and the women as a result of cultural oppression think they have to prove their worth by best outer appearance. Sometimes she needs to keep herself that way to keep her husbands attention amongst multiple wives!
To me a man’s attitude towards women drives this behavior after all he is the maintainer and protector of his household!
Well said. 🙂
JazakAllahu khairan for this article. It really increased my insight on hijaab. I have always told myself that when I start wearing the hijab, I should be ready to watch even my utterances. Alhamdulillah. The hijaab has served as a check that sometimes when I do something that goes contrary to Islam, I feel I am not worthy of the hijab I am wearing. That is the bottom line I feel. May the Almighty continue to increase us in eeman and guide us against our desires and shaitan.
BarakAllaahu feeki Sister! Very well said. And ameen to the dua! 🙂
Assalamalekum Dear Sister. Really appreciate your efforts….May Allah swt reward u immensely for it. Muslimahs should know the actual benefits and beauty of Hijab rather than thinking of it to be a uniform or wear it forcefully. On the otherhand we also have Sisters who follow the path of Islam but cant accept the Hijab to be a part of them. The hijab is a Gift from Allah swt, who is the most Loving ( Al-Waduud). What makes muslimahs shy away from Hijab?……what makes them feel it would lower their worth in life? The Christian women who protest against the Hijab….have you ever wondered why they protest? why they r so against a piece of cloth on us? In 1 Corinthians 11:4-16, where St Paul writes:- ” Any man who prays or prophesises with his head covered brings shame upon his head. But any woman who prays or prophesises with her head unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same thing as if she had her head shaved. For if a woman does not have her head veiled, she may as well have her hair cut off, or her head shaved, then she should wear a veil. A man on the other hand, should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man, nor was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason a woman should have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.”
whereas in the Quran we have completely different reasons for hijab , which has been prescribed for both women and men. It is hence very important for us to make non muslims understand the importance of Hijab in Islam , which is completely different in Christianity, and is not accepted easily by Christian women. Women in Islam, when compared to all major religions in world, are given so many rights and respect, a sense of self worth and opportunity to achieve immense knowledge with wisdom. From the time a baby girl is born till the time she matures and becomes a mother, every stage of her life is filled with blessings and love from Allah swt. Parents can enter Jannah if they take good care of their daughters. Best of men are those who are best in behavior with their wives. We better take care of our mothers because under their feet lies jannah. There are innumerable Signs from Allah the Al- Waduud , to understand the importance of women in Islam. May Allah swt guide us on the right path and help us to guide others as well. Ameen
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu Dear Sister!
Ameen. Jazakillah Khair for sharing your thoughts! 🙂
Alhamdulillah*** Nice article and a reminder tooo……
Jazakallah Khair!
Rather depressing article. Just for a second please try and give credit to the girls for sticking a head scarf on so that it immediately signify that they are Muslims thus opens them up to any Islam a phobia around them. Secondly, the ayat is open to interpretation. Some start it off with lower your gaze, you have written cover part of your gaze etc. Then you have to remember that hijab is about modesty and intention of purity for Allah. I wear niqab but have spoken to great Sheihks and learnt more about Arabic linguistics and our history to think that our girls are pretty amazing
Jazakillah Khair Sister for sharing your thoughts! Yes, hijab is all about modesty. As I mentioned in the article, the definition of modesty may vary from person to person, so it is best if we put it through the filters of Allah’s commands to get to the right meaning. And SubhanAllah, I do not have the right to judge anyone, nor would I ever want to do that! This article is a simple reminder to myself first, and then to whoever who wants to take from it. Ultimately, it is all about how Allah has defined the hijab for us and how far are we ready to comply with it.
Thank you sister, I agree. I am a convert to Islam alhamdulillah and have deeply researched the meaning of hijab, embraced it and try to improve it every day in shaa Allah, despite living in France and experiencing lots of discrimination. It is soul destroying for me that when I flee this hatred toward the Muslim community- who promise converts to help, guide, teach and treat me as family- that there is all the more judgement and negativity. People don’t consider ‘Since she has just converted, maybe she doesn’t have that many modest clothes’. Nobody considers how faith filled and inspired I had felt when I thought ‘Ooh I look so modest with my long skirt and shirt’ only to be criticized about the colour or the pattern or something else. Why is how the woman dresses the NUMBER ONE thing we seem to talk about? Is it really that important? Is it more important than praying? No. Its this kind of unhelpful and hurtful judgement ‘hijabi barbie’ that convince me more that my decision to wear hijab is for Allah and myseld. Noone is happy with my best efforts but it doesn’t matter because I need hijab and this is my journey. Maybe these ‘hijabi barbies’ are sometimes struggling more than you think and need warm support instead of condemnation.
Alhamdulillah that He brought you to Islam! 🙂 Sister, every command of Allah is important. Yes, if a person is not praying salaah and not doing hijab, first preference will be given to salah and hijab will follow. As writers, we write about many things, and this is just 1 piece out of the lot. You rightly said that hijab is for us and for Allah. No one is making judgements here sister. It is only about presenting the manner in which hijab should be made. The only factor that is being highlighted in the article is to wear the hijab while staying within the limits prescribed by Allah. Any halal variation done with the hijab is perfectly acceptable! 🙂
Nice reminder sister, May Allah reward you!
And make it easy and doable for our sisters
JazakAllah Khair. Ameen! May Allah make it easy for our brothers to maintain hijab as well.
Alhamdulilah. may Allaah bless you.
Ameen. Wa iyyak.
Very well explained with reference.
Alhamdulillah.
Thanks for the good article Sister,you have really make your mind to educate our Muslim Women,may Allah(swt) reward you for the good job.
Ameen! May Allah guide us to do good always.
Thank you sister I will continue putting on my Hijab because at my work it looks bad to my colleagues who always say Hijab is meant for Old people and not for young ladies like me.Thumbs up for Aisha Ahmed for the wonderful article.
Alhamdulillah! May Allah make it easy for us to follow His instructions. In fact, I feel hijab is very important for the young girls as they are quite attractive in their young years and can draw attention to themselves as opposed to ‘old’ women! 🙂
A really good article indeed. Sometimes we tend to forget the “correct” way of dressing as a muslimah as lately hijabi trending is growing rapidly and not all the sellers are promoting the “correct” way of dressing. Muslimah model’s that they use are dolled up like a barbie and we as a typical women who loves to look beautiful can be easily influenced. So articles like this will be very helpful to all the fashion lovers including the retailers and also the customers as a “reminder”. However, in the end it will depend on our Iman. May Allah protect us all.
Beautifully said Sr. Nadira! <3
Can I take it and translate to russian sis?
Yes, you may in shaa Allah. But please link it back to this article in order to avoid plagiarism issues for IOU.
As salamu alaikum sister.
Jazakhalkahu khairan for sharing knowledge.
I have one doubt sister, is niqab is must for females?
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu dear Sr. Shifa 🙂
Wa iyyaki! Kindly follow this link to answer your question: http://blog.islamiconlineuniversity.com/question/obligation-of-niqaab/
I hope it helps, in shaa Allah. 🙂
Very impressive… The topics u covered in the article.our Muslim girls specially teens and college girls needs to understand this concept..Alhamdullilah iam glad even today there is someone like u who gave word and wants to correct what girls r following.
Alhamdulillah. May Allah make it easy for us to follow His commands. 🙂
Hijabi barbie 🙂 …I’ve heard worse. But keep in mind Not to be judgemental…
Not being judgemental akhi. May Allah save us from doing so! 🙂
Ma Sha Allah hijab is a protection shield for our sisters our mothers and wives and is also Sunnah
So we boys also admire this sunnah so that it can help our sisters to adopt this
Allah may protect our eeman
Aameen
Ameen. May Allah guide our brothers to maintain their hijab as well!
As Salaam alaykum warahmotulillahi wabarakatuh. JazakhiAllah khairan sis for your beautiful message and thanks to everyone one who contributed for or against. If we all agreed to this message then we are all on the right path and there will be no need for such messages or reminders. If we disagree with it, shows we need more of it may Allah forgive and reward us all. Most of us started from different stages before getting there, some people are lucky to start the appropriate way, it is a calling from Allah that can only be achieved by reminders and acceptances. I asked Allah to please increase our Eeman and give u the Taofeek to understand his guidance. I have talked like many of you in the past and I am easy on people talking like this now but praying for Allah’s Hidayah. May Allah grant us the Taofeek to be among the guided. Amiin. I have a video of myself from grass to grace on YouTube and Facebook before I stopped ta king pictures. It was difficult to start but Alhamdulillah! It became very easy and a package with Taqwa, Tawakkul and good manners. May Allah make it easy for us all. This article is only a reminder and I apologise on behalf of the sister if you feel offended but remember if you feel offended by this reminder you need more work doing. I am so sorry to say. It is not easy to revert to Islam without right support but we end up being correct worshippers since we seek for correct knowledge not just what we are born into or assumptions also it is not so easy to drop all those beautiful costume. May Allah forgive me. The question is why are we dropping them? Who are we dropping them for? Why should we dropped them? Where do we start from? Would it change anything in me? In sha Allah there will be answers one day for I was answered . Masalam
Salam alaikum. Jazakallahu khairan for this wonderful piece. May Allah cleanse our hearts, forgive our sins and make us better Muslims who are ready to worship Him in the best of our ability. May aljannah firdaus be our final abode. Amin thumma amin.
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
Ameen!
Hard facts.Hijab should just be that..Hijab..I guess it is the need to belong that may drive a Muslimah towards the wrong prescription of Hijaab.If only they knew the admiration that non Muslims have for the hijaab…n the freedom that comes with it…It is a protection. Alhamdulillah!
Alhamdulillah! Yes, it is a blessing that we have.
actually, i just want to ask, is makeup totally forbidden in Islam? How much makeup is allowed for unmarried/married woman? thanks
You may find this useful, in shaa Allah: http://islamqa.info/en/119359
🙂
Assalamualaikum wbt. I’ve been wearing tight clothes and even with hijaab, which actually looks like hijabi barbie. Since the recent first muharram, I have started to wear only abaya and Alhamdulillah I can feel the difference. Only Allah in my mind, only Rasullullah is my role model. May Allah helps us all in dunya and akhirat Inshallah.
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu dear Sister!
Ameen. May Allah make it easy for us. 🙂
I’m still trying to improve. But I see the change in my heart on when I can walk proud. I wear hijab and modest clothing sometimes jeans not tight but mainly I feel best with abaya. My Italian family is still not accepting and difficult when they visit me in UAE. Dress like us when we are here. my hijab is permanent it was a change that enlighten my heart which happened after three years I had been a muslim. I thank Allah every single day for bringing me to UAE for choosing me to learn islam. I was a muslim in my heart in a place where I always been different and didn’t belong. Thanks for your articles. Would you post some more about the attributes of Allah, the mandatory, the six pillars of Islam and Iman.
Alhamdulillah Sister! Allah is the one who guides us! 🙂
extremely well said. jazakallah…its so inspiring.
Wa iyyaki ukhti! 🙂
assalaam alaikum
great article.
http://islamqa.info/en/47017
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
JazakAllah Khair.
Barakallah !
An inspiring reminder. Time makes us forget the standards and we start doing things as per our convenience and accords neglecting what is actually required. So such reminders are highly needed.
Jazakallah Khayr
Wa iyyaki. Very well said. 🙂
Assalamoalaikum jazak Allah khair for this article. It was long awaited. It has been recent when I started following the hijab. And I must say that the difference I have felt internally is awesome. I have never felt so free and liberated in my life. I feel that I am in control of what other people see me as and that is great. And now people judge me as who I am as opposed to what I look. Alhamdolillah I am forever grateful to Allah for guiding me and may he continue to do so to all of us. In sha Allah
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu.
Ameen. Alhamdulillah sister! May Allah continue to guide the entire ummah to that which pleases Him.
Ma Sha Allah!…This is so interesting! May Almighty Allah continue to ease our affairs..I would just like to ask if wearing of socks is also a condition of wearing the Hijab..As-Saalam-Alaikum.
Ameen! You may find this useful, in shaa Allah: http://islamqa.info/en/153367
🙂
In this day and age, of glamour shot selfies, hokywood makeup, tatooing eye brows, fake eye colour with contact lens. Tge Muslims deserve every bad thing that hapens to them.
It is for Allah to decide what happens to the Muslims. We do not have the right to judge. May Allah protect us from everything that He dislikes.
I’m thankful to u from core of my heart. this article give us new way, confidence I just started wearing Abaya from 5 months I’m very comfortable now I love Hijab Niqab
Alhamdulillah sister! 🙂
What I notice is that the lecture on the use of hijab is like before. People use it for fashion an some use because of religious right. Whereas the ethics of using it need to be thought
Well said.
Salam alaykum,
I agree with the views that we should not judge and should not condemn. Iman is actually a stage thing, everyone is at a different level or stage and there is room for growth, if we rush to condemn then we might discourage someone building on her level. Piety can only be measured by Allah (swt) , Some people can’t live without being fashionable and we can’t blame them for that because that is the way Allah created them. Then amongst the youngsters, using the hijab in the most fashionable way is actually a good way to start them especially for those finding it difficult to wear hijab based on where the live or the school they attend, later when they listen to different daw ah and get into other Islamic programs there hearts will open up and they will be more confident to wear the hijab as a code of conduct rather than a hair cover. Let’s encourage them and educate them in a cool way , asalam alaykum waramotullahi wabarakatu .
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu dear sister.
Well said! I am not being judgemental or ‘condemning’ any sister here. May Allah protect me from doing so. And there is nothing wrong in looking beautiful/being fashionable IF it is within the limits that Allah has set for us. The point of the article is not to criticise any sister. It is only for us to realize the true meaning of hijab- inside out. 🙂
Masha Allah, an excellent article, may it be beneficial to our sisters in Islam.
Ameen. May Allah make it beneficial for the brothers as well.
Assalamualaikum
I think the whole point is to follow the sunnah and what the Qu’ran says, I hear everytime a justification of a sister wear hijab but her manners are evil still, so all the non hijabis use this excuse as well to judge them, is the typical excuse for them to nor simply do what our Rabb commanded. Hijab is a must, it doesn’t say choose or not to wear!, the love for acceptance and fear to this dunya has become even bigger than the fear to Allah swt, your beauty its for your husband and should kept that way but so far nowdays sisters wear extremely dress up to go out and at home just simple, they worry more about what people nothing relate to them think than there closest ones, I think there this is indeed a matter to be tackle as is estipulated as one of the small signs ” Women will be naked in spite on being dressed,these women will be led astray & will lead others astray”[Muslim].
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
JazakAllah Khair for sharing your thoughts akhi. May Allah make it easy for the brothers to observe their share of hijab as well.
Much needed article.
Jazakillah Khair! 🙂
I am always confused that most of articles is always point towards what girls do wrong. At least most of this Hijabi Barbie follow Islam rules and keep themselves virgin. As I was trying to find a good suitable man, I have found out most men are not virgin, they commit the biggest sin. However, in our muslim society it’s okay that they are not virgin, some man even proud of commiting that sin. I believe we need to address this problem in our communities. How men think they can just have sex without marriage and if a woman does that, it’s wrong and she will never get married. Do men think they have right to do this sin and it’s okay?
Your comment made me smile sister! Very true, indeed! In shaa Allah, you will see an article about hijab for men very soon. 🙂
Assalamuwaleikum
Good article.points cleared
My question is I m a doctor and have to run here and there for both genders in r hospital.a loose gown called nikaab is very difficult to manage.is it ok if i wear loose trousers and mid thigh length shirts with hijaab
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu.
Yes, this is acceptable, in shaa Allah, as long as it does not reveal your curves. 🙂
While I agree that women should not be wearing formfitting clothing, what is wrong with perfume and jewelry? If a woman is covered in loose-fitting clothing, thereby concealing her sexuality, why can she not enjoy things like makeup and why is it wrong for others to admire her, so long as it is not sexual? I view hijab as being a way for women to be seen as people, not sexual objects. By telling women to dress in a way that brings no attention at all to them, you are taking away their respect and agency as people. There is a flaw in how Muslims view women in Islam and it is man-made, not from Allah (swt). Do you think Hazrat Khadija (RA) could do business transactions without a man looking at her? Also the term “leaving nothing to the imagination” is problematic in itself, as a woman’s purpose is not to serve as a piece of eye candy for a man’s mind. Why must women bring each other down to remain “pure and untouched” while men are not forced into this standard? Teach men not to objectify women instead of forcing women to hide themselves from the world.
Good points raised dear sister! May Allah protect me from saying something that does not belong to the deen! There is absolutely no restriction on wearing makeup and perfume when we are with our mahrams and amongst other sisters. The prohibition is when we are amongst people who are our non-mahrams. Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “Any woman who puts on perfume and passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance is a zaaniyah.” [Ahmad, Sahih: Albani]
In today’s world, a woman may have to interact with the opposite gender for some reason or the other. We cannot deny this fact. Allah commands the men to lower their gaze (in presence of women, it is their form of hijab) and women to maintain hijab. Of course, ‘lowering the gaze’ cannot be expected from the non-Muslim brothers, and so it is necessary for us to be modest in our dressing. Having said that, there is no harm in dressing beautifully because as women, it is innate in us. The question is, how we balance ‘dressing beautifully’ within the limits prescribed by Allah.
We in ourselves may not have the intention of luring ‘sexual’ glances towards us, but we cannot vouch 100% for what goes on in other people’s mind. Also, we do not want to be judgemental. In this case, the safest bet would be to dress as Allah commands and leave the rest to Allah as we have freed ourselves from the obligation.
Hijab is Allah’s way of showing us that we are beautiful! Alhamdulillah!
Jazakillah for a great artical.
I was wear barbie jilbab before..so many years ago than step by step in my life
I start wearing” real” hijab. And Alhamdulillah from 3 months ago i am wearing niqaab/ burqaa so only my eyes showing.
And i cant explain how wonderful experience i get. Before when i just wearing big jilbab sometimes gents still want shake hand with me
But after wearing full hijab ..none done it and i dont want judge other coz in life we will learn by doing and it need process.
Our imaam have up and down.
So plz dua for me and other women
For keep shabar for obey ALLAH rules
Wa iyyaki ukhti! May Allah make it easy for all of us! 🙂
Assalam o alaikum,
Excellent article,please share your thoughts on girls wearing hijab/abaya and using it as an excuse for not wearing properly pressed,clean clothes or combed hairs!
You men should worry about your own big problem of commiting zina and then when you want to marry, you want a virgin girl. At least these women are not commiting the biggest sin that men are doing and some who are even proudly announcing to each other. Stop trying to abuse women and try to be better muslims and stop commiting zina brothers.
Men also should maintain hijab. In fact, rules about zina and modesty do not apply to women alone. Men have their share too. 🙂
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu!
There is no excuse for wearing shabby clothes. Hijab does not mean we need to be untidy and unkempt! In fact, there is no connection between hijab and uncleanliness. 🙂
Assalaamu’alaikum dear sister. Although I am sure your intentions were beautiful, I find this article to be quite offensive and full of judgements. Labelling someone a ‘hijab barbie’ is beyond disrespect. I feel that if you want to bring a subject to the lime light you need to inform. That is the key: to inform. Your article is full of your own judgements and I feel that you are asking people to follow ur judgements because they are backed by verses from the Qur’an.
We have to be careful for if we want to tell someone to do something better in Islam the last thing we want is to berate them and make them feel small.
I am not a ‘pearl’ or a ‘crown jewel’ I AM A WOMAN and I have my own status in Islam.
As somebody who wants to come closer to the deen all the time I feel like your article has pushed me back. The title… Are you a hijab barbie? How is it that you thought this would be ok? We all have faults sister, even you, so who are you to label and judge. I’m very disappointed in this.
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu Dear Sister Zubia!
May Allah protect us from making judgements about anybody for Allah knows the matters of the heart. Sister, the essence of the article was not to criticize anyone nor was it to make anyone follow me, aaozubillah!
I agree that everyone has faults, and I am not free of this charge either. But we strive to improve. Improve, to please Allah and not to satisfy what the world thinks about us. As women, we are treated like queens in Islam and I would love to have this status while complying with the commands set by Allah.
You have rightly observed that there are Qura’nic verses to show the importance of hijab; a direct command from Allah. I leave it at that.
May Allah guide us to that which pleases Him!
Alhamdulillah. Very good article giving us food for thought to determine ourselves the way Allah has intended us to display our faith, not only through the modest dress but also in our behavior. Hijab should not be divided to seem as though it is to protect the women only though … we should speak to the men also who are instructed to observe this same sense of modesty to better understand the purpose and highlight that it is not only a piece of material or fashionable article of clothing for women.
Not to be controversial either however especially in the non Islamic continents hijab should not become an unattractive item of clothing to deter the people when in reality we want to invite them to Islam … we should still dress modestly but without going to extremes that will turn the people away from even considering the protection of this choice. Most important is the behaviour displayed which will turn more heads and hearts than any physical attribute ever will and again it is both the men and women who are responsible for this … we need to show the world our Islam to earn respect, not just tell them about it, in shaa Allah
Excellent thoughts there Sister Nickole! Ma shaa Allah! 🙂
Dressing modestly doesn’t mean ‘not looking beautiful’. It only means that we need to cover ourselves in a manner that does not invite attention. Having done that, if we still get stared at, then it is between Allah and that person!
Alhamdulillah, that Allah has made our religion so easy to practise! 🙂
jazakallah for a great article and reminder that we are here to please Allah n not to follow trends. all we can ask is Allah to protect us and guide us in whatever we do .ameen
Wa iyyaki ukhti! Ameen! 🙂
Jazak Allahu Khairan sister. An inspiring and informative article. A muslim woman should know her worth as she is like a pearl preserved in the shell!
Wa ‘alaykumassalaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu Dear Sister!
Wa iyyaki. 🙂
It’s the best article I have ever read regarding Hijaab.
JazakAllah.
BarakAllaahu feeki ukhti! 🙂
Very well written mashaAllah !!!
Jazakallahu khirn sister May Allah reward you for your article. I know this post is about sisters covering. It would be really good to have post about men and hijab as they also have an hijab and need to follow islamic ruling on dressing modest. Too often I have seen men dressed in tight pants and tight t-shirt revealing their shape and nothing is been said. This is also not appropriate and infact very unattractive and disgusting. BarakaAllahu Fukui
Excellent piece! 🙂
Asking questions are really pleasant thing if you
are not understanding something entirely, however this post gives nice understanding
even.
As Salamu Alaikum Aishah, I have been looking for a down to earth yet straight to the point article about hijab for a while. Most use the “tip toe” approach scared of the backlash that comes with honesty and some use the harsh approach which puts readers off – both have great intentions but your article was beautifully written with the right etiquette of a Muslimah. Jazak Allah kheir. If you would like to read my posts on hijab, muslimah’s in general please visit my Blog.
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Assalamu Alaikum!
Sister Aishah you have brought forth the minuest things that generally go unnoticed or we pretend that we didn’t know.
With the type of hijab available in the market accessorized with makeup and that well said camel hump the hijab is the trendiest and coolest attire. Girls now no longer feel shy to put on one. It only makes them look like a barbie doll.
The kind of face cover available allows one to wear thick eyeliner so that all great satanic work are done by the beautiful eyes.
May Allah help us to understand and guide us to the His chosen Path.Ameen!
loved your article!! once my NON -MUSLIM female teacher advised those who wear hijab should either wear it properly or don’t wear it!!! she asked us to put our headscarves in respectful manner.. when we followed her advice she appreciated it.. lucky to study in school that respects all the religion 🙂 back then I never understood purpose of wearing hijab .. when I realized true meaning of hijab I LOVE IT!! and I respect those who sincerely do it for the sake of ALLAH <3