Why I Choose To Wear Hijab: An Open Letter To My Muslim Sisters By Adisa Aminat Olabisi

It is so unfortunate and quite pathetic that the world now celebrates the wrong- in all its shade- and admires nudity. Ironically, muslim women are vilified for adorning the full Hijab, particularly the way their Lord has prescribed. However, if you realize how transient this life with its joys is, and how unpredictably or quickly the conditions change, you will not feel any regrets for doing the right thing, or ever despair for whatever passes you by or feel sad about things said to you in mockery. For you have the hereafter which is greater than this world and even everlasting.  As much as wearing the hijab is brave and commendable, you must never forget that it comes with responsibilities and challenges. 

My dearest sister in the deen, knowledge and proper understanding precede action. Thus, the question becomes, do you perfectly understand the HIJAB (Muslim women’s dress as stipulated by the Shari’ah (Divine Law) of Islam with a particular emphasis on the jilbab (over garment)?

The Jilbab is defined as the covering which a woman wears on her regular household garments to cover herself from head to toe. It is intended to completely hide the shape of her body.

The jilbab has been mentioned in the following ayaat:

Allah says in Suratul Ahzab Q33v59 “O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

This ayah orders Muslim women to draw their outer garments about themselves when they go out. The word “jalabib” (outer garments) in the ayah above is the plural of “jilbab,” indicating that this is a command for Muslim women to wear a “jilbab”.

Other than the above, we also find in the following ahadith indications that wearing a jilbab was not only the practice of the women of the first generations, but an obligation on women when they leave their homes.

Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her) narrated that: When the verse, “That they should draw their over garments (jalabib) close around them” was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing over garments (jalabib).

Allah states further in An-Nur, 24:31:

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts from sin and not show of their adornment except only that which is apparent, and draw their head covers over their necks and bosoms and not reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women (i.e., their sisters in Islam), or their female slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants free of physical desires, or small children who have no sense of women’s nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah altogether, O you Believers, in order that you may attain success.”

Surat An-Nur specifically explains that a woman’s natural beauty and her adornments are to be concealed from strangers except by what may show due to accident or uncontrollable factors such as the blowing of the wind or an inadvertent look by a non-mahram etc., and what has been exempted.

Therefore, with the above proofs from the Qur’an, and the Sunnah and the statements of the Salaf of this Ummah, we can conclude that a jilbab or an outer garment or cloak of some type must be worn by a Muslim woman over her normal clothes whenever she goes out in public or if she is in the presence of strangers (i.e., men that are not a mahram for her) within her own home or the home of a close relative. And that simply covering the hair with a headscarf along with normal clothing is not sufficient. 

Understandably, your deep and sincere understanding of Islam may determine the kind of hijab you go for. One point you must note, however, is that you want to please Allah (SWT) alone and, by extension, do not want any man to be tempted.

Always have at the back of your genuine intentions that your ‘hijab’ must fulfill the following requirements; 

Must cover the entire body and feet.

Must not be worn for show or display.

Must not be transparent as to reveal what is worn underneath.

Must not be tight that it exposes shapes or contours of the body.

Must not be provocative.

Must not look like dress of men.

Must not resemble the dress of unbelievers.

And must not be colorful as to attract attention.

 

Also know and be prepared for the challenges that comes with wearing the proper hijab, Your parents might disagree, family members will wail and yell at you, the society will mock, and there are times you would even be in doubt. These and many more are the challenges, but you need not derail form that right path on which you have set. Certainly, your reward is with Allah.

In conclusion, be a vanguard of Al-Islam. Hijab covers you with decency and morality. You must always be properly clad physically and in character. Let your full apparel show your good nature. The freer it is, the more comfortable is your sense of modesty. My beloved sister, know that a smile does not cost anything but works wonders. Have the habit of smiling and being cheerful. Keep company with optimistic people. Strive to make others happy so that you may in turn benefit from the atmosphere of happiness. Make the most of happy moments and regard them as necessary to renew your own happiness. Know without doubt that for every distress you encounter in the course of obeying your Lord, your reward is with Him he will repay you in fully in manifolds.