IDENTITY OF A MUSLIMAH
Have you ever thought about your identity as a woman ?
Is it defined by what the world, the society thinks of you or are you a person you think you are?
Identity could also mean how you feel about yourself, how you present yourself to the world and how it perceives you.
We no longer measure ourselves against the righteous standards but from media standard- body proportion, money and effort to fit in and be a "perfect" woman.
For example,a woman's success is measured by her fashion statements, her looks her money.
Next time you read a newspaper or watch an advertisement, reflect on what is said and conveyed to you-only if you use L'oreal Paris products 'you are worth it'.
Based on the above facts as you see it ,that are glaring and manipulating our minds, I have made an effort to form my identity contrary to the beliefs stated above.
My identity has been formed as a result of my upbringing, which is a product of inculcating in me-respect, confidence, bravery, pride and freedom, which has made me a satisfied and happy Muslimah, with no guilt that I am the soul-less creature or the arrogance that I am the Goddess of the Universe .
I choose to do what is innate in me, what Allah has blessed me with-talents and skills unique to myself-to put them to good use to Please my Creator, to be the 'one', the unique one with a set of talents that no one in the universe is blessed with..and that is the case with each one of you..
The fashion I follow is not part of my mood and identity-it does not indicate whether I'm successful or not. It's just what I want to wear-not to please others but being modest-to obey my Lord and for my safety as well.
Half the worries gone..Alhamdulillah.
As a woman,you want to be accepted ,wealthy, popular, attractive.
Accepted in larger circles of snobs and materialistic people.
To be popular and wealthy by using MANGO,BIBA,ZARA etc.
Attractive and desirable to be noticed..
How much time we spend on our external appearance ? Before leaving for college, work and even there when we get time..
Now think how much time do you spend on your internal aspects-heart, mind and soul ?
Oh wait ! Do we even have such thoughts ? Aren't they old fashioned? I wonder...
And then we have a problem, we object when we are looked at as objects of desire.
I have never felt that I should be accepted/popular/attractive by being externally beautified alone, inspite of the media Alhamdulillah.
I'm sure you all know of people who are very good looking and you dislike them ;popular and attractive, yet they can be unbearable-yet you want to be all that?
I know of some women (one of them is my mom), who are ideal- who manage everything perfectly, selfless and unoppressed, brave, confident and pious. It is their righteousness which has given them the above qualities and their relationship with Allah.
As a woman, I want the beauty, the modesty, the humility, the decency these exceptional women have.
May Allah make me such. Aameen.
These women are successful Muslimahs not because they are successful in being oppressed or because they defy the truth and disobey their Creator but because they have Ikhlaas, they do things not for show off but for Allah alone.
I want to be truly educated and a righteous woman and if I become that EVERYTHING-identity, relationships, everything will fall into place,
In Sha Allah.
"Man in early times was almost naked and as his intellect evolved,he started wearing clothes.What I'm today and what I'm wearing represents the highest level of thought and civilization that man has ever achieved and is not regressive.It is the removal of clothes again that is a regression back to ancient time"
-Tawakkul Karman.
This simple piece of cloth I use to cover my body serves as a constant reminder of my ultimate purpose in life which is to live a fulfilling life in the obedience of the Lord of the worlds.
It reminds me that I am a Muslimah, a slave to God only, and that I need to strive for excellence all the time.
It constantly ignites the flame of Iman within myself to serve Allah through various acts of goodness.
If I start speaking foolishly or letting my gaze wander, the touch of the silk cloth brings me back on track, Alhamdulillah.
Thus I am always in a constant state of utilizing my intellect to serve Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala by various acts of worship.
Because hijab serves as a constant reminder, I don’t try to waste my time in useless activities, looking at unbeneficial things, speaking fruitlessly and thus preserve my intellect from misuse!
Through hijab I am engaged in a constant inner struggle to look beyond the set standards of beauty on the cover pages of magazines and instead build my own personality and identity. Through hijab my sexuality is in my control through which I protect myself from lustful looks and filthy comments and thus avoid unnecessary stress.
Through hijab, my focus on any work is at its full which helps me gain super-productivity in whatever I set out to do Alhamdulillah.
Hijab is my freedom; it fosters intellectual growth within me and facilitates my intellectual ability to reach its peak, with the permission of Allah!
May Allah Guide me and us all and help us to understand and maintain hijab all our lives for His Sake.Aameen.
(Alhamdulillah,I had written this article for Dawah purpose and for a panel discussion on women's issues in college) — with Taskeen Aslam and 31 others.
Have you ever thought about your identity as a woman ?
Is it defined by what the world, the society thinks of you or are you a person you think you are?
Identity could also mean how you feel about yourself, how you present yourself to the world and how it perceives you.
We no longer measure ourselves against the righteous standards but from media standard- body proportion, money and effort to fit in and be a "perfect" woman.
For example,a woman's success is measured by her fashion statements, her looks her money.
Next time you read a newspaper or watch an advertisement, reflect on what is said and conveyed to you-only if you use L'oreal Paris products 'you are worth it'.
Based on the above facts as you see it ,that are glaring and manipulating our minds, I have made an effort to form my identity contrary to the beliefs stated above.
My identity has been formed as a result of my upbringing, which is a product of inculcating in me-respect, confidence, bravery, pride and freedom, which has made me a satisfied and happy Muslimah, with no guilt that I am the soul-less creature or the arrogance that I am the Goddess of the Universe .
I choose to do what is innate in me, what Allah has blessed me with-talents and skills unique to myself-to put them to good use to Please my Creator, to be the 'one', the unique one with a set of talents that no one in the universe is blessed with..and that is the case with each one of you..
The fashion I follow is not part of my mood and identity-it does not indicate whether I'm successful or not. It's just what I want to wear-not to please others but being modest-to obey my Lord and for my safety as well.
Half the worries gone..Alhamdulillah.
As a woman,you want to be accepted ,wealthy, popular, attractive.
Accepted in larger circles of snobs and materialistic people.
To be popular and wealthy by using MANGO,BIBA,ZARA etc.
Attractive and desirable to be noticed..
How much time we spend on our external appearance ? Before leaving for college, work and even there when we get time..
Now think how much time do you spend on your internal aspects-heart, mind and soul ?
Oh wait ! Do we even have such thoughts ? Aren't they old fashioned? I wonder...
And then we have a problem, we object when we are looked at as objects of desire.
I have never felt that I should be accepted/popular/attractive by being externally beautified alone, inspite of the media Alhamdulillah.
I'm sure you all know of people who are very good looking and you dislike them ;popular and attractive, yet they can be unbearable-yet you want to be all that?
I know of some women (one of them is my mom), who are ideal- who manage everything perfectly, selfless and unoppressed, brave, confident and pious. It is their righteousness which has given them the above qualities and their relationship with Allah.
As a woman, I want the beauty, the modesty, the humility, the decency these exceptional women have.
May Allah make me such. Aameen.
These women are successful Muslimahs not because they are successful in being oppressed or because they defy the truth and disobey their Creator but because they have Ikhlaas, they do things not for show off but for Allah alone.
I want to be truly educated and a righteous woman and if I become that EVERYTHING-identity, relationships, everything will fall into place,
In Sha Allah.
"Man in early times was almost naked and as his intellect evolved,he started wearing clothes.What I'm today and what I'm wearing represents the highest level of thought and civilization that man has ever achieved and is not regressive.It is the removal of clothes again that is a regression back to ancient time"
-Tawakkul Karman.
This simple piece of cloth I use to cover my body serves as a constant reminder of my ultimate purpose in life which is to live a fulfilling life in the obedience of the Lord of the worlds.
It reminds me that I am a Muslimah, a slave to God only, and that I need to strive for excellence all the time.
It constantly ignites the flame of Iman within myself to serve Allah through various acts of goodness.
If I start speaking foolishly or letting my gaze wander, the touch of the silk cloth brings me back on track, Alhamdulillah.
Thus I am always in a constant state of utilizing my intellect to serve Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala by various acts of worship.
Because hijab serves as a constant reminder, I don’t try to waste my time in useless activities, looking at unbeneficial things, speaking fruitlessly and thus preserve my intellect from misuse!
Through hijab I am engaged in a constant inner struggle to look beyond the set standards of beauty on the cover pages of magazines and instead build my own personality and identity. Through hijab my sexuality is in my control through which I protect myself from lustful looks and filthy comments and thus avoid unnecessary stress.
Through hijab, my focus on any work is at its full which helps me gain super-productivity in whatever I set out to do Alhamdulillah.
Hijab is my freedom; it fosters intellectual growth within me and facilitates my intellectual ability to reach its peak, with the permission of Allah!
May Allah Guide me and us all and help us to understand and maintain hijab all our lives for His Sake.Aameen.
(Alhamdulillah,I had written this article for Dawah purpose and for a panel discussion on women's issues in college) — with Taskeen Aslam and 31 others.
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