Returning to hijabi blogging to share a wonderful free ebook on Islam

It has been a long time since I wrote on this blog. I rather loss the impetus for it when I had our first child as fashion became a much lesser priority than parenting.

However I've now started working part-time and our child is in preschool a few days a week so I feel more focused on the outside world and what I wear.

Pleasingly my wonderful teacher in Islam Imam Afroz Ali has released his eBook UNVEILING HIJAB: An Explanation of the Head Veil of the Muslim Woman. He was able to release the book for free through the support of Knowledge without Barriers who financially support the Islamic educational provider SeekersGuidance and their aim to enable everyone, everywhere to benefit from Islamic knowledge by making all their courses and educational services completely free.

This is a fascinating book explaining some of the differences among the interpretations about hijab, khimar and jilbab. But it does explain clearly that wearing a headscarf covering the head and chest is obligatory upon Muslim women.

SeekersGuidance also have a very good Questions and Answers section where they address one of the questions that plagues many hijabis: Should I Remove the Hijab Because I Am a Bad Example for Others?. It is easy to feel that we are not worthy of being the ambassadors of Islam that wearing hijab makes us. But as Shaykh Faraz Rabbani states in his answer "Though we pray that Allah makes us good examples for others, this is neither our goal nor the basis of what we are held accountable for. Rather, we are held accountable for the obligations due upon us towards our Lord and His creation."

Working cheetah

This is what I'm wearing today I really love these silk feel polyester cheetah scarves so I bought them in both black and brown and they were on NZD$10 = USD$7. So this isn't true eşarp but I do think its pretty tesettür anyway. My big staff meeting went well, no one noticed or commented. One of my colleagues visited my office mate and look shocked and impressed by my look. He said it was very cool and that "have I like become an Islamist?" My office mate defended me and said that I had been Muslim for ages and that I wasn't a terrorist or anything. My colleague then said my look was 'mean' in a good way! It was neat to have such a positive response from a fashion perspective from a guy no less, but he was also really impressed and happy about me being Muslim. My officemate also went in for bat for me saying she's been Muslim for ages in a 'that's really normal don't you know'. It's really nice to see how supportive people are, even people that you don't expect will go out and bat for you if you give them a chance.

For me hijab is about pleasing Allah (swt) and about identifying as a Muslim. I am so proud to be Muslim and I thank Allah (swt) everyday for removing the veil from my eyes and showing me the truth that is Islam. Wearing the hijab reminds me that even though I am covered I can truly see and people can truly see me, as who I am, a Muslima.