ﺒﺴﻤ ﺎﷲ ﻠﺮﺤﻤﻦ ﻠﺮﺤﻳﻤ
Today I was so blessed – I experienced the profound bond of Muslim brother- and sisterhood. And it came to me, all because of wearing my hijab…
I went out this morning with my mother, further than my familiar route to the neighbouring suburb. It was lovely to get out a bit after feeling rather isolated again at home. After lots of studying and work, completing my sewing course and doing some final editing on my book, I was thirsting for some more Muslim company. The last time I saw Muslims had been the week before in the fabric shop, and further back, on Eid-ul-Adha. I once again longed for the time when I could leave home to study Islam – next year January, insha’Allah. In our suburb, going out in public did not mean I would encounter any Muslims, let alone see any; it is a rare sight.
So imagine my delight when going to the second-hand clothing shop; the first stop on my itinerary with my mother. We had not even parked when I saw a fellow Muslimah wearing a grass-green knee-length khimar with a matching skirt – a khimar even longer than my waist-length ones, which have the potential to be noticed like an island in the Christian sea of people! In my excitement, I found myself involuntarily pointing out the lady to my mom (who has been wonderfully tolerant of my Islam, masha’Allah). I was so excited; at last I could share my salaams!
The lady did not see me as I entered the shop, clothed in my chocolate-brown wrist-length veil and black skirt, and soon disappeared – but not before I quickly waved a silent greeting in her direction.
Having looked around at the clothing, to my amazement, I saw yet another Muslimah in yet another knee-length khimar, light brown in colour; this time in the shop! I had a special opportunity to make eye-contact with her, and shyly greeted her with “Salaam!” as I walked past. I glimpsed the beginning of a smile as I walked on. I felt myself in company; I was not alone in my hijab; there was another wearing the same.
We were sisters, who had not met until now…
After going to the shop, my mom and I went to the library. In the parking lot, I glimpsed yet another khimar-ed lady in the distance; this time the khimar was of a dark blue colour. I couldn’t help marvelling that I saw so many ladies wearing veils like me – all in one hour! J Wow…
I walked on to the library, ahead of my mother. To my surprise, I heard someone to my left, say: “Salaam aleikum!”
I looked and there was a man; he had greeted me!
“Wa aleikum salaam!” I replied
“How are you?”
“I’m fine, alhamdulillah!” I said with a smile, as I walked on, feeling honoured and with my gaze lowered in bashfulness.
Wow, what amazing barakah the morning held! I thought to myself, before entering and taking out some awesome books I wouldn’t have found in my local library – having practically exhausted the reading supply there, I had gone to the library in the next suburb, which was bigger.
As I returned home, I was eager to share these special moments with you, my readers. Why? Because it was too good to leave unsaid. Once again, I felt so happy that Allah Ta’ala has guided me to Islam, and blessed me with the gift of hijab. It is truly our uniform as Muslims – and what makes it such a lovely one, is that we could wear it in our own style and colours. It is an uniform without uniformity; diverse in its style, yet homogenous in its essence.
Wearing the uniform of our hijab – or, for men, dressing modestly, and wearing a beard, fez, skullcap, topee, kurta, etc. as a symbol of Islam– we show our membership of the Ummah; not only do we identify ourselves to other Muslims around, we do silent da’wah, inviting non-Muslims to ponder on the reality of Islam, as well. If me and the other ladies I saw today (who were Africans) were not wearing hijab, how could one have known if the other was a Muslim? How could the man have known that I – a Western lady, from Christian, European stock – was actually a Muslim? How could we have said our salaams?
Hijab binds us together; it brings total strangers from different cultures and races, to a level of familiarity. I didn’t know the ladies at all, yet I felt as if knew them from somewhere… it was like déjà vu. I am such a shy person; I don’t usually talk readily to strangers unless they speak to me first – yet here I was waving to a lady I never saw before and greeting another just-as-unfamiliar face! Then in turn a stranger greeted me; a brother I didn’t know.
All because of a common faith; a common ideal…
Never before have I felt such a kinship with others; not as a Christian, or even a Catholic. On the contrary, even as a Christian, I felt a greater kinship with Muslims. Now, as I found my way home through the grace of Almighty Allah, I thank Him for being a part of such a wonderful family, wearing such a wonderful uniform. Alhamdulillah! Islam is truly an awesome Deen!
Salaam
Saadiqah
(*
P.S. I began reading one of the two exciting library books I brought home; it could be a good subject for a future post, insha’Allah… J
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