Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Assalaamu ‘alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh

My Dear Sisters

My journey into purdah was NOT an easy one. I left school at the age of 14 and went to madrasah. It was my father’s dream for us, his daughters, to be in purdah and become ‘Aalimahs, so I did it to please him.

After I started wearing it, I HATED the idea of it. I used to see other girls with tight jeans and short tops with their hair done up and I used to long for that. Also, besides that, you receive constant ridicule from ignorant people. All of that used to bother me so much that I would cry for days. I just didn’t want to do it anymore! I used to think, “WHY SHOULD I COVER MYSELF WHEN I HAVE EVERYTHING TO SHOW?” How naive I was… I had forgotten that women were jewels that needed to be protected.

I hated it, until one day, my father was out in jamaat for four months, and I had a dream. In my dream, I saw that I was sitting in a room full of people who were dressed very immodestly, and I was the ONLY one wearing purdah. There was a door which then opened, revealing a man with immense noor (Divine light) emanating from him. THAT MAN WAS NABI (SALLALLAHU ‘ALAIHI WASALLAM). I remember saying, “Why are all these women dressed like this?” I cannot remember all the details of my dream, as it was years ago, but the picture will never leave my mind.

When my dream was mentioned to a pious ‘Aalim who interprets dreams, he said that Allah Ta‘ala had accepted my purdah, and it was my duty to encourage others to wear it as well. The joy that I felt cannot be explained! I felt honoured that Allah Ta‘ala had accepted my purdah and that I had seen Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) myself. WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR?

From that day, my hijaab has been my blessing and I wear it ONLY to please Allah Ta‘ala. Alhamdulillah, I have been wearing it for nine years, and I will wear it for the rest of my life insha-Allah. Now it pains me to see the jewels of our Ummah not protecting their bodies. I have a little daughter, the apple of my eye, and I make constant du‘aa that Allah Ta‘ala protect my little jewel as he has protected me. Alhamdulillah, most of my family are now in purdah.

O my sisters! Our beauty is reserved for our husbands only, no one else deserves it! When we are dressed immodestly for so many men to see, they are NOT going to look at us with the love that our husbands would look at us with. Display your beauty only for the one that deserves it – your husband!

May Allah Ta‘ala protect us all, give us understanding and guide our youth, aameen.