(1)Sisters, we are all beautiful.

But the point of hijab is not to show what youve got- instead, to cover it up. I know we all love to accessorize, but your Mickey Mouse hijab, where I can see your earrings from Bitter Sweet, is not quite hijab. If you loosely have a dupatta/pashmina thrown on your head, where your hair is coming out from all directions, and I can pretty much see it all, thats not quite hijab. If you have it tied behind your head (kind of like a bun) & your neckline & chest are visible, that is also not hijab. Showing your bare arms/legs/back, is also not hijab. We all know that hijab is also the clothes we wear. And which girl doesnt like to shop for clothes? But along with how we wear a hijab on our heads, it is also important to take into consideration, the clothes we choose to wear. As per Imam Ali(a.s), wearing clothing that looks like it is painted onto your body, is also not hijab. La iqraha fiddeen- There is no compulsion in religion (Holy Quran, 2:256). Hijab, along with everything else in religion should not be a burden on you. If you want to wear tighter clothing, if you dont want to have to cover your arms/legs, show your beautiful hair, earrings, etc, go for it. If you do not feel that you are prepared for hijab, please dont practice it. It not only makes the Almighty (swt) unhappy, it also gives others the wrong impression of what hijab is. Itll raise questions like, Your friend wears sleeveless tops and a hijab on her head, and her bangs look nice- why cant you do the same? It is hard to explain because Im not going to bash you and tell them that you are wrong; it also shows lack of unity amongst us Muslims. It shows that we are practicing the same thing, with the same goal to please Allah (swt), yet, we are contradicting each other as well. I know I wouldnt like having to answer such questions to a non Muslim, and explain to them that what you are observing is not hijab. My point is, rather than wearing hijab and modifying it to fit your likings (that do not fit the likings of Allah [swt]), please dont wear hijab until you think you are ready to wear it the way it should be worn. This does not in any way go to say that you should not try to start wearing a hijab if you would like. If you think you are prepared, go for it and give it a shot. But only if you think you wont have commitment issues; is it really worth the risk of not being sure and later taking it off? 1) Sisters with Boyfriends: Attraction is human nature. It is normal to be attracted to someone of the opposite gender. But you have to control yourself. You have to have control over your own nafs, fight that temptation to commit a sin and do haram; fight shaitan. Simply put, it is not alright to have a boyfriend, whether you are or are not a hijabi Muslimah. However, since us Hijabi sisters have pretty much become a sort of symbol, should I say in the eyes of this society of what Muslims are, or should be like, our every move is noticed by them. Think about it- here they are thinking that we are supposed to be good, religious, faith practicing girls/women. And then here we are, with boyfriends on our arms like a lucky charm bracelet. Sisters, it is haram. Please, fight the temptation to go out with a guy who likes you/who you like. Couples are made in heaven. The one you are meant to be with, will come along one day, marry you, & keep you happy, InshAllah. Islam is a way of life, not just a religion. If dating was good for you, Islam would never prohibit it. However, we all know that it is a sin, which leads to many others. If you have a boyfriend right now, sit down for a minute and flush your so called love struck brain down the toilet, and

re think your actions. We all make mistakes. However, the greater person is he/she who learns from their mistakes, rectifies them & doesnt make them again. It is impossible to make the same mistake twice- the second time, its called a decision. 2) Sisters who Smoke: Yes, it does happen. And yes, depending on your maraja-e-Taqleed the ruling on smoking could vary. And yes, we do not wear hijabs for others, rather for ourselves & for our God. But in todays world, your actions, what you do, & what you say play a major role in the judgement that others shape of you. A Muslim girl with a hijab on her head, and a cigarette in her hand, smoking it; the image looks a bit weird in my head, how about yours? 3) Semi-Hijabi Sisters: These are the sisters that wear hijab pretty much almost kind of everywhere. Almost. And then you go on their Facebook page, and voila..! Lo and behold, you see a picture of the same sister without a hijab on her head! I mean, you might as well not wear it in public either. Just put it back on when you are ready to leave it on in your pictures too. Truth is, if you wear hijab, its not okay to post pictures anywhere without your hijab on. Its kind of awkward to people who see them as well; makes them wonder, Wait. Doesnt this girl wear hijab to school? I can see her hair now though. Dang, shes beautiful! But wait. Isnt that like, not allowed? It not only earns you loads of sins, but it also confuses the heck out of people, and gives them the wrong image of what it means to be observing hijab. 4) On again, Off again: Kind of like a haram pre-marital relationship. When a girl and a boy are a couple, then break up, then make up, then break up, and so on & so forth. Some sisters have such a relationship with Hijab. It will be on their heads one week, but not the next, then itll be back, & then itll disappear, & then at so & sos funeral it makes a special appearance, and then at so & sos wedding, Dang! She got highlights! My dear sisters, hijab is NOT a game, it is a commitment. And I know its not easy, especially due to the Western society we live in, its not. But once you have committed to this, there is no going back. Once again, shall we There Is No Going Back So once youve got it on your head, there is no turning back. Its either a yes, I always do it or a no. Im not doing it at all. And once you start it, you cant just not do it when you feel like it. If you are going to do such a thing, please, you might as well not wear it at all- because wearing it, & then taking it off & then maybe wearing it again, is WORSE than never wearing it at all. Hijab isnt something for you to be playing games with. 5) But, My Parents: What? Youre parents made you wear it? These are the sisters who wear their hijab leaving their home, take it off at school/work, and slip it back on their head while heading home. Who are you living in fear of? Youre parents, or Allah (swt)? On the day of qayamah, who will you be accountable to? Who will decide youre fate? If you think it is your parents, please think again. Im pretty sure you have a spine, make use of it. Do not blame your parents for your shortcomings or for your fickle mind changes (Fatima, 2010). Its that simple.

We spend 2.5 months crying over the hijab of Bibi Zainab (sa). However our hijabs somehow become non-existent when we arent at the masjid- a tad bit hypocritical of us? Our tears have no use unless we act upon the ideology behind them. InshaAllah, may Allah (swt) give us all the taufeek to refrain from sins, and may He guide us towards the right path.