I don’t know any women who do niqab in the West so I’m hoping some guppies wear niqab or know women who do and how they manage. It’s not very common where I live, I’ve only seen one girl doing it and I don’t know her personally and I am concerned about racism, although that will not stop me from taking up the niqab in the near future inshallah.
It would be easier if there was someone with me at all times cuz when you are with someone, people don’t really go out of their way to do something horrible but most of the times I will be alone and in places like downtown and like on buses, you never know how people will react. It’s so easy doing niqab in Pakistan because over there people whatever their views don’t hassle you for it and respect it but here most people don’t even know what niqab is, let alone respect it. I mean they’re banning hijabs in France and I live in the West too!
I’ve been wearing a dupatta for some time but now want to move up and inshallah I will have the courage to do that soon. Meanwhile I wanna know how other women manage public transportation, going to university, going shopping and stuff. What are people’s reactions to their niqabs and have they ever been told to take it off to confirm their ID and stuff? Have they had any really bad experiences and how have they dealt with racism and verbal abuse? What about women who wear niqab and live alone without family and go out alone and stuff? Has all this made them question their decision to do niqab?
And like, totally unrelated to all this, do you guys (if you wear niqab) or like women you know wear the whole black abaya thing that covers your body or just something to cover your face? Where do you buy your niqabs from and if you don’t wear an abaya, what do you wear with the niqab?
So many questions I have a few more but I shall ask them later inshallah.
Sarah, i know of a girl who is in Law School studying to become a Barrister and she wears a niqab i.e. the full works. I don't know her personally but in a profession in which it is already tough for ethnic minorities to establish themselves it's quite remarkable she has the guts.
Khair, my cousins wear hijab along with jilbab ( long to the feet robe ). And i guess they don't actually buy a particular jilbab. What they have done is buy matching hijabs to their outfits which looks very nice. And they have brought cloth and had a jilbab sown to their size, so instead of it being an overly baggy garment it can look quite neat and sophisticated as well as serving it's purpose.
I know a few women who wear niqab, but only a fraction of them travel alone (mostly drive). I am sure they hear all the racial and anti-religious comments many a time, but mashallah they have the courage and they faced it.
When you opt for niqab, make sure that you know what your rights are (I am sure you already know) regarding (religious) freedom and how to respond to people’s comments / questions.
It does really take a lot to wear niqab in an environment which at times becomes hostile. I am sure as you decide to wear it, Allah swt will also give you courage to face the problems posed by society due to it.
May Allah swt make it easy for you and whoever opts for it :k:
Sarah, I've seen a couple of ladies doing the "actual" hijaab here. There's this lady in my area who's from Arabia and she's a doc or something like that (although she doesn't practice it) she wears hijaab and I've seen her driving few times. I don't know her personally but I've heard this from my amma who had a chance to talk to her husband (who's also a doc). I also saw another lady in some other area wearing a hijaab and walking on the side-walk along with her kids. She seemed a Paki though, cuz her kids looked desi kind. Both of these ladies were wearing the abaya along with the hijaab. As far as I think, these women must be the center-of-attention when they go in public places. People obviously stare at them because they're the most prominent among many other people. But I just have a feeling that they respect them as well, I mean this hijaab thing holds its own value & respect in any society.
People do wonder why muslims take it and the whole reason behind it. But I bet most of them don't even understand the reasons, because they just don't get the whole understanding of it in their brains. Although we desis and other Eastern people know and understand the Western society because we've lived here, we've seen their movies, we've read their books, and we've travelled. These activities let a person know a lot about other cultures and religions, which these people haven't been doing that much.
My ammi started doing hijaab (just her hair) since the beginning of this Ramadan. She told everyone at her workplace that she has this special month when they have to fast and stuff so she also has to cover her head and everything related. Then my ammi decided on doing hijaab from now on. And these people at her work place got sort of confused that Ramadan has ended then why won't she take it off now? So her boss asked her why she's still taking it? And ammi said that it's not just Ramadan, it's in our religion to cover ourselves. So the guy got a bit more confused and said okay fine, if you wanna take it. But my ammi said he reacted weird when I told him I won't take it off now. Now everything's all good with her. What she liked the most was that every muslim customer always says "salam" to her now. But she doesn't feel weird about anything in particular, like going in public with hijaab.
The thing is, that when you know you're not doing anything wrong, then why feel weird about it!
I've been wearing hijaab with niqaab and all black for 3 years now and alhumdullilah has never been a hardship. I go to college and work, and i know more then 30 females probably more who wear niqaab and full abayah/jilbab and go to school or work. Sarah where do you live?? There are probaby more sisters who cover you just have to look around :-)
SS dear mashallah :k: … i have respect for u and i am proud of u… here i have seen plenty of women in centrle london wearing the full thing… i havent really seen any one stare at them.. most ppl in uk seem to mind there own business… ami wears a hijab… i wasnt aware that u HAVE to wear a niqab… i knwo that u have to cover ur hair and make sure the cloths r not tight. i hope i havent answerd any of ur questions
Masha’Allah sis, pleasant surprise, ‘nuff respect :k:
My fiancée recently started to dress modestly (Shalwar-Kameez, Dupatta and small Chador around her shoulders) she wants to do full Hijaab (Jilbaab and Niqaab included) but she can’t until we move in together because her family is non-Muslim and they aren’t going to take it too nicely.
I've been wearing a dupatta for some time but now want to move up and inshallah I will have the courage to do that soon
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what struck me most was this part of ur post ^^
WHY do you see wearing more covering as a step 'up'??? Maybe it's a step down? or maybe it's equal and religiously/supranaturally/transcedentically you won't gain anything?
what struck me most was this part of ur post ^^
WHY do you see wearing more covering as a step 'up'??? Maybe it's a step down? or maybe it's equal and religiously/supranaturally/transcedentically you won't gain anything?
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Surah 24 Verse 31
And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not show off their beauty and ornaments except what is (ordinarily) visible thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards God, that ye may attain Bliss.
Surah 33 Verse 59
O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
These two verses should be sufficient enough to answer your questios Nescio, which did strike me as odd since i didnt expect you to go on attack against covering up.
To each his own.
Sarah, my commendations on taking up the hijab, and may Allah give you strength and the iman to see through this difficult time.
You are jumping to conclusions, I never said that I think hijab is inferior to niqab and I have equal respect for women who do either hijab or niqab. Allah mian knows my niyat and reasons for wanting to do niqab and those are all that matter to me
Yeah over here too most people do mind their own business and I’m not expecting attacks but it’s the little things like taking public transportation and being in downtown that bother me. I live alone and sometimes I’m alone at night and I don’t drive, I take public transpotation, which requires us to show our ID and they match the ID with our face. Anyway, I’m not too worried, I will manage inshallah and if any problems arise, I’ll deal with them as best as I can.
Athari, where do you buy niqabs from? How do you deal with criticism? I’ve never bought a niqab so I’d appreciate any advice on that. What kind of niqab do you wear by the way?
salam sister sarah....
its a brave step....
Allah will reward u for it....
the harder it is to act upon, the more the reward u'll get inshaallah....
so try to stick firm to it and i am fully confident that u'll be able to overcome all criticism and needless comments (if any)....
best of luck....
and may Allah bless u with more steadfastness....
salam sister sarah....
its a brave step....
Allah will reward u for it....
the harder it is to act upon, the more the reward u'll get inshaallah....
so try to stick firm to it and i am fully confident that u'll be able to overcome all criticism and needless comments (if any)....
best of luck....
and may Allah bless u with more steadfastness....
Bhai Mughal sahib,
Wearing Niqab in public is really easy in America.
Now if you were talking about DUNs (driving under the Niqab), well that may be a difficult thingy.
I travel in buses all the time, and I think every other day I see niqabis. As far as I know, you could be wearing a crocodile head over a spaceman suit and nobody would care. Its a pretty indifferent society here, completely unlike asia, where people will laugh, stare and point. However, you might be treated differently by people you do interact with. Good luck.
well dun to those brave enough to wear them in the west, but i feel that wearing a niqab in the west actually draws alot of attention to the patricular females wearing it, which kinda defies teh purpose of it
I have a few more but I shall ask them later inshallah.
