Bismaillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem

I came to Islam just a little over a year ago alhamdulillah , When it comes to researching something new, I am like a dog with a bone.

First I wanted to learn the prayers and wear a scarf. The scarf was easy, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that the scarf is obligitory. The prayers took some time to learn, but I kept at it.

I noticed that the scarf I was wearing caused people to look at me more than usual. Ok, so they're curious....but the more I thought about it...if this simple scarf is going to cause people to look at me, then I may as well give them as little to look at as possible. So, on occassion I wore the proper hijaab. But I was wearing it for the wrong reasons, really. It was not for the love of Allah that I was wearing it. So, I joined an email group to gain more insight into this phenomena.

One sister posted something very poignant to the list that just lit my light bulb and that was something to the effect of "if it was not something that is Sunnah, then the Prophet (saws) would not have made a point of telling women that they are NOT to cover their face during hajj/umrah or during prayer".

That's all I needed to hear. How could I argue with logic like that?
So, I have been wearing proper hijaab whenever I go out, ever since.

There have been many benefits to wearing it. It's Sunnah and pleasing to Allah first and foremost. Men can look but they don't get to see anything. I get respect like I have never seen before , I don't have to fear facing people if I have a cold sore (I have always dreaded going out in public during an outbreak). I have not had an outbreak since wearing it. One of the causes of bringing on a cold sore is exposure to the sun (among other things such as medication and stress). I don't have to worry about getting sunburned (I am extremely fair skinned). If I don't get sunburned, then I won't get wrinkled (tan skin is damaged skin). People can't judge me on my physical beauty or lack of it. They can't judge me on my age.

This has been absolutely liberating. I thought that just the scarf was liberating, but proper hijaab is like the icing on the cake.

Proper Hijaab: Never leave home without it.

Fi Amanillah
Sr. Shyamma