Dear Sister in Islam, Has the time for the Hijab not come yet?

Dear Sister in Islam,

Has the time not come yet?

We know you have been struggling for some time now, fighting the inner battles within yourself and with it comes the pangs of guilt and regret. You desire to wear the hijab… but the fear, hesitance, anxiety. It’s all holding you back. But Ramadan is now here. The month of Mercy, the month of Blessings, the month of Forgiveness, and most importantly, the month of Change… Ramadan is not all about the physical aspect of fasting by abstaining from food or drink , but it’s a journey of self reflection and spiritual change. It’s about drawing closer to Allah by sacrificing the things you love in order to tread the path of piety filled with obedience and the things He loves. So sisters, has not the time arrived yet for you to trust Allah and take that firm step and tell yourself that today, I will wear the Hijab. That today, I will obey the commandment of my Lord and wear what He has made obligatory for me, the hijab.

For sisters who wear the hijab only for the month of Ramadan and remove it when Ramadan is over, ask yourself….. Is not the Lord of Ramadan, the same Lord outside of Ramadan? If you are able to obey the commandment of your Lord for an entire month, are you not able to show the same effort for the remaining months? Allah is asking us…“….What has made you careless concerning your Lord, the Most Generous?”

Hijab is a great honor Allah has given you. He is gifting you with dignity, modesty, protection…… so what has stopped you from accepting it. Allah has given you a chance to witness another Ramadan. Now it is your chance to redeem yourself and show Allah the efforts and struggles you are making for His sake. Always remember that there is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to the Creator. You can lose everything, but not the Pleasure of Allah. Dear sister in Islam, know that Allah is Who in His Hands are all blessings, all bounties, all goodness. When you do something for His Sake, He will bless you with better than you ever expected. He will open great doors of provisions and opportunities for you. But you have to place your full trust in Him.

The Hijab comes as an order to you from your Creator, the Highest of Authorities. As you read the Quran and pass by the verses in which Allah commands you to wear the Hijab, how will you answer your Lord. By replying, “I hear and I obey” or will you answer your Lord with “not now”. The hijab is not a choice, but a commandment from Allah. It represents your submission and obedience to Allah. It symbolizes your love for Allah and your desire for Jannah. Don’t ever look at how small this sin may be, but look at how Great the One is Who you are disobeying. The quality of a believer is that he/she says, “we hear and we obey”.

As Muslims, we are to live our lives to the best of our abilities, and if we fall short, we will seek His forgiveness and get back up on our feet and stay strong in faith. This is the quality of the one who truly loves Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). You don’t guarantee tomorrow, so start from today. Hijab is not just a piece of cloth on the head. It is more than that. It is being humble and modest in what you wear, how you speak and how you present yourself to others. Hijab doesn’t mean covering the head then going on to wear tight clothing, putting make up on, laughing, talking softly and mixing with the opposite gender. It is a full package of modesty. Make it a resolution this Ramadan. Take the step today and tell Allah you are doing this for His Sake only. This is your chance to come out of Ramadan a new changed person. “Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has been revealed of the truth?” (57:16)