Celebrating Priceless Jewel

The Shield of a Muslimah

Renowned American actress, Angelina Jolie once said, “the sun doesn’t lose its beauty when hazed over by the clouds, the same way a Muslimah’s beauty never fades when covered with the Hijab”.

To hear such eloquent manifestation of a non-Muslim’s approval for the apparel donned by the Muslimah, drives home the point the Hijab is indeed an apparel of sublime beauty, one which doesn’t cover up her beauty but safeguards her from the annals of sexual approval or desire, which has become the bane of our existence till date.

Since inception, different misconceptions have trailed the emergence of the Hijab. Some think that the Hijab is a symbol of oppression! Is it?
Some claim the Hijab is a symbol of pre-historic
civilizations, albeit, this is not true. While others maintain that Muslim woman is forced to wear the Hijab, hence the need to rescue her from the abyss of domination or control.

They fail to realize that dressing half naked is
an attribute of the Stone Age. Allah says in his
Glorious book “And say to the believing women
to lower their gaze and guard their modesty, and not to display their beauty and their ornaments except what appears thereof, that they should draw their veil over their bosom and not display their beauty’ Q24vs31.

Instructively, the Hijab is a golden shield which has liberated and protected women from unnecessary attention and harassment and embarrassment. The society is full of vices. Women are seen and used as objects of sex and other forms of sexual indecency. Their nudity is a tool of advertisement. A woman should be considered as a precious pearl whose modesty needs to be identified in the society.

The decision to wear the Hijab signifies her
submissiveness to her Lord as it is a personal
and independent decision coming from
appreciating the wisdom underlying Allah’s
Command and a sincere wish to please Him.

Norma Khan said, the I initiator of the World Hijab Day said “The Hijab is a gift from
Allah. It affords me the opportunity to become
closer to Allah. Quite importantly, it provides
me the chance to stand and be recognized as a
Muslim. Katherine Bullock, a Canadian revert to Islam also said “For me, the lead up to the decision to wear the Hijab was more difficult than actually wearing it, I found that I did received negative comments from people, I appreciated the feeling of modesty that wearing the Hijab gave me and ironically, the negative attention made me feel more proud to be identified as a Muslim.”

The Hijab covers up a lady’s weakness. It displays her strength, commitment and her confidence which is built out of love for
Allah and not for material love. The purpose of
Hijab is to divert attention from her beauty and establish her sound intellect. It doesn’t expose her to oppression or prevent her from attaining professionalism. In fact, Hijab has produced many professionals, celebrities, business prodigies, scholars and academic genii. The early Muslim women were noted for their
successes. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid was a
successful business mogul while Aa’ishah bint
Abubakr was a scholar per excellence. These priceless jewels had this shield called Hijab on and they were professionals at the pinnacle of their respective fields.

Notably, Hijab has also produced professionals of our time. Maryam. A. Raji, the youngest medical Doctor in Nigeria is an Hijabi, a precious pearl who covered her modesty for who deserves it. Dr Oyindolapo Shittu, OAU best graduating student who won 12 out of 18 ivories is an Hijabi, a queen and a true Muslimah who has chosen Allah’s religion over this world, being hopeful of eternal reward.
Dr Muinat Ibipo Salami, A medical doctor and the 1st runner-up in the infamous Debater 2 is also an Hijabi who kept her trust completely with Allah and her eyes are set on the beautiful gardens of Al-Jannah with flowing rivers. The
likes of Zainab Olaitan – debater of the year,
University of Lagos, Professor Fatimah Abdul Kareem – Head, Department of Anatomic and
Molecular Pathology, Professor Fatimah Jackson – Director of African American Research, University of Carolina. These are true Muslimahs, amidst societal threats and decadence. They are threading the path of our pious predecessors.

The Hijab is an indication of dignity and purity, it makes a Muslim woman chaste and pure. It is a screen between the Muslim women and the world’s evil. The Hijab is not just a piece of
cloth, it embodies a code of conduct. The Hijab is an outer manifestation of an inner commitment to worshipping Allah. It symbolizes faith, piety and morality. In the name of freedom, if a woman has the right to show what she has, then she has the right to cover it.

By: A’ishah Sarumi