<img class = "align-size-wp-image-8595"” width=”300″ height=”199″/>Originally posted in March 2010
Question:
I understand that the hijab is required, and I wore it for some time, but I feel that this may be a mistake. I do not feel that it made me become a better Muslim, and I almost feel as if I’m lying to people because they look at me as an example, although I’m still afraid of a lot of things. Also, if I take it off, is it really for what Allah will send me? It seems such a small thing. Isn't it the most important thing to have a pure heart?
Answer:
Assalaamu `alaykum dear questionnaire
Thank you for asking this question, which opens up a number of important questions and in order to trust us enough to share with us some of what you are struggling with. I ask Allah (Subhanahu va ta & # 39; ala – exalted He), that He makes the words that I write useful for you and others who read, and that He leads you to better decisions.
I would like to start by looking at least important factor in this equation "What other people might think." There should never be a case for us to change our practice of Islam or our worship for the sake of other people, or what they might think or accept. People can quickly judge or draw conclusions, but any thoughts or opinions they have are their responsibility, and not something that we should be overly concerned about.
You said you were worried what you were wearing hijab can deceive, because people see you better than you really are. But in fact, we are all sinners, and only by the mercy of Allah to us, that He in-siteer – The one who hides our flaws and our flaws, and makes us seem better than we really are in the eyes of others. One famous scientist said: “If sins had a smell, none of me would have gotten because of the stench!” Each of us has flaws and weaknesses, made mistakes, made mistakes, or accepted them now. We do only the best that we can, and any good deed that Allah gives us the opportunity to perform should be considered a blessing that we use. Instead of worrying about not being good enough, we can instead see it as an opportunity to be grateful to Allah for hiding our negatives and praying: “O Allah, forgive me for not knowing about me, and make me even better than they think. "
It will be difficult for you to find someone on this earth who can be considered “worthy” of being a representative of Islam, because everyone has a certain dimension in their faith or practice in which they are absent. However, this does not mean that we should stop encouraging each other by any means available to us. There is very beautiful Hadith Related to this problem:
Anas says that “we asked the Prophet”, “O Messenger of Allah”, should we refrain from calling others for good if we ourselves do not do all the good things and we should not refrain from forbidding the wrong things until Do we abstain from all bad things? "" No, "he answered," you must call others to good, even if you do not do all good, and you must forbid bad things, even if you do not refrain from all they themselves. " (Al-Tabarani)
Remember that wearing hijab you don't tell others "I am Islam", but just & # 39; I'm Muslim & # 39 ;, meaning. I am the one who tries to follow this religion, which accepts it as truth, sees beauty in it and hopes to decorate itself with it. I remember a quote attributed to Yusuf Islam: “Islam is not a state of being, but it is a process of becoming,” becoming more and more perfect, striving to achieve such a state of perfect submission and connection with Allah the Almighty and May He helps all of us to achieve it, Amine.
You also said that you feel hijab didn't really make you a better muslim. Many times, when a person first starts to do a good deed, they feel iman “Haste”, the feeling of happiness, doing something good for the sake of Allah and energy, to do more, improve yourself, etc. However, after some time, when this action starts to become just another part of everyday life, it loses this force and this increase iman and the excitement dissipates.
What a person needs, instead of focusing on these "aspirations", is a stable and constant diet of good deeds and spiritual nourishment. We cannot rely on one specific act to "make us better Muslims." Instead, we must accept the reign and make sure that we do something regularly, which increases us imanlike reading quran, execution Salah with consciousness and focus zikr, and so on. To wear hijab It certainly can be one of those things, but it is only one part of the whole that needs to be built. Just as an exercise is important for good health, it must be combined with proper nutrition and many other things so that a person can see the desired results at the end.
Also know that there is a direct connection between the actions of a person and their internal state. We know that when someone is in high condition iman for him to naturally begin to do more good things. However, we can lose sight of the fact that the opposite is true – that simply doing good deeds, even if a person cannot “feel it,” can affect us and change us. Limbs come, and doing good deeds with them can soften a fierce heart, bring enlightenment to a closed mind and give a person a feeling of rejuvenation and a desire to draw closer to Allah and do more positive things. I heard a scientist say that if you feel anxiety, embarrassment, or low state iman, "Quickly go to action"; because good deeds can trigger this internal awakening that may be required. If we do not see the changes occurring in us when we do a good deed, this does not mean that we should stop it, but perhaps we need to supplement it with others in order to gather the impetus necessary to achieve results.
Thirdly, you are absolutely right when you say that the most important thing for us is to clean the hearts. Allah (swt) emphasizes this in the Qur'an when He claims that nothing will benefit the servant on the Day of Judgment, except for "the one who brings to Allah a pure, healthy heart" (26:89). The question is how to achieve this? What cleanses us and cleanses our hearts?
In our time, we find that some people believe that we have reached a more “enlightened era” in which spirituality can be obtained solely from philosophy and ideas and should not be bound by rituals and details of religion. However, those who preach this concept forget that Allah did not create us as minds and souls alone – but connected them with our physical bodies. We cannot deny the fact that we are body and soul, content and form together, and each of them has its own needs and specifications for clarification. it Sunna Allah is how we were created, and why prayer, fasting, and all our spiritual undertakings have very specific physical components. These forms contain in themselves the dimensions of meaning, but only from their introduction precisely in that one can achieve deep spirituality.
The purification of our hearts is the goal, but the means of achieving this goal are the very real and concrete physical prescriptions and commandments that Allah (swt) has given us. This is due to His obedience and following our teachings. Deen what we clean and polish our hearts. It is for this reason that I must say that hijab not something trivial. Everything that leads us to spiritual awareness, exaltation and purification – which helps us to approach Allah – cannot be considered trivial or small. It is perhaps more likely that there are hidden depths in it that we do not perceive, or that we do not put it in the proper context of its deeper purpose and meaning.
On the punishment of Allah: the best way to look at this question is not to consider the smallness or pettiness of sin, but the greatness of who we sin with. From His infinite wisdom, all-embracing knowledge, and great grace, in accordance with His Law, – which is fundamentally seeking to achieve good and prevent harm – He has instructed us to perform this action. In the Qur'an, Allah says: “Maybe you don’t like something and there is something good for you in it” (2: 216); “You may not like something, but Allah brings much benefit from it” (4:19) If someone decisively departed from the prescribed action consciously, we cannot deny that it is a sin, and that Allah makes us explain our sins. However, we always hope and pray for the mercy and kindness of Allah, because we know that He can forgive all sins if He wants.
In conclusion, I want to leave you with a beautiful quote from Hadith QudsiAllah Subhanahu va ta & # 39; ala said:
“My servant does not approach Me with anything more beloved to Me than the religious duties that I have placed on him” (Bukhari)
Know, dear question, that if you feel far from Allah, the solution is not to stop what you are doing, but to find it differently, but to continue and continue the path you are on, although it is difficult. It will make you loved for Allah, and one who feels happy to be near Him and to be shaded by His Loving Mercy and care.
May Allah quicken and enlighten our hearts and grant us closeness to Him. May He make us people who love to worship Him, and because of our worship come closer to Him and find His love. May He make our hearts firm and unshakable in our Deenand grant us strength and courage in our spiritual struggle. May He guide us to better solutions and make our way easier. Khair [goodness], Amen I Rabb.
WAllahu a`lam – and He alone knows best.
Wasalaamu alaykum.