are you ever afraid to dress islamically?

[nyerekareem]

:salam2:

i have been muslim for some time now, but ever since the events of 9/11 i have always been hesitant to dress in what would be considered traditional islamic dress. it's not because i am ashamed of islam, because i always tell people that i know or i do not know that i am a muslim. it's just that sometimes i can see the reactions of many people when i do dress in an islamic style; i can see their hatred for me and for muslims in their eyes. i want to wear my kufi and thobe everywhere that i go. but there is a fear factor there for me. i don't know if this a test from ALLAH SWT or if it is the whisperings from the accursed Shaitan ( audhu billah ).

i am curious to know how many brothers and sisters here at TTI feel similar to myself or feel differently. if you used to be afraid and how you conquered that fear.

i know that when muslims see me they have a good idea that i am a muslim. my larger than normal beard, with my short haircut and my pants length are never below my ankles. but i greatly have the desire to have my identity to be known amongst the muslims and the non muslims.

 

[wantobeMumin]

I have a similar problem. Although I can not qualify to be called an ardent Muslim but the desire to act like one through actions and worships is always there. I want to wear proper dress but then I think It will be me boasting.
Then i think of what is an Islamic dress? If i dress modestly a jeans not to tight not to baggy above the ankle with loose shirt. isnt that enough?

Honestly i salute all my sisters here who wear proper hijab day in and day out. May Allah be please with them Ameen

 

[Riyadhus]

Asalamualaikum wrb,

Coming from a society where most muslim women wear hijab, it was difficult for me at first when I moved to a Western society. I thought of not wearing the Hijab for a few months, get used to the country, and then wear my hijab. And like brother nyerekareem, after 9/11, it is especially difficult for me because I heard horror stories of Sisters' hijabs getting ripped from their head etc. However, alhamdullilah, I gathered all my courage to just continue wearing the Hijab no matter what. If I remove it, that will only please those who are against the Hijab. They can hurl abuses at me but at the end of the day I only want to please my Lord and not them.

Walaykum Salaam

 

[nyerekareem]

I have a similar problem. Although I can not qualify to be called an ardent Muslim but the desire to act like one through actions and worships is always there. I want to wear proper dress but then I think It will be me boasting.
Then i think of what is an Islamic dress? If i dress modestly a jeans not to tight not to baggy above the ankle with loose shirt. isnt that enough?

Honestly i salute all my sisters here who wear proper hijab day in and day out. May Allah be please with them Ameen

:salam2:

i understand what you mean when you say about not wearing tight jeans or baggy clothes below the ankle. but what i mean is, when a muslim or non muslim see you, that they'll know that you are a muslim. i mean i want to dress in what is considered traditonal islamic dress.

 

[palestine]

Asalamu alaykum wrwb. i wear my full muslim clothing. in fact i wear the longest hijab in the entire muslim body of students at school. yes...i usually am the one who is targetted the most even by my own muslim classmates. but i could care less. I don't get why everybody is so afraid to wear their islamic traditional clothing. So what if they stare at you or even spit at you? the sahabah went through much more, and the tab'een and the atba tab'een went through more than we can. i know some of you think that dressing in islamic clothings doesn't make a difference but trust me it does. at first and maybe forever they will stare and harass you, but somewhere along the lines you will attain respect when they see that you're not backing down. my brothers and sisters do not be afraid. let me tell you a few stories of my school life. and by the way the city i currently live in used to be called "white cloud", yes that's how racial it was and still is. I came here at the age of nine and because of my lack of the english language i was put in 2nd grade instead of 3rd grade. ever since i set foot in america i've not gone by a year without being harassed or commented in a negative tone about how i dress. but i never let them get to me. and then all of a sudden a non muslim girl came to me and said " you know i really like what you do. you're friends wear pants because they're ashamed of who they are but you face more than they did and you still stand your ground. i respect you." sisters and brothers do not hesitate because of another person's reactions. You are YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL. you are FREE. Akhira is what's important. let me tell you another incident that just happened today. I know that in your hearts you may be afraid but you should never let your enemy see that. just today at school (i'm 17 now) they wouldn't let us pray asr prayer. they said we are only allowed dhuhr prayer. the vice principal and the principal said to me "We're only give you a room and no one else because you're the only muslim in this school who wants to pray asr prayer." i was heartbroken that i was the only one, the only MUSLIM brothers and sisters who wanted to pray asr out of all the students who were muslim, which can be counted up to 50-60 muslims. i left the office gathered all the muslim girls and asked them why they didn't pray. the girls replied " they wont' let us out of class, they told us to pray at home". remember that these girls don't speak english enough. i gathered the girls from every corner and i told them " WE are Muslim ladies, and we must respect our selves and not act immature so that the kuffars will see that we are good people." we left and went to the office and they turned us away, and refused our propasal to pray asr at school. we walked out of school and they brought us back and said they would call the police. however we stood our ground, we refused and said we would only discuss the issue if we are allowed to pray. the principal and i argued back and forth about prayer and she called an interpeter and so we settled the situation. 99% of those girls kept telling me, they are more than us. we're gonna lose. but Allah ta'ala didn't forsake us. of all the years others attended this highschool they were not allowed to pray asr. but with the permission of Allah we were able to accomplish that goal and get a prayer room. Now brothers and sisters do not think that Allah will forsake you. because he wont'. don't wait till tomorrow what can be done today. start wearing the hijab, or the khameez today. IT'S YOUR FAITH, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, YOUR CHOICE...NOT THEIRS. I wear the longest hijab in the entire student muslim body, yet everyday i go on with my life like anyone elses. my hijab is over my knees and hangs about my ankles. i'm stared at everyday and mimicked by my own muslim so called sisters and on the other side by the non muslims. yet i will never stop being who i am for the sake of others. sisters and brothers you have the power to change what you don't like. You can either choose to let people fear you and you abide by their expectations, or you can decide to be your own person and carry your islamic identity. asalamu alaykum wrwb.

 

[NEED GUIDANCE]

WEAR IT FOR ALLAH BROTHER INSPITE OF YOUR FEAR!!!

:salam2:

i have been muslim for some time now, but ever since the events of 9/11 i have always been hesitant to dress in what would be considered traditional islamic dress. it's not because i am ashamed of islam, because i always tell people that i know or i do not know that i am a muslim. it's just that sometimes i can see the reactions of many people when i do dress in an islamic style; i can see their hatred for me and for muslims in their eyes. i want to wear my kufi and thobe everywhere that i go. but there is a fear factor there for me. i don't know if this a test from ALLAH SWT or if it is the whisperings from the accursed Shaitan ( audhu billah ).

i am curious to know how many brothers and sisters here at TTI feel similar to myself or feel differently. if you used to be afraid and how you conquered that fear.

i know that when muslims see me they have a good idea that i am a muslim. my larger than normal beard, with my short haircut and my pants length are never below my ankles. but i greatly have the desire to have my identity to be known amongst the muslims and the non muslims.

As-salaamu-alaykum wa rahmatullah Brother:

This is coming from your sister in Islam(by the Grace of ALLAH):

JUST DO IT BROTHER.WEAR YOUR JALABIYA AND KUFI...inspite of your fear of the people,and you WILL BE BLESSED BY ALLAH. INSHA-ALLAH.

Brother,there is nothing but success for you in obeying the Lord Of The Worlds,ALLAH,and following the Sunnah of his Messenger(SAW). Allah says this in the Qur'an and ALLAH only speaks the truth!!!

This fear is from the evil whisperings of shaytaaan(may Allah curse him) because he knows that you want to do what pleases your Lord and he hates that. Remember brother,if you do it for Allah inspite of your fear,Allah will raise your iman and make doing good easier for you.Insha-Allah.

I became muslimah more than several years ago(a bit before 9-11) and one of the hardest things for me to do was to cover my hair and wear the jilbab(which looking back now,should have been the easiest).I didn't really understand and appreciate the order from Allah to wear it. I also feared that I wouldn't be able to get a job wearing hijab due to people's hatred and bias.Also being the muslim minority...wanting to fit in with people and all of that foolishness.Afraid of the people.So I had delayed wearing it for a little while.Until one day,Masha-Allah,I made the decision to just put it on.

Another thing I want to point out to you and all the brothers in this ummah:

When you brothers wear your full Islamic garb and long beards with good actions ,it sends a very powerful and stong message of being muslim,of Islam,of obeying Allah. I also think that it makes it much easier for the sisters to love to wear their hijab when the brothers are wearing their Islamic garb.Brother,when you wear your Islamic garb,it reinforces the order from Allah for us to cover ourselves.Rarely will you find a brother wearing his full Islamic garb and the sister isn't.

I also think that it's an added protection for the sisters(Allah knows best)when the brothers are visibly Muslim(wearing Islamic garb).I don't think it's good when we can't tell a brother whose muslim from one who isn't.Also seeing other muslims really helps when you're living in a place that doesn't have many muslims.IT MAKES YOU STRONGER TO DEAL WITH THE HATRED.

Brother,I really do believe that when the our brothers be strong and obey Allah the sisters will also follow suit and obey Allah and their husbands. Insha-Allah.

So yes,please obey your inclination to do good and to please Allah(which is from Him).

MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU AND BLESS YOU TO CARRY OUT YOUR GOOD INTENTION AND NOT TURN BACK. AMIN.

May Allah bless and send peace on his MESSENGER,forgive and help me,and all the muslims to obey Him and prefer Him and HIS MESSENGER(saw) over this world. Amin!

 

[Ahmed ibn Ibrahim]

:salam2:

I'm not going to pretend that I'm a good example of what a Muslim is at the moment, but I do have something to say on this. I've been keeping my comments down to a minimum because I'm not interested in speaking hypocritically, nor am I trying to decieve Allah (SWT).

However, up until very recently I often chose to wear my thobe, or my kufi, or both for that matter outside of the house. When I reverted to Islam originally I knew that there would be many challenges ahead of me, from without as well as within. I think that I was excited to step up and experience the full implications of aspiring to the lifestyle ideals outlined by the final prophet; Wearing "Islamic" clothing and growing a full beard seemed to be an important element for a society interested in peace, where modesty would be a key factor.

Every single act of aggression towards you for expressing your Islam outwardly is an opportunity for us. An opportunity to show understanding and compassion, express our (Islamic) perspective, set a good example, and do some Dow'ah - Perhaps even earn rewards for Jennah (inshaAllah).

Plus, it's not so bad to stick out in a crowd, or a small room for that matter, if you keep the right sort of positive attiude and demeanor! ;-) Ultimately we will all come to face this fear in one capacity or another, so it is very reasonable to overcome that issue as soon as possible. The bad is good for us, and the good is aswell! ;-p



PS: I still have the beard in full. =) And the sister Aisha below has an extremely valid, important point. Thank you sister.

 

[IslamIsLight]

salam aleikum
I always think that it is so easy for brothers just to blend into sociaty and let Muslim sisters do their job ..No offence brother ,Im not talking about you but in general...

To any brother Im telling this .

Try you guys put on the thobe or kufi or whatever and look like a Muslim and go out there and see how your Muslim sisters feel ,instead of hiding behind their backs ...Do it at least for one day ...

For me I have to go to work and stand all these weired comments every day ,answer hundreds of people why I wear it and alhamdulillah its the greatest chance for dawah and Im proud of what I am and never been I afraid of wearing my hijab and telling to all the world around me "Yes I'm a Muslim"...
Lets be fair and stand up for Islam and not wait when others will do it for us...

No offence

waaleikum salam

 

[muslimah-2k8]

salam aleikum
I always think that it is so easy for brothers just to blend into sociaty and let Muslim sisters do their job ..No offence brother ,Im not talking about you but in general...

To any brother Im telling this .

Try you guys put on the thobe or kufi or whatever and look like a Muslim and go out there and see how your Muslim sisters feel ,instead of hiding behind their backs ...Do it at least for one day ...

For me I have to go to work and stand all these weired comments every day ,answer hundreds of people why I wear it and alhamdulillah its the greatest chance for dawah and Im proud of what I am and never been I afraid of wearing my hijab and telling to all the world around me "Yes I'm a Muslim"...
Lets be fair and stand up for Islam and not wait when others will do it for us...

No offence

waaleikum salam

:salam2:

Subhanallah, nice answer.

Men, grow your beard.

 

[Tru3m0sl3m]

:salam2:

I just told my sisters about the discussion in this thread. Subhanallah! Hats off to you people.. Inshallah i'll be wearing my first thobe this EID but i don't have a kufi and we don't get it over here.. Anyways its really sad to see people at my place imitating the west gucci, armani, levis etc even i wear tshirts and jeans almost all the time because thats what we get over here, and talking about "islamic" dress we only get pakistani kameez n pajama which i totally dislike..

So what exactly muslim men wear at your place as far as islamic dresses are concerned?

Jazakamullahu khairn for this thread.

 

[Ahmed ibn Ibrahim]

Well here in Canada, I see brothers dressing similarly to what you see on my Facebook profile picture.

Errr... lol except maybe that first bit. I'm pretty sure that was pre-Islam for me. ;-) I wear a Tshirt even at the city pool now. The middle section was taken shortly after I reverted, come to think of it.

 

[Basicofislam]

:salam2: i wear hijab and jilbab. I feel amazed that the men are scared of wearing the muslim attire. Just proves women are better lollllllllllllllll.

 

[Kakorot]

:salam2:

I was always Muslim but before i was not practicing. Alhamdulillah Allah SWT has guided and i started practicing the Deen since 2005 when i was 14, where i wore my hijab. i didn't wear the jilbab because i had to wear school uniform. then when i started college last year (september 07) i started wearing jilbab. then this september 2008 that just went i started wearing the niqaab.

I feel really comfortable alhmadulillah. Ppl my say rude comments or give dirty looks and stuff but it doesn't really bother me if i know that the one who created me to worship Him SWT is pleased with me, then khalas, I'm happy. But i have to admit that sometimes if its dark outside and i'm on my own, yeah i do kinda get scrared.

 

[al-fajr]

Some muslims are more afraid of seeing another muslim in full Islamic dress than some non-muslims.

Non-muslims are generally too stoned from the night before to give a damn about your attire. (In the context Im in at least)

 

[sumaya_02]

Asalamu alaykum wrwb. i wear my full muslim clothing. in fact i wear the longest hijab in the entire muslim body of students at school. yes...i usually am the one who is targetted the most even by my own muslim classmates. but i could care less. I don't get why everybody is so afraid to wear their islamic traditional clothing. So what if they stare at you or even spit at you? the sahabah went through much more, and the tab'een and the atba tab'een went through more than we can. i know some of you think that dressing in islamic clothings doesn't make a difference but trust me it does. at first and maybe forever they will stare and harass you, but somewhere along the lines you will attain respect when they see that you're not backing down. my brothers and sisters do not be afraid. let me tell you a few stories of my school life. and by the way the city i currently live in used to be called "white cloud", yes that's how racial it was and still is. I came here at the age of nine and because of my lack of the english language i was put in 2nd grade instead of 3rd grade. ever since i set foot in america i've not gone by a year without being harassed or commented in a negative tone about how i dress. but i never let them get to me. and then all of a sudden a non muslim girl came to me and said " you know i really like what you do. you're friends wear pants because they're ashamed of who they are but you face more than they did and you still stand your ground. i respect you." sisters and brothers do not hesitate because of another person's reactions. You are YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL. you are FREE. Akhira is what's important. let me tell you another incident that just happened today. I know that in your hearts you may be afraid but you should never let your enemy see that. just today at school (i'm 17 now) they wouldn't let us pray asr prayer. they said we are only allowed dhuhr prayer. the vice principal and the principal said to me "We're only give you a room and no one else because you're the only muslim in this school who wants to pray asr prayer." i was heartbroken that i was the only one, the only MUSLIM brothers and sisters who wanted to pray asr out of all the students who were muslim, which can be counted up to 50-60 muslims. i left the office gathered all the muslim girls and asked them why they didn't pray. the girls replied " they wont' let us out of class, they told us to pray at home". remember that these girls don't speak english enough. i gathered the girls from every corner and i told them " WE are Muslim ladies, and we must respect our selves and not act immature so that the kuffars will see that we are good people." we left and went to the office and they turned us away, and refused our propasal to pray asr at school. we walked out of school and they brought us back and said they would call the police. however we stood our ground, we refused and said we would only discuss the issue if we are allowed to pray. the principal and i argued back and forth about prayer and she called an interpeter and so we settled the situation. 99% of those girls kept telling me, they are more than us. we're gonna lose. but Allah ta'ala didn't forsake us. of all the years others attended this highschool they were not allowed to pray asr. but with the permission of Allah we were able to accomplish that goal and get a prayer room. Now brothers and sisters do not think that Allah will forsake you. because he wont'. don't wait till tomorrow what can be done today. start wearing the hijab, or the khameez today. IT'S YOUR FAITH, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, YOUR CHOICE...NOT THEIRS. I wear the longest hijab in the entire student muslim body, yet everyday i go on with my life like anyone elses. my hijab is over my knees and hangs about my ankles. i'm stared at everyday and mimicked by my own muslim so called sisters and on the other side by the non muslims. yet i will never stop being who i am for the sake of others. sisters and brothers you have the power to change what you don't like. You can either choose to let people fear you and you abide by their expectations, or you can decide to be your own person and carry your islamic identity. asalamu alaykum wrwb.

:salam2:
masha'allah sister palestine may allah bless u
i wear my hijab alhamdulillah and i'm never afraid of wearing the hijab alhmadulillah

 

[cmelbouzaidi]

:salam2: on occasion i might have fears about the way i might be treated for wearing hijab but it doesn't stop me from wearing it and the advantages for dawah and representing Islam well far outweigh any small inconveniences or fears that might arise so far, no terrible experiences to report but lots of good ones for talking about Islam and why I am a revert, Alhamdulillah.

 

[Riyadhus]

Asalamu alaykum wrwb. i wear my full muslim clothing. in fact i wear the longest hijab in the entire muslim body of students at school. yes...i usually am the one who is targetted the most even by my own muslim classmates. but i could care less. I don't get why everybody is so afraid to wear their islamic traditional clothing. So what if they stare at you or even spit at you? the sahabah went through much more, and the tab'een and the atba tab'een went through more than we can. i know some of you think that dressing in islamic clothings doesn't make a difference but trust me it does. at first and maybe forever they will stare and harass you, but somewhere along the lines you will attain respect when they see that you're not backing down. my brothers and sisters do not be afraid. let me tell you a few stories of my school life. and by the way the city i currently live in used to be called "white cloud", yes that's how racial it was and still is. I came here at the age of nine and because of my lack of the english language i was put in 2nd grade instead of 3rd grade. ever since i set foot in america i've not gone by a year without being harassed or commented in a negative tone about how i dress. but i never let them get to me. and then all of a sudden a non muslim girl came to me and said " you know i really like what you do. you're friends wear pants because they're ashamed of who they are but you face more than they did and you still stand your ground. i respect you." sisters and brothers do not hesitate because of another person's reactions. You are YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL. you are FREE. Akhira is what's important. let me tell you another incident that just happened today. I know that in your hearts you may be afraid but you should never let your enemy see that. just today at school (i'm 17 now) they wouldn't let us pray asr prayer. they said we are only allowed dhuhr prayer. the vice principal and the principal said to me "We're only give you a room and no one else because you're the only muslim in this school who wants to pray asr prayer." i was heartbroken that i was the only one, the only MUSLIM brothers and sisters who wanted to pray asr out of all the students who were muslim, which can be counted up to 50-60 muslims. i left the office gathered all the muslim girls and asked them why they didn't pray. the girls replied " they wont' let us out of class, they told us to pray at home". remember that these girls don't speak english enough. i gathered the girls from every corner and i told them " WE are Muslim ladies, and we must respect our selves and not act immature so that the kuffars will see that we are good people." we left and went to the office and they turned us away, and refused our propasal to pray asr at school. we walked out of school and they brought us back and said they would call the police. however we stood our ground, we refused and said we would only discuss the issue if we are allowed to pray. the principal and i argued back and forth about prayer and she called an interpeter and so we settled the situation. 99% of those girls kept telling me, they are more than us. we're gonna lose. but Allah ta'ala didn't forsake us. of all the years others attended this highschool they were not allowed to pray asr. but with the permission of Allah we were able to accomplish that goal and get a prayer room. Now brothers and sisters do not think that Allah will forsake you. because he wont'. don't wait till tomorrow what can be done today. start wearing the hijab, or the khameez today. IT'S YOUR FAITH, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, YOUR CHOICE...NOT THEIRS. I wear the longest hijab in the entire student muslim body, yet everyday i go on with my life like anyone elses. my hijab is over my knees and hangs about my ankles. i'm stared at everyday and mimicked by my own muslim so called sisters and on the other side by the non muslims. yet i will never stop being who i am for the sake of others. sisters and brothers you have the power to change what you don't like. You can either choose to let people fear you and you abide by their expectations, or you can decide to be your own person and carry your islamic identity. asalamu alaykum wrwb.

Sister Palestine, you really inspire me! MasyaAllah! If only I have the courage and the firmness you have..

 

[AAminAA]

:salam2:

I Never was afraid and never will be insha'Allah. I have Allah s.w.t.! If something lebels you as a muslim, wear it !

Fear the Creator not a creation !

 

[palestine]

:salam2:

I just told my sisters about the discussion in this thread. Subhanallah! Hats off to you people.. Inshallah i'll be wearing my first thobe this EID but i don't have a kufi and we don't get it over here.. Anyways its really sad to see people at my place imitating the west gucci, armani, levis etc even i wear tshirts and jeans almost all the time because thats what we get over here, and talking about "islamic" dress we only get pakistani kameez n pajama which i totally dislike..

So what exactly muslim men wear at your place as far as islamic dresses are concerned?

Jazakamullahu khairn for this thread.

you can order islamic clothings such as the kufi online. the best store i know online is al hannah store, type into google and look at the men islamic clothings. it's awesome!:salam2:

 

[Tru3m0sl3m]

:salam2:
Jazakallah khair sister palestine.. I'll check it out ASAP. I've got one more question for brothers especially those who wear thobe's how do you ride your two wheelers wearing those dresses?