Are appearances deceptive?

[cmelbouzaidi]

Assalamu alaikom,

I agree that appearances can deceive. A Muslim man with a long beard does not always mean a Muslim who applies the teachings of Islam and our Prophet Mohammed (saw) to his life in every way. However, Alhamdulillah, often it is the case that this is so. Likewise, the same with women wearing Hijab, there are many motivations for wearing hijab and many of these reasons are less than pious. I find, as I have posted before, that I get more respect in USA these days wearing hijab than I used to before hand. More doors being held open, more help in shops, more empathetic smiles and just a few glares...lol... but I can take it for the sake of Allah, it is a very small sacrifice.

For Brother Abdul Hasib in NJ, while I appreciate your respect and obedience to Allah in lowering your gaze, you never know when that girl in school with it all hanging out may have a change of heart and be the next revert wearing hijab, Insha Allah, out of purity of heart. We should not feel arrogant and superior for being Muslim as arrogance was the first major sin..... remember Iblis, he felt superior to Adam. Always be humble and watch your mouth as everything we say, including all the foul language, is being written by the Angels. Do you realize, with the right attitude and heart intention, that you have a beautiful opportunity to spread the good-tidings of Islam in the USA? That this is our obligation? You will not get very far with the male peers in your class if you are describing their sisters as filth and demonizing them. It is unfortunate that many females in western society allow themselves to conform to a certain look to please their men without realizing that they are allowing themselves to become pure objects of amusement. When I am out, some of these scantily clad females look at me in a bewildered fashion and I just give them a big smile... Maybe, it will make some wonder just who is really allowing themselves be degraded? However, I don't look down on them as they are fellow human-beings and Allah knows best what is in each one's heart. Females that fit that picture are rejecting that lifestyle and turning to Allah's deen, Islam, every day, Alhamdulillah.

 

[q8penpals]

:salam2:
dear sister I live in a Muslim country but not all Muslims are good , when I see a girl that dont wear hijab and wear a full make up I look at her in a bad look and wondering how can she do that while she is Muslim and live in a Muslim country but if I saw a girl wearing hijab without any make up I say in my hind and heart ( masha`Allah :ma

Salam

One must always remember - when you say "hijab" are you thinking FULL HIJAB (as in, MODESTY) or are you thinking headscarf? We must remember that wearing a headscarf does not guarantee that a lady is dressed in a hiab manner.

As someone who lives in the same Muslim country, I see WAY TOO MANY young ladies that wear a headscarf that are in NO WAY dressing HIJAB. I have students who come to school on the free-dress days (we normally have uniforms) that wear a headscarf, but the rest of their clothing looks painted on (because it is so skin tight) or the pants are very low (riding on the hips, to accentuate the movement of their hips) and/or their faces are so painted with make-up that they are nearly unrecognizeable. Seriously, it is a huge problem here.

Lana

 

[ShyHijabi]

Salaam,

My post was not made with the intent to make someone else feel bad but rather as a caution to not feel proud over our pathetic, meager "accomplishments" as Muslims. The moment we feel pride over lowering our gaze, wearing hijab, and growing a beard then we have fallen victim to Shaitan. Worse, to look down upon someone who is not practicing properly (or at all) then we become judgemental and backbiters.

I cannot call another person filty, scum. etc., because they are also creations of Allah swt and it is not my place to think/say such things. I know I have sinned, yeah Allah how I've sinned in the past, so I can never point fingers. I do not struggle with lust but that doesn't mean I don't struggle everyday with other issues. I cannot control other's bahvior but I can control my own. So it is up to me to do dawa anyway possible, whether it be my dress or my comportment.

Wasalaam

~Sarah

 

[Proud_2b_Muslim]

Salam

One must always remember - when you say "hijab" are you thinking FULL HIJAB (as in, MODESTY) or are you thinking headscarf? We must remember that wearing a headscarf does not guarantee that a lady is dressed in a hiab manner.

As someone who lives in the same Muslim country, I see WAY TOO MANY young ladies that wear a headscarf that are in NO WAY dressing HIJAB. I have students who come to school on the free-dress days (we normally have uniforms) that wear a headscarf, but the rest of their clothing looks painted on (because it is so skin tight) or the pants are very low (riding on the hips, to accentuate the movement of their hips) and/or their faces are so painted with make-up that they are nearly unrecognizeable. Seriously, it is a huge problem here.

Lana

dear sister thats the problem , muslim girls in Kuwait knows the difference between hijab and head scarf but they dont care , they want to be modern and modern is not like that , I wish Allah guides them and all other people to the right path , I remember once my friend told me that there is a girl that his wife teach in school came to her and was checking her grade in the exam and when she asked her why she said if I got a good mark in the exam my mother will let me pluck my eyebrows , even parenting is important
I wish that Allah let all the muslims care about Islam insha`Allah

 

[muharram23]

dear sister thats the problem , muslim girls in Kuwait knows the difference between hijab and head scarf but they dont care , they want to be modern and modern is not like that , I wish Allah guides them and all other people to the right path , I remember once my friend told me that there is a girl that his wife teach in school came to her and was checking her grade in the exam and when she asked her why she said if I got a good mark in the exam my mother will let me pluck my eyebrows , even parenting is important
I wish that Allah let all the muslims care about Islam insha`Allah

Salamu alaykum

One thing that people are missing here bofore the hijaab is tahweed and aqeeda. We have to teach our muslim brothers and sisters who Allah sva is. Make them know the greatness of Allah sva, and His great name and attributes. Teach them about the hereafter and what this world is really about. When the heart softens and they understand who Allah sva is, then it will be of a no problem for them to wear the hijaab, grow the beard, pray on time, stay away from haraaam etc.
Do you know that the first years of the mekkan period, resulullah svs didnt say alcohol was haraam, praying 5 times a day was obligatory, hijaab was obligatory etc? Instead, he was teaching them tawheed. That they know who Allah sva is, and about jahannam and jannah. Then, when the command came "stop drinking alcohol, zina, adultery, riba etc." the sahaba didn't have no problem of stopping doing those things right away because they had the yaqeen and tawheed in Allah. They new the greatness of Allah subhanahu wata'ala and no one needed to tell them twice to stop doing the acts of disobedience.
We should not judge the people although we know that what they do is disobedience to ALlah sva. However, we have to teach them with kindness and make duah to Allah subhanahu weta'ala to guide them to the truth as we fear the end for them. If people do not know who Allah subhanahu weta'ala is, then it is just a waste of time for you and me to tell them they have to pray, wear hijaab, go to masjid etc. because they do not know why they have to do that. They do not know the reward or punishment for doing or not doing the faraid (obligations) in islaam.
There are numerous stories, but remember the story of the adultress woman from benu israieel. She was walking one time passing a well and she saw a dog who was so thirsty that his tounge was outside. She took her sandals and gave water to the dog, thus saving its life. Because of this act, Allah sva gave her paradise and forgave her sins. SubhanAllah, to an adultress? So, we can not judge people as we do not know what their end might be.
I am going to cite you a famous hadith, 4th hadith of the 40 hadeeth of imam An-nawawi r.a.
Abu 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, radiyallahu 'anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, the most truthful, the most trusted, told us:

"Verily the creation of any one of you takes place when he is assembled in his mother's womb; for forty days he is as a drop of fluid, then it becomes a clot for a similar period. Thereafter, it is a lump looking like it has been chewed for a similar period. Then an angel is sent to him, who breathes the ruh (spirit) into him. This Angel is commanded to write Four decrees: that he writes down his provision (rizq), his life span, his deeds, and whether he will be among the wretched or the blessed.

I swear by Allah - there is no God but He - one of you may perform the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is naught but an arm's length between him and it, when that which has been written will outstrip him so that he performs the deeds of the people of the Hell Fire; one of you may perform the deeds of the people of the Hell Fire, till there is naught but an arm's length between him and it, when that which has been written will overtake him so that he performs the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters therein."

[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

This hadith tells us that no one of us knows their end. A person who is obedient might die as a sinner or neuzhubillah kaafir and a person who is disbeliever or sinner may die as a believer. Resulullah used to recite the duah "ya muqaliibel quloob thabbit qalbi 'ala deenik" Oh you who turns the hearts, make my heart firm in your religion. This is the duah we constantly need to recite as resulullah did it himself even though his past and future sins were forgiven, and was the leader of the prophets.

When you guys read the fatawa how the scholars deal with issues like this, you will see how they respond. They respond in a way that is so kind, in a form that doesn't seem an attack on the person. If we do not know how to deal with something, we have to deal with them in the nicest way. Remember the ayah when Allah subhanehu wat'ala send Musa a.s to pharao, the most wicked disbeliever. What did Allah subahanahu wata'ala say in surah naziaat

16. Behold, thy Lord did call to him in the sacred valley of Tuwa:-

17. "Go thou to Pharaoh for he has indeed transgressed all bounds:

18. "And say to him, 'Wouldst thou that thou shouldst be purified (from sin

If Allah sva told musa a.s to talk with the most evil of creation, then what about others especially muslim?

When a sales man wants to sell its goods, he shows himself as the most nicest person. Why, because we kindness he gets sales. If you are harsh and mean, no one will like you nor buy any goods from you. If this is the case with selling, then what about selling the religion of Allah to the people who need it. Verily, people are in need of islaam, to bad islaaam doesn't have to many good sales man. We do not have many people have the ability to give islaam others. It is sad to see how many people have turned away from islaam do to the acts of the muslims.

So, Make duah for your brothers and sisters and do good to them. Sometimes buying a gift or surprise or even a duah can change a persons heart.

Allah knows best

wasaalam