~Islam, Beauty, and a Green Clay Mask~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Morning my stylish sisters!

Insh'Allah you have all had your cup of herbal tea and done your morning stretches. Remember: mornings are the best time to go shopping because you are at your skinniest! But don't dash off to Bloomingdales quite yet, I've got some thoughts I'd like to run by you first...

Last night, I sat waiting for my green clay mask to dry (the fact that Target carries Boots products now is amazing...but I digress) and my mind began to wander...

I started pondering my personal emotional jihad that I had struggled with since December 22, 2006. This was the day that I made a personal commitment to follow the command that Allah subhanahuwata'la made to every Muslimah, and I started wearing hijab- Alhamdulillah!

My struggle was never so much IF I should wear hijab or not, but HOW I should wear it. At first, my scarf was as much a fashion accessory to me as anything. The intentions behind it were always pure, but my knowledge was limited and I saw nothing wrong with tying it to the back into a fancy bun or funky braid. Gradually, as my knowledge increased and my imaan grew, I started wearing less and less makeup, opted for only black, grey, and brown long skirts or abayas.

This is when I realized that somewhere along the way I had lost myself. Now, please don't misunderstand me. Alhamdulillah I had become very strong in my deen- I was praying every prayer with Sunnah, fasting Mondays and Thursdays, and studying as much hadith and Qur'an as I could get my hands on. Our piety and commitment to Allah swt is of course the most important part of our life as Muslims, but somehow my hijab had gotten so tight, and I had lowered my gaze so much that I could no longer look people in the eye. My humility had turned into timidity, my faith into outright fear of others. The funny, friendly, affectionate me who loved rainbow colored toe socks and neon pink flip flops was gone.

So I debated...do I have to give up these things to be a good, pious, righteous Muslimah? Does Islamic humility rendor a female's natural love for lace and pastels and polk-a-dots haraam?

And this is what I discovered...

Truly Allah subhanahuwata'la is as-Sabur (The Patient). He gives us every opportunity in life to discover what He has plainly laid out for us, but we are too blind to see. Islam does not exist to make life harder for us, but rather to set forth guidelines for us, to regulate our nafs, to direct us on the path to Jannah. (insh'Allah ya Rabb!)

Allah swt created beauty all around us! Everywhere we turn, for us to enjoy, to appreciate, to remember Him.

"We have indeed decked the lower heaven with beauty (in) the stars." (al-Qur'an, As-Saffat 37:6)

Prophet Muhammad salallahuwalaihiwasalam said, "Almighty Allah is Beautiful (splendid in His perfection) and love Beauty."

It is explained in a sahih Muslim hadith that a woman's beauty is a natural factor for a man to consider when marrying her, but confirms that piety is far more important. Prophet Muhammad saws said, "A woman is normally sought as a wife for her wealth, beauty, nobility, or religiousness, but choose a religious woman and you will prosper."

So, after much reading, reflection, and 32 Google searches my mask was was so stuck to my face that it just may be there permanently. But alhamdulillah I have found my answer.

Allah made beauty for us to behold, to inspire us, to enlighten us, to remind us of His power. Beauty is in the dew of the grass on a summer morning, and the flickering of the stars on a winter's night. It is in our children's giggles, and our mother's embraces. There is nothing haraam about beauty, about femininity, about loving that first step you take in your new pair of Manolos.

The secret is learning how to love all of those things, without sacrificing your conviction in your deen.

So what do you think? What is your answer to this struggle between being beautiful and modest? How do you deal with being a virtuous vixen? A devout diva? A Fashionista Muslimah?

I say: go ahead and rock those skinny jeans and retro tees. Paint your toenails fuschia and strut through your house like the marvelous Muslimah that you are! Just make sure when it's time to go to the masjid for salat, your hijab is straight and that beautiful body is covered.

And by the way-don't forget the nail polish remover! You're gonna need it!

"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." (Noble Qur'an 33:59)

Ma'Salaama and Happy Shopping!

Fashionably Yours,

The Mujahada in Prada

P.S. You simply MUST try this clay mask! Boots Botanics Conditioning Clay Mask, at Target or online here: http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&source=hp&q=boots+botanics+conditioning+clay+mask&rlz=1R2SMSN_enUS328&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=K8lyS9f2AY-Qtgf-9-X5CQ&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQrQQwAA

Sources:

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1123996016768&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam%2FAskAboutIslamE%2FAskAboutIslamE

http://www.islamswomen.com/hijab/hijab_suppression_or_liberation.php