The effect and prominence of advertisements today have driven society from a functioning level of critical thinking into a group of consumers with practically no objectivity, bought easily into the notions of propaganda-laced media. A simple television advertisement can cause a person to feel utterly paranoid and self-conscious about their appearance, forcing them to spend ridiculous amounts on products that promise beauty and hence happiness. This effect is not only restricted to beauty and clothing products, but rather seeps through all that consumers hold in high regard. The phenomenon has subsequently led to the commercialization of religious holidays (with Christmas today being reduced to a mere title with little meaning), and in recent years has also established influence in the Muslim world, geared particularly towards females who wear the Hijab.
Amongst the numerous reasons as to why Muslim women choose to wear it, the Hijab is a symbolic representation of their rejection of being slaves to the world of fashion. Yet today, dozens if not hundreds of Hijab fashion websites touting the latest Hijab trends, fashion shops made solely for Hijabi females and general immodest clothing considered suitable for Muslim women have all attempted to slowly transform the Hijab into a fashion symbol of sorts. The concept of modesty in Islam is well and truly being confused with the common-day image of the Hijab. It seems to be forgotten that it was through Islam's high regard for modesty that the Hijab returned power to women following centuries of injustice and inequity, by allowing the character of a female to dictate her status, success and progress rather than her physical appearance.
In an increasingly materialistic society that functions only through individuals spending beyond their capacities, the inadequacies of the old system rejected by Islam and its oppressive status quo is being projected on Muslim women through the notion of "fashion Hijab" and the-hip-young-Muslimah-who-purchases-only-designer-wear. Where exactly does this contradiction manifest itself? It requires us to realize that in a society where females are directly and indirectly taught to limit their intellectual and social input, the concepts of Hijab and modesty are huge roadblocks. Consider that the only form of media which young females are overwhelmingly represented in is magazines, in which approximately 70 per cent of the editorial content focus on beauty and fashion while roughly 12 per cent cover topics such as school or careers.
Unfortunately, many modern Muslim women have – consciously or not – fallen short of the high rank God has afforded to them by forsaking His decree and instead chasing after the latest fashion trends. There is a large and growing market for Western-inspired clothing with immodest fabrics, colors and cuts being passed off as "Hijab fashion" today. While there are those who like to romanticize and claim that at last the Hijab is becoming hip, what we are actually witnessing instead is the deliberate watering down of God's directive on the Hijab. For when we make attempts to fuse modesty with fashion shows and name brands, we effectively remove its significance and allow it to become open to rapidly deteriorating interpretation. This is not to suggest Muslim women should dress in an unpolished and undignified manner as a means of obtaining self-ascribed asceticism. However, the purpose of Hijab is certainly defeated if it becomes primarily centered on the value of the clothing worn.
While promoting a very superficial understanding of the Islamic dress code, the recent upsurge in stores, high fashion designers and brands marketing flashy Hijab styles is continuously attracting and luring many young Muslim women today. There are countless Facebook websites with thousands of Muslim women supporting stores that are destroying the very essence of the Hijab. Eager to show the world how young Muslim women in the West are redefining the Hijab, media outlets endlessly highlight the arrival of the "high fashion Hijab" trend. More disturbing than this is the pride that Hijab-clad women are taking in these brands, which are fundamentally destroying their identity through debasing and devaluing the modest dress code. It serves a great purpose to remind ourselves that the Hijab is not simply a stylish accessory, but a way of life and character. It is for women not to be judged by their clothing size, brand of clothing, cosmetics or material possessions, but rather by spiritual submission and achievements.
![Who was the Imam of Sayida Fatima [as]](http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/cvE6206LesI/default.jpg)
Comments
If there were a choice then i guess there would be a minority of muslim woman observing hijab, but no - allah has made it wajib ..so it is no bodys choice, exctly we shouldnt look at it like that, > allah has made it wajib so we can protect oursleves.. isnt that jus beautifull...subhanaallah
Hijab is a symbolic representation of modesty and purity. Hijab in its self is a label to the world that "I AM A MUSLIM WOMAN." It is a label to the West, East, North and South. Why can't I wear my Burberry or my LV scarf to represent my Hijab. Why can't I wear my skinny jeans with a sweater dress and platform ankle boots? Why can a Muslim doctor drive a Mercedes Benz?
(Don't get me wrong though... I'm just as tempted to purchase that Benz or the Dior dress as the next person. But I think we mustn't loose sight of our ultimate goal--al-Akhirah--with such worldly goods.)
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful”
[al-Noor 24:31]
This article is much too general and there needs to be a clarification as to who this article is targeting. She speaks of the self-ascribed asceticism but what if we use latest fashion trends in doing so? There is always going to be someone to take something out of context, and yes, there are muslim woman who have taken advantage of latest fashion trends and marked them as Hijab friends but I can tell you, I am fashionable and very modestly dressed.
One, they feed the culture of consumerism and materialism by encouraging women to buy things they don't need and by trying to dictate to them what they should want by saying that something is "in" now, rather than having them use their own minds.
Two, by assigning value to labels and name-brands, women are encouraged to spend money at amounts way out of line with the true material value of the object, but rather instead on maintaining a materialist-determined, consumer-driven image that has absolutely no Islamic worth at all.
So when you want to wear something, as yourself - what is the purpose? Who are you trying to please or impress? Men? Yourself? Fashionistas? Allah swt?
And i dont care if ive offended any of you. I have confidence that no prophet would have had a Mont blac pen in his pocket.
As for hijabis. You can wear what you want so long as its modest. You can be a fashionable as you want. Just please be SMART in terms of the monetary blessings Allah swt gives you. Does Jimmy cho REALLY made you THAT happy?
If so, you've got issues.
I don't think our Prophet would be caught with a Mont Blac pen in pocket or even driving in a Benz (though he probably could have afforded the "cadillac" of all camels back then with Hazrat Khadjijah's wealth)...
u go girl!!
LOL
By the way, your argument is flawed in some ways -- neither is having a valuable item sinful nor is wanting it. If it was an issue, we would not see Prophet Sulaiman owning so much. The issue is when our things begin to own us, instead of us owning them.
In any case, we should read a bit more about Islam and live a little. We should enjoy life, but not let it fool us as the end goal. Also, we should make sure that what we find enjoyable is what Allah says is best, not what people desire. I have no problem with fashion, but when it begins to include form fitting sweaters and skinny jeans, that is a problem.
Think about it.
How would you define the laws of modesty that Islam requires?
cont
as u can see, i have so many, too many restrictions on what i can wear, so after i pay off my khums, and do all my wajibat w/my paycheck, why i cant buy a lv handbag, blahnik flats, chanel necklace, a burberry scarf? or why cant i wear a outfit i brought from the mall, that hides my figure, do i have to wear a handmade shalwar khameez just cause i want to observe hijab? its bad enough i have to put up with peoples stares and snide comments, but according to the artical i should be wearing a garbage bag. high fashion hijab, i welcome u with open arms,
actually thank u, for making me write thiese comments , im def gonna do a shukrana namaz for that god has given me :lol:
Everything has a time and a place. Wearing Louis Vitton in a poor Congo neighborhood would be offensive, but wearing Louis Vitton in Paris is standard and acceptable.
(It might just be possible to buy a $2,000 bag AND AND help feed a poor family with $2,000. You can do both you know, when you got the money.)
The point is to look appropriate and relevant in the setting you are in, without compromising the physical modesty required. Hejab should be appealing.
And those that argue that women who wear designer clothing as hejab attract attention, the fact is that different men are attracted to different features - it all depends on their standard. Some men in Saudi Arabia will stalk and stare down a women draped head to toe in black, because they think he is sexy and beautiful - that's their standard. Perhaps the same is not attractive at all to a western man.
Point being, you can't please all of the people all of the time. Women who dress up, 9 times out of 10 do so for themselves first, and for other women second. Most women just enjoy the art of fashion. It's more practical than buying housewares and paintings - which as a matter of fact I don't hear too many people complaining about, but maybe - just maybe - those items are more wasteful than clothing.
You might think that buying Cheap and Inexpensive stuff is saving you money, but in the end we all pay a much bigger social price - especially for things like harsh working conditions that the makers of those items suffer from, and the low pay that they receive.
IF you don't believe, just check out the Financial Reports of companies like Walmart, and check their margins and profitability against your Louis Vittons.
LV employees don't complain of poor working conditions or low wages, but makers of products that get sold in Walmart do.
Seriously, just try to think a little beyond your own pocket book for a change.
Finally, someone said something about resale value. The $2,000 bag obviously has a much higher resale value than the $10 walmart bag. In fact, most of the time you can sell the bag for close to the price you purchased it for - extending the value of the item for years and years, and even generations. And because many of these expensive bags are so well crafted, they do in fact withstand the test of time. Unlike the Walmart bag, which needs prompt replacing after a few months of use.
1. which is Wasteful spending on trendy Fast Fashion junk, whether its expensive or cheap, simply for the pleasure of owning and showing off.
2. is investing in well-crafted fashion apparel and accessories, that have longer life and better craftsmanship (by professionals of the trade) than cheap junk. And paying the true price for the cost of producing those items and the smaller quantities they are available in (since they are not produced in the same mass as your cheaper junk - which are so cheap because of economies of scale, cheap materials and low wages).
Let's not mistake them as they are not one and the same to be lumped together and dismissed as merely "fashion" and "trend" or "overpriced" shopping behaviors.
Now we must think of context. Wearing my California hijabi outfit in Qom, Iran, where most people where abaya, I might stand out like a sore thumb. Therefore as sisters we have to observe our surroundings and wear appropriate modest clothing while at the same time not asking for attention. My local Imam suggest that pastel colors are better for modest women to wear then bright colors that bring attention like purple/white mix or pink/green mix. This article is forcing hijabi women to think really hard about what they are wearing and whether or not they are enforcing the modest that our Prophets peace be onto them, would be proud of.
The outburst of the latest glam fashions has Muslim women dressing just like the western women with a head scarf. You can see how skinny jeans dont fit the modest model. And this is the precise issue one should look at when they are shopping for clothes.
1.) Am I trying to be as attractive as britney spears and beyonce?
2.) Am I trying to get married over night?
I joke a lot, but in all seriousness what we wear really tells someone what we adhere too, if our fashion stands out more then our modesty then we did not do a very good job of picking our outfit.
Buying the latest fashion clothes is fine, the question is what that piece represents and how it looks upon the greater society you are wearing it in.
8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
The first thing I do when buying clothing is to ask my husband whether or not it's attractive to him (physically). I've even been given lacy material for an abiya--he said it was sexy. So sisters--ask your fathers, brothers or husbands what they think. The whole purpose of hijab is to keep women from the evil intentions and looks of men--not to add to the problem. I tell my daughter--if the words chic or fashion are in the hijab description--stay away from it! Dearborn sisters are getting a reputation for the way they wear hijab. And no amount of argument is going to solve the problem until they fix the hijab themselves. Great article!
Secondly, Islam IS about beauty and dressing nicely. We have so many traditions and verses from the Quran about the importance of wearing nice dress. Furthermore, if beauty was a bad thing then Allah would not have created Yusuf (as) or other prophets to be so handsome. What Islam is NOT for is attracting sexual attention. But it is possible for some clothes to be beautiful without attracting such attention. Not every kind of beauty is sexual, and not every sexual thing is beautiful. This is clear.
Finally, you are wrong about saying "the whole purpose of hijab is to keep women from the evil intentions and looks of men". Hijab is not just about women, it is about protecting men too. Furthermore, men have the responsibility of casting down their glance. It is completely ridiculous that you put all the pressure on women. In some very strict Muslim countries women where full hijab and niqab even, but they are still harassed sometimes.
You shouldn't use preventing bad looks from the most depraved, sick parts of society as the litmus test for what is good hijab. We need to fix men too, not just put all the pressure on women.
I am a British revert, and I see a HUGE part of my jihad being projecting a positive image of Islam to people who know nothing about it. In the West, Muslim women are so often seen as oppressed.....with no life or character. I want to challenge this. So yes, I like to dress in a stylish way, because I would want non-Muslim women to say 'Oh, she looks really cute', or 'I like her headscarf like that'. And ok, maybe the odd guy will look.....but if I guy is gonna look, he will do so whatever you're wearing...and as long as you've covered the principles of modest dress, then the accountability is on him. I think it IS possible to be stylish whilst maintaining modesty. I DO agree however, that the number of sites geered towards hijabi fashion is getting a little out of hand, as many of these have pics posted up of sisters posing in a way which represents the glossy magazine spreads (and we should not imitate the disbelievers). Also, I don't agree with hijab styles where earrings are shown, or over-the-top adornments such as flowers and jewels are used. We are given instructions on dress with context in mind. So, it draws more attention to me if, for example, i go out in black abaya and hijab in my little rural community. So I wear 'regular' clothes to blend in with the other young girls. However, if I were to go to a country where these regular clothes made me stick out like a sore thumb....then I'd opt for abaya.
In my humble opinion, when you look at yourself in the mirror before you walk out of the door....you know in your heart whether you are pleasing Allah. Anthing that makes you feel uncomfortable is not right, and should be abandoned.
Fanastic and important topic to bring up. Jazak Allah khair sisters.
May Allah have mercy on us and forgive us for our shortcomings.
Hana (hanamuslimah.wordpress.com)
independent.co.uk/.../...
Mohummad was an ignorant old man, who created a law for women to cover themselves. and his idiot followers did it without question.
Wearing the Hijab in your own home is fine, just don't thrust it upon everyone else.
why r u on this site? are you one of the ignorant, stubborn disbelivers that Allah mentions in the quran?
Prophet Muhammed ( peace be uopn him) did not tell anyone to dicriminate there woman.
also do not dare say that prophet muhammed was ignorant. the only one ignorant is you who propbably knows nothing about islam, and to prove that you know nothing about islam you said prohet muhammed created a law for woman to wear the hijab. Untrue Allah created this rule of wearing the hijab.therefore us "IDIOTS" have not been ignorant like others and obey Allah.
RSS feed for comments to this post