Assalamualaikum wa Rahmatulahi wa Barakatu,
"What has happened to your modesty?" .....
Oh! What a question?!
Something that crosses my mind , and I'm sure YOUR minds as well. Not a day goes by that I see the beauty of modesty in Islam being completely distorted and butchered by ignorant individuals who put forth their desires before their religion. I mean, sure, we do live in a society that teaches women to honour themselves through less clothes, more makeup, and false hopes, but does that mean that we must become followers of the mass media rather than the followers of our beloved role model, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)?
So many individuals have chosen to memorize such lyrics from the disgusting, degrading song, "99 problems" and catch phrases from shirk-filled movies rather than learn the 99 names of their Lord, the Almighty, who created them from nothing and then gave them life. AstughfurAllah. Many individuals have chosen to sell their religion for this cheap worldly life. Fornicating, boyfriend-girlfriend relationships, pregnancy out of wedlock, cursing and behaving like a drunken, vile animal! Spending in extravagance, flaunting their bodies all over the internet, abandoning the hijab, and drowning their faces with makeup! Imitating oppressed women on television, cursing like the dirty girl in the music video, and mocking and slandering those who choose to dress modest and fear their Lord.
Yes, this is the sad reality of the Ummah. I hate to be all "negative' and all...but this is the sad truth. Our Ummah....the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu aleyhi wasselam) *sigh*.....
What you fail to realise, dear noble sisters, is that beyond all these disgusting acts of immorality, the fitrah (natural inclination) of purity, innocence, and modesty has been completely stripped away, tampered with, and abandoned. The most beautiful attribute of a woman, a believing woman, is her purity, her fear for her Lord, the fear of Angering Him and disobeying Him. Her modesty is what distinguishes her from society. Her modesty is what separates her from the diseased souls. Her modesty is what defines her as a woman. Her modesty is her honour, her pride, and one of her most sacred gifts from Allah, The Almighty.
Is the dirty muddy pail of water similar to that of a glass of purified clean water? Is the candy with its intacted wrapper similar to that of a opened, half eaten candy thrown carelessly on the floor with a mountain of ants all over it? The answer is a simple no. So then why do many of us struggle so hard to become dirty instead of pure? When we go to a store, we want the clean, best looking NEW piece of garment. Nobody goes to a store and purchases the shirt with a hole or deodorant pit stains all over it, right?
So as you can see, noble sisters, our modesty is even more pure and sacred than just some new shirt hanging on it's hanger in the store. Many sisters try to "dress to impress" may it be for strangers, their friends, their families or whoever (and Allah knows best) but one thing we should always keep in mind is, how would Allah, The Almighty, want me to look IN and OUTside of my home? Would He want me attracting and alluring random strangers and causing fitnah for believing brothers? Would Allah be pleased with me if I were to apply makeup under my niqab to beautify my eyes like Jasmine from Aladdin? Would Allah accept my way of dress if I was walking in high heels with red lipstick and pink blush while wearing a tight fitting abaya? Would Allah consider this modesty? If you can automatically answer "no" to any of these questions, then insha'Allah you are on the right track Alhamdulillah, and you just need to continue to educate yourself on who Allah is and what pleases Him and displeases Him (you might want to check out the book by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimuallah called "Al-Aqeedah Al-Wasitiyyah".)
Sisters, we really need to reevaluate our relationship with Allah, The Almighty. We need to really ask ourselves, "do I truly love Allah and His Messenger?", "am I willing to sacrifice my desires of looking beautiful for random people to please my Lord?", "Will the Angel of Death be attracted to my beautiful face in the grave?", "Will my perfume I wore in the dunya be smelling good in my grave?" We need to really ask ourselves. Who is Allah, and what exactly does He want from us? Would He really want us to decorate ourselves like Christmas trees (which is shirk to begin with audhubilah!) and spend in extravagance to adorn ourselves for non-mahrams?
Remember dear sisters,
Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Islam initiated as something strange, and it will revert to its (old position) of being strange. So, glad tidings to the stranger!” [Muslim]
Being a stranger, and looking like one is a good thing! Don't let the Shaitan fool you! Hold onto that modesty that you were born with! Tight fitting clothing that reveal a woman's shape, lace crop tops, skinny jeans, and see-through hijabs constitutes as "naked" because if you think about it, the item is so skin tight, it acts as just another thin layer of skin! Would this please Allah, The Most High? Would He approve of this ? Just because it was made for the people, doesn't mean that you are meant to wear it! Shaitan is out to corrupt the society and he works hard on the women and men who have weak emaan! Don't be a culprit and fasten your heart tightly to the rope of Allah, our Lord of the heavens and the earth!
AbU Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) having said this: Two are the types of the denizens of Hell whom I did not see: people having flogs like the tails of the ox with them and they would be beating people, and the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make their husbands incline towards it. Their heads would be like the humps of the camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they would not smell its odour whereas its odour would be smelt from such and such distance. (Sahih Muslim Book 24. Clothes and Decorations)
Let us also remember that our actions are based on our intentions,
‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab 
said that the Messenger of Allaah 
said: “Indeed, all actions are based on intentions, and surely, every man shall have only that which he intended. Therefore, whosoever immigrated for the sake of Allaah and His Messenger, then his immigration is for Allaah and His Messenger.”[Muslim]
said that the Messenger of Allaah said: “Indeed, all actions are based on intentions, and surely, every man shall have only that which he intended. Therefore, whosoever immigrated for the sake of Allaah and His Messenger, then his immigration is for Allaah and His Messenger.”[Muslim]
Therefore if a sister was walking out and about dressed immodestly in a un-Islamic way, and her actions are immodest as well, than her actions reflect her intentions. The reason you express your feelings towards someone is because that is how you feel, correct? Whatever is in you heart, will eventually show. When one says "do not judge me, only Allah can judge me!" well sisters, yes, only He can judge you, but our job as your sister in Islam, out of the fear and love for Allah, is to enjoin the good and forbid the evil. Would you rather end up in the Hellfire (may Allah protect us all from His Punishment) because you decided to ignore your sisters care and concern? Would you rather ignore her advice and end up in ignorance until the Angel of Death comes to take you away?
Not only are men ordered to lower their gaze, but so are women.
Allah, The Most High, The Almighty says:
"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, 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 the shame of sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful." ( An-Nur 24:31)
Let us work on cleaning our souls and our hearts, and let us work on dressing our souls and hearts with modesty rather than worrying so much about dressing our outer image. So many individuals spend hours on end beautifying themselves for their Tumblr photo blog, their fashion hijab blog, and for the online and offline pool of strange men! But how many hours does one spend beautifying their hearts for Allah, The Almighty? How many hours does one spend purifying their souls for the preparation of their death? How many hours does one waste on painting their faces with chemicals and face paint just to have to take it all off hours later to pray? Does Allah, The Most High, The Sublime, not deserve our beautiful hearts and souls? Does He not deserve our attention? Why must we give up our beautiful gift of modesty just to satisfy our needs and desires of this worldly life?
My noble sisters in Islam, I write this only as a reminder to you because I have lived this kind of degrading, sad life prior to Islam. Where I wanted to stand out and attract attention to myself because I had no other way to feel confident and satisfied. I cried out for attention through my fashionista outfits and my immodest attitude! "Look at me! Look at me!" I would cry! But nobody really looked further than my painted face and dolled up attire. You have to ask yourself, who am I pleasing by dressing immodestly? Will that strange man's attention save me from the Burning Blaze of the Hellfire?
Will my photo's on Tumblr and hijab blog with 1,000 followers and a million hits, be the deciding factor of my Akhirah? The answer is yes, yes it will determine your destination after this life. If you do not repent to Allah and if you continue in the footsteps of Shaitan, your abode will be right along with him (may Allah protect us all from such torment and punishment!)
Let us take this Blessed Month as a time to reflect, repent, and renew our intentions. Let us make it count and let us remember that our next Ramadaan is NOT guaranteed.
I urge you dear sisters in Islam, take those steps to purify your heart and your faces and your wardrobe, remember your Lord and do not fall prey to this dunya.
May Allah guide us all and keep us steadfast and upright on the beautiful deen al-Islam. May He guide us to the truth and may He increase us in MODESTY AND HUMILITY AMEEN!
May Allah forgive me for anything that I said that may have offended you, all good is from Him and all evil is from myself and I seek refuge in MY Lord, The Almighty. Ameen.
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