Tag: hijabi

  • Hijabi Emoji To Be Made Available On All Apple Devices By End 2017

    Hijabi Emoji To Be Made Available On All Apple Devices By End 2017

    When I first read the news on CNN, I was so excited. Finally, an emoji that represents me and the millions of veiled women and girls out there! The hijabi emoji was revealed on World Emoji Day on July 17, 2017. The girl behind the idea was 16-year-old Rayouf Alhumedhi, a student of Saudi origin, who resides in Vienna. Rayouf came up with the emoji while engaging in a group chat with her friends on WhatsApp. At that time, she realized that there was no emoji that represented her as a young veiled girl.

    Alhumedhi mentioned, “The fact that there was no emoji to represent me and the millions of other hibaji women across the world is baffling to me. I really had no initial idea in my mind of what it was supposed to look like. I just wanted it to be available in different skin tones-millions of women of different races do wear it.” Alhumedhi proposed her idea to Unicode, the most renowned company which creates and edits emojis that are currently used on most social media platforms. The company quickly responded, and a member of the company’s emoji subcommittee worked with her to come up with the design for the emoji. Soon later, Apple accepted to release the emoji and announced that it will appear on all Apple devices towards the end of 2017.

    The release of the hijabi emoji, in my opinion, will be a way to increase diversity and encourage both religious and cultural tolerance. The emoji, itself, represents a religious practice that has been adopted by multiple religions like, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and others. Not only that but also a shade of many through-out many cultures in the world we know today. Including it with other emojis will increase the range of emojis that represent religions and cultures that are available on different social media platforms. Moreover, the fact that Apple has accepted the emoji clearly shows that hijabis and the hijab, itself, are gaining more tolerance and respect from people.

    For me and for many other hijabis, this emoji is not just any other emoji. It is a way of being able to express one’s self and show how proud a girl can be when she chooses to wear the hijab. Wearing the hijab has been frowned upon and viewed as a tool of oppression by many people. Having this emoji shows that not everyone agrees to this generally common view. Some people out there do not approach us with the belief that we need saving, that we are in any way less than others. Something that all hijabis in the West have struggled to deal with for many years, myself included.

    Maybe, the actual presence of the hijabi emoji will trigger the curiosity in some people and get them to learn more about the veil and why some women choose to wear it. Maybe, people will learn that it is not a symbol of terrorism and that there are women from other religions, besides Islam, who choose to represent themselves that way. Maybe, if they stop seeing it as a sign of oppression they will become more accepting of the girls who wear it. Just maybe. We will never know though until it is released. What is certain is that to have a big and well-known company, like Apple, recognize that we, hijabis, are just like everyone else who deserve to be represented, is a small victory that is worthy of celebration.

     

    Source: The Muslim Vibe

  • Hijabi Struggles

    Hijabi Struggles

    There are some hijabi struggles that are unavoidable and like to sporadically repeat themselves. Have you experienced any of it?

    1. Lost Pins.
    We don’t know where they go. We keep replacing them. But we always seem to run out.

    2. Being stabbed in the head by a pin.
    This happens to everyone at some point. There are those days when you’re in a time crunch and you need to get done. Or those days when your hand slips and the pin jabs you in the head.

    3. Storing your pins.
    Storing pins is always a mission.  It doesn’t remain organised forever. You can never find the pin we want to wear or your pins never remain in one place.

    4. When your neck is showing and you have run out of scarf or your hair has slipped out to play peekaboo from under your scarf.

    5. You have an event to attend, and the only scarf that matches is very scratchy… and you wear it anyway.

    6..Having to undo ur hijab style to make wudhu. Or worse, a wet hijab after wudhu

    7. Creased scarves and wishing you never had to iron another scarf again. There are few things we hate more than having to iron the creases out of our ever growing collection of hijabs.

    8. #thatawkwardmomentwhen you pass a mirror & realize your hijab is totally messed up.

    9. Storing crumbs in your hijab. Food and Hijab… enough said.

    10. The Inescapable Hijab Itch.
    When you head itches randomly under the scarf. We’ve all had it. It happensunannounced. There’s no way of avoiding it. And worse, you can’t get your fingers under your intricate scarf style to soothe the itch. Washing your hair regularly minimises this but it’s bound to happen at some point.

    11. Misplaced hijab cap or hijab bonnet.
    It happens at the worst of times. Usually when you’re in a time crunch.

     

    Source: Muslimah Lifestyle

  • Noor Mastura: My Relationship With The Hijab Strengthened Because My Mother Did Not Force It Upon Me

    Noor Mastura: My Relationship With The Hijab Strengthened Because My Mother Did Not Force It Upon Me

    I remember the first week I started wearing the hejab. I was ready to take it off by the second week. My friends laughed at me. Mind you, they were Muslim.
    My friends who weren’t Muslims however – were incredibly supportive. Yes you Sumalatha Navan .

    My mum was the happiest when I wore it. My sisters followed immediately and wore it too. So when I came back home one day and plopped myself at the dining table and blurted out to mum that I didn’t want to wear the hejab anymore, I anticipated drama and was so ready to rebut with a host of carefully constructed responses.

    Mum was cooking but when the bomb dropped, she didn’t flinch. And without hesitation she said, okay. And I thought it was one of those ‘Mum-okays’ – you know that one – “okay fine, but don’t ever come back to this house again”
    But no – she actually meant – okay.

    And I said “Mum, I’m really going to take it off.” She stopped stirring the ladle, looked at me straight on and asked “Did I ask you to put it on?”
    “No”
    “Why did you put it on?”
    “Because I wanted to at that time”
    “And why do you want to take it off now?”
    “Because I don’t feel right. ”

    And she said the magic words I’ll always thank her for.
    “It was your decision then, it is your decision now.”

    But I still felt that she didn’t get it. She didn’t think i would actually take it off. We were meeting her friend at a mall that afternoon so she took off first and i told her I’ll drop by after.

    I left home without the hejab. When I saw her and her friend, she looked at me as if nothing happened. It was so weird for me. Mum was actually okay with this????

    She sat and talked and laughed and ate like everything was alright and nothing was amiss. We left and went to the station to catch a bus home. While waiting, mum and I took selfies together and she was happily smiling and holding me and hugging me like I didn’t let her down.

    Even till this day, i don’t know if I did.

    But I’ll tell you what I know. I lasted 3 days without the hejab. I made my decision and I’ve never looked back. Today, I’m as comfortable as I am with it or without it. And it is my sacred companion.

    If my mum reacted otherwise – I honestly don’t know the kind of relationship I’d be having with my hejab. If any.
    But this gratitude that comes with the freedom to choose – either way- is priceless.

    And one can only hope that through this process, we are blessed with the likes of my mum, my friend and this dad right here. (See link for story)

     

    Source: Noor Mastura

  • A Hijab Issue: Apa Yang Orang Perlu Is Expertise Aku, Bukan Kaki Ke Ketiak Aku

    A Hijab Issue: Apa Yang Orang Perlu Is Expertise Aku, Bukan Kaki Ke Ketiak Aku

    Hijab issues.

    Memang tak habis kan.

    Especially kalau kita kerja in a non muslim environment.

    Harini, aku kena one of the worst hijab comments dari a non muslim colleague. #IndiaMari

    Mula2 dia tanya,

    Dia : Kau pernah tak rasa macam nak bukak tudung and wear normal clothes?

    Aku ekcheli tengah busy gila tapi ye la, dia budak baru so aku layankan je.

    Aku : Apa yang normal? Ni normal la.

    Dia : Tak.. maksud aku.. pakai normal blouse.. normal clothes la.

    Aku : Tak pernah. Ni normal aku.

    Dia : Kenapa kau nak cover up? Semua perempuan ada desire untuk dress up and melawa. Abih apa yang orang boleh nampak kalau semua kau tutup?

    Aku : I am a senior system analyst with a double degree. Aku da puas melawa dengan make up, dengan baju2 sexy. Aku nak be defined by my intelligence. Bukan the depth of my cleavage.

    Dia : Kau gila. Kau seriously gila. Aku tak pernah nampak orang so so silly macam kau. Aku dress up untuk diri aku, bukan untuk orang lain. Aku put on make up, dress nicely so orang tak pandang rendah pada aku.

    Aku : Apa yang gila? Apa yang bodoh? Kau ada kau nye own definition of beauty. Pada aku yang sexy tu mentality, brain. Sekarang ni apa yang aku pakai cantik. Aku rasa cantik camni. Apa yang cantik pada aku, tak semestinya cantik pada kau. Aku tak pernah kutuk orang pakai sari buruk. So apa sebenarnya problem kau dengan my dressing.

    Dia : Takla.. maksud aku macam kita kan career women, abih kau pakai macam ni, how orang nak take kau seriously? Kau tertekan dengan culture ke? Parents kau paksa kau pakai macam ni? Sebab aku kenal ramai muslim ladies yang modern. Kau nampak macam backdated.

    *Sedap betul minah ni kutuk aku*

    Aku : Aku tak perlu prove apa2 pada sesiapa. Kalau sesiapa rasa aku tak layak to do this job, aku will happily go. Apa yang orang perlu is expertise aku, bukan kaki ke ketiak aku. Modern tu tak terletak pada skimpy clothes. It is terletak pada pemikiran kita. Aku dengan agama aku, and ni cara aku. So kau rasa by wearing sleeveless and mini skirts, kau lagi modern dari aku? Make sure kau abiskan semua reports ni by today. Jangan asik bebual buang masa je.

    Dia : Kau marah ke?

    Aku : Yes. Marah. Sekarang diam. Aku nak sambung kerja.

    Aku take hijab very seriously. Pada aku, it is bullshit bila orang kata takleh pakai hijab sebab kerja kat town or holding a senior professional position. Kita kena shake hands dengan clients lelaki. Takleh kuno sangat.

    And so far memang selalu orang tanya, tak panas ke kau pakai gini. Aku ok kalau orang tanya baik2. But kalau orang kutuk2, arh tu memang la. Tekan switch auto eject to outerspace. And aku tak believe in “Biarlah apa orang nak kata.. janji Allah knows hati kita”. Memang la Allah tau, tapi aku bukan jenis bagi orang hentam je hijab. Aku berhijab kerana Allah and aku pertahankan hijab pon kerana Allah. Its just not me untuk “biarkan la”.

    Anyway, yang nak kerja is kepala otak ke kepala? Jangan bukak tudung for your job. No matter what happens, jangan bukak tudung. Biar orang kata kita kuno ke, bodoh ke, gila ke pakai camni dalam hot weather.. lantak diorang la. Takde siapa yang boleh jamin rezeki kita. Rezeki kita da tertulis kat loh mahfudz. Hak kita.. akan jadi milik kita no matter what.

    And yakin dengan rezeki dari Allah SWT. Tak guna kalau gaji 10 ribu tapi tak berkat. Baru dapat, da abis. Biar kita gaji kecik, tapi dengan gaji kecik tu, kita boleh ada bajet nak sedekah.

    Aku da lama tak marah tapi lately aku tengok orang perlekehkan hijab and kata it is tuntutan kerja untuk bukak hijab. It is my passion.

    Passion tu boleh jamin syurga ke?
    Kalau tak boleh, buat apa buat?

    Nanti bagi alasan yang sama pada Allah SWT. Bila Allah SWT tanya kenapa bukak tudung bila kerja, bila nak carik rezeki yang halal, cakap, “Sorry Allah, it is my passion.”

    Siapa yang tak boleh terima, takyah waste time comment panjang2 sebab aku tak baca. Aku tak pernah judge orang yang tak berhijab sebab aku pon pernah struggle masa mula2 nak pakai hijab. Aku sayang and layan semua orang yang PM aku tak kira korang berhijab ke tidak ke. Semua sama je. And aku respect those yang tak bagi alasan untuk bukak hijab.

    “Oh sebab kerja.”
    “Oh Allah Maha Pengampun”

    Ni hak peribadi. Nak pakai, you are saving yourselves. Not me. Taknak pakai, terserah.

    Ingat, Allah SWT tak rugi sikit pon kalau kita taknak berhijab or solat. Kalau kita taknak taat, ada bermillion million lagi orang yang nak taat pada Allah SWT. Kita ni kira macam sebutir garam dalam lautan. Kalau kita betul la nak Allah SWT sayang kita, ikut perintah Allah.

    “Kami dengar. Dan kami taat.”

    Aku share bukan tuk riak. Tapi kinda untuk membebel pada those yang taknak take hijab seriously. Kita ada beli 50 pcs hijabs to give away. Kalau sesiapa rasa nak jinak2 berhijab, boleh PM aku, aku akan post out kan untuk korang as a small gift. But jangan give up untuk try berhijab.

    Kita hidup tak lama kat dunia ni. Sekarang da makin ramai yang mati muda and mendadak. So kalau ada difficulties nak share, boleh PM. In shaa Allah aku boleb adakan masa sikit untuk membebel in private.

    Ni bukan judge. Jangan narrow minded sgt. Ni cakap. Aku memang cakap camni. Kuat. Dengar tak? Hello..

    Semoga bermanfaat. Pada those yang kaki menjawab macam aku, jangan takut jawab balik. Jangan asik dengan attitude “biarlah..” Sampai bila nak jadi layu2.. lembik2. Tunjuk orang kita pon ada otak nak fikir and kita are not stupid. Pada yang tak agree, to each his own.

     

    Rilek1Corner

    Credit: Khainis Tahir (We salute you!)

  • How A Chance Meeting While Queuing For Beer Set Penniless Minah Rocker On The Path To Allah

    How A Chance Meeting While Queuing For Beer Set Penniless Minah Rocker On The Path To Allah

    Last Saturday night, I was at 7-11 buying mineral water while i was having dinner with my sisters. There was this young Malay girl queuing in front of me. She was really a rocker with her short torn jeans. When it was her turn, she didnt realize she did not have enough cash to pay for her cigarette and liquour. Her hp battery was flat. She lost her ATM card. The cashier was really making lots of noise. Its almost turning into an ugly scene. So I step up to pay for the amount she needed. She was so shocked to hear I am willing to pay. She turned to me saying “Abg ni benda haram saya beli. I replied: I give you the money because you need the money. Whatever you do with the money, is between you and Allah, none of my business. She was taken back. She remained in silence for a while. I told the cashier to calm down. I know the queue is getting longer but just be nice and patient with her. I said she is going through tough times right now. All of us go through such moments in our life. Just be good to others.

    Out of a sudden, she changed her mind. She said I am gonna only buy cigarette. I dont want the liquor. I was like ok. I thought she left for good or maybe she was embarrassed by what happened she did not want to buy the liquor. When I exit the store, she was outside waiting for me. She was smoking gently, her eyes was like about to shed some tears. I smiled and said to her “Are you ok? You need help? You need money? You are in trouble? I continue : I gotta go back to the food place where my wife and sisters are waiting. She was just walking beside me saying “You know what Abg, maybe sometimes, we are looking for miracles but Allah is kind to give us an ease when we meet some strangers . I replied to her, that is how Islam started “As strangers”. It grew because the Prophet sallahu alaihi wa sallam build the community for everyone to know each other in loving and taking care of each other.

    As we reach the gate of masjid sultan, she raise her hands in saying “Allah always listen to our prayers but it is our expectation is making us disappointed with ourselves. O Allah today I learn you are so kind, generous, etc I am so poor yet YOU enriched with YOUR guidance and hope in my soul.

    This morning, she msg me saying “The first time I did solat tawbah as how you had taught me, free my mind, my heart and my life, I was release from the prison of the self. it was really out of this world. Fajr was just another day when the sun rise, we said Alhamdulilah, Allah is there to take care of us.

     

    Source: Khalid Ajmain

    *Editor’s Note: Picture, from Says.com, is strictly for illustration purposes.