Guidance to hijaab

I was recently asked by a non-Muslim whether or not I fear the reactions of others to my covering. My only fear is the reaction of ALLAH to me denying something He has placed in my heart to do. I fear ALLAH.

My Guidance to hijaab came shortly after becoming Muslim eary 1992. I was so excited and happy to find the "truth" after searching most of my life in actual fact that is mostly all of my childhood, the light of ISLAM found me humbly appreciative and thirsty for more.

Upon opening ALLAH'S Most HOLY QUR'AN, one of the first ayahs I was drawn to:

"And say to the Believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs,or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards ALLAH, that ye may attain Bliss."
HOLY QUR'AN 24:31

For me, wearing hijaab marked my entrance into a much closer relationship with our Allah. ALLAH certainly knows best and the command to hijaab was made very clear to me. I knew I must submit and in the submission free myself of any fears I had of any form of rejection. Acceptane by ALLAH through obedience was my only aim and with ALLAH on my side, who else do I need?

I was and am so grateful to ALLAH for His Guidance and felt that this so-called "sacrifice" was little payment in return for finding the truth that is ISLAM. Little did I know this "sacrifice" was an immense blessing, the benefits of which I cannot begin to innumerate. So little by little I began to see the wisdom of ALLAH'S commands to cover.

Initially I received the taunts and tests that accompany first hijab, and then veiling. It was not easy, but it did make me focus more and more on ALLAH. The more I focused, the stronger I became, Alhamdulillah. At one point I felt a weariness at dispelling the ignorance to ALLAH'S (SWT), Most HOLY QUR'AN. It was then I made du'ah to ALLAH: "Ya, ALLAH. Please help people understand ISLAM so that others may share its joy and so that we will not be so abused and taunted." Alhamdulillah!! three more of my friends became muslim the same year, more and more people were becomming informed and educated about islam. The atmosphere changed from one of complete misunderstanding to an acceptable tolerance, if not respect for ISLAM only by the Grace of ALLAH.

A true transformation was also taking place inside of me. I had always felt the reaction to my appearance must only be the surface of what ALLAH intends when He says:

". . . draw your veils over your bosoms. . . ."

So I prayed that ALLAH would help me see the true beauty of hijaab. From that point of prayer on I could see ALLAH'S help in relation to my "purdah" in day to day activities. I was opening myself more and more to ALLAH'S Guidance and He, Mercifully, was showing me the way.

This is when ALLAH opened my eyes to the peacefull spiritual nature of hijaab. With hijaab, because there is less accessibility to the outside world, I can choose to be in constant prayer/communion with our Creator, insha ALLAH, and therefore more accessible to His Guidance.

When ALLAH speaks to us through His Most Holy Qur'an. He takes us as far as we are willing to go. We set our own limits. ALLAH is certainly Most Gracious and Patient with us.