The Niqabi Sisters✔️

2

"He wants me to wear the niqab," Mariam says. Mariam didn't know what to feel about it. She was surprised Malik would suggest to her to wear it. She never thought of the niqab before.

"Thats not such a bad thing. The niqab is beautiful. I want to wear someday," Elham say. Elham had known many close friends who wear the niqab. She wanted to wear one herself one day because she liked the idea of covering up. She didn't like the attention and she wanted to please Allah.

"Really?" Mariam asks.

"Yes. I know that there's an ayah to say to cover. And what is more beautiful than to follow Allah's commands? Allah tries to protect us. And by worshiping Him we draw nearer to Him."

"Subhanallah thats so true, Elham. Would you be my niqabi sister with me? Lets wear the niqab together," Mariam suggests. She wanted support and a friend who can share her experience with her on wearing the niqab.

"I would love that. First we must learn more about it before even thinking to wear it. Lets do some research about it."

"Okay, good idea," Mariam agreed. "Well ill talk to you later."

They said their salams and The phone clicks. Mariam goes to her computer and begins searching on the topic of niqabs.

She read an ayah about it in the Quran:
The Noble Qur'an - Al-Ahzab 33:59
O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils)1 all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Subhanallah, Mariam thought. Even in the Quran Allah orders us to cover. Just like what Elham said. Elham was more knowledgeable in the deen.

Mariam kept reading:
Aisha used to say: "When (the Verse): 'They should draw their veils over their necks and bosoms,' was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces."
Hadith - Bukhari 6:282

So even in the times of the prophet they covered up. They tried their best to be pure for Allah's sake. That was so beautiful, Mariam thought.

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 Islâm), 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 Allâh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.
The Noble Qur'an - An-Nur 24:30-31

Mariam was amazed. There was so much proof for the niqab. But wearing hijab or niqab was much more than covering. It was modesty. It was being respectful. It was talking firmly with the opposite gender and not free mix or shake hands. It was being straight forward. She understood this because guys can get the wrong impression if they don't do all this. Allah knows whats best for us. And he is trying to protect us.

Mariam continued her search on the niqab for the next couple of days. Then Mariam called Elham and informed her on what she had learned.

"Very good," Elham says. "Does your heart feel at ease about this?"

"Yes. But i need to tell Malik that I'm not doing it for him. But for Allah. I want to thank him for suggesting it to me and opening my eyes to it but it's not for him." Mariam didn't like the idea of wearing the niqab for the creation. She wanted to wear it for her Creator. For Allah alone.

"There is no harm in doing it for him. He's your soon to be husband. And listening to the husband is commanded by Allah. You are worshipping Allah when you listen to your husband." Listening to the husband comes with limits. If the husband tells the wife to do something against what Allah commands and what is halal and right then it is forbidden to listen to him. Also one can sometimes compromise when the wife and husband have disagreements.

"But he's not my husband yet," Mariam teases. Though she liked Malik very much. She thought he was a pious man and a perfect fit for her.

"But there's potential, i see."

"Yes,maybe." Mariam prayed istikhara every night about Malik. And she felt maybe he was the one. But she didn't tell him that yet.

"Okay we will talk more about this later. You need to think about this more. Its a big decision. And i need to think about it too." Elham had thought about the niqab lately too. She had done her own research and was very close to wearing it this very second, but she wanted to be sure that this is what she wanted and that she won't regret wearing it and won't change her mind about it later.

"Okay. I got to go. Malik is here," Mariam says. They said their salams and the phone clicked.