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A Letter to the Culture that Raised Me

02:17



In the name of Allah , the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Assalamualaikum to all,
How is your Ramadhan going on sisters and brothers? inshaAllah i hope everything is going on successfully for the sake of Allah SWT. Well, today’s article that i want to share is especially for the sisters and dear brothers, i hope this article could make you see clearly on what pleases you and Allah SWT.
This article is written by my favorite writer and speaker, Yasmin Mogahed. Sisters, i bet all of you has been growing up in this culture, a culture that makes the wrongdoings seem so easy to follow and the right path is pretty much for losers. i have one of my dear sisters made a confession to me after seeing a couple who the wive is wearing a niqab and the husband is quite modern. she told me, “its not fair for the women that she have to cover herself for the man. women should be able to show her beauty off”. i bet there is sooo much of sisters out there who thinks likewise and this article is the answer for your statement!



Growing up, you read me the Ugly Duckling. And for years I believed that was me. For so long you taught me I was nothing more than a bad copy of the standard (men).


I couldn’t run as fast or lift as much. I didn’t make the same money and I cried too often. I grew up in a man’s world where I didn’t belong.



And when I couldn’t be him, I wanted only to please him. I put on your make-up and wore your short skirts. I gave my life, my body, my dignity, for the cause of being pretty. I knew that no matter what I did, I was worthy only to the degree that I could please and be beautiful for my master. And so I spent my life on the cover of Cosmo and gave my body for you to sell.
I was a slave, but you taught me I was free. I was your object, but you swore it was success. You taught me that my purpose in life was to be on display, to attract, and be beautiful for men. You had me believe that my body was created to market your cars. And you raised me to think I was an ugly duckling. But you lied.




Islam tells me, I’m a swan. I’m different – it’s meant to be that way. And my body, my soul, was created for something more. God says in the Qur’an,




“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” (49:13)



So I am honored. But it is not by my relationship to men. My value as a woman is not measured by the size of my waist or the number of men who like me. My worth as a human being is measured on a higher scale: a scale of righteousness and piety. And my purpose in life – despite what the fashion magazines say – is something more sublime than just looking good for men.





And so God tells me to cover myself, to hide my beauty and to tell the world that I’m not here to please men with my body; I’m here to please God. God elevates the dignity of a woman’s body by commanding that it be respected and covered, shown only to the deserving – only to the man I marry.



So to those who wish to ‘liberate’ me, I have only one thing to say: “Thanks, but no thanks.”
I’m not here to be on display. And my body is not for public consumption. I will not be reduced to an object, or a pair of legs to sell shoes. I’m a soul, a mind, a servant of God. My worth is defined by the beauty of my soul, my heart, my moral character. So, I won’t worship your beauty standards, and I don’t submit to your fashion sense. My submission is to something higher.
With my veil I put my faith on display – rather than my beauty. My value as a human is defined by my relationship with God, not by my looks. I cover the irrelevant. And when you look at me, you don’t see a body. You view me only for what I am: a servant of my Creator.



You see, as a Muslim woman, I’ve been liberated from a silent kind of bondage. I don’t answer

to the slaves of God on earth. I answer to their King.




So sisters, do take this opportunity to change for the sake of Allah SWT. For the sake of the love He has given you and blessings He has given to you. If you were born Muslim, you are the most luckiest person to have things made easy for you. i have every urge to wear the hijab but because of my reversion is a secret, Allah SWT is the only one who can help me. You were lucky to be born in a Muslim family sisters, don’t put it to waste



Waalaikummusalam warahmatullah ~



By Yasmin Mogahed via Suhaibwebb.com

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