I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed Get along with the voices inside of my head You're trying to save me, stop holding your breath And you think I'm crazy, yeah, you think I'm crazy
Because what are the chances of finding someone... who can finish your sentences, who will let you cut in line, who knows not to just lend a hand or an ear when you need them to give you their spine, who is woman enough to be best man at your wedding, who will keep every secret, save every letter, tell you how you really look, who will remember every single one of your birthdays without checking Facebook? What are the odds of finding someone who knows your poetry by heart? ...
When the fire takes all you have, my home will be your home. When you are old and no longer remember my face, I will meet you for the first time again and again... They could tell how rare this is. They could tell you how rare friendship always is. The chances are slim, the cards are always stacked against you, the odds are always low. But I've seen the best of you and the worst of you and I choose both. I want to share every single one of your sunshine and save some for later. I will tuck them into my pockets so I can give them back to you when the rains fall hard. Friend. I want to be the air in your lungs that reminds you to breathe easy.
When the walls come down, when the thunder rumbles, when nobody else is home, hold my hand and I promise I won't let go.
This was such a wonderfully informative interview. I think ALL women of faith, not just Muslims, can benefit from it because God gave the same commandments for all of us regarding modesty. You can watch the interview in it's entirety above. Below are a few things that really stood out to me...
What is hijab and how should it affect us on an inner and outer level?
- What we do on outward DOES have an impact on within.
- Beauty was created for us to admire BUT only certain people have that right to gaze.
- Sacred things are set apart with barriers and treated with dignity. For example, the Holy of Holies is always covered by a veil as an expression of it's holiness/sacredness.
For Muslim women living and working in the West, how do you suggest we can ensure that we are growing spiritually, whilst being surrounded by materialism and often being tempted by it?
- We don't recognize the good life but rather the managed pursuit of pleasures.
- Focus on the five daily prayers. Keeps you grounded because it takes precedent over everything else.
What advice would you give to sisters (reverts and non-reverts) who are finding it difficult to start wearing hijab?
- Modesty is innate.
- Many find it difficult but religion itself is hard and a struggle. Following God offers us paradise but the price is high and we have to make that sacrifice.
What methods can one use to increase one's iman? Many people nowadays suffer from having severe "dips" in their faith, and become very distressed upon realizing this. Could you suggest some methods that might help to rectify this type of spiritual crisis?
- Remember that God is ALWAYS near.
- Experience the world as a gift and always see it's beauty. To know the percentage of you imam , look at the percentage of people you see beauty in. Seeing beauty is seeing God's intentions in that person.
- Truly fall in love with God and we will see His majesty/beauty.
- Train your hearts to see God. If you've seen the moon, you're not going to argue rather it exists or not.
*This was my favorite portion of the interview. It begins at 27:14 if you're interested in watching it. Such great practical advice to apply to everything, not just hijab.*
Do you have any tips for sisters to maintain the correct intentions when wearing hijab, when it's always criticized in some way or another by both Muslims and non-Muslims?
- Too much concern of the opinion of others is human but it's not the religious way.
- Simply respond with: "Thank you, brother/sister. We all have so much to learn." It's better to "play dumb" than cause a dispute, especially with a fellow believer. HUMILITY.
When thoughts of taking off her hijab come to a sister, what can she do?
- Islam is based on the beauty of God's law. It is not important for us to do what we want but rather conform to what God has commanded us to do.
- God has given us Shariah with LOTS of details so there's never any question. Following it gives us the opportunity to turn away from our ego and towards the Spirit.
- See hijab as a spiritual method and a way of re-centering ourselves in a crazy world. Once we see it this way, we won't even have the desire to take it off.
- Need to see Shariah as mercy keeping us away from our own rubbish. Also if we see the beauty of Islam through someone who is really living it, we will begin to see Shariah as not just a bunch of rules.
- Keeping company of the best people you can find is CRUCIAL.
