My Life: The Freedom of a Muslimah

By: Niqab Lovers (Guest Writer)

[dropcaps]B[/dropcaps]eing a Muslim woman, or a Muslimah as is known in Arabic, is a blessing God has gifted me without even having asked for it. I know that some people might have mixed ideas about who a Muslim woman really is and I would really like to explain myself and hopefully clear some misconceptions along the way too.

Muslimah literally means “a person who submits to the Will of God”. It might seem like a very ordinary definition for some, but for me, being a Muslimah, the definition runs very deep and it is something I preciously hold on to. I know there is a lot of talk in the media about Muslim women being oppressed, limited and subjugated, but if you really want to know exactly who a Muslimah is, you have to get it answered from a Muslim woman herself.

Being a Muslim, I have a purpose in life, and that is to obey my God. No matter what happens in life, obedience to Allah is my first priority. Everything else is secondary. Some people might say that this thought alone is depressing, but trust me, it’s only when we have a true purpose in life and realize the truth, that everything in life falls into place. I know, according to what the media portrays, a lot of you might wonder that being a Muslim woman is a tedious task, but let me tell you, it isn’t. As a Muslimah, I have my own rights and no- Islam does not deprive us of any rights. One extremely amazing lesson from the Quran is that both, the word “man” and “woman” have appeared in the Quran 23 times. We have equal rights, but our duties and responsibilities are different.

[heading style=”subheader”]A glimpse into the life of a Muslimah[/heading]

I’m afraid I don’t have much to elaborate on my daily life as a Muslim woman. Every day is a struggle to come closer to God, and with each passing day, I realize how blessed I am to be a woman of Islam. I pray 5 times a day, recite the Quran and learn more about what I can related to Islam. In short, every day is an opportunity to gain the Pleasure of my God.

I know that some of you might shake your head at this point and say what a dull life I’ve got. Yes, there might not be anything too flashy about it, but I’m grateful for it. I find my peace in my 5-times daily prayers, immeasurable solace in reading the Quran, security in observing my Hijab and Niqab, happiness in my family, freedom is obeying Allah and trust in Allah. Above all, I have been blessed with the gift of being a woman of Islam and I really couldn’t have asked for anything better! As a Muslim, part of my belief is the life in the Hereafter, after death. This life is transient, and it is only a test while the life in the Hereafter is what I strive every day for.

[blocktext align=”center”]”The abode of the Hereafter-that is truly Life if they only knew” (Al Quran 29:64)[/blocktext]

I suppose this article is pointless if I don’t talk about the Hijab or Niqab. Modesty is the best adornment of a woman. The Hijab is an obligation on every Muslim woman, and it is an expression of our love and obedience to Allah. We wear the Hijab because Islam teaches us that women are precious and our beauty is something we only reveal to the people that matter in our life. With the popularity of nudity and semi-nudity of women running rampant today, observing the Hijab is an honour because it preserves my modesty, upholds my dignity and gives me far more freedom than you could ever imagine.

Freedom is something that most people believe Muslim women are deprived of, but for me, true freedom is only attained by obeying Allah. Obedience to God has never oppressed or limited me. It has only set me free.

To sum it all up, Muslim women are given beautiful rights in Islam and our position is spoken highly of in Islam. As a mother, paradise lies beneath her feet. As a daughter, she op ens up the doors of paradise for her parents. As a wife, she completes the religion of her husband. This is who a Muslimah is. This is who I am.