Dear brother who thinks my covered existence is a threat to your iman,
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته.
I want to say الحمدالله Al-hamdu lillāh from the bottom of my heart in order to start my very first post with gratitude. I'm truly blessed to never tire of niqāb. Covering with khimār, complying with what my Creator has commanded, it was and is simply the best decision of my life and I try to acknowledge my lived fortune any chance I get. May Allah bless the sisters and the brothers who uphold modesty, and to those of who aspire to the same, for the Most Merciful doesn't only reward the action, but intention as well. In shā' Allāh, He makes it possible for all of us to always carry ourselves with hijāb.
However, I can't pretend that of a specific situation, I am not only tired, but exhausted.
It pains me to see modesty being weaponized as a leash on covered and veiled sisters. It frustrates me to see sisters visibly aligning themselves with the will of Allah be scrutinized for the mere sin of existing in a permissible manner within near.
For I refuse to bear witness to this echo chamber anymore, I have decided to speak out.
So, hear me, dear brothers (and the sisters) who take it upon themselves to police chaste women based on nothing but on their modest presence; repeating "33:33" under the comments of every visibly striving sister's post, video, or photo is NOT the gentle nasīhah you think you may be giving.
In fact, it is the misuse of the Most Merciful's words, burdening those who are already working to align themselves with the One.
Let us normalize not throwing āyāt without context. let’s look at what Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 33 is actually talking about, since it’s high time we utilize some tafakkur (understanding).
“And stay in your homes…”
this was revealed to the Mothers of the Believers—the wives of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). they had a unique status. their rewards and responsibilities were unlike any other women. striving for their level of modesty is noble, but the command given to them was NOT meant as a blanket order for all Muslim women to disappear from society.
what is required from all of us regardless of gender is the hijab and haya and obedience to Allāh in what He has commanded clearly for the general ummah.
policing already chaste women, who are not doing anything wrong by what is apparent, is no small issue. those who claim that simply posting online as a woman by itself is haram—your cause is not just, and you're more often than not fighting the wrong fight.
dear brothers, refrain from being a deaf 33:33 warrior. strive to be encouraging in your da’wah. Allāh gave us eyes, but He also gave us aql (intellect) so we can choose to turn to Him, and lower our gaze, especially when a sister is pulling her weight. because she is doing her part, so why won't you?
what exactly has a sister in proper niqab done wrong, just by showing she exists? that she is a human being, a living, breathing creation of Allāh—like you and I are?
how is she improper? how is her mere presence indecent and creating fitnah for anyone, and how is it her fault? a valid daleel is yet to be provided.
are we to vanish because someone else commits the zina of the eyes or mind, while we are already covering and acting as we should?
If your heart still falls into zina of the eyes, despite a sister complying with her Lord—then is she the problem? or is it your gaze that’s too far gone?
This isn’t about rebellion or trying to justify what Allah made haram. this is about truth. and standing for it is an act of worship—just like wearing niqab, because I refuse to watch sisters who—mashaAllah—seemingly do everything right (while knowing none of us are sinless), still get picked apart and put down for no real reason.
That whisper that says, “you’ll never be enough”— often comes from shaytan.
So I urge you, dear brother, to try your best. for your sake. for the sake of us and others. and most importantly, for the sake of Allāh.
Can your conscience handle making the path to Allāh harder for someone who's genuinely trying? To the point where you trigger her overthinking, her guilt, her questioning if she’ll ever be enough—when maybe, just maybe, Allāh is already pleased with her?
Because He never asks us for perfection.
His Mercy is not earned—because we never truly can.
Don’t make others despair. and don’t be the reason a heart feels distant from the deen.
Are your words truly helpful? Are they rooted in softness and sincerity? or are they performative, whispered by the one who wants company in Jahannam?
You don't know her standing with Allāh. and you don’t want to be the one He questions:
“Why were you harsh to My servant, when she was trying to please Me, and doing no visible wrong?”
And may all of us be sincere—in our words, and in our actions.
