Hijab is not the first thing that comes to peoples’ minds when they think of taking control of their lives. But think again, whether you are a man or a woman , self sacrifice, self restraint and being able to not allow yourselves to not become a slave to Hedonism is one of the ultimate forms of control.
‘Modern’ World is a very strange place for women. On one hand it claims to give equality and freedom to chase your dreams but at the same time the duplicitous nature of these claims are very apparent to anyone who observe. Brainwashing young girls by marketing in shops, streets, tv, and social media that they should be slim, tall, attractive, smell great so that they can be centre of attraction has been happening non stop for last 50 years. Funnily enough then we act shocked that young girls are already thinking of plastic surgeries when they get their first jobs. We even act more surprised that why do little girls want to grow up to be Katy Perry and have a chest like her. We act puzzled that why do these girls not want to grow up as doctors, engineers and surgeons!
But there is money to be made. Billions of dollars are spent on cosmetics every month. Vanity has become the fuel of our so called modern lifestyle. Ask yourself this question would this have happened if men and women of our World truly observed Hijab?
We posed this question to ever eloquent Maria. Maria is the director of most famous Islamic gifts shop in UK Hidden Pearls that also happen to specialise in hijabs including but not limited to Chiffon hijabs, Jersey hijabs, Silk hijabs, Crimp hijabs, Crinkle hijabs. Maria answered “Hijab doesn’t mean a piece of cloth on the head. This is a common misconception amongst non Muslims. In fact this definition has become so accepted that even some Muslims believe this. Hijab means a barrier. Hijab means observing haya. For both men and women it means covering their satr. You are absolutely right in asking that question. In my opinion if women genuinely covered up according to true meaning of hijab and men lowered their gaze, cosmetics industry and vanity and hedonism so prevalent in our World would collapse that instant.”
Additionally wearing headscarf form of hijab can be very difficult in lot of countries like France, India and lot of post Soviet states. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Even in countries where there is generally freedom of expression, there are incidents of women wearing any kind of covering being harassed and bullied. So this in itself is an expression of really strong control. As a weak person would very quickly buckle under pressure and conform to society’s vane standards, but if a person observes hijab in a place where it’s challenging to do so, this shows that they have nerves of steel.
Developing control is not a step where you get to. It’s a journey. It’s a process. It’s littered with difficulties, challenges and sometimes even loneliness but it’s a rewarding journey. Being in control of your life is not dependent on one ingredient. It can have lot of components including but not limited to being in control of your emotions, your feelings, your anger, your lust, your spending, your diet and making plans and then contingency plans etc. Hijab however is one of the most important steps in acquiring control in your life especially for women as it allows us to break the shackles of slavery of capitalism and its evils.