Bus driver tells Muslim woman to 'take off mask'

Recently in Australia, a niqaabi sister was told by the bus driver she could not enter into the bus without showing her face, read what happened here

MashaAllah I really admire how sister Khadijah handled the situation. A lot of women would feel flustered and do as the man said and not enter the bus and feel defeated. Most of the time we summon the proper words and courage long after an ordeal is over. However, this sister stood her ground,maintained her composure, and didn't seem to get an attitude or be rude mashaAllah. She didn't break down, instead she tried in the best way possible to educate the bus driver about niqaab and let him know that she is just another average person.

Female Farmers in Yemen

The tall hats are supposed to catch more cool air to cool them off. Awesome. I want one! Imagine.. people would probably think I were a walking scarecrow haha

Oops!

So I had this dream...

I went to drop off my son at my parents house so my husband and I could go to a lecture. He went to the masjid to make salah and I prayed at home and got ready so he could pick me up and we'd be on our way.

I heard him honk outside and I slipped my coat on. Heading to the door, I told my mom that there should be enough diapers in the baby bag. I grabbed my niqaab and tied it on.

I said my salaams and closed the door behind me and bounced over to the car.

I could see my husbands eyes grow wider as he stared at me through the car window.

He ran out the car and towards me, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? IS THIS A JOKE?" He pushed me back towards the house.

"Aren't we going out?"

"Not like that! What's wrong with you?!"

I turned back towards the house and felt the wind blow against my neck.

Wait... wind against my neck? I haven't felt that for years!

Alas, I put my niqaab on without my hijab

HAHAHA

Okay, the sad part is... I did this before in read life LOL. It was my first week of being a niqaabi. I was so paranoid that I would go out and forget to put it on, that I skipped the step before that - putting on my hijab! Good thing I was halfway out the door when I felt a warm summer breeze through my hair and ran back inside!

Oh and then there are those windy fall days where I'm just walking down the street and the wind swoops my niqaab up over my head while I frantically try to pull it back down over my face haha.

But, sister... you're not pretty...

Many sisters I know who wear niqaab have encountered these vicious words.

I'm singling out niqaabis in this post because they specifically cover their faces.

One of the first niqaabis I knew went into a well known store a few towns over to purchase her first niqaab. When she asked the store owner if she had any in stock the woman scrunched her brows and scoffed at her. My friend continued to look at her, waiting for an answer. The storeowner brushed her bangs to the side, making sure they stuck out 'properly' from outside her hijab and pressed her red lips together.

"You want niqaab?" the store owner confirmed.

"Yes.."

"But you don't have to wear.. I mean.. you're not so pretty..."

Man, if someone were to say that to me it would be a slap in the face. On one hand, every person is attractive in some way. I don't expect every woman to think every other female is drop dead gorgeous, but no one has the right to call someone ugly!!!! And secondly, niqaab is not the mark of a stunningly beautiful woman, rather its the mark of a woman's modesty and her struggling to please her Lord. This is a task she's decided upon and taken up for her betterment and in hopes that Allah will inshaAllah reward her.

This isn't the only time I've heard someone tell a niqaabi sister they weren't pretty enough to wear niqaab. The funny thing is, sometimes these same people try to persuade sisters NOT to wear niqaab because they are so attractive and should show their faces to the world "But you're so beautiful, why are you trying to hide it?" *rolls eyes*

Any muhajjabah and any munaqqabah is beautiful. How can this be if you cannot see their bodies, hair, or face, and sometimes even eyes? They are beautiful because they ignore the disgusting comments from people and they endure hardships all for the sake of Allah and to protect themselves in this life and to help grant them a spot in the hereafter.

A hijabi is no more beautiful than a niqaabi and vice versa. Whenever a niqaabi sister walks into a masjid filled with virtually no niqaabis, I notice a lot of the sisters turn and wait for her to lift her niqaab, as if they expected a Hoor from Jannah to be standing before them!! haha, Come on, she's just another sister, like you!

And while on the subject, it's stupid too that there are some people who feel sisters who aren't that attractive should also cover their faces. Again, stop judging people's beauty. This is something Muslims do not do.

If anything, the niqaab is a mark of faith, and this is all... just like the hijab, just like the abaya, just like the beard, the kufi, the raised pants and the leather socks! And only Allah knows what is behind it all and what the intention is!